The first thing I always think when I see a “busker” doing their thing is man they got some balls (figuratively speaking, after all, ladies can busk it something fierce, too).

Gaku MC or MC Gaku as it is translated to English is all smiles with a countenance as bright and shiny as his dyed blonde hair. A small fellow, not intimidating in the least, and also more of a hip-hop style fashion-wise sporting fellow, not one you might slot as a singer/songwriter type. But, don’t let appearances deceive you, because Gaku-san had some skills, and was a friendly instigator getting all the slowly sun burning lunchtime crowd to sing and clap along.

One of his song lyrics translated roughly goes, “If you got money and got no time… If you got time and got no money… If you’re genki, or funny, or ugly, or something…” That was all I could catch as he went into a rap after that.

But the hook of another song I caught was “Barbeque music, camping music…” That was one where after he talked about camping with the fans, as he always does and will always do, apparently, as that is his favorite place to be to experience spontaneous festival kindness and “where the sake always flows.” I agree Gaku MC.

He also attempted a Bob Marley song covering “No Woman No Cry” in his best English. Fans like me dug that one. Then he did his adaptation of the Beatles’ “All You Need Is Love” as instead “All You Need Is Rap.” Guilty, I LOLed a little on that one.

The Busker Stop is a nice change of pace from the huge stereo speaker stacks and big names and mosh pits. The intimacy and change of pace with a real human touch was an excellent way to spend an afternoon reprieve. And, if you have never made it way out to the back forty past Orange Court to the Café de Paris, I highly recommend you make the trek. He plugged his band show a bit later on Mokudo-tei in the woods, and that stage isn’t quite as far out, but anyway.

Along the stream folks skip rocks and soak their feet, the Stoned Circle gets funky and you can release your inner beat, the pole dancers with Big Willie’s burlesque show are sexy, and the pancakes at the Vagabond are deliciously sweet.

Thanks for giving me a new destination Gaku MC!