Submitted by bird-nerd t3_110iks2 in ColumbiaMD
You guys can give the electric violin player outside Giant on Freetown Road your money, but just know it's a scam and he's not actually playing.
Sincerely,
A real violinist
Comments
TheChiefRedditor t1_j89edit wrote
He is a fake. Not the first time he has been called out at that spot.
crruss t1_j899o0a wrote
Does he have a cd playing in the background or something?
bird-nerd OP t1_j899ye2 wrote
Not sure if it's a CD, but he has a large speaker playing "background" music that also plays the violin parts as well. He just pretends he's playing the violin parts.
DanielLikesPlants t1_j899sah wrote
yea
bird-nerd OP t1_j89dtdr wrote
It sounds like he's playing some sort of soundtrack from the show Bridgerton.
dwight0 t1_j89xq7a wrote
Oh this guy. Def fake and his sound system shakes everything. Definitely a pro at this and raking in the cash. I also see the same people around the area when he's around with nearly professional made signs, and several other details.
setho212 t1_j8cfn2c wrote
Raking in the cash? How much do you honestly think he could possibly make standing outside a grocery store?
CorruptedData22 t1_j8d7va5 wrote
I have thought about it and if this guy gets 10 people to tip him 2 dollars within an hour he's making 20+ dollars an hour tax free
dwight0 t1_j8dcdxa wrote
I've seen him at various lots, and he appears to get tips way faster than the people who aren't able to afford a sound system.
Sure_Comparison6978 t1_j89wp9o wrote
Pretty sure same guy was at Harris Teeter in KC. I will say that the sound quality was pretty impressive, I guess give him a tip to help him cover the cost of his sound system? đ¤
GingerMan027 t1_j8aj3zp wrote
Yep, I dropped a buck in his collection. Liked the music anyway.
PamperedPotato t1_j8emve1 wrote
As a NYer, I never give money to anyone in the streets/sidewalks/ traffic lights or whatever. I always just assume it's a scam. If people are trusting / want to give others their money, they have a right to.
[deleted] t1_j894ihx wrote
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dashinny t1_j89tjm6 wrote
Freetown giant is where all the old retired seniors or highschoolers go. I wouldnât be surprised if thereâs a violinist scamming the old and young there
anxiousoryx t1_j8ge8w9 wrote
I love that Giant đ
macaroonmedical1131 t1_j8de92i wrote
Is it the same guy that was at giant in forest hill/ bel air? White violin? Gave that mf ten bucks lol dammit.
krunkley t1_j8bvb97 wrote
It's a show provided by a pan handler asking for money. I don't really see how it's anymore of a scam than people who buy tickets to watch artists lip sync at a concert.
I get that it may be an insult to your skillset, but it's really punching down to be calling out a guy trying to get creative while he begs for money in a parking
setho212 t1_j8cg5u9 wrote
This is exactly right. It seems to me that the OP believes that a person asking for money outside a grocery store is only deserving if he deems them worthy. Whether the person can actually play the violin or not, itâs not exactly the most glamorous or lucrative lifestyle to stand outside asking strangers for money. Telling them they are unworthy of a small sum because they lack talent in your opinion is pretty tone deaf (pun intended).
myislanduniverse t1_j8d4l9y wrote
I mean, about as much of a "scam" as holding up a cardboard sign or just saying you're a vet and asking for change. I hardly feel defrauded by it.
gay-lourde t1_ja5rxr3 wrote
so anyway hes giving a great show and disenfranchised people shouldnt have to be berkeley graduates to deserve money to eat
Ultraxxx t1_j89k2sq wrote
I usually give him 5 or 10, sounds great.
DanielLikesPlants t1_j89swa7 wrote
WHY ITS NOT REAL
Ultraxxx t1_j89tue3 wrote
Sounds real to me, makes me happy.
DanielLikesPlants t1_j89tyzc wrote
i assure you its not real. Its being played from the speaker. Hes just moving the string. and hes not in need. he is taking advantage of people like you who think they are helping someone out, this is his profession, and they make more than some jobs. Also notice scammers on the side of a busy road who force kids and babies to play as props (usually not their own kids) with made up stories to steal money
Particular_Look1965 t1_j8cd4vo wrote
The description of the violin mime is way different from those people who misuse their kids to get money from people at stop lights.
DanielLikesPlants t1_j8d92py wrote
Theyre still scamming people. Even if the violinist doesnât present themselves as someone in-need, they are tricking people into thinking they are providing a service: live music.
Particular_Look1965 t1_j8iizav wrote
So a politician then.
setho212 t1_j8cfp73 wrote
How do you know how much he is making? Do you have some sort of insight?
DanielLikesPlants t1_j8d7xbx wrote
Theyre still scamming people. Even if the violinist doesnât present themselves as someone in-need, they are tricking people into thinking they are providing a service: live music. Both are scams.
Sure_Comparison6978 t1_j8ab6kc wrote
Whether itâs real or not, itâs still entertainment. Not exactly a scam. It would be a scam if he were saying he were raising money for a fake cause. That said, would I tip? No, but I also never tipped him when I assumed he was really playing the violin.
Also, canât help but to notice âThe Music Manâ type twist in this story. Dude turned out not to be a real music professor, but he made everyone in the community happy so they decided not to tar and feather him. Or at least thatâs how I remember itâŚbeen a while since I last watched it.
Iâll just leave everyone here with thisâŚ
âYou got trouble, folks. Right here in River City. Trouble with a capital "T" And that rhymes with "P" and that stands for pool!â
DanielLikesPlants t1_j8ae2ji wrote
its a scam. He is taking advantage of people who donate thinking he is a poor talented musician who needs money, thats why he is pretending to play the violin. I am telling you, he has no idea how to play the violin. what he is doing is no different than the supermarket playing music over the speaker, its not entertaining. Unless youâre entertained by a speaker playing musicâŚ
Sure_Comparison6978 t1_j8atbx1 wrote
There are UFOs being shot out of the sky, I honestly could care less about a guy entertaining people by pretending to play a violin. Someone definitely ought to play a little violin just for you.
DanielLikesPlants t1_j8ban5d wrote
you can care about multiple things. Personally, i care that they are taking advantage of people wanting to support someone in need. They are lying and scamming. But i guess your cool with that because they have a speaker that plays stock violin music lol. They arenât doing it to entertain people, are you daft.
setho212 t1_j8cfuh7 wrote
How do you know he is not in need? Does the fact that he can or cannot play the violin have any correlation with his financial situation? The way I see it, someone would have to be pretty hard up to choose to rely on the generosity of strangers by standing outside a grocery store whether they can actually play an instrument or not.
DanielLikesPlants t1_j8d8ly3 wrote
people who do these grifts make money off of it. good money too, because generous strangers give money thinking exactly what you are thinking. Thats why they do it. it makes as much as a job.
Also, hes tricking people into thinking he is providing a free service; playing live music on a very difficult classical instrument. Which he is not. So if they tip for that, they were scammed.
Ultraxxx t1_j8a79o8 wrote
I haven't seen him with kids or babies, did he steal from you? I just give him the money. I don't feel like I have to or threatened.
DanielLikesPlants t1_j8adm2v wrote
grifters at stop signs and red lights often use kids. His grift is extremely common, but your right its not stealing, but its scamming, they are taking advantage of people who think they are supporting a talented underprivileged musician.
DanielLikesPlants t1_j89as21 wrote
lots of grifters here. i hate seein poor saps give money to redlight/stop-sign scammers