Buskers in Byron give live lessons in louder street music

So Ziggy Alberts takes over the stage while Kyle Lionheart gives me a quick rig rundown.

It’s a balmy night on Jonson Street, Byron Bay, where live music performances seem more important than sound restrictions.

What makes busking so big in Byron?

On Jonson Street, there is no room for small talk, just music gear.

Kyle pauses a second to finish a mouthful of his burrito, then chuckles. “It’s just a car battery,” he says, looking over at the power source.

After a little research, I realised he wasn’t pulling my leg. Professional buskers use a combination of deep cycle car batteries and sine wave inverters to power-up full PA systems.

There’s around 70 people sitting, standing and kneeling on the sidewalk.

Something exciting is going down.

Something important. Something cultural.

Kyle pulls me in off the road.

“Thought you were going to get hit by a car or something”.

Fair call, I’m not from around here.

For those not in the know, Kyle and Ziggy are established folk musicians from Byron Bay, and if I am to speak from the heart, I don’t actually like their music.

But that night on Jonson Street, I became a fan for other reasons.

These guys showed me how important busking is for the community.

I couldn’t stop thinking of home in Torquay.

In our town, amplified busking is not permitted. I’m still unsure if it’s a good thing or not.