Joe Ulrich / WITF
WITF Music: Some Hands
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Joe Ulrich
Joe Ulrich / WITF
On stages and on streets, a Harrisburg musician performs his music wherever he’s allowed. Twenty-five year old Kevin Bock of Harrisburg, a.k.a. Some Hands, has a pretty simple view on playing music.
“Music is a really good way to meet people,” Kevin says. “A really good way to spend time and a really good way to put a smile on peoples’ faces.”
He’s actively been playing since just after college. And music for him is a social experience, especially when he’s busking, or doing street performances. Go to his Facebook page and you’ll find a number of photos and videos of him playing to passerbys on sidewalks in Harrisburg, Baltimore and even San Diego.
“Busking is kind of like the wild west,” Kevin says. “It kinda lends itself to travel as well. One of the biggest gripes I have about it is doing it sustainably. So if I can get the two together, which it’s starting to look that way, I’d be more than happy to take a chance at it and walk as far as I can with that.”
It takes some gall to just set up on the street and play.
“There’s something really scary about banging on a piece of wood and screaming at people. Especially when you’re by yourself. You gotta break the ice. You gotta go out there. You have to act like you belong there even though you probably don’t. I still get nervous when I go out but I love it.”
Kevin played a few songs in our studio and talked about the story behind them. One song is called “The Flow”.
“I was trying to write about the flow state that people get in when they ride a bicycle…I was learning about the flow state and I just kinda wanted to write a song that described how that felt to me and also lyrically as a reminder to not break the flow.”
Another one he performed called “Who Are You Here to Please?” was inspired by a quote.
“‘Don’t ask what the world needs, ask what makes you come alive.’ Because the world needs people that have come alive. And that kinda is a catalyst for that song.”
You can see Some Hands perform at Artsfest of Greater Harrisburg on May 27th.
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A collection of interviews, photos, and music videos, featuring local musicians who have stopped by the WITF performance studio to share a little discussion and sound. Produced by WITF’s Joe Ulrich.
