Ocean City, N.J: Stop the music!

The simple, enjoyable pleasures of shore living is apparently taking a hit from the "angry birds." No, not the annoying, blitzing boardwalk seagulls, rather, unhappy people who want to turn off the music on the boardwalk. A few boardwalk merchants in Ocean City have gone to city council to complain about the local musicians called "buskers." These street performers have been a staple worldwide for centuries. They are not noisy or intrusive, they stand alone and play their instruments to the enjoyment of passersby. Recently, in a New York City subway platform, Green Day set up for a quick set of six songs to the entertain daily commuters. The Jersey shore has a variety of these talented musicians with guitar cases open, hoping for loose change tips. I have personally dropped a few bills into the jar of a talented flutist on the Ocean City boardwalk these past few summers. Now, a group of merchants wants the music silenced or at least moved and controlled, saying they are an annoyance, deterring store traffic to their shops?? To the credit of city officials, a total ban on the buskers was rejected but a compromise met calling for an increase in fees and location. Beginning in the 2024 season, interested street performers will see a permit fee go from the traditional $50.00 to $200.00! Location for performance makes absolutely NO sense! Musicians must now set up in zones away from the commerce, the shops, where the people are concentrated! Along with the performance "districts", performance times will be limited to between 7pm-10pm only. The very idea of "unhappy" people complaining about other people not bothering anyone has always triggered a rant. Rant over.