Darth Fiddler - The Force Hits the Street

I read yesterday about Darth Fiddler - a street musician in Victoria, British Columbia, who plays a black violin in full Darth Vader costume. Now that's cool. What's NOT cool is that a couple of weeks ago, someone attacked him and smashed his violin.

Luckily, the local music store replaced his instrument and even provided a light-saber-inspired bow and he's back out on the street.

Being a street artist is hard, even if you're not attacked. In San Francisco we've had the Human Jukebox at Fisherman's Wharf. The guy sits in his silver-painted cardboard box. Drop in some money and the "door" pops open and a trumpet pokes out and plays a selection.

My musical favorite has always been Norbert Yancey, who's played guitar and sung for forty years by Ghirardelli Square. I spoke with him many years ago--and even played at his same corner once!