The city of Montreal can’t even get the sidewalks cleared… but they had plenty of time to pass a law aimed at one of the city’s best-known buskers: the Spoonman:
Cyrille Esteve, 52, who’s better known as Spoonman, has been clacking away in front of the upscale Ogilvy’s department store for the past eight years. His regular spot is particularly busy at this time of the year, as passers-by stop to admire the store’s well-known, animated Christmas display.
But the local borough council has ordered him to stop playing at the street corner beginning January 1.
The Spoonman is a part of Montreal, much like bagels, smoked meat, and winters.
Last week I got annoyed with the news that the homeless were complaining about art in parks. But it’s a far cry from people who think that they’re owed something, to buskers who just sit and play their music – in a sense. Esteve wasn’t demanding that the city build him a home in front of Ogilvy’s. He just wanted to be left alone to busk. The city is at once holding outreach meetings to be “sensitive” to people who are murdering others in parks, and at the same time forcing the Spoonman out of his spot, clacking away. I don’t shop at Ogilvy but I’m in the area an awful lot and he’s never bothered me – in fact, he’s been the subject of numerous city articles and is the perennial winner of the Mirror’s Best Busker award. He’s even somewhat of a tourist attraction.
But the city found that so offensive, that they’ve passed a law deeming spoon playing illegal anywhere west of University street. In other words – specifically the spoon (any other instrument is ok) and specifically in that location.
Like most Montrealers, I think this is an outrage. Let the Spoonman play, I say!
I didn’t see the spoonman last time I was in Montreal, but I did see a young fellow who played plastic buckets like a drum kit. Is he still around?
The ultimate human landmark, though, is probably the infamous “naked cowboy” in NYC. I saw him. He’s not really naked, thank God.
I say we all chip in and buy him an electronic drum set. There’s nothing about not being able to play drums West of University, is there?
I guess Maire Tremblay needs more space for hookers. Besides, with icy sidewalks and such, the poor girls are flat on their backs, legs in air, without so much as a single solicitation!
Damian, I heard the plastic bucket guy playing last summer, at any rate. I first heard kids playing the buckets, like, 20 years ago in NYC, and whenever I hear this guy it makes me think of the Big Apple.
As for the Spoonman, I remember walking by Ogilvy’s shortly after the Ice Storm. The main drag was pretty much deserted, the streets looked like they were incased in crystal lava or something, and there was the spoon guy, in the middle of all this, alone, playing his spoons.
Damian
but I did see a young fellow who played plastic buckets like a drum kit. Is he still around?
He’s actually a frequent commenter on this website – his alias is “just a guy”.
I saw the naked cowboy dude in NYC – he was wearing his gutkaz – like he was living in one of those bad dreams.
Thank you for your support.
Please write to
spoonman@thegazette,canwest.com
to vote for me or against me.
Cyrille the Spoonman