There is something about record players being tenuous that makes them more performative. This one was just outside a store near the city center. They were obviously trying to sell the record player, but I was more interested in the presence it created on the street. Someone had to flip the record, I wonder if they just play the same thing all day.
A DJ spinning a record is seems different than someone, lets say, pressing play on a tape player, or turning on the radio. The fact that you can physically touch the playing surface, it has a tactile aspect. The grooves in the record are a rotating landscape. You cannot only hear the sound but you can feel it.
I hope this publlic performance sells some of these rather cute record players. I don't own any records so I passed it up.
I see this guy all over the place. No one does his job better. He just moves along really slowly cranking the lever and wearing a smile. There is something about his presence that is extremely calming and heart warming. He seems extremely content in his simple song. I don't doubt he gathers great pleasure form the smiles he gets all day long. He reflects them back, that is for sure.
The mobile performance is a really great thing. It reminds me of the guy in Seattle, Biznuts I think is his name, who travels around with a performance ensemble in a shopping cart. He just does his thing and gives a what's up head nod to people passing by or when you give him some change. People love it.
