A court in London said buskers playing loud music amounts to psychological torture. What do Cardiff’s performers think big bands using heavy equipment?
The faint melody filled the air near The Hayes in Cardiff’s City Centre. A small crowd had gathered around Ean Walsh, swaying and often chiming in to add their voice to the iconic lyrics of ‘Blowing in the Wind’. But the soft strumming of the acoustic guitar and his Irish accent was soon drowned out by the performance from a couple of streets away.
A band of four had just started to play. The sound of the electric guitar and the drum set amplified through speakers could be heard several meters away.
“Many of them are not even singers,” says Walsh, 34. “They have speakers, drum kits, bass guitars and the whole setup on the street. They must understand they are ruining it for everyone.”
Walsh says he never wants to disturb people trying to work or have a peaceful time with family, and singers must be able to project their voice without a microphone.
“I think having a guitar and your voice is reasonable. I am not getting in anyone’s face,” Walsh says.
Like him, many solo buskers in Cardiff are complaining that big bands using amplifiers, speakers and drum sets to play loud music are hurting the busking community.
They argue busking was once about independent artists showcasing their talent to the community, but it has now become commercial with too many people using big rigs to create nuisance.
Street entertainment is a part of the performing arts culture in many UK cities. However, last month, a court in London said buskers playing loud music over and over amounts to psychological torture for those working or living nearby (specifically who?).
The judge also ruled that some people were being subject to industrially amplified daily concerts and the mischief is exacerbated by the poor quality of those performances.
In Cardiff’s city centre, buskers create a vibrant environment. A Cardiff Council committee said last year that residents see busking as an asset to a public space. However, some residents and businesses have complained about loud music.
Efforts had been made earlier to regulate performers through licenses, but they proved to be unworkable and unpopular.
Grigoras Onoriu, 42, plays accordion near St John’s The Baptist Church. He believes mandating licenses would deter performers, but some action is necessary to ensure quality.
“I don’t think licensing would work. How would you stop a performing from playing their guitar,” Onoriu says. “However, some quality needs to be ensured especially when you are using speakers. You can’t be disturbing people. That just creates a bad atmosphere.”
Walsh believes that big bands and heavy equipment are affecting buskers like him by pushing them out of space.
“It’s kind of bullying. It’s like, David versus Goliath. When I was Dublin, a lot of people would give me money because I didn’t have an amplifier. And they were like, ‘fair play for actually singing’. But now, it’s very obnoxious. We used to be a very collaborative community but it’s kind of ruined for everyone now,” he says.
Onoriu agrees and says when people are just using their voice and a simple instrument like accordion, many buskers can perform at a single location.
“But that’s not possible when you have big speakers. I am busing here and if somebody wanted to busk at the end of the street, they could do it. But if you have a full band and amplifier and everything else, that’s impossible,” he said.