Buskers unite

Pitt St Mall was turned into an open air concert venue last Saturday as buskers rallied against a proposed ban against amplifiers in the mall.

The proposed ban is in response to claims by some shops that the use of speakers conflicted with the shopping centre.

The rally featured performances from local Sydney acts, as well as from the internationally renowned street performer, Dub Fx.

Local street musician, Pludo, said: “Busking is a great cultural thing that adds a lot of colour to a city.

“Amplification allows many of the great acts that perform in Pitt St mall, and throughout the whole city, to exist,” he said.

“If the ban was passed, then the music that I and other buskers perform here would be drowned out by the many surrounding sources of noise.”

Dub Fx, a worldwide street performer from Melbourne, amplifies and loops his voice to create songs.

He noted the importance of amplification to his success.

“If it wasn’t for busking and the use of amplification, then I would not have a career,” he said.

“It chisels you down into what you really are and it is something that definitely needs to live on,” Dub Fx said.

The rally received strong support from the public, with hundreds signing a petition to have amplified busking saved in Pitt St Mall.

“Most of the public support street performances – I have never had a complaint from a member of the public
about my music,” Pludo said.

Debbie, who is visiting Australia from New Zealand and attended the rally, said that busking, in all its forms, is beneficial for an entire city.

“Not only does it add enormous culture to a city, but it also turns shopping into a much greater experience, especially here in Pitt St Mall,” she said.

“It keeps me in the area, and anything that encourages busking, like this rally, is fantastic.”

By Drew Rooke