Why Don't We Listen to Street Musicians?
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Why don't we listen to street musicians?
Because they suck. Or at least most of them do. There are a few exceptions: I thought the street musicians in New Orleans (pre-Hurricane Katrina) were pretty good, this guy is obviously fantastic, and, surprisingly, the musicians in the Montreal metro station aren't that bad. In fact, they're not supposed to be.
The last time I was in Montreal, I was quickly trying to leave the metro when I heard someone playing the guitar. Of course, this instantly set off my reaction to walk faster (Do you know how many people "play guitar?" The guy on Ludlow comes to mind.) Then I actually listened for a couple of seconds and thought, "Hey, this guy actually isn't BAD." It was shocking.
I didn't think much of this until I switched on the TV in my hotel room, and the CBC was doing a story about Montreal street musicians. My memory is a little fuzzy, but I remember that musicians had to audition for certain spots in the Metro. One violinist-piano duo was able to …
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