“Where better than Lincoln Center for Billy to release his inner Axl Rose?”
This week’s edition of WNET’s This Week at Lincoln Center features Lincoln Center Out of Doors. The 2011 season will begin with over 100 free performances in the plaza, including some from Billy Bragg and Mavis Staples.
via lincolncenter:
The MTA may require a permit to busk on the subway platform, but YOU can busk at Lincoln Center with Billy Bragg on July 27 for Lincoln Center Out of Door’s opening. If you come with your acoustic guitar to the open rehearsal at 4 pm on the Hearst Plaza (in front of Lincoln Center Theater and NYPL for Performing Arts), you can sign up to busk around Lincoln Center. The Big Busk starts at 7:30 in Damrosch Park. All you need to know is a few basic guitar chords, and you can join in the play-along. Or just come and sing along. See www.youtube.com/LCBigBusk to learn more.
You need a permit from the Metro Transit Authority’s Music Under New York to reserve a spot to play music in the New York subway system. The video footage from the 2011 auditions is even more evidence that there is a lot of talent underneath New York City. Some commuters can’t stand street performers in subway stations, but New York wouldn’t be NEW YORK without street performers.
MTA 2011 “Music Under New York” auditions (from the MTA’s YouTube channel).
Just a few more days to nominate songs for Billy Bragg’s The Big Busk at Lincoln Center Out of Doors (deadline is Monday, 6/20). Here’s a video of him explaining the event and playing his suggestion: “Me & Bobby McGee.” You can post a suggestion on our Facebook page, tweet it to @LCOutofdoors with #LCBigBusk, OR, if you are really ambitious, shoot an acoustic cover video and post it to Youtube. We’ve been collecting videos of nominated songs on our Youtube channel. Check some of them out here: http://www.youtube.com/user/LCBigBusk
Once we get all the nominations in, we’ll then let everyone vote for their favorites. The top songs will get included in the set that everyone sings with Billy Bragg at Lincoln Center Out of Doors’ opening night, July 27.
What songs? That’s where you come in. From now until June 7, you can submit a song and advocate for your pick. Make a good case! In the last week of May, we’ll put all the suggested songs up to a vote.
The People Have the Power
- Post audio or video of you playing and championing your chosen song on YouTube or Vimeo, or tweet us @LCOutofDoors. Add the tag #LCBigBusk. (In a few days, we’ll start posting all the videos with that tag right here on this page.)
- Post a comment in the stream below and try to convince others of your pick.(You can do this even if you haven’t posted to YouTube or Vimeo.)
- Check back the last week in May andvote for your favorites. Encourage your friends to do the same.
- Come to The Big Busk on the opening night of Lincoln Center Out of Doors, July 27, and be ready to sing and play along with Billy Bragg and your friends and neighbors.
What to Expect
- The six most popular songs will be selected for inclusion in the set, alongside songs hand-picked by Billy Bragg for New York City.
- On the afternoon of July 27, there will be a group rehearsal will be held where anyone who brings an acoustic guitar will be invited to practice that evening’s songs.
- Before the show, buskers who sign up at the show will be able to perform their own material at locations throughout Lincoln Center’s plazas.
- At the show, Billy Bragg will lead the crowd in a sing- and play-along, with big chord signs to guide everyone. It might look something like this.
The Rules
Feel free to choose songs from any style, genre, or era—but so everyone can have fun playing along, the songs should:
- Be familiar songs most people will know the lyrics to
- Include no more than three or four chords
- Use simple chords guitarists of all levels can play
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