Thursday, November 12, 1998
Taking it to the street
MUSIC: Live performers add ambiance to the Promenade
in Santa Monica
By Brent Hopkins
Daily Bruin Staff
As storefronts begin to open and shoppers slowly start to make
their way down Santa Monica’s Third Street Promenade, a small group
begins to filter onto the concrete sidewalks. Some carry guitars,
others heft amplifiers, a few bring sheet music, and one pushes an
upright piano.Their equipment varies, as do their performance
styles, but all come with the same goal: to play some music and
maybe make a little money while they’re at it.
"As a venue, it can be a rollercoaster ride. It definitely has
its ups and downs," said Rich Smith, a neoclassical keyboard player
improvising melodies on a Saturday afternoon.
For a fee of $37 per year, the City of Santa Monica issues
permits allowing these performers to showcase their talents up and
down the blocked off boulevard. This fee accords them a piece of
sidewalk space and the right to solicit donations. Artists cannot
charge for their performances, but they can keep all the money they
earn from the contributions of passers-by. Some days are slower
than others, according to D-Rock, a guitarist and singer who
performs with his young daughter, Danielle Martin.
"There’s a whole science to which days are the best days to come
out and work," he said.
According to D-Rock, Mondays and Wednesdays are generally
slow.
"Tuesdays are good, because a lot of people seem to get paid
here. Every day’s different; it’s not always the same Promenade,"
D-Rock explained. "One day might be moving and fast, the next day
there might be no one out here."
What began as a one-man street show, with D-Rock accompanying
himself on guitar, expanded to a duo five years ago. Danielle,
originally just an observer, began to absorb the lyrics to the
classic rock tunes her father performed. After a few months of
listening, she gave singing a try.
"I decided I wanted to sing with my dad," she said. "I found out
it was a lot of fun, so I wanted to do it too."
When not performing on the street, D-Rock, who composes his own
music, has built a repertoire out of the songs he grew up with. He
cited musicians from Otis Redding to Led Zeppelin as influences,
and the songs he plays while on the Promenade reflect these sounds.
Crowds seem particularly drawn to the Eagles’ "Hotel California"
and Bob Dylan’s "Knocking On Heaven’s Door," on which Danielle
backs her father up on harmonica.
The money is nice, but D-Rock also enjoys other side
benefits.
"Basically, my whole life is my family," D-Rock said. "I’m just
glad that I can sing with my family."
Jeffrey Briggs, a solo guitarist, comes out for different
reasons. A three-year veteran of Third Street, Briggs improvises
flamenco, classical, Renaissance, medieval and baroque tunes for
passers-by from his folding chair. Absorbed by the ancient
melodies, he plays with his eyes closed tightly through extended
passages lasting 20 minutes or more, rarely pausing for a
break.
With his biggest payoff bringing in $50 in a few hours, he
claims the pay isn’t great, but it’s enough to support himself
with.
"Right now, I’m doing it to make money, but I love to play for
people," he said.
"It’s not a lot (of money), but you have at least the enjoyment
that you’re doing something."
In the past, Briggs has appeared in clubs and played in
musicals, but currently, the bulk of his income comes from his act
on the street. While his virtuoso playing may not attract as many
donations as the more mainstream acts, he continues to stick with
flamenco. He has had a fascination with the style since the age of
4, when he was first introduced to it by his father.
"There are plenty of ways to make a living, so if you can be a
musician, you might as well play the music you love to play,"
Briggs said.
The live venue gives Briggs a chance to fine tune his playing
before an audience. Rather than working to please them with a more
commercial sound, he keeps fiddling with the notes until he finds
what he wants. He believes this produces a better reaction in the
long run.
"It’s an interesting experience to play music live, because
you’ve got the whole world passing by you, and the last thing on
their mind is your music," Briggs said. "You’ve got to play until
you like it, and then people start to hear."
Not all the performers bring guitars with them to entertain the
crowd. Geoffrey Crowley, a student at Hamilton High, plays baroque
flute music as tourists wander past. Strictly a weekend player at
the Promenade, he’s also a member of the orchestra at Santa Monica
College and at his own high school.
Allen B. Gordon, known for his large piano and intense
performances, drew an interested crowd for his ragtime and Tin Pan
Alley offerings. These vastly different styles add a charming
ambiance to the weekend shopping experience.
For that matter, instruments aren’t even required for some
entertainers. Jamie Starr, easily visible in a green sequined
jacket, does a flawless impression of Michael Jackson’s dance
moves. Spinning around and dazzling shoppers with his footwork,
Starr lip-syncs along with a stereo as the crowd drops dollars into
a bucket.
There’s also Steve Epstein, in his guise of Frank Imnotya, a
humorous impression of the chairman of the board, Frank Sinatra.
Epstein brings only a CD player to accompany his lounge act.
Working with a makeshift combination of an amplifier, car battery
and microphone, he belts out Rat Pack standards.
For him, the Promenade offers not only exposure and income, but
satisfaction as well.
"It’s like a day’s salary if I work enough," Epstein said. "I
make a lot more when I work in clubs, but this way I’m my own boss.
On the whole, I’m happier here."
The relationship between the performers and the community is a
symbiotic one. The music fills the air with a pleasant background
to shop to, and the performers are able to take home a little money
and gain exposure. Before he returned to fingering his guitar,
Briggs spoke highly of the support received from his patrons.
"It’s nice that the City of Santa Monica is enlightened enough
to encourage the arts in a real way," Briggs said, "and not just
the symphony, the orchestra and museums."
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