£80 an hour is really good, I have the time to put a set list together now I'm not working too.
Was it hard to get a busking license in London?
Just seen this! And no license was needed.
I reckon it’d suit you. Really, you can do literally anything, you don’t even have to interact with audience and they still will give you some money. Like if I needed to practice a new song I’d just play it on loop badly for hours.
Man sometimes I miss the days of just going out busking, hit the corner on lec square trying to wrestle off hen dos at 10pm on a Friday night. Off to Cardiff for whatever rugby game was on, often given tickets for free by folk walking past. Or the fringe in midsummer, full chaos. Top adventure.
Money wise it can be decent if you’re smart about it - I am not exaggerating with £80 being possible hourly - though there is competition for the highest earning spots and usually a queue. I know a boy who bought a house in cash solely with the proceeds of a few years travelling on the festival busking circuits between Europe/usa/aus. I used to get loads of gigs booked from it as well, birthdays/bar mitzvah’s/corporate stuff etc as people hear you walking past and even if half of them don’t like it, you only need some.
By smart about it I mean think about the image etc, the emotions you evoke. there’s a strong overlap with picking up women as you try to make people feel like they want to give you money.
If you do go lmk and I can provide more specifics/the dark arts! And put a few pound coins and a fiver in the case to start it off - psychologically people follow what everyone gave before.