theory11 — Magic Tricks & the World's Finest Playing Cards

I want to perform on the streets :)

Jebzy

Jebzy

Elite Member
Jun 22, 2012
213
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Latvia
I really don't know what I am - beginner or intermediate, I start doing magic a year ago( I think so).
And I want to go perform to the street. That's why I am asking your advice.
If I do magic on the street I need to make opener, middle, closer, or I just show them one trick?
And maybe you can tell me what is your opener, middle, closer?

Sorry for my English. :)

-Jebzy-
 
I think it will be hard to recommend effects for you to perform as we do not know your environment. Will you have people walking up behind you, will you be performing on a busy street, will you be working out of your pockets or from a table? Lets look at my first question, performing on the streets means you will need to watch your angles just in case someone walks up behind you mid performance. You can't be stopping your performance to ask the spectator behind you to move in front, so make sure whatever you perform is as angle proof as possible. Second, if you will be performing in a busy area pick effects that are quick and very visual. The last thing you want to do is to have a bottle neck of people waiting to get by you and possibly interupting your set. Lastly, if you plan on working from your pockets you will need to manage the limited space you will be working from. Try and pick effects that tie into one another, or choose ones that take up little pocket space. An example would be some sponge ball routines, followed by some none trick deck card effects and maybe to finish it all off a nice coins across routine. The effects I just mentioned ties all the questions I put to you early on in this post. The last thing you want is for someone to be watching your amazing coins across effect, from behind you.

Jeremy Hanrahan.
 
Thanks, I was thinking about working out of my pockets or walk around( I think). If I do walk around I need to make three tricks?
In my city there are not too busy streets. And is it true that I need to show the most powerful trick at the beginning, the weakest in the middle and closer should be good too?
 
If you are only perfomring 3 effects they should all be strong, visual and having your spectators wanting to see more. Remember alot of your spectators will never see a magician again, so make it count and leave a lasting impression!!
 
If you are planning on doing magic on the street first of all don't even concern yourself with open/middle/close, this is the furthest of your problems. You need to do research on what type of street you will be performing on, this is different from country to country, heck...from neighborhood to neighborhood in some cases.

Some streets are made from concrete, different mixers of concrete with little rocks in them, asphalt, gravel (between large and small), cobblestone or just plain old dirt. Some are smooth, some are bumpy, you have to think about pot-holes (mud-holes) and cracks...texture, and so on and so forth.

Sometimes the street get's really hot during the summer months, and traffic...have you thought about traffic? Are you starting a new sport? Extreme Card Magic, let me tell you...if you want to test your chops in magic, trying performing a coins across routine in rush hour traffic my friend!

Not fun.

So yes, walk around the area's of your town first to get an idea of what you have to work with.

Reconnaissance is key.

Okay, no magic in traffic...I tease!

Personally, it all depends on the situation if I show people one effect or 3 or 4. Sometimes people won't even stop for you, and others will stop but may be pressed for time. With those who are pressed for time I show them something straight to the point, because if you do something that is lengthy then they will start to gravitate away from you, and instead of being the guy who showed them a great effect, you'll just be the guy who slowed them down.

For those people the "Unlinking Rubberbands" is typically a good choice.

If someone(s) are playful then I'll do several effects for them, but you also have to know when enough is enough. And you'll learn through experience when you've reached that point. My opener isn't always my strongest effect, but it ranks up there...my finisher as of late has been an Ambitious card routine with a signed card, followed by Daniel Garcia's 'Timeline 2.0'.

As JH stated above, watch your angles and be aware of your surroundings. Nothing is more annoying than being in the middle of a routine and someone coming behind you or to the side depending on the effect and being like "Aha! Saw it!". Sometimes when another person walks up the attention is placed on them (especially if the person is part of a group you're performing for and maybe they were in the bathroom before you showed up) and so it's your job to regain control, and that can usually be done by engaging them politely by saying something like "Hey man, what's your name?" (let's say it's Eric) "Hey Eric, nice to meet you...check this out." etc...

Practice, perform and impress.

- Steve
 
Before I go to streets I have to think what I am going to show them, right? Or I go to them and then by the situation I show them something.
I think I can open with pressure, then do stairway, and then as closer, just like you, do ambitions card routine ( because I can do it quickly or it can be long trick, follow by the situation). I think they all are good tricks.
Is that will be good tricks performance?
 
It all depends on the situation, time and place, audience, their mood and how open they are about being shown magic. You have to avoid taking yourself too seriously, involve everyone, and remember even if you do the same routines over and over again it will never be exactly the same each time, because everyone reacts differently.

If you perform at enough restaurants and for enough people in general, you'll run into those who are less than um..."sober", and this makes for a very interesting time. Sometimes people get touchy feely with your props, you'll have to learn to light heartedly correct this behavior without sounding like you are berating them.

And be ready to answer the same silly questions over and over again, like "Hey, can you make a Rabbit appear?" It's that question that made me start carrying sponge bunnies in my pocket. I get the question, I place my deck of cards in the pocket while palming the bunny, reach into my shirt pocket (or hat if I am wearing one), produce the bunny, give it to the spectator who asked (always pink bunnies...because usually it's guys who ask and when you produce the pink bunny and hand it to them with a playful..."That'll teach ya", it gives you a warm feeling that they now have to hold a pink bunny like a dork for the remainder of your act.) you get a cheap laugh...and move right along.

- Steve
 
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HaveOuts said:
It all depends on the situation, time and place, audience, their mood and how open they are about being shown magic. You have to avoid taking yourself too seriously, involve everyone, and remember even if you do the same routines over and over again it will never be exactly the same each time, because everyone reacts differently.

If you perform at enough restaurants and for enough people in general, you'll run into those who are less than um..."sober", and this makes for a very interesting time. Sometimes people get touchy feely with your props, you'll have to learn to light heartedly correct this behavior without sounding like you are berating them.

And be ready to answer the same silly questions over and over again, like "Hey, can you make a Rabbit appear?" It's that question that made me start carrying sponge bunnies in my pocket. I get the question, I place my deck of cards in the pocket while palming the bunny, reach into my shirt pocket (or hat if I am wearing one), produce the bunny, give it to the spectator who asked (always pink bunnies...because usually it's guys who ask and when you produce the pink bunny and hand it to them with a playful..."That'll teach ya", it gives you a warm feeling that they now have to hold a pink bunny like a dork for the remainder of your act.) you get a cheap laugh...and move right along.

- Steve
Click to expand...
I love the pink bunny idea lmao!!!!!!
 
i usually carry aroud an invisible deck and a regular deck of cards plus some rubber bands on my wrist. i just do one trick the number one thing not to say to someone is "wanna see a magic trick?" just walk up acting like ur just trying to make friends like hey whats up can you help me with something. if they say yes then pull out a deck and go into your trick.
 
Those are some good effects but how do they work together? At first you should keep it simple. Let me ask you a question, how often have you performed for strangers? My point is get comfy first by performing easy effects at first. A simple and non visual effect to us will play as a miracle to a spectator. If truth be told, my go to effect is the Biddle Trick, played in front of a spectator it is truly magical.
 
Jeremy Hanrahan said:
I love the pink bunny idea lmao!!!!!!
Click to expand...

Hey, they asked for it. LOL

Magic_Geek said:
i usually carry aroud an invisible deck and a regular deck of cards plus some rubber bands on my wrist. i just do one trick the number one thing not to say to someone is "wanna see a magic trick?" just walk up acting like ur just trying to make friends like hey whats up can you help me with something. if they say yes then pull out a deck and go into your trick.
Click to expand...

The number one thing not to say is "Wanna see a magic trick"? I was going with the number one thing not to say is "Can you help me with something?" That just sounds rather creepy doesn't it? Random stranger...walking up to someone with something in your hands.

It would have to depend on your look and personality if you could get away with that without sounding all Albert Fish like, you know?

Maybe your average clean cut magician can do this...but I'm 6'3 and 280lbs with tattoo's and a scruffy beard. That's dangerous territory pal! I just stick with "Hey, check this out..." or something along those lines. But "Can you help me with something?" I don't think so... :p

- Steve
 
Jeremy Hanrahan said:
Those are some good effects but how do they work together? At first you should keep it simple. Let me ask you a question, how often have you performed for strangers? My point is get comfy first by performing easy effects at first. A simple and non visual effect to us will play as a miracle to a spectator. If truth be told, my go to effect is the Biddle Trick, played in front of a spectator it is truly magical.
Click to expand...

I don't know how they work together, because I have never performed to the strangers (maybe sometimes at the party).


These are really good advice's. Thanks.
Now I know what I should say to them when I start the trick, but the question is what I should show them?
Can you please tell me some tricks, that you were performing if you were me, with my experience.
 
Jezby,

Take the tricks that you have and use and by all means put them together into sets with openers, middle and closing effects. Try to put together 3 sets around 5-7 minutes each. I'm sure you already have enough magic to put that together. Within each set the effects should transition well together, and can be a variety of effects (coins, cards, string, cups etc.)

Doing this will benefit you a couple of ways:
1 You will begin to build and practice three strong walk around sets that you can use for future paid gigs. Use your strongest.
2 If one set stinks, you have two others.
3. If they are all great, and people stick around and would like to see more than a few minutes, then you have a solid 15-20 minutes of material to show. You will learn to read the group and be flexible. If you are planning to try and get tips, you can put a "hat line" after each set.

As mentioned, find a good location and check with your city's busking laws if you are planning to set up a table. Some cites it's free and others you need a busking licence. The other alternative is to accost people and try and convince them to watch your magic, then move to a new location.

Also if you are planning to try and film it, consider that most people don't want to be filmed.

As far as material, just take your best stuff. You mentioned you have an ACR, use that. Do you do the biddle trick? (learn it free here on T11!) - that works very well (When performing for the line up outside the restaurant in West Edmonton Mall, I did the biddle trick and the guy was so surprised that he shouted and threw my deck all over the ground in the mall. Super funny. He gave me a nice $20 tip later when I worked his table. Sorry funny memory)
Use what you already do - a mean cups and balls, card tricks, rope tricks, some thumb tip stuff etc. You know what others around you enjoy. Ask your friends and family what their favourite trick you do is - use those. Then make sure that you adjust, and tweak each effect and each set to get the right combinations, patter, and sleights in. If you get caught somewhere, note what you got caught doing and make it better the next time.
Walk around situations are a great place to build your performing chops. You likely won't see them again, so you can try new things until you get it right and then you can build new material and add it in later down the road. Then if you have opportunity to volunteer at an event doing walk around magic, you have this fantastic experience and you are already prepared.

Go for it. You haven't much to lose. The worst that could happen is that the wind picks up and blows your cards all over, at the same time you realize you forgot your belt and your pants fall down to your ankles and your heart boxers are showing. At that point while people are laughing and pointing, just do a little jig and pretend like its all part of the show. Then ask for tips.

Break a leg.
 
Big Thanks, that's what I was looking for.
Yea, I know biddle trick, it is cool, but I didn't know that this trick work good for spectators.
One more question - What is ACR?

/As far as material, just take your best stuff. You mentioned you have an ACR, use that/
Click to expand...
 
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Justin.Morris said:
Take the tricks that you have and use and by all means put them together into sets with openers, middle and closing effects. Try to put together 3 sets around 5-7 minutes each. I'm sure you already have enough magic to put that together. Within each set the effects should transition well together, and can be a variety of effects (coins, cards, string, cups etc.)

Doing this will benefit you a couple of ways:
1 You will begin to build and practice three strong walk around sets that you can use for future paid gigs. Use your strongest.
2 If one set stinks, you have two others.
3. If they are all great, and people stick around and would like to see more than a few minutes, then you have a solid 15-20 minutes of material to show. You will learn to read the group and be flexible. If you are planning to try and get tips, you can put a "hat line" after each set.
Click to expand...

OK, these are my three routines. Please help with these, because I think they aren't that good.
1. Routine
1.1 Crazy man's handcuffs
1.2 Chigago opener ( I place this in the middle, because I though it is easier to walk on people with rubbers.)
1.3 Stairway

2. Routine
2.1 Two card monte
2.2 Coin trick (the coin just disappear and appear)
2.3 Card warp

3. Routine
3.1 Unbreaking Rubber Bands
3.2 Ambitious card routine
3.3 Pressure

I don't know. Please give me some advice. Maybe I need to remove something, maybe you can tell me what I need.

Thanks.
 
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