Terrible Street Magic Night

Oct 20, 2008
8
0
Guam, USA
I just got back from a magic night and had one of my worst performances yet. Here goes. So, my friend and I were at this small plaza area at around 12am where there are 2 quite busy night clubs. (we prefer to perform at night) anyways. we were sitting in this small area looking for some people that we would like to do a few tricks to. so these two girls sat at the table across from us. so far that night the streets were either dead or everyone else was in line to get into the club. so we decide, what the heck, why not them. right before we go up to them, a guy sits with them so i thought, even better! more spectators! So i approach them and introduce myself, but i should have known this wasn't gunna go well when i asked if they wanted to see something and one of the girls said "what a magic trick?" in a quite sarcastic tone, but i continued. I then start the patter for wayne houchins invisible palm routine and right as i set the first card down, one of the girls says she saw what i did. now, i have the invisible palm down so i'm pretty sure i didn't mess up, but i just let it go anyways. So i tried to salvage it by performing another trick where i deal the spectator 10 cards and i deal myself 10 cards, and the effect is that 3 cards travel from my pile to theirs (i forgot the name of the trick) but anyways there is a certain way you show the spectator to count. I had her do the count but when she finished and i started to go into the next part of trick, i asked her to now just leave here pile in her hands, however she continued to spread out the cards and saw what i had done. so at this point, i threw in the towel and my friend decided to give it a go. He performed daniel garcias fraud. which is normally THE reaction getter. however they simply looked at him and asked what did he do, not reaction at all, and of course, the first thing they ask is for him to move the insignia back. after that we just thanked them and left. not making excuses, but both of our performances from a technique stand point, were spot on.

Sorry for the long post. I was just curious as to see what bad experiences with spectators any of you have had, and see how you guys pick your targets.
 
Oct 5, 2008
123
0
Wow man that sounds bad, sorry..every magician has one, I cant stand when spectators have the cocky attitude. My worst and the only was when I was performing Angle Zero, While I was ripping the corner off of the spectators card I accidetnly ripped the ENITRE card not just the corner, and when you have half of an entire card in your hand its kinda hard to do the vanish...
 

morpheis91

Elite Member
Sep 13, 2007
199
4
Philadelphia
www.myspace.com
Well with street magic I am not sure that "Houchin's" or better yet a rendition Paul Harris' Invisible palm from AoA was the wisest thing to perform to already reluctant or hecklerish (yes i just coined that) spectators. Routines that require a great deal of listening or even patter are usually not as successful in street magic (well in the way you were approaching it, we all know Gazzo and others street performances are based generally on routines). While the Invisible palm is a great effect a simpler more direct effect would have been the better choice. Like a simple "Was this your card, NO? ok hold your hand out..."

These smaller simpler tricks are great ways to break the ice in street magic. As for the Fraud situation did your friend take his time with it? I mean if Fraud is rushed then its easy to miss what actually happened especially to uninterested people. I think that you need to feel your audience do something small give them a brain teaser they will ask for more, I've dealt with hecklers and reluctant people in the streets and the key (well at least for me) is to make them feel comfortable don't make a big deal of the effect let it sink in. The thing is that with this girl she was reluctant from the beginning so you HAVE to do a small hard-hitting effect to mess with her mind even if she doesn't express it externally you will be able to see it in her face or eyes that she is absolutly astonished.
 
Jul 14, 2008
936
0
My worst experience of Five Speed when they saw the gimmick (try not to reveal the whole trick) and ruined the whole trick. Moderators, please feel free to delete this post of mine.
 
Apr 27, 2008
184
1
That really sucks dude, but sometimes people just really aren't open minded to being fooled. Usually I just kinda leave after it seems they just truly aren't interested.
My worst performance was probably with The Web and was just a few days ago to. I was performing it a few times around school for Halloween and nearly every time someone would say something about the spider. They were not part of the trick except to see some girl get scared, I asked them to stay silent during the trick so I could concentrate and gave them a wink so they would know something was up. I got maybe two out of 30 people that day and those were the very first two in the morning. I was so upset since I love the reactions people get when they see that thing.
 
Oct 24, 2008
25
0
in your closet
aw that sucks. I had an experince where I was doing shifty rising card to someone, but I accidently screwed up on the move and then I dropped the deck and everyone figured the trick out.:(
 
Aug 31, 2007
467
1
Canada
Technique in performance is not limirted to just your hand skills.

Always remember that when you approach a random stranger you are impossing on them as you are asking for their time.
 
Sep 1, 2007
18
0
Why do you think Blaine did Ambitious Card....Card Monte...exile...and simple card tricks?And he not perform invisible palm...and other great card magic....but not for street? He`s very skilled...but in the street Blaine only perform simple tricks made for street magic!
If you perform street magic...you need to perform street magic tricks! Simple...direct...visual tricks! TRICKS FOR PEOPLE...not for magicians!
I will make some street magic in 1 November in Bukarest....Romania...and i will perform Ambitious card,invisible deck...card monte..Blaine`s stuff! i will tell you how it was!

Excuse my bad english
 
Apr 27, 2008
1,805
2
Norway
I agree that maybe the Invisible Palm was not the best move you could have done, but then again I odn't think anything would have gotten very good reactions from that lot...Anywyas, always start small and stron, you know? A card tranpo with their signature or such ;)
 
...

It's always good to communicate with your audience before going into a routine or performing a trick.

I always like to warm up to them and open their mind and make it more..., "reactive" seemingly.

Try this and next time in the same conditions and environment and you should have no problem getting the reaction your looking for.

Hope this helped,

JAMES
 
Nov 20, 2007
4,410
6
Sydney, Australia
Technique in performance is not limirted to just your hand skills.

Always remember that when you approach a random stranger you are impossing on them as you are asking for their time.

Glenn's post has been one of the only posts with good advice in this thread, this is the one you'll learn from most, if you take it to heart.
 
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