It's possible. I'm a musician, and it's hard knowing whether or not a crowd is even listening until someone starts clapping at the end of a song, sometimes. I wouldn't want to play for an uninterested crowd. If someone perceives a hobo on the street performing "world class" violin pieces, shouldn't he be worthy of some attention at least? Music transcends appearances, and whether the crowd saw him as a hobo or not, they should at least notice the music.