The Underground

You know what's one of my all-time favorite things?  It's something that, even on the crappiest of days, can make me smile and feel genuinely happy (other than family/friends/animals/books).  Even when I wake up on the grumpy side of the bed on a dreary, rainy morning and forget my umbrella and miss my Dad and have a horrible day at work, this thing has the power to turn my day around and my frown upside down. 

It's something that is free, and is available to everyone every single day.  Despite how  available and accessible this thing is to just about everyone, I think it is under-valued, or under-appreciated, or simply goes unnoticed.  I can't speak for every locale, but I imagine that this thing happens in cities across the world, particularly when the masses are pouring in and rushing out of said cities. 

I've come to the point where I need to identify the thing so that I can stop referring to is as thing and start talking about the actual people that comprise the thing.  Any idea what the thing is?  Take a guess and say it out loud before you scroll down any further.

The thing is.....


drumroll please..........


The underground music scene that takes place in train stations and underground concourses in Philly, and around the world.  You know, the performers who lay down a hat or open their guitar case in hopes of getting a few bucks in exchange for playing or singing a few tunes.  This, my friends, is one of my favorite things.

Every morning and every evening, musicians of every caliber and background tuck themselves into the nooks, crannies and corridors of underground Philadelphia and serenade us commuters as we make our way from point A to point B.  There are soul singers, banjo players, five piece bands, acoustic guitar players, sitar players, keyboardists, and even classical violinists.  It's like a free festival underground, and has truly become one of the highlights of my daily grind.  I never used to carry cash, but now I try to keep a wad of singles to give monetary props to those that provide the soundtrack to my daily commute.  

My all-time favorite guy, who plays the keyboard and sings Lionel Richie and Stevie Wonder, has not achieved YouTube fame, at least not that I can find.  So I'll leave you with this clip of an amazing (and young!) violinist who turns Suburban Station into Symphony Station every day.  Enjoy!