Double booking hits the wrong note with buskers

8:32am Thursday 15th May 2008

Comments (0)   Have your say »

Two sets of buskers got themselves into a showbiz showdown in Sutton town centre on Saturday.

After setting up a pitch in the High Street, chart-busting busking Croydon duo the Dualers found themselves in a duel with classical Polish outfit the Jerzy Buskers, who had also reserved the pitch in High Street outside Marks and Spencer.

“We're experienced buskers so we’re used to this kind of thing and usually it’s sorted out amicably, so it’s a shame they had to call the police.”

Tyber Cranstoun

The territorial dispute hit the wrong note when the Jerzy Buskers reached for their telephone to call police, who arrived on the scene to see why the two groups were sounding off.

Tyber Cranstoun of the Dualers said: "We're experienced buskers so we're used to this kind of thing and usually it's sorted out amicably, so it's a shame they had to call the police."

Bobbies on the beat turned up to settle the score but were confounded by both sets of buskers being able to show a confirmation letter of their right to perform on the same day in the same place.

To the amusement of the musicians, shoppers and bystanders joined in the debate with a chorus of voices noting their support for one band or the other.

Cranstoun added: "We have some older female fans who had turned up to watch us and they started to shout their support for us."

In the end both bands got on with the show, with the Jerzy Buskers setting up a pitch further up the street.

But the scale of the incident was nothing compared to the last time the Dualers played the town centre, according to the duo.

Cranstoun said: "Last time we were here Boris Johnson was campaigning in Sutton and he came to talk to us and we jammed with him.

"He even used our microphone to talk to the crowd. That clip ended up on YouTube and was much more exciting than this Saturday."

Both bands will be performing in the High Street during the Town Centre Music Festival - the Dualers on Saturday, May 31, and the Jerzy Buskers on Sunday, June 1.

When Boris met The Dualers