I wonder how different it would have been if he'd been set up somewhere people WEREN'T trying to catch a train or get to work to uphold their responsibilities.

If I have a fiver and the time, I've been known to plop directly on the ground to listen to a good musician's entire set.

Does that mean I know world-class from interesting local amateur? Nope. I don't know much about music at all. Does that mean I like to be entertained by live music, any shape? Yep.