Results tagged “busking”

Coffee and doughnut purveyor Dunkin' Donuts has a new marketing campaign playing out on the city sidewalks. The company has hired a dozen street musicians at $20/hour to help pitch their "Breakfast NOT Brokefast" campaign... but is their message really undermining authentic buskers around town? The NY Post says their message can be broken down as such: "For the spare change you toss a street musician, you could be buying their breakfast fare." The hired hands even have signs propped up against their guitar cases reading: "Sure you want to throw that change in here?" DD's CEO told the paper they're "trying to reinforce the value proposition that money you would normally throw away to a musician you could use to get a cup of coffee or a doughnut." Yes, instead of throwing our spare change to talented musicians toiling for hours underground, let's all put it towards a nice 400 calorie cream-filled, glazed and sprinkled breakfast treat.

       

Yesterday the Times Square Alliance held their Best of the Buskers auditions right at the crossroads of the world. The open call brought in musicians, dancers, magicians, performance artists and yes, even the Xylopholks. The alliance is aiming to bring the best performers together for their ongoing “Grate Performances - Best of the Buskers,” series, providing free entertainment to tourists and local passerby alike. Many of the performers have been legally, and illegally, busking for years. 49-year-old electric violinist Lorenzo Laroc told The Daily News, "I'm trying to bring my work above ground. It's time for me to come into the light and let everyone experience my unique sound." He's been playing the subways for two decades.

"The most important band in the planet" could be slumming it in the subways this week. The Spinner reports that Oasis, in order to totally unnecessarily promote their Terminal 5 show on Friday, will have musicians from MTA's Music Under New York program "covering nothing but new Oasis songs in various locations." Not only could you hear nothing but Oasis all day underground this Friday, but the band's label is saying "that one of the Gallagher brothers may even be making a surprise appearance with one of the acts." But remember, they're only playing new tunes, so don't go requesting "Wonderwall."