(ARIZONA) You wouldn't think Arizona would have come this far - but Downtown Phoenix, Inc. thinks the time is right. Lo and behold, there's music and performing where there once was none. It seems the desert southwest has caught the busker bug.

From flea markets to sporting events to outdoor malls, there are buskers plying their trade and free to now express themselves artistically. The times - they are a changin'.

And why not? Making a more vibrant community can only enhance revenue for the cities thru increased sales in shops and restaurants.

The atmosphere is rhythmically changing into something we can all appreciate when we try. Add a dash of interviews and you've got a nice recipe for explaining Busker Nation.

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(CHRISTCHURCH) Comedians, daredevils, dancers, singers and acrobats will hit the streets in January to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the World Buskers Festival. Fifty-five performers representing 14 countries will descend on the city for the annual 10-day festival from January 18-28.To celebrate 25 years, there will be five headline shows. After making it through to the America’s Got Talent final last year, The Boy with Tape on His Face is coming home to premier his new ideas. Urzila Carlson will perform her new show Unacceptable and the Topp Twins will entertain the crowds with their classic Kiwi humour. A Night at the Musicals, featuring Le Gateau Chocolat, will bring musical entertainment, as will Crossdresser for Christ, featuring Ginger Minj from RuPaul’s Drag Race.

New features wil...

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(BUSKER ALLEY) Buskers sometimes avoid cities where licensing is required. To them, it doesn't make sense when the hat may be too small to consider a permit. This creates a dilemma.When you think about it, the pay to play scheme actually has it's own valuable benefits. Consequently, it sometimes leaves the door wide open to busk a city where little if any busking is occuring. By asking how many busking permits have been issued, buskers can get an approximation of the competition to be expected.

By being permitted, the busker may also have a selection of top pitches from which to choose.

Since busking is always weather permitting, warm sunny days year-round really helps the tourism industry as well as the busker's pocketbook.

When all the factors are added up, it may make perfect sense to have...

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(ENGLAND) According to some crazy person over at Asylum.co.uk, the best busker in the world (along with the worst), the best busker ever (along with the worst), and a few other "beautiful", "amazing", and "great" street-musicians are featured in a review for all buskers to relish.Going ga-ga with five videos of incredible street musicians and five not-so-good ones, we find one guitarist actually serenading passersby without any strings! A cross between comedy and mime, he then throws his spinning guitar into the air.

Real steel hang drums, a bass player, and a harpist also get into the act. What would an really insane busker review be without the traditional bagpiper honking away?


Someone left the door open. ...

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(GERMANY) Behold the best busker in the world...or is he? We'll let you be the judge as they say. What we have here is Schrotti, possibly the largest one-man band in the universe. Along the Rhine in Düsseldorf plays this extraordinary busker...but is he the best?Full Story & Video