Shawn Hanson, who plays harmonica on the corner of Fifth Street and Mill Avenue, said he was once homeless.
"I don't play for money now," Hanson said. "This is just my alone time."
Hanson plays on the sidewalks of Mill Avenue every Monday and Friday night.
"I like to perform in front of people," Hanson said. "I play with a band, but I come out here and do some solo work."
The City of Tempe grants about 30 to 40 permits for street musicians each year, most of whom can be found on Mill Avenue every weekend. A yearly permit costs $10, according to city of Tempe spokeswoman Mary Fowler. The permits have been issued for a number of years now.
Musicians range from floutists to steel drummers and guitarists.
Art history sophomore Jessica Ross said she goes to Mill Avenue all the time and likes the street musicians.
"They are part of the reason why I go down to Mill (Avenue)," Ross said. "The atmosphere is great."
Sometimes Hanson plays with other musicians on Mill Avenue, some of whom are homeless.
"I never forget where I came from," Hanson said. "I just like to be myself."
Hanson said he likes to play on Mill Avenue because the people he talks to are nice.
"The people here are so nice, not like in L.A. where I'm from," Hanson said. "They'll stop and talk to you here."
Hanson said his playing harmonica is a talent that is a gift from Jesus.
"I believe in Jesus, and this is the gift he gave me so I have to keep practicing," Hanson said. "I don't push religion, but God saved my life."
Hanson said his future plans include a tour around the world in a few weeks to tell people about Jesus.
Rabbage, a man with long dreadlocks who wouldn't reveal his last name, said that playing his sticker-covered guitar every day "pays better than any minimum wage job."
"I get to make fun of people as they walk by, and they don't even know it," Rabbage.
Rabbage said he'll "jam out [Bob] Marley, or Led Zeppelin" when asked.
"But I wasn't even alive then," Rabbage said. "I'd rather play anything by Operation Ivy or Choking Victim."
Rabbage said he enjoys playing his own stuff with his cat, Rude Boy.
"I like to play my own spontaneous stuff," Rabbage said. "I like to pick different spots."
Rabbage said he's friends with the other musicians who play on Mill Avenue, but not with police officers.
"They don't bother me because I have a permit," Rabbage said.
Darin Montranga, who has played his acoustic guitar almost every day for the past two years, said he plays music on Mill Avenue to get some inspiration from other musicians.
"You can't grow musically without other musicians," Montranga said.
Montranga said on a good night, he makes over $100.
Many local businesses give food to the musicians, Montranga said.
"Someone brought us a couple of boxes of food from Bamboo Club last week," Montranga said. "We're full all the time."
Bamboo Club manager Amy Krisco said she wasn't aware of any Bamboo Club employees giving food to street musicians.
"I don't think they are a problem or anything," Krisco said. "But to my knowledge, we haven't done anything like that."
Krisco said that musicians could have received food from patrons, and thought they were Bamboo Club employees.
Montranga said he once got $35 from a passerby.
"Some people want to buy me a drink, and they give me the rest of what I was looking to make that night, just so I'll go hang out in the bar with them," Montranga said. "People just love to have a blast here."
Montranga said he resents people who tell him to "get a job."
"There are some of us that have full-time jobs," Montranga said.
Montranga said he plays for eight or nine hours at a time, and he once played from 2 p.m. to 4 a.m.
"I've played until my fingers bleed," Montranga said.
Montranga said he loves playing music with other musicians for passersby on Mill Avenue.
"Everybody is so great and always looking out for each other," Montranga said. "It's a great community."
Reach the reporter at meagan.pollnow@asu.edu.
