How to busk your way around the world

Ever fancied busking abroad but never been able to muster the courage? Or perhaps you’ve always had it in you but your fear of being moved along by stony-faced police put you off? Well, up until two months ago I shared your unease, but having researched the topic thoroughly – and having cajoled an amenable gang of Americans as and when their travel plans coincided with mine – I’ve managed to earn a few extra pennies on my travels and challenge myself to boot.

From sourcing instruments to sussing out venues, these tips will help you conquer your fears and hopefully earn a bit of cash as you go . . .

OK, so you might feel fine about going it alone, but if you’re a first-time busker and your performing depends on your finding a group of like-minded artistes, then it would be prudent to source a small group well in advance, especially if your travel plans aren’t allowing you much time in each place.

Putting up notices in university buildings, as well as on youth hostel noticeboards, can help you find singers and musicians of a higher calibre than those you might find by word of mouth.

That said, if you’re just doing it for a bit of a laugh, simply putting the word out in a local youth hostel/telling someone they’re an amazing singer and asking them if they’d ever considered busking after a few drunken chants in a local bar can work too.

If you don’t have an instrument, you’ll just look like a bunch of louts singing on the side of the road, and are more likely to draw attention for the wrong reasons. I got lucky. A group of American friends I met in Paris had a mandolin with them, and the youth hostel we were staying in loaned out instruments.

But for those who aren’t carrying an instrument with them, again putting an advert up in a local supermarket/youth hostel/university building can get you results, as can searching bric-a-brac stores, flea markets and charity shops, of which there are ample in bigger cities.