It’s January 2014. The memory of Bono’s and Glen Hansard’s annual xmas busk is still drifting around the internet. The World Buskers Festival is raging in New Zealand, drawing huge crowds. A recently uploaded photo is also causing a bit of a buzz on Reddit — Robin Williams busking in New York in 1979, while the legendary Robert Shields from Shields and Yarnell watches on.
And in Las Vegas, on Saturday 18th of January (eleven hours before I sit here writing this), a well-known and well-loved career busker with two decades in the field is experiencing the other side of the business.
As a unicyclist, fire performer and stunt man, Keith Wolfe, better known by his stage name “Streetshow Keith”, has just had this conversation on Facebook (I’ve called the other people in this conversation “Friend”):
Keith: In a real bind, just outta jail. Cops have my gear, don’t think I can get it until Tuesday. No place to stay after tonight and no way to make cash. Not sure if obi wan could give me any hope.
Friend: Where are you? Can we help?
Keith: I’m in Vegas. Cops have all my gear and I am broke, not sure what anybody can do. Hoping the property room is open on the weekend.
Friend: Busking illegal in Vegas? That’s bullshit man! I hope things get better for you soon my friend.
Keith: Busking isn’t illegal, it was a shake down. I was charged with ‘public storage’ for my tip bucket on the sidewalk, and for disorderly conduct for saying “what the fuck”.
Friend: Ridiculous!! A tip bucket? Where the hell you supposed to put your tips?
Keith: The man has had me down since 96. I need to get my chainsaw outta pawn and gear back from property room before I can think of anything else. Last week I was seriously considering suicide, this week I realize Vegas is gonna handle all of that for me…Maybe its just time to kill off Streetshow Keith. I always said if I was not successful by the time I was thirty five, I would find something else to do with my life. I turn 36 in a month.
As I write here, Keith is still alive. He’s just chatted to me on Facebook. I told him that he was an inspiration, that buskers like him were the reason why I hoped I could make a difference, and asked him whether I could put his story on the site. I offered to change his name and make it anonymous, but he said, “I prefer to use my name. I’ve been to jail more times than I can count, but the number of convictions from those arrests I can count on one hand.”
So here it is. A busker getting fucked by the authorities for putting his hat on the ground. Just one more story in an increasingly long list of tales of artists and entertainers being seriously demoralised by law enforcers protecting us from who knows what.
There is one positive to come out of all this. It’s the following message sent to Keith by another friend, which beautifully sums up…well, read it for yourself.
Friend: Hang in there Keith. I know how you feel, young brother. I’ve been street performing for about 12 years now, and its definitely taken me to the depth of any frustration, loneliness and misery, many times. I think you’re making a mistake by looking at age, and success, as a means to judge your career path. That’s kind of an institutionalized view of how others might judge you — and if I’m not mistaken, one of the things that attracted you to this life was the freedom of being who you are, without the hang ups of a judgmental society, tell you what to do, and when…
I hope I’m not rambling, and I’ll understand if you tell me to write a book next time. I just don’t want your spirit to sink. You are one my favorite street performers I’ve had a chance to meet in my years doing this. I might not have appreciated you fully when you were here, but as I look back on it, I think you’re truly great! I love how you stay humble, you have a great sense of humor, and you have an excellent skill set.
I once heard a street performer say, “The job of the street performer is to make the impossible look easy, and the easy look beautiful.” I really feel you do that. Personally I’d like to see you dig your feet in deeper, start yourself a Facebook fan page, and work on your marketing. Regardless, I’ll continue to be a big fan…
Keith: Call me today when you have a minute.