Busking is an interesting artform, for some it can be an incredibly nerve racking experience and for others it can be insanely rewarding.

For a number of acts including those we spoke to below, busking has been an incredibly important, rewarding and life affirming experience. From BONJAH’s ability to survive as a new band off busking alone, to the Pierce Brothers who have sold 25,000 CDS (and numerous tours) off the back of their success it’s clear that if you do it right, busking can be one of the best career moves you ever make as a musician.

However when it comes to busking there are many questions that need answering: what are the legalities? Is there busking politics? How can I create real revenue and fans? To help answer these questions we chatted with four acts who shared their tips on how to busk and make some money.


The Pierce Brothers Melbourne brothers Pat and Jack Pierce are some of this country’s most successful buskers. This year has seen the guys release their brand new Night Tree EP to chart success (debuting #7 on the iTunes alt chart) and sell out tours nation-wide, including a five night stint at Shebeen in Melbourne’s CBD, and tour internationally. They’ve also sold over 30,o00 CDs without a record label, an impressive feat for a pair of brothers who regularly still busk in Melbourne’s CBD. A lot of their success had been due to their time spent busking. The guys are currently on a national tour visit here for all the dates and info.

Regan Lethbridge is the guitarist for Melbourne (via New Zealand) blues rock group BONJAH. The band formed in 2006 as four guys armed with nothing but guitars, backpacks, and one-way tickets from New Zealand to Melbourne. Struggling to find a gig the band set up and played on the streets. It didn’t take too long for people to cotton-on and before they knew it the band had shows booked, toured extensively and built a loyal following earning a reputation as being a hard working and explosive live act. Having released their new LP earlier this year, the BONJAH are currently on a national tour, for info on where to catch them live, you can visit www.bonjahmusic.com.

Patrick James is a Sydney based singer/ songwriter who cut his teeth as a performer busking in the city’s CBD. Earlier this year he released his new EP Broken Lines and embarked on a sold out national tour. Having honed his live talents busking Patrick garnered support slots for some of this country’s most incredible artists including Boy & Bear, Pete Murray, Kina Grannis, Josh Pyke, The Paper Kites, Emma Louise and more. Patrick is just wrapping up his ‘Broken Lines Tour’ but Brisbanites still ahve a chance to catch him in action this Friday, check out his Facebook for more info.


Winterbourne are a NSW Central Coast duo (James and Jordan) who have over the past few years been busking to enthusiastic crowds all the way down Australia’s East Coast from Brisbane to Melbourne, and everywhere in between. Having played together for over five years, and having sold home-made EPs out of milk crates for two and a bit years, James Jordan have released their first official EP of self-written material, which features lead single ‘Cold’. If you like what you hear, you can pick up a copy of their new EP www.winterbournemusic.com.

Have The Right Gear

Patrick: “Make sure you have a great busking amp. It will set you back a bit of money at first but it’s definitely worth investing in something that will carry across an open space and carry with clarity too! I use an AER amp and it has been great. Also never leave home without sunscreen and a bottle of water. If you are going to make busking your job then you will encounter the sun regularly. In winter it’s okay but in summer you will start fading very quickly… People can notice when you are struggling too and it’s important to keep the energy and performance levels on a high.”

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Regan: “Buy a small vocal PA, inverter, and car battery. This is all you need to make noise and be respectful to noise limits and people trying to run businesses around you.”

Know The Rules

Pierce Brothers: “Have a look on city council website for information about how to get a permit, if you can’t find any then call them. Its always better to know the rules and what you can and can’t do. This way if someone complains – you have a leg to stand on (note: someone will ALWAYS complain, even if you’re doing everything right. Don’t let it get you down!).”

Winterbourne: “It’s really important to make an effort to learn the rules (official and ‘unofficial’) that apply to buskers in every area. As a busker it’s very easy to make enemies, so be mindful of the rules and be respectful towards anyone you encounter. Take it from us, one disgruntled city ranger is enough to turn a perfect busking day into a total disaster, so just try not to give them anything they can use against you. It is also worth making friends with the other buskers in your area – we have found that a bit of a network tends to develop which provides great support.”

Regan: “Be nice to the council and respectful to other buskers. No one likes negativity or someone being a dick. There is no need for it and they were here way before you. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and watch what works for other buskers. If you are seeing people get great crowds and sell heaps of CDs pick up little tricks along the way. Also never busk on a Monday…. Because it’s Monday. When the sun is out or later in week is best.”

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Check Out The Other Buskers

Pierce Brothers: “When you get out there, go as check out some of the other buskers. This has helped us out so much in the past. When we got to Sydney called the council to help. They basically scoffed as us and said we were just beggars. So we asked the buskers and made shitloads of CD sales that day! We just approached the buskers in the area and asked them the rules. Yes, you had to get a permit, no you don’t have to wait. We were all around it after the first day and we’ve visited Pitt St Mall every time we tour through Sydney. It helps with promotion and touring costs”

Regan: “Some of our dear friends we know today are from meeting them on the street busking in the early days, music has literally bought us together. It came from us getting out there and giving it a go.”

Have Physical Music To Sell

Winterbourne: “Having a CD for an audience to buy is almost essential- even charging five dollars for home recorded 4-track EP can turn coins into notes very quickly, and at very least it means your music can make so much more of an impact.”

Regan: “When we first moved here from New Zealand we literally couldn’t get a gig as we didn’t know anyone so we naturally fell into busking.  We bought 1000 demo CDs with us from NZ and thought we would set up on the street and give it a go trying to sell them. This ended up being our main source of income for five years. We didn’t have other jobs, we just lived off CD sales. We were the first band to set up in the CBD apparently, we got weird looks but you couldn’t wipe the smiles off our faces.”

Keep Your Eye On Your Money

Patrick: “Always look after your money in the case. I have had a $50 note stolen before because I wasn’t looking after it properly. Take a mental note of how many CDs you have sold and even put the notes in your pocket. If you are out there guy who stole my money, not cool.”

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Interact With The Audience

Patrick: “When you get an audience after playing a couple of songs, start talking to them and introducing yourself early. People like it when it feels more like a show rather than a background thing happening. You will sell more CDs and then those people could even come to your show!”

Winterbourne: “For a successful busk you need to give it one-hundred percent. Choose a spot where you can be eye catching, loud and basically unavoidable. Don’t shy away from the big, central spots that are crawling with people. You need to make yourself seen and heard by as many people as you possibly can and then you need to hold their attention. Keep your set interesting and unpredictable, and make sure they can feel your passion. Your confidence and energy is infectious to a good crowd, and you’ll always be rewarded for it.”

Pierce Brothers: “The best advice we can give. JUMP AROUND! JUMP UP JUMP AND GET DOWN! We quickly found that we had to grab peoples’ attention before we could
make any CD sales. So we started moving. A lot. We’ve watched other buskers and how they work and we’ve found that it’s not always about dancing or flipping or doing random crazy shit, just figure out something in your act that would make people want to stop. And then work on that and hone it down to a craft. If people see that you’re having an awesome time and loving it, then they will too. Happiness is infectious.”

It Pays To Advertise

Regan: “Make sure you have a sign with your name on it or a flyer promoting your latest release and your next gig. We were filling small rooms like The Evelyn, Northcote Social Club, Espy, and Veludo from promoting through busking.”

Pierce Brothers: “With your case out the front, you can print up a sign with your
– Logo or band name,
– Price of CD,
– Facebook page
– And your next show – we can’t stress enough how important this is.
Once we started playing more shows with busking it quickly became apparent that if we advertised our gigs then we started selling them out. Our weekly show at the Espy had more and more punters so we were able to start playing ticketed shows. The rest came from there. We’ll always promote a show with busking, big letters; let the world know about it.”

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Just Get Out There And Have A Go

Pierce Brothers: “The best thing about busking is that there’s nothing to lose. If you can get yourself a small PA system or busking amp then you’re right as rain.”

Regan: “Give it a go, get out there and just try it. It’s a great way to build a fan base and boost your profile. It’s also an awesome gauge to see what songs work live and what resonates with people. You literally having nothing to lose. When you are playing music on the street with your best mates and your bills are being paid why wouldn’t you? Do it for as long as you can.”

Remember: In The End You’re Being Paid To Stand Outside And Play Music.

Winterbourne: “It’s a really cool way to make a living. Busking is completely unpredictable, and you need to be able to take each day as it comes- to play to five people as though you were playing to 50; to find a way to play in rain; to ignore the homeless man yelling from the front row; to play with three broken strings as though you didn’t even notice; to make an audience laugh when. The best buskers are the ones who are always going back tomorrow for another shot.”

For More Info check Out ‘The Busking Project’

Pierce Brothers: “Check out: www.thebuskingproject.com. It’s an amazing website they’ve been putting together for a while now. Want to travel the world and earn cash? They’re awesome and can answer so many of your questions.”

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