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Canterbury's Pop Idols
Canterbury, England
By Robert Fisk

Canterbury's buskers and street entertainers are a weird phenomenon. There is hardly ever a chance to see one with any real musical talent. If you want to hear a perfect rendition of John Lennon's Imagine then this is not the town for you. However, if you want a unique version played by a man wearing a tea cosy or perhaps a pan pipe version, then Canterbury's buskers have a lot to offer.

All the Christian Children
There is a video installation in London's Tate Modern in which a man stands on a box while singing a Victorian hymn with the main lyric of 'All the Christian children.' His strange appearance and the fact that he inhales helium throughout the hymn (until he falls off the box) lead watching the video to be a very bizarre experience. However, it is nothing in comparison to Canterbury's Singing Religious Children. Dressed in old-fashioned religious garb and singing a variety of strange religious songs, the only way to watch these children is in disbelief. Not only are the majority of them really young, most of them do not seem to want to be there. While the older children are very happy to sing their religious songs, it appears as if the younger children have been coerced into singing. Their mouths produce the words required and their hands play the instruments but their faces show discontent.

From the Home of Paddington Bear
When Canterbury's weather conditions most resemble those of Peru, you may be 'lucky' enough to witness the Peruvian Panpipe Players. Their music seems to be the same as any other Peruvian pan pipe group found on a British shopping street or centre. This reproduction of tunes seems to point to the issue of cloning. Somewhere in the British Isles there may well be a Peruvian panpipe cloning centre that produces people content to play the same music as all the other pan pipers. Alternatively, they may just be doing the towns in shifts.

Oh Baby, Baby, How Was I Supposed to Know?
No reported sightings of the Japanese Britney Spears in the last two years leads me to believe that he was a university student who has now left Canterbury. This is a devastating blow to Canterbury as pop music was never the same after his adaptations of such songs as Christina Aguilera's 'Genie in a Bottle', Britney Spears' 'Ooops...' He also did requests!

Wee Willie Winkie
Known by many as Old Willie, Canterbury's one-man band is an interesting phenomenon that does not seem to go by season. Out in all weathers, this fearless street performer never seems to use the full capabilities of his band. The instruments are there but you will very rarely hear his kazoo or the cymbal attached to his hat. With a novelty that extended to his instruments, and not just his posture and clothes, he could do so much better.

The Lord of all Buskers
A visit to Canterbury is not complete without seeing the street performer who is in a class (and perhaps a world) of his own. With a name that sounds a bit like a superhero, Tea Cosy Man is the best entertainer in the world. The age and frailty of Tea Cosy Man means that appearances are rare apart from in the summer months. However, you can be sure that when he is entertaining, he is very entertaining. Occupying the space by the wall outside Nason's department store, and wearing a tea cosy, he takes music to places where it has never been before. Waving his right hand above his head, his other hand plays disordered piano over the demo track of his Casio keyboard. It is simply genius.

Questions?
If you want more information about this area you can email the author or check out our Europe Insiders page.


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