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MASS. STREET MINSTRELS
Photos: Jeff Brandsted
Local musicians hit the pavement for love of their art. Of course, the tips are nice too.
By Kevin Kampwirth, Jayplay writer
He plays a six-string, beat-up acoustic guitar that he bought at a yard sale last summer. The case lies open at his feet beckoning passers-by to contribute to the growing collection of loose change and small bills. After scouting different locations carefully, he's decided to set up at Seventh and Massachusetts Streets. This corner, he believes, has the potential to yield some good money from the throngs of shoppers and wanderers that Mass. Street generally attracts on Saturdays.
Doing his best Simon-sans-Garfunkel imitation, he sings of silence and speaking with darkness, which apparently, is an old friend. "I try to play what I think people would like to hear," he says. "That's really the best chance you have to make some money doing this." Meet Trevor Whelan, Lawrence resident. Five days a week, Whelan works a nine-to-five job just like many other 24-year-old college graduates. One day a week, though, he does the job he really loves: singing and playing guitar for minimal income on the busiest sidewalk in Lawrence. Whelan is, for lack of a better term, a street musician.
Walk down Mass. Street on any given Saturday or Sunday and, weather permitting, the street corners will be dotted with others just like Whelan. Coupling their love of playing music with the propensity of the sidewalks to fill up on sunny weekend afternoons, these street musicians usually earn a substantial amount of money, given the situation. "On a good, crowded Saturday, I can walk away with anywhere from $20 to
I'm really only doing it because I like to play.
Jay, street performer
$40," says Jay, another musician. "I mean, it's not much, but it's something. I'm really only doing it because I like to play."
Jay, who asked that his last name not be printed, also works a regular job during the week, so his street playing is only a hobby. He says that there were more musicians two
years ago, when he first started playing on Mass. Street. He attributes this to the fact that there's only so much room for different musicians to play. "People walking down the street aren't going to give money to every guy playing an instrument," he says. "They pick and choose, so if you don't have a good spot where traffic is heavy, it's often futile."
ABOVE: Dan Kozak, Topeka resident, is a common sight at the intersection of Massachusetts and Seventh Streets. LEFT: Kozak plays saxaphone and flute for tips. He's one of many musicians who frequent the streets of downtown Lawrence.
Like most of the musicians that frequent Mass. Street, Jay plays acoustic guitar and sings. There are those, however, that try to bring some variety to the scene. Seth McCormack, another Mass. Street musician, plays the bongos. A Lawrence resident and full time musician, McCormack says his playing adds a different dimension to the monotony of acoustic guitars. "It's actually pretty cool when you think about it," he says between drumbeats. "If you're just walking down the sidewalk enjoying the day, you're getting a full musical experience."
A small crowd begins to gather around McCormack as his steady tempo slowly rises into a full, frenetic percussive attack. Spectators watch, some clap, others drop coins or bills into a red-leather suitcase that acts as McCormack's tip jar. Two blocks down the street, the muffled twang of Whelan's yard sale guitar is still slightly audible. His voice soars, though, surprisingly clear over the seemingly endless line of cars that parade slowly down the street. As the notes bend and reach above the trees, it's clear that, at least in his mind, this is payment enough.
— Kevin Kampwirth can be reached at kkampwirth@kansan.com.
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Jayplay 5.13.04