I used to find it strange when I would watch my mom take out two $1 bills from her wallet and put them in the instrument cases of the street performers we passed. After all, I was always told not to give people on the street money, given the fact that it could be dangerous. Apparently, this was different. However, at the time, it didn’t feel different. It felt like my mom was doing something wrong, and every part of me just wanted to stop and ask her if she knew that she was breaking one of the rules she always asked my sister and me to follow so strictly. Yet, as time passed, I realized that street performers aren’t actually begging you for anything; rather, they are providing you with something amazing. Thus, I came to the conclusion that if you pass a street performer and you have a couple extra bucks to spare, you should do so, and here’s why:
1. This Could Be Their Job
It may sound ridiculous when you think about it on a surface level, but toy with the idea for a minute. If you pass a street musician who doesn’t look like they are wearing very nice clothes, and seems to have an instrument that looks to be outdated, it may very well be that performing is their job. Maybe they were working for a record deal and aspired to become the next big thing out in L.A. and for whatever reason, things didn’t go quite like they had planned. If that’s the case, tossing some change into their case may just let them know that they still have the talent, and shouldn’t give up on performing.
2. It's About You Too
I’m not going to sit here and tell you that the whole reason street performers play is to make you happy, but I do believe that’s part of it. The reason they go to such public places and often play popular music is because they want you to enjoy yourself. They want to have the opportunity to brighten someone’s day with a pump-up song that they may need, and if you ask me, that deserves a little bit of recognition.
3. Don't We All Pay To See A Concert?
Of course paying to see a concert is different than seeing a performer on the street, but the reality is the you pay to see Taylor Swift, so why does the guy two blocks down from your apartment not deserve the same? In fact, he may just practice the same amount as some of the professional artists do, and he may hardly even be acknowledged for that. If you’re not into the music they’re playing and it didn’t change your attitude, then OK, keep walking, but if what they provided for you was the same feeling you would get from listening to a song on the radio or a live concert, why not let them know that?
4. They're Not Begging You For Anything
It seems to me that, often, people neglect to pay street performers because they feel that they are trying to mooch off of them. “If I don’t give money to a homeless person, why would I give it to a street performer?” they think. Well, let me tell you, there’s a difference. Street performers are not trying to engage with you and ask you for money, and they rarely have signs asking you to drop some money into their case. They’re really just there, doing something they love, and hoping that you love it too, and that’s not something that should be frowned upon.
5. They're Giving Something To The World
In my opinion, the most important reason why we should stop to acknowledge street performers is for this reason exactly -- they are giving something to the world. Regardless of whether or not you are a musician, we all have a style of music that we enjoy. We are all able to understand that music is expressive, and that it takes a great deal of talent to be able to transform someone’s mood and attitude just by playing a few riffs or singing a few verses. That being said, why do we act like these street performers aren’t doing anything for us at all? They do nothing more than try to bring something beautiful into our world, and that’s something they should be proud of.
So next time you pass a saxophone player playing a jazz classic, or a guitarist playing the latest country single, stop. Take a break from whatever you are doing and just listen to the music and acknowledge the presence of these performers. It may not be your favorite song in the world, but the hours that they spend practicing and working for this moment to perform matters, and we should do our best to let them know that we believe it matters too. It can make all the difference.
