street performer

Bloomington has a great little farmer’s market on Saturday mornings down at the city hall. There is all sorts of produce, plants, baked goods, and live entertainment by various street performers. If you’re selling something, you have to reserve a booth, but if you’re playing something, you just come and pick an open spot.

Today, I picked an open spot, sat down with my sanshin, and played and sang for an hour and a half. I was a pretty good street performer, if I do say so myself. The little kids stopped and stared, while their parents asked me what kind of crazy looking instrument I was playing. I won’t tell you how much money I made, but I was pleasantly surprised when I counted it up at the end.

I would love to go back and do it again, but I think I should learn a few more songs first. I don’t know how many times I repeated my repertoire, but if I was annoyed by the time I was finished, I’m sure the people selling birdseed in the stall next to me were as well.