Continuing our countdown of the Top 10 Ways to Make Downtown Denver Better… we need better street performers. Downtown Denver’s street performers seem to generally consist of a few people with legitimate musical talent, and many others who could be outplayed by a sixth grader.
I’m sure you’ve heard them many times: the solo musician squeaking and squawking on some instrument, struggling to play a seemingly simple, yet unrecognizable song consisting of nothing but quarter notes. I suppose these hard economic times drive some people to do things they normally wouldn’t do, like playing a musical instrument in public even though they’re not very good at it. I don’t fault them for trying, but when you hear a good musician playing out on the street, it can be an uplifting, engaging experience that contributes to the intrigue and appeal of the Downtown environment.
I’d like to see the city and/or the Partnership recruit, as they have done in the past, small performing groups and other talented musicians and artists to perform on Downtown’s streets and in Downtown’s parks and plazas. But instead of concentrating those efforts around the holidays or on key summer weekends, it would be nice to have them around on a regular basis throughout the year—sort of like a low-intensity, ongoing buskerfest. Such things create a casual but festive ambiance to Downtown’s streets and reinforce the fact that Downtown is not just anyplace, but a one-of-a-kind place in our city.
This topic of street performers reminds me of two experiences I had in the Portlands—Maine and Oregon—during business trips to those cities in 2007. In Portland, Maine, a small public square in the heart of Downtown was hosting a weekly farmer’s market. But hanging out nearby were these guys:
I don’t know if they were hired by the city or the market organizers, or if they were just opportunists, but they were good and they really made the setting and the experience memorable. Then in Portland, Oregon, I was walking through the shady, delightful North Park Blocks area in the Pearl District on a Saturday afternoon and spotted a man on a park bench unpacking a violin from its case. He started to play so I pulled up a patch of grass nearby and listened. He was exceptionally talented and proceeded through a number of intense classical pieces, all from memory. Over the course of an hour, a crowd of perhaps thirty people gathered around, enjoying the free concert. He wasn’t even asking for money. After he finished, I thanked him and inquired about his obvious talent. He said he plays professionally for an orchestra in North Carolina and was on vacation in Portland and just felt like practicing out in the park. I was glad he did.
Anyway, walking this afternoon from Civic Center back to LoDo after a meeting, I came across four different street performers along the 16th Street Mall. The first guy was singing and playing a guitar. He was OK. I’ve heard much worse. Then there was the ventriloquist. I hung around nearby for a few minutes, but he and his dummy never performed. I think he was waiting for a crowd to gather first, but no one stopped since he wasn’t doing anything. The third guy was playing the flute, and he was quite good and was really getting into it. The fourth act I came across was the best. It was a combo, one guy playing a banjo, the other guy playing a mandolin. They were very talented and sounded great together. I gave them a couple of bucks. So, today was a pretty good day for street performers on the Mall, I’m happy to report.
But some days are better than others. As Downtown Denver improves, so too will the quality of our street performers, I hope.
What's wrong with Robo man?
It's so funny that you would have this on your list and say that our entertainers suck. And yet paradoxically, denver is such a great music town. It's amazing the the quality of musicians in NYC or New Orleans.
I like the idea of promoting high-quality music on the mall. It begs the question of what other cities do to promote this art form? Is this something that organizations like the Downtown Denver Partnership support financially, or does the free market system in other cities work better than ours? One city that does this very well on an international level is Melbourne. I listened to the most amazing opera singer perform in an alley filled with sidewalk cafes, right in the heart of the city. Which leads me to believe that more outdoor sidewalk cafe seating might help stimulate the street music scene. Thoughts?
joe… I think Roboman is great! I was planning on mentioning him in my blog but I forgot.
how would the city encourage this beyond just getting OUT Of the way? i believe they require some type of ridiculous registration by the performers…just let them do there thing!
if we can't get better, we certainly need MORE. however, performers need crowds…so greater density in downtown might address this issue quickly.
anybody else been to las ramblas in barcelona?
I would agree with anon 10:00am. One great way for the city to encourage this would be to get out of the way.
Additionally, being in the music scene myself, and knowing many fabulous local musicians I know how hard it is to have productive day (make money) on the mall. Maybe some of the more talented musicians may stay away from the mall because they know they can't count on donations, and or worry about getting 'busted' for playing without permit.
Density would help, but really I think there is enough action on the mall to support more (and yes Ken, better) street performers.
There is a great local music scene here in Denver, and I hope everyone makes an effort to check out local shows!
Thank you Ken!
I would like to see some good music along the mall. When I lived in London there was always a bongo player at the bottom of the escalator at my station. The drums would echo up the long staircase. Several times you caught people starting to grove and dance to the upbeat rythms. Considering it was 7am and most commuters were brittish- this was quite a feat!
I would love to see some drummers along the mall. Maybe get a drum circle going? Or hire the guy from the movie Once? A guy like that would be fabulous!
The difficulty is determining what is talent and what is not . . . .
The most memorable "performer" (using a loose definition of the word) is that angry old man in his scooter who plays a shrill synthesizer (or a tape of a shrill synthesizer), usually has a sign on his scooter involving a "liberal conspiracy" or denigrating Bill Clinton, and who sort of glares at passers-by as he tools his way up and down the 16th Street Mall (and occasionally on 17th Street).
I'm always curious about his story, but I'm not about to stop and find out why he feels the need to inflict his squeaky version of big-band hits and patriotic songs on innocent pedestrians — not sure I trust his mental stability.
You know its the lame Jack Johnson, Dave Mathews and John Mayer movement in singer songwriters where all you have to do is play five or six chords and sing using a vocal quality which i like to call "breathiness."
Five points a long time ago once had a very dominant Jazz scene that was respectable among the other big cities in this country. It was a refuge for oppressed black people and there, they played in their haven. It would be nice to see our city planners revive that culture and support the opening of many clubs that are exclusively jazz and blues in 5*. DU's Lamonte and CU Denver's jazz programs have a lot of sutdents in combos that could fill up these venues. With a real jazz culture presence, maybe all these dumb Jack Johnson wannabe singer song writers would change their musical direction to something with a little more culture. I'm sick of this neo jamband crap as well. All these dumb hippies think they have an eclectic taste in music because they watch phish or umphries mcgee at Cervantes do a cover of Donna Lee and then jump into a talking heads cover. I'm sorry it doesn't cut it. I think with a little more support in the conservatory music scene, eventually we would see that translate into better street music, and maybe Ken could a hear a 3/4 time sig. Night dreamer anyone?
It was once suggested to me long ago that I should perform my music on 16th Street. But being from Denver and having not spent enough time elsewhere, I took that as an insult. To me performing on the street was no different than begging for change. To me, street performers that are actually talented was something that only happened in movies and novels that over-romanticize everything.
Now that I'm much more traveled, and have actually lived in world-class cities, I have an entirely different opinion. Street performers can greatly enhance the street-level culture one experiences upon a visit to a strange city. There are very respectable street-performers across the world that greatly deserve the income they generate on the street – performers that go so far to supplement the cultural value of their respective neighborhoods that it's hard to imagine life them.
I used to enjoy the robot guy around the Pavilions, but now realize he is merely conducting a poor imitation of the many more-talented "robot" performers that have become cliche in bigger cities.
There are drummers at the Sage – Foutus Building, usually 3 at a time.
you're right, there are a few good ones. FYI, the old guy with the scooter is not playing synthesizer music. it's a CD of him playing clarinet. he used to be a fixture by coors field on game days, until (it seems) he couldn't play anymore. now he drives his scooter and sells CDs of himself. as for more and better quality of musicians, i'm all for it. right now the ratio of 4 or 5 denver voice sellers to 1 musician is a bit much.
Look to the 3rd street promenade in Santa Monica, CA for a way to organize this for Denver. A permit is required to perform, yet it is completely free. It has seemed to work extremely well for many years, so maybe emulating how they organize their performers would be a key for success in Denver.
Im there!!!!Some people know some people dont!! Denvers Only Living Art!!!!I bring Europe to Denver! http://www.statuechick.com
I am actually looking for Statue Chick. Is she still in town? Her web site doesn’t work any longer. Any information would be appreciated!
Thanks