Someone with an accordion keeps playing Despacito on the TTC
A Toronto-based accordion player with an apparent fondness for the 2017 hit song "Despacito" has been simultaneously delighting and infuriating subway riders around the city for roughly three weeks now.
News of the young man's unusual hobby started surfacing on Twitter in late March, although he's not the first TTC busker to cover the annoyingly catchy Luis Fonsi track.
It's not even clear if he's actually a TTC busker. Little is known about the accordion guy at this time, aside from the fact that he can often be found riding the Bloor-Danforth line and sometimes wears a red coat.
Meanwhile on the #TTC #Despacito pic.twitter.com/ppmFrPq5QQ
— Jose Taboada (@taboada93) April 17, 2018
Some reports suggest that there may even be two TTC accordion guys.
The second musician appears to have a beard, wear a black coat, and plays for passengers on Line 1 Yonge–University.
On not one, but two lines!!!!#TTC #Accordian #Despacito pic.twitter.com/rXMPeGRhc4
— Lisa Hall (@notgreatjustok) April 17, 2018
If this is the case, what are these men up to? Why are they doing this? Are they teammates or rivals? Heroes or villains?
All that I can say about for certain at this point is that the act of playing Despacito on an accordion aboard a TTC vehicle has proven almost comically divisive.
BREAKING: Toronto authorities declare The Purge on just that one accordion guy on the TTC who plays 'Despacito'
— Ian MacIntyre (@MrIanMacIntyre) April 15, 2018
For every tweet praising the "very talented young man playing Despacito on his accordion," there's another one pleading for the music to stop.
"Hey TTC, what’s the point of suicide prevention posters if a busker with an accordion can just get on a subway and play Despacito on a loop for four stops?" joked one rider last week.
A busker is in my subway ride playing Despacito, as if just the normal TTC wasn't torturous enough.
— Franky P. Plata (@dammitfranky) April 13, 2018
Just two days later, another rider hailed the accordion show as the highlight of her TTC experience.
"Everyone stopped what they were doing and just listened," she wrote. "Even in a busy city, on a crowded subway train, magical moments still exist."
Thank you accordion man on the subway for making this rainy commute home a little more entertaining. Also, all in favour of making #Despacito the official song of the #TTC 🙋🏻♀️? #ILoveToronto pic.twitter.com/h4OsNskqwm
— Alejandra Ortiz (@0rtizAle) April 3, 2018
Many of the riders pictured in these videos seem... less excited about the sweet, soothing sounds of an accordion after a long day at work.
This wonderful man made my morning roaming the subway cars playing Despacito on his accordion with not a hint of “I’m just kidding folks”. Then I spotted the man in the background of this photo and it made my morning even better #TTC pic.twitter.com/SEIjSfRmsD
— Gabrielle Zilkha (@GabrielleZilkha) April 17, 2018
TTC spokesperson Stuart Green said that those customers — all TTC customers, in fact — "have the right to expect a relatively peaceful ride."
"We realize this looks innocent enough, but the reality is that everyone hates that song," he joked, noting that the song was a massive international hit.
"One of the most common complaints we get is people listening to music without headphones so we can’t condone this kind of impromptu performance."
"To be clear, the TTC is a big supporter of local musical talent done right," he continued. "Aspiring Weird Als and other musicians must restrict their public transit performances to the authorized subway musicians program, Underground Sounds."
