Kevin McNamra has been street performing since 1970s. He is also a children’s musician and music instructor when he’s not playing around Harvard Square. His income doesn’t depend on street performing. He works in day cares and all kinds of parties where people invite him to play.

 

He is a huge fan of Stones. Stones got him to blues and folk music. McNamara said that people had different reaction towards different types of music, and that he didn’t target a certain group, but most of the times he tries to do something that he really enjoys. He likes to interact with passersby in T stations while performing. The connection between people and him becomes an important factor of successful performance. He is aware of the competition among street performers. McNamara recalled that the challenge for him playing in the public at the beginning was the stage fright.

 

McNamara said the street performing was on a first-come-first-serve basis. When some spots are popular for street musicians, they’d like to wait until the performer who is already there left. If you were physically ok with long-time performing, you could stay as long as you wanted, said McNamara.

 

Having been performing in public for years, McNamara felt there was a decline in street performers. He remembered there used to be more around Harvard Square and Faneuil Hall. After 9/11 and Boston Marathon bombings, street performers are more aware of being safe while performing in public.