Emily Collins5 said:Does anyone know a city nearby—maybe somewhere in Canada, Austria, or even parts of America—where you can play with a small amp without drowning in paperwork or getting harassed by the cops? In Washington, D.C., it’s basically impossible, and it's the same story in Vienna. How is a guy supposed to perform on an electric guitar? It doesn't even have to be deafeningly loud; it could be quieter than an acoustic. There's this one guy downtown playing a drum kit, so I have to wonder how he gets away with it...
It's true. When they hand out those street performing permits, they specifically say no amps allowed. Is there a loophole to get an amp approved? Maybe...
I spent my whole summer playing in Washington, D.C. using an amp for both guitar and vocals. Only one cop ever bothered me, asking if I had a permit for the amp. I didn't have one, so I just played dumb. He told me to turn it off, so I did. That was it...
Honestly, it just depends on who you run into. Out of all the people walking by, only one person actually gave me trouble...
Just keep playing, man. 😉