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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Busking battle: Auditions go public for coveted Tube gigs | Busking battle: Auditions go public for coveted Tube gigs |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Singers throwing their voices above the crush of commuters and late night saxophonists have made busking synonymous with the Tube. Now the battle for a coveted spot on the Underground stage is being played out in public, with auditions being held at Tube stations for the first time. | Singers throwing their voices above the crush of commuters and late night saxophonists have made busking synonymous with the Tube. Now the battle for a coveted spot on the Underground stage is being played out in public, with auditions being held at Tube stations for the first time. |
| London's Underground is unlike the street corners and underpasses most buskers call their stage. With a daily footfall of 3.5 million, the audience is the equivalent of Wembley Arena being sold-out 280 times. | London's Underground is unlike the street corners and underpasses most buskers call their stage. With a daily footfall of 3.5 million, the audience is the equivalent of Wembley Arena being sold-out 280 times. |
| Thousands of performers, aware that music scouts have spotted talent on the network, applied for one of 75 four-year licences which will give them access to pitches across the Underground, with 240 invited to audition in front of a panel of three. | Thousands of performers, aware that music scouts have spotted talent on the network, applied for one of 75 four-year licences which will give them access to pitches across the Underground, with 240 invited to audition in front of a panel of three. |
| At the cavernous entrance of Canary Wharf, 16-year-old Ella Bee, armed with her guitar, was one of the first up. | At the cavernous entrance of Canary Wharf, 16-year-old Ella Bee, armed with her guitar, was one of the first up. |
| "I performed one of my original songs and also a cover," she said. | "I performed one of my original songs and also a cover," she said. |
| "My mum said that people enjoyed it so that's good," she says, focused on her grand ambition. "I'd like to tour with a band and busking is such a good stepping stone." | "My mum said that people enjoyed it so that's good," she says, focused on her grand ambition. "I'd like to tour with a band and busking is such a good stepping stone." |
| If successful Ella will join an exclusive club whose members include Ed Sheeran, Amy Winehouse and others who have gone on to be session musicians. | If successful Ella will join an exclusive club whose members include Ed Sheeran, Amy Winehouse and others who have gone on to be session musicians. |
| While Ed Sheeran famously sings, "I didn't go to Brit School". Ella, in fact, turned it down for another music school. | While Ed Sheeran famously sings, "I didn't go to Brit School". Ella, in fact, turned it down for another music school. |
| "Busking here will be good for performance practice and a good busker should be able to play anywhere and in font of anyone," she states. | "Busking here will be good for performance practice and a good busker should be able to play anywhere and in font of anyone," she states. |
| Those are the kind of sentiments guitarist, producer and session musician Jay Stapley is looking for as he judges the auditions. | Those are the kind of sentiments guitarist, producer and session musician Jay Stapley is looking for as he judges the auditions. |
| "Busking is part of the musicians traditional role in society," he says. | "Busking is part of the musicians traditional role in society," he says. |
| "When I was playing in football stadiums, busking was in a way more interesting because if you play at a stadium they've paid £100 for a ticket, so they're going to have a good time. | "When I was playing in football stadiums, busking was in a way more interesting because if you play at a stadium they've paid £100 for a ticket, so they're going to have a good time. |
| "When you stand up here on a station concourse nobody knows who you are." | "When you stand up here on a station concourse nobody knows who you are." |
| Will Walter, 18, took a day off work as a tree-top instructor in Tunbridge Wells to audition with his guitar. | Will Walter, 18, took a day off work as a tree-top instructor in Tunbridge Wells to audition with his guitar. |
| "I always loved coming to London because I'd hear music on the Tube," he says. | "I always loved coming to London because I'd hear music on the Tube," he says. |
| "I played a piece called Ocean by an Australian guitar player who used to busk... I don't know what the judges thought." | "I played a piece called Ocean by an Australian guitar player who used to busk... I don't know what the judges thought." |
| Busking facts | Busking facts |
| The panel scribble away and confer, marking each performer on musicality, technique and audience connection. | The panel scribble away and confer, marking each performer on musicality, technique and audience connection. |
| "I'm always looking around to see what the passers by are thinking," Mr Stapley says. "I'm hoping to see somebody that makes me smile and makes me feel good." | "I'm always looking around to see what the passers by are thinking," Mr Stapley says. "I'm hoping to see somebody that makes me smile and makes me feel good." |
| Across the UK the quality of buskers can vary, but beneath the capital, where trains hurtle-by every few minutes, it is more of an exacting science. | Across the UK the quality of buskers can vary, but beneath the capital, where trains hurtle-by every few minutes, it is more of an exacting science. |
| "The demand for busking pitches is so high. It's part of that Tube experience and in my opinion it shouldn't be open to everybody that can play a couple of chords," says Robert Varney who manages the scheme. | "The demand for busking pitches is so high. It's part of that Tube experience and in my opinion it shouldn't be open to everybody that can play a couple of chords," says Robert Varney who manages the scheme. |
| Mr Varney will sit through all the auditions and says TV producers will then contact him to "poach" his best players. | Mr Varney will sit through all the auditions and says TV producers will then contact him to "poach" his best players. |
| "There are lots of musicians that start their craft in busking and it's that treat of being spotted in a very random location and making your fame. | "There are lots of musicians that start their craft in busking and it's that treat of being spotted in a very random location and making your fame. |
| "It's been a very mixed bag so far. We've had some really great talent and some slightly alternative presentations." | "It's been a very mixed bag so far. We've had some really great talent and some slightly alternative presentations." |
| Is there anything that makes your heart sink? I ask. He diplomatically responds, "No, I'm pretty hardy," before adding with a sigh "everybody tries to look at how they can take the Underground names and squeeze it into a song. It's good if it's done well, not so much when it's not." | Is there anything that makes your heart sink? I ask. He diplomatically responds, "No, I'm pretty hardy," before adding with a sigh "everybody tries to look at how they can take the Underground names and squeeze it into a song. It's good if it's done well, not so much when it's not." |
| The official scheme, now run as part of the city's Busk In London programme, started in 2003 although the Underground has a history of performers long before then. | |
| Guitarist and singer Glen McAllister made busking his job 12 years ago and I find him at Oxford Street station during rush hour. | Guitarist and singer Glen McAllister made busking his job 12 years ago and I find him at Oxford Street station during rush hour. |
| He pointedly remarks: "I'm wasting heaps of money here talking to you". | He pointedly remarks: "I'm wasting heaps of money here talking to you". |
| But about the busking he said: "It gives me independence although it can be touch and go. | But about the busking he said: "It gives me independence although it can be touch and go. |
| "I play two hours a day, 10 times a week, or 12 if I'm getting really poor. Sometimes people are generous, but I wouldn't have said so recently." | "I play two hours a day, 10 times a week, or 12 if I'm getting really poor. Sometimes people are generous, but I wouldn't have said so recently." |
| But why have buskers become so integral to our image of the Tube - a transportation system? | But why have buskers become so integral to our image of the Tube - a transportation system? |
| Expat, Professor Adrian North, who specialises in the psychology of music at Curtin University, Australia says "they bring colour to an otherwise drab environment". | Expat, Professor Adrian North, who specialises in the psychology of music at Curtin University, Australia says "they bring colour to an otherwise drab environment". |
| The Buskers' Code | The Buskers' Code |
| "There is also anecdotal evidence that classical music in public spaces can discourage the congregation of people who would otherwise act anti-socially," he said giving an insight into its dual purpose. | "There is also anecdotal evidence that classical music in public spaces can discourage the congregation of people who would otherwise act anti-socially," he said giving an insight into its dual purpose. |
| During the auditions the musicians courted different responses from commuters and the panel alike. | During the auditions the musicians courted different responses from commuters and the panel alike. |
| But when one of these hopefuls took to the stage the station came to a stop, people listened and watched, and withheld from the desperate rush for the next train. | But when one of these hopefuls took to the stage the station came to a stop, people listened and watched, and withheld from the desperate rush for the next train. |
| You, like them, must now wait to hear if they will play the Tube circuit. | You, like them, must now wait to hear if they will play the Tube circuit. |