Check this out:
http://www.playingforpocketchange.com/

"Playing for Pocket Change is a series featuring musicians playing on the streets and in the subways of New York City. Often overlooked and ignored, we find out exactly who these people are and what makes them want perform in what is arguably the world's strangest venue."

From Episode 5:
"I'm self taught on guitar. I play on open tunings and I play it all wrong. Ok you're not supposed to play the way I play. I think for us we both realized that you don't have to be a Berklee school graduate (a renown contemporary music college in Boston, USA). All you have to do is come out and connect with people".

A singaporean youth was playing outside Tampines mrt a couple of days back, and I was just thinking of how this whole street side musician thing wouldn't grow in Singapore. Besides, he looked pretty out of place. I don't actually know why I felt he looked out of place. Maybe his music didn't attract me, maybe seeing a youth strumming on a guitar outside the mrt is not a common sight here. I regretted having that thought though.

"inspiring" is such an overused word, but I shall use it again. First thought that crossed my mind after watching a few of the videos from the site was that, maybe we could do something to change the impressions we have of street side musicians. Invite a huge bunch of youths to play around Singapore on the same day. Grab peoples' attention, make it feel like a normal and acceptable thing.

This sounds like an oversimplified idea and I haven't properly thought through the reasons why most of us wouldn't dare to strum away on our guitars on the streets. But for now I just think it'd be nice to hear some smooth jazz before I board the train on an otherwise gloomy morning. It'd be nice to greet that stranger who just played my favourite song with a smile, and we shall make each others' days.

(i think i've uploaded this photo to death but i like it. And I can't find the original non-edited shot)