In Amiens, I quickly find a nice spot right across from the Hôtel de Ville. However, it’s far too cold for me to bother with the legalities of street music here. But I figure there’s hardly a better place to learn about it firsthand than right in front of the town hall of this charming city.
The cold is so biting that my fingers feel like they’re freezing to the steel strings of my Gibson J45. I quickly switch from picking to strumming to keep my hands moving. The passersby don’t seem to care much – and even less about my music. A man stops and starts telling me “something about horses.” My French has unfortunately gotten rusty over the years, but I think he’s asking for a Rolling Stones song.
After about 40 minutes, it starts to rain, and I decide to call it a day. I’m not satisfied with my performance or the circumstances. In the end, I have €25.48 in my pocket – minus €2.50 for parking.
