Subway Entertainers

I try not to take the trains too often.  I prefer to take buses to wherever I'm headed.  The trains are just too crowded and hectic.  Walking through train stations makes my heart pound.  Everybody seems to either be running or cutting in front of someone else who is running.  Then there is the added stressor of getting a seat or being body checked by someone who barrels through a crowded train if they even sense someone getting up from their seat.

We also have to deal with subway musicians and other entertainers.  Who are those guys who do the flips and other acrobatics on a train?  I wonder if they've ever kicked someone when they're flipping around?  You can't go into a subway without seeing someone playing some kind of instrument with their instrument case opened in front of them with a bunch of change and a few stray dollar bills already in the case.

Delancey St. station on the Uptown F platform

 

Subway musicians are as a much a part of the NYC subway system as the transit riders themselves.  From the guys at the 34th St. Herald Square station who seem to have a preference for Michael Jackson songs, to the random rappers, a capella oldies singers, classical musicians, etc., a ride on the trains means free entertainment, whether it's wanted or not.

So what are your thoughts on subway musicians/entertainers?  Are they a welcome addition to an otherwise dreary subway ride?  Are they an all around annoyance that makes you wish for earplugs? Or does it depend on the type of mood you happen to be in that day?