A city known for its educational institutions and sports prowess also has vibrant musical chords running through its veins. You can hear it … if you take the time to listen.
By Grant Hill and Ethan Parets
A Profession and a Passion at Faneuil Hall
For Ryan Jordan, this was all a part of the plan.
“I think I’m one of the only people here that actually takes requests, so I’m able to really just involve the crowd and, you know, make it a thing, a kind of an act,” said Jordan.
That’s how Jordan says he differentiates himself from the others at Faneuil Hall; that’s how he reels in not just his audience but also his income.
Jordan is a busker at Faneuil Hall Marketplace in Downtown Crossing. “For me, this is what I do instead of a day job,” said Jordan, and he’s not alone. Organized by Faneuil Hall Marketplace Merchant’s Association, Jordan is one of 40 musicians, 20 variety performers, and three magicians who are currently on the classic Boston destination’s roster.
“We’re known as a festival marketplace, and the street performers are a big part of what makes Faneuil Hall what it is today,” said Christina Grice, Faneuil Hall’s events and marketing coordinator. “I would say it is a huge draw for street performers to come here and perform.”
Faneuil Hall conducts competitive auditions every year, drawing in Berklee College of Music graduates like Jordan consistently.
The catch? Faneuil Hall doesn’t pay them. The performers only take home whatever they can earn from the marketplace patrons and tourists.
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Beat the Freeze
The cold can’t stop Dave Bowdre and his pots and pans.
“I’ve had these pans for over 10 years,” said Bowdre. He’s played in Boston on the street for 20 years.
You can catch Dave Bowdre at Faneuil Hall, though he is not on the roster of performers there, and he has not auditioned. Just inches from the privately-owned concourse, Bowdre sets up his buckets and pans on the public sidewalk. He entertains the shopping tourists during the holidays at Faneuil, hoping they’re in the giving spirit.
“You just gotta entertain them. You gotta have a good personality,” said Bowdre. “You gotta make it look like work, even though it’s more of a hobby type thing, you know?”
And with the holidays comes the cold.
“It’s freezing. It’s really cold. If you don’t have thermals on you ain’t gonna be able to do it. You gotta, you gotta where extra lining underneath. Otherwise you’re gonna freeze your balls off. Excuse my language,” Bowdre said,
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Underground, Overworked, and Paid in Cash
With a Charlie card, it costs $2.25 to ride the T. That’s not including entertainment.
That’s extra, if you can spare it.
These performers set out to make your commute a little less horrible and, in exchange, emerge from the underground with varying levels financial success.
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