Turning 3 in Down Under...
Well it's the first time I do my birthday somewhere else than Paris or London and not with my family or friends and it seems very strange to me. But at the same time Kane and his roommate Alex as well as Moéa made everything to make me feel like it was a very special day today. I woke up and flowers with a balloon and a little card were on the kitchen table wishing me a Happy Birthday. Then I spent the whole day editing as it was raining and my voice oh so needed a rest. And tonight I cooked crepes for all of us and when I least expected it in the middle of watching a movie, there Kane appeared with a Birthday cake complete with 3 candles. Felt good to be 3 years old again! A very nice and warm birthday I will remember. And thanks everyone for your wishes on Facebook, by email, etc!
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Saturday, June 2, 2012
7 proposals and a chance encounter...
Wandering around
Yesterday I've been wandering around from pitches to pitches (went to at least 5 different ones) and had at least 6 proposals in the form of "I'll marry you!". No love letter. I guess that's too ancient lol. A lot of people took my picture too. And I had this lady coming to me saying: "Mum, you never told me you had such talent when we were at school together." and went on and on for 3 minutes until I told her I never went to school with her and she was like: "That's a joke". Very weird... Anyway was an extraordinary good day. Made about $72.
Swan Street
Alex the roommate of Kane told me Coles on Swan Street would be a really good place to busk. As it's next door, I went this morning. And he was right. I made $47 in 2 hours, got lots of smiles and another proposal on one knee today. This time the guy asked me if he could get French nationality if he married me and then went lol. My voice is quite tired today. It's gonna be raining tomorrow and after tomorrow so maybe I'm in for an editing break and a vocal break too :)
What are the chances?
Busking was good in front of Coles earlier today so I decided to go again. And guess what. As soon as I started, I saw the only other guy from Melbourne I know and that I had failed to reach on Facebook (because he never consults his account), Matt. He's a friend of Gaëlle Buswel and a very fine guitarist. She introduced me to him in London... So hopefully I'll see him tomorrow night for my birthday... :)
Yesterday I've been wandering around from pitches to pitches (went to at least 5 different ones) and had at least 6 proposals in the form of "I'll marry you!". No love letter. I guess that's too ancient lol. A lot of people took my picture too. And I had this lady coming to me saying: "Mum, you never told me you had such talent when we were at school together." and went on and on for 3 minutes until I told her I never went to school with her and she was like: "That's a joke". Very weird... Anyway was an extraordinary good day. Made about $72.
Swan Street
Alex the roommate of Kane told me Coles on Swan Street would be a really good place to busk. As it's next door, I went this morning. And he was right. I made $47 in 2 hours, got lots of smiles and another proposal on one knee today. This time the guy asked me if he could get French nationality if he married me and then went lol. My voice is quite tired today. It's gonna be raining tomorrow and after tomorrow so maybe I'm in for an editing break and a vocal break too :)
What are the chances?
Busking was good in front of Coles earlier today so I decided to go again. And guess what. As soon as I started, I saw the only other guy from Melbourne I know and that I had failed to reach on Facebook (because he never consults his account), Matt. He's a friend of Gaëlle Buswel and a very fine guitarist. She introduced me to him in London... So hopefully I'll see him tomorrow night for my birthday... :)
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Little gifts...
Pre-birthday
Today was really strange, it was as if people knew it would be my birthday soon, they kept offering me little presents. It started this morning at the corner of bourke st and Elizabeth st. In order of appearance, I had a little bag with hearts containing a key holder, maltesers and a kitkat, then the same guy decided he didn't want the flute he was holding so he gave it to me... And then I went at the corner of Elizabeth st and Collins st. A girl holding a plate full of different slices of cakes made me choose a slice while I was singing. Then I went at the corner of Swanston st and Collins st and the shop owner of the jewellery shop next door asked me to turn down the volume. Which I did. And then he put a bag full of grapes in my case... It was less of a good day money wise though. But I'm testing different pitches to see what happens on each... And whenever I think I found the ultimate spot, I always realize that depending on the day and time, it doesn't work so much. Maybe it's also I was a novelty act at the beginning of the week and now it's not the case anymore...
St Kilda
A friend of mine told me he spent 6 months in St Kilda, a neighbourhood from Melbourne and he never bothered to go to the city centre. And he swore to me it was the best neighbourhood and I should go busk there. I don't have a permit for St Kilda as I think it's a different one but who cares, I'll pretend I didn't know... :) We arrived there at sunset and we were freezing cold. So no busking there.
Today was really strange, it was as if people knew it would be my birthday soon, they kept offering me little presents. It started this morning at the corner of bourke st and Elizabeth st. In order of appearance, I had a little bag with hearts containing a key holder, maltesers and a kitkat, then the same guy decided he didn't want the flute he was holding so he gave it to me... And then I went at the corner of Elizabeth st and Collins st. A girl holding a plate full of different slices of cakes made me choose a slice while I was singing. Then I went at the corner of Swanston st and Collins st and the shop owner of the jewellery shop next door asked me to turn down the volume. Which I did. And then he put a bag full of grapes in my case... It was less of a good day money wise though. But I'm testing different pitches to see what happens on each... And whenever I think I found the ultimate spot, I always realize that depending on the day and time, it doesn't work so much. Maybe it's also I was a novelty act at the beginning of the week and now it's not the case anymore... 
A friend of mine told me he spent 6 months in St Kilda, a neighbourhood from Melbourne and he never bothered to go to the city centre. And he swore to me it was the best neighbourhood and I should go busk there. I don't have a permit for St Kilda as I think it's a different one but who cares, I'll pretend I didn't know... :) We arrived there at sunset and we were freezing cold. So no busking there.
My evening with Prince...
Moving houses
Ok I know I shouldn't have done that but I couldn't help it. I booked myself a ticket to Prince's show before I arrived to Australia and did an exception to my own rule of only using busking money while in Australia. But I knew the tickets would be sold out in no time if I didn't buy it beforehand, I'm a Prince fan and it had been years I hadn't seen him live and well, I couldn't resist. Besides it's my birthday on Sunday and that's my own little treat. I had a blast (well with Prince I kind of always do...) even though I guess I will have to go another time for maybe my dream of singing on stage with him to happen. Back to reality today as a whole busking day in Melbourne is starting for me under the sun!
So yesterday we changed hosts again and came back to Kane's place. It took us quite a long time so we were out and about in the streets only at 2pm. I walked back to the same spot as yesterday, this time, putting on a new sign "You can't buy happiness. But you can buy me lunch. (And that's pretty close)." Inspired by a sign I saw the other day in Sydney. Anyway it worked quite well. After that my voice was tired and I wanted to change scenery. So we wandered around, going to another spot and then finding out it wasn't very busy. So we came back. In the end I didn't busk again as I started being cold and was too tired of not having slept very well the night before. And I also had a rendez-vous with Prince!
Rod Laver Arena
Ok I know I shouldn't have done that but I couldn't help it. I booked myself a ticket to Prince's show before I arrived to Australia and did an exception to my own rule of only using busking money while in Australia. But I knew the tickets would be sold out in no time if I didn't buy it beforehand, I'm a Prince fan and it had been years I hadn't seen him live and well, I couldn't resist. Besides it's my birthday on Sunday and that's my own little treat. I had a blast (well with Prince I kind of always do...) even though I guess I will have to go another time for maybe my dream of singing on stage with him to happen. Back to reality today as a whole busking day in Melbourne is starting for me under the sun!Tuesday, May 29, 2012
A wonderful host, an invitation to record and a great first busking day in Melbourne
Kane Sole...
So last night we arrived at about 11.30pm at Richmond, the station where Kane Sole - a fellow artist who raised money on Sellaband like me to make his first album - lives. We knew each other for years via Internet but we had never met and he's the first person I called up in Melbourne when Andy Told us he couldn't host us anymore yesterday. What a great guy! He fetched us at the station, helped us carry our bag, he let Moea and me sleep in his bed while he went to sleep in his roommate's room. And most of all he played a bit of slide guitar for us. And man, can he play! I highly recommend his first album by the way. There's my all time favourite track from Kane on it: "Walk like that".
Security Assessment
Change of city, change of modus operandi... You can only obtain your busking permit in Sydney when you do a Security assessment review. And that happens only on a Tuesday at 10am every fortnight. Which is why we arrived yesterday to make sure that we wouldn't miss it and could go busking right after. There are different types of permits. I took the short term one ($10) as i had only $12 left in my pocket (the shuttle bus from the airport to the city and the trains cost an insane fortune) which means I can't sell my cds cos I would have to pay $50. And this morning It really wasn't possible.
The harbour side
At the security review, they told us the harbour side was a good spot to busk. So I thought naively that It would be the same as at Circular Quay in Sydney. I was so wrong. We walked an hour to get there and there was no one about. And the zone looks just desolated an horreful. So We caught a free tram back to Southern Cross Railway Station. I don't have the right to busk there so I went a little further. And because I'm now a seasoned busker (lol) I chose a street corner. And I started displaying my world famous (cough cough) "I'm French" cardboard sign. Well it certainly made some people smile and men look at me with a strange look but I guess it was partly the reason why I made $15 in about an hour. I even counted it took 2mn for the first donation to come! A record for me! I was really hungry from all the walking and stress of the morning so I decided to stop at the next food court and we went for a Subway sandwich (my first ever). At that point I thought either it keeps going up or it will be tougher. I hunted for another cardboard box to write a new message. That I didn't use yet. You'll see that tomorrow.
Corner
I chose a real busy corner and it worked magic. I don't have the right to sell Cd's but no one prevented me from displaying them. So I did and a guy called Zulu who's a rapper actually asked if he could buy it and also if I wanted to record sometimes. I said yes, why not, when it's a rainy day and left him my number. Had a lot of smiles, strange looks and $5 bills too ;). I even got to improvise with another busker called Simon.
Wasi wasa
Then we headed to Kane's to recuperate our stuff and go to our host Wasi....
So last night we arrived at about 11.30pm at Richmond, the station where Kane Sole - a fellow artist who raised money on Sellaband like me to make his first album - lives. We knew each other for years via Internet but we had never met and he's the first person I called up in Melbourne when Andy Told us he couldn't host us anymore yesterday. What a great guy! He fetched us at the station, helped us carry our bag, he let Moea and me sleep in his bed while he went to sleep in his roommate's room. And most of all he played a bit of slide guitar for us. And man, can he play! I highly recommend his first album by the way. There's my all time favourite track from Kane on it: "Walk like that".
Security Assessment
Change of city, change of modus operandi... You can only obtain your busking permit in Sydney when you do a Security assessment review. And that happens only on a Tuesday at 10am every fortnight. Which is why we arrived yesterday to make sure that we wouldn't miss it and could go busking right after. There are different types of permits. I took the short term one ($10) as i had only $12 left in my pocket (the shuttle bus from the airport to the city and the trains cost an insane fortune) which means I can't sell my cds cos I would have to pay $50. And this morning It really wasn't possible.
The harbour side
At the security review, they told us the harbour side was a good spot to busk. So I thought naively that It would be the same as at Circular Quay in Sydney. I was so wrong. We walked an hour to get there and there was no one about. And the zone looks just desolated an horreful. So We caught a free tram back to Southern Cross Railway Station. I don't have the right to busk there so I went a little further. And because I'm now a seasoned busker (lol) I chose a street corner. And I started displaying my world famous (cough cough) "I'm French" cardboard sign. Well it certainly made some people smile and men look at me with a strange look but I guess it was partly the reason why I made $15 in about an hour. I even counted it took 2mn for the first donation to come! A record for me! I was really hungry from all the walking and stress of the morning so I decided to stop at the next food court and we went for a Subway sandwich (my first ever). At that point I thought either it keeps going up or it will be tougher. I hunted for another cardboard box to write a new message. That I didn't use yet. You'll see that tomorrow.
Corner
I chose a real busy corner and it worked magic. I don't have the right to sell Cd's but no one prevented me from displaying them. So I did and a guy called Zulu who's a rapper actually asked if he could buy it and also if I wanted to record sometimes. I said yes, why not, when it's a rainy day and left him my number. Had a lot of smiles, strange looks and $5 bills too ;). I even got to improvise with another busker called Simon.
Wasi wasa
Then we headed to Kane's to recuperate our stuff and go to our host Wasi....
Monday, May 28, 2012
Panic mode...
Circular Quay and Melbourne...
It's a sunny Monday and what best than to busk in Circular Quay and Pitt street for my last day in Sydney before heading to Melbourne. We'll be arriving there quite late (10.30pm).
Stressing times
At 4.50pm Andy who was supposed to host us for the week sent me a text saying there was a death in his family and he didn't feel like hosting people. I started going into panic mode as we arrive tonight in Melbourne. Luckily I had left an hour an a half to pack everything at the hare's before heading to the airport. I spent half of that calling a fellow Sellaband artist, Kane Sole and asking him whether he would host us for just tonight. And he kindly agreed. And then I asked another host who was supposed to host us in the first place in Melbourne and he said yes. So we're all sorted. Now we're with moea at the airport about to fly to The next chapter of our adventures...
It's a sunny Monday and what best than to busk in Circular Quay and Pitt street for my last day in Sydney before heading to Melbourne. We'll be arriving there quite late (10.30pm).
Stressing times
At 4.50pm Andy who was supposed to host us for the week sent me a text saying there was a death in his family and he didn't feel like hosting people. I started going into panic mode as we arrive tonight in Melbourne. Luckily I had left an hour an a half to pack everything at the hare's before heading to the airport. I spent half of that calling a fellow Sellaband artist, Kane Sole and asking him whether he would host us for just tonight. And he kindly agreed. And then I asked another host who was supposed to host us in the first place in Melbourne and he said yes. So we're all sorted. Now we're with moea at the airport about to fly to The next chapter of our adventures...
Sunday, May 27, 2012
A surfing board in a cathedral...
2 more love letters... from the same guy!
Another day at Circular Quay this time singing non stop for 4 hours. I was in my magic spot the whole time but it wasn't so magical today. Had a visit from my suitor Garry who wrote me 2 more post-it/love letters...
Modern Art? Maybe. Tea, most certainly!
My French friend Marie also passed by to listen to me and when I felt completely exhausted, we decided to go to the Museum of Modern Art 2 minutes away. With Modern Art it depends, sometimes I find it interesting and sometimes I just don't get it. Well today I didn't put much effort in getting it. I think I was too tired to try to understand. But we had tea and biscuits at the cafe on the last floor with Marie.
Strange stuff happening in Cathedrals in Australia...
Then some tiny showers started while we were looking at another street show performer. It wasn't much, just some drops here and there but I can't busk if it rains as my equipment is totally electronical. So I called it a day and we wandered with Moea at Vivid again. Then we decided to go to Hyde park as we thought here would be light installations too but there wasn't any. As St Mary's cathedral is next door and the doors were opened, we thought it'd be nice to see what it looked like inside. Not that I'm particularly religious, I actually don't believe in anything but I always like going to churches. See what it's like inside. And well for sure I wasn't prepared for what I was about to witness. I guess that's something that must happen only in Australia and maybe Hawaii? There it was, a surfing board at the entrance of the Cathedral. It made me laugh so much I had to take a picture. Maybe our lad was praying to have good waves? Now heading back home for our last night with the Hare's. We need to prepare the bags and get everything ready for our departure to Melbourne tomorrow...
Another day at Circular Quay this time singing non stop for 4 hours. I was in my magic spot the whole time but it wasn't so magical today. Had a visit from my suitor Garry who wrote me 2 more post-it/love letters...
Modern Art? Maybe. Tea, most certainly!
My French friend Marie also passed by to listen to me and when I felt completely exhausted, we decided to go to the Museum of Modern Art 2 minutes away. With Modern Art it depends, sometimes I find it interesting and sometimes I just don't get it. Well today I didn't put much effort in getting it. I think I was too tired to try to understand. But we had tea and biscuits at the cafe on the last floor with Marie.
Strange stuff happening in Cathedrals in Australia...
Then some tiny showers started while we were looking at another street show performer. It wasn't much, just some drops here and there but I can't busk if it rains as my equipment is totally electronical. So I called it a day and we wandered with Moea at Vivid again. Then we decided to go to Hyde park as we thought here would be light installations too but there wasn't any. As St Mary's cathedral is next door and the doors were opened, we thought it'd be nice to see what it looked like inside. Not that I'm particularly religious, I actually don't believe in anything but I always like going to churches. See what it's like inside. And well for sure I wasn't prepared for what I was about to witness. I guess that's something that must happen only in Australia and maybe Hawaii? There it was, a surfing board at the entrance of the Cathedral. It made me laugh so much I had to take a picture. Maybe our lad was praying to have good waves? Now heading back home for our last night with the Hare's. We need to prepare the bags and get everything ready for our departure to Melbourne tomorrow...
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