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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think buskers should read the room

64 replies

Rolson77 · 05/05/2024 15:15

Set up my picnic blanket in lovely local park. Brought my book. Rare couple of hours without my 5yo. Bliss. Until the fucking busker turns up. Average singer blasting out Bette Midler songs ridiculously loud to a cheap sounding piano backing track. A few moans. It's fucking annoying. Totally understand in places where people walk by but not in a park. She's now singing the first time ever I saw your face and I want to poke needles in my eyes!!

AIBU?

OP posts:
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Pinkbonbon · 07/05/2024 15:45

ItDoesntHaveToBeDave · 06/05/2024 15:24

Yes of course you would 🙄
And then everyone would clap, yes?!

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I dont get it?
I mean they might I suppose but thats neither here nor there.

If I want peace and quiet then why wouldn't I just ask for it?

Chances are other people might feel the same but be too shy to say anything tbf.

But I'm, not.

BitOutOfPractice · 07/05/2024 15:41

There’s a very average busker in my city that is there for hours and hours every day singing all the dreary dirge songs you can image.

I’m only walking past but I feel very sorry for the staff of the shops he stands outside. Ugh.

AllCatsAreAutistic · 07/05/2024 15:37

MercyDulb0ttle · 06/05/2024 15:36

It’s clear to see on this thread which people have no consideration for anyone else isn’t it? 😂

If you want to sing, go to a karaoke bar. Or your own shower. Or somewhere that people don’t have to hang around. I don’t mind buskers in the underground for instance; nobody in their right mind would want to sit in the underground for no reason. Everyone is on the move.

But you’ve got to have some sort of CFery to inflict your noise on people sitting in a park.

Yep. It would be too much of a generalisation to suggest that all noise freaks are antisocial and selfish, or that all antisocial selfish people are noise freaks, but there is definitely a strong correlation.

Binglebong · 06/05/2024 16:24

There's one locally where the game is to guess which song he's "singing". I tend to lose.

MercyDulb0ttle · 06/05/2024 15:36

It’s clear to see on this thread which people have no consideration for anyone else isn’t it? 😂

If you want to sing, go to a karaoke bar. Or your own shower. Or somewhere that people don’t have to hang around. I don’t mind buskers in the underground for instance; nobody in their right mind would want to sit in the underground for no reason. Everyone is on the move.

But you’ve got to have some sort of CFery to inflict your noise on people sitting in a park.

StrawberrySquash · 06/05/2024 15:27

magicstar1 · 06/05/2024 12:10

I miss the way buskers played in the past. You could only hear them when close up, but now with amps and speakers they’re blasting out so far. It’s ridiculous.

Agree. I'm fine with buskers. It's the speakers and amps I can't stand.

ItDoesntHaveToBeDave · 06/05/2024 15:24

Pinkbonbon · 06/05/2024 12:08

See I don't understand this.. I would have hist shouted 'Hey, love! I get one childfree afternoon and was enjoying the quiet! Can you fuck off somewhere else! Please!'.

If I was feeling polite.
They're probably not going to want to stay there knowing you aren't enjoying it.

Yes of course you would 🙄
And then everyone would clap, yes?!

Vates · 06/05/2024 14:58

I cannot stand buskers either, the one who sets up in town is so unbearably loud. Leaves my ears ringing and thinking STFU already. I walk as far away from him as possible.

CookStrait · 06/05/2024 13:21

You could’ve started blasting out Baby Shark, The Birdie Song, or YMCA, whilst circling her & doing all the actions.

I quite enjoy a busker. The bad singer makes up for it with a good song. Same as the good one will sing a song you hate.

Jc2001 · 06/05/2024 13:13

KrisAkabusi · 05/05/2024 23:32

How exactly was she stopping the OP from leaving?

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They weren't. I think the point is the busker is in a place where people will be spending some time rather than just walking past them on the street. So you can't escape the noise of you want to continue to enjoy the park.

Spinet · 06/05/2024 13:13

I do think my fellow city dwellers are unable to have a bit of green space without putting a coffee van, musical act or a bloody farmer's market on it. Drives me nuts. Just appreciate the space and greenery!!

Jc2001 · 06/05/2024 13:09

PotatoFan · 05/05/2024 15:17

Go and sit somewhere else?

Why should they have to?

WingSlutz · 06/05/2024 12:16

I hate buskers. Who assumes everyone wants to hear them? They have designated spots in the Tube stations, I'll be walking past at 7.30am listening to the music I actually want to hear on my own headphones, which is totally drowned out by these bastards. And it's really horribly discordant hearing 2 tunes at once. Grr.

magicstar1 · 06/05/2024 12:10

I miss the way buskers played in the past. You could only hear them when close up, but now with amps and speakers they’re blasting out so far. It’s ridiculous.

Pinkbonbon · 06/05/2024 12:08

See I don't understand this.. I would have hist shouted 'Hey, love! I get one childfree afternoon and was enjoying the quiet! Can you fuck off somewhere else! Please!'.

If I was feeling polite.
They're probably not going to want to stay there knowing you aren't enjoying it.

CatamaranViper · 06/05/2024 11:59

VestibuleVirgin · 06/05/2024 07:43

And of course, everyone else is delighted to be subjected to your inane one-sided conversation while you are walking in public.
Double standards rule in your mind

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My "inane one-sided conversation" is at a very normal volume, no different to talking to someone walking next to me. It's not being blasted out by a speaker trying to drown out the sound of another busker further up the street.
It's hardly double standards when they are very different things.

QueenCamilla · 06/05/2024 11:54

It's like my inconsiderate bastard neighbours.
As soon as it's nice and sunny, they put the speakers on, throw the back doors open and everyone in their gardens has to listen to some Albanian gypsy muzak trash. Yesterday they had a birthday party for a 5 year old and that meant the trash muzak on from 10am all the way through to the midnight, with drunk adults whistling, ooooping and shouting over the music.
One of the very rare sunny days to enjoy but they went and ruined it for everyone else.

Without the bastards, there's peace, quiet and birdsong.

takealettermsjones · 06/05/2024 11:54

Irritating, but I admit I'd much rather a busker than the people who yell at me to accept Jesus, or get in my face rattling collecting tins and wristbands and crappy books of crappy poetry that they're selling for some charity or another.

JadeSheep · 06/05/2024 11:37

PotatoFan · 05/05/2024 15:17

Go and sit somewhere else?

No

Washingtonmachine · 06/05/2024 11:35

"Or maybe you do eat stupid."

Cracking up 😆

Jeannie88 · 06/05/2024 11:03

I've experienced similar, but with families bringing a speaker and blasting out loud music. So annoying when you want some peace and enjoy the park and there's pounding dance songs on full volume.

Beatrixslobber · 06/05/2024 10:48

It sounds like a comedy sketch. Did she only do Bette Middler?

OtherS · 06/05/2024 10:43

I really wish they'd get rid of the bloody amps at least, even in central London it's too bloody much.

VestibuleVirgin · 06/05/2024 10:34

Mrsdyna · 06/05/2024 10:14

At least the noises that children and people make are natural. I can't stand the big amps that these buskers use.

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Natural or not, volume and duration count.

WhatDaPoint · 06/05/2024 10:29

YANBU. We have a woman who wails so loudly in our town centre it's hard to escape the noise. She belts out classic wail'y songs like Celine Dion stuff. It's awful and way too loud.