Street musicians provide soundtrack to Mill Avenue
Sarah Evans
Music can be heard from the sidewalks on Mill Avenue late at night.Some of the musicians are just starting out, and some have established a reputable name amongst the party people on Mill.
Bing, a jazz and blues guitarist, showed off his machine gun style guitar skills on the corner of Mill and Seventh street.
He said his ability to play well came from his past.
“My parents used to lock me in a room (to) learn how to play. I had to back them up. My parents were tap dancers,” said Bing.
He said the best way to get good at guitar is to practice six hours a day.
“They said if you learn all these songs we’ll let you go to school,” Bing stated.
He went to school Tuesday and Thursday, Wednesday and Friday.
He learned guitar songs, and on Monday he had to fix his mistakes.
Bing managed to stay confident even in the presence of a tough crowd.
“I heckle the audience. They don’t heckle me,” said Bing.
As many others walked by, they dropped change into his basket in approval as Bing played guitar behind his head.
“You know how I learned to play behind my head? I learned on my honeymoon. My wife said, ‘you going to put that guitar down,’ I said, ‘Nah,'” Bing said.
Gabriel played for passersby on the south side of Mill.
He not only played guitar and sang, but played the harmonica all at the same time.
“First thing you’ve gotta do is learn how to sing and play, and once you get that down it’s not that hard,” said Gabriel.
His musical background spans over more than a decade.
“I’ve been playing guitar for 12 years,” Gabriel said. “(It took me) three years to learn guitar, and two months to learn harmonica.”
Now that Gabriel has graduated, he plays on Mill Ave in his spare time.
At the intersection of Mill and Sixth Street, the band Buckwheat, Porky, and Pickles festively jammed out.
Band member, Nick Fosess, described their session for the shopping crowds.
“For (Mill Avenue we’re playing) acoustic kind of music. Anything Nate can come up with on guitar,” he said.
Fellow band member, Nate Cross, stated that they just started playing together.
“Today is the first day (we have jammed together) on Mill Ave,” Cross said.
“We’re just playing freestyle. We plan on coming back. We’re just trying to make some money.”
They stood out as they played not only the guitar, harmonica, ukulele, and percussions, but a rusty saw as well.
“This is a saw. like you would cut wood with, I guess, and a violin bow. You just kind of bend (the saw),” stated Fosess.
Onlooker, Kimberly Smith, watched and danced along to the music.
“I was shopping. I was just walking by and saw them, and thought they were awesome. They were really nice, and invited me to stay and hang out while they played,” said Smith.
Buckwheat, Porky, and Pickles might just be staring out on Mill, but they are focused on increasing their musical skills.
“We’re both students at the Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences,” stated Cross.
Fosess stated their intent in jamming on Mill Ave was, “to get more practice, and get out of the apartment.
