Street performer plays to pay rent, buy video games

Perched under a tree with guitar in hand, Shawn Radcliffe strums his guitar for passing pedestrians.

He can frequently be found outside Spanky’s Restaurant and Bar on East Franklin Street.

“It’s a good spot to perform,” he said earlier this week while playing elsewhere on Franklin Street.

Radcliffe, a Durham Technical Community College student and Chapel Hill resident, plays for about three or four days a week for several hours each day.

He said he started playing to make money to pay his rent ­­— and he has recently also been saving up to buy the popular video game Halo 4.

But Radcliffe said his passion for music is the real driver behind his performing.

At first he said performing was nerve-wracking, but he has gotten used to people.

“I love music,” he said. “I want a job in music.”

Radcliffe said he writes his own songs, but he also performs more famous pieces.

He said he is living with friends in Chapel Hill and hopes to transfer to UNC in the near future.

Radcliffe said he would prefer to have a steady, part-time job to make more money, but he said he would still perform on days off.

On his very first night as a street performer, he earned $7. But he said there are good nights and bad nights.

“It varies from night to night,” he said. “(The money) compensates for the hard work.”

Reactions to his playing run the gamut. Radcliffe said he once had a man tell him, “You suck, get over it.” That same night, another man gave him $20.

Chapel Hill students say they are supportive of street performers Radcliffe.

Laura Pianowski, a UNC senior, said she enjoys listening to performers on Franklin Street.

“I like them,” she said. “It adds an interesting cultural aspect.”

Emran Huda, a UNC graduate student, said the university atmosphere is a good place for performers to express themselves.

“This is one of the few places for freedom of expression,” Huda said, although he said he doesn’t like offensive performances.

Radcliffe said he likes performing on Franklin Street because Chapel Hill is a change from the Durham area where he attends school.

“I like the way the buildings look,” he said.

Contact the desk editor at city@dailytarheel.com.