first gig. tips please?

Jan 30, 2011
50
0
i have my firrst gigs performing in restaurants a couple nights a week coming soon. i wondered if anybody had any tips i could use. anything from makin a routine if needed and what tricks i should most definitely have in my repetoire.
 
Nov 20, 2007
4,410
6
Sydney, Australia
i have my firrst gigs performing in restaurants a couple nights a week coming soon. i wondered if anybody had any tips i could use. anything from makin a routine if needed and what tricks i should most definitely have in my repetoire.

If you don't know how to make a routine or need suggestions for tricks in your repertoire, then you're definitely not ready but more importantly, not professional...
 
Jun 1, 2009
1,066
6
You should've already had all that figured out, especially if you already got the gig.

Jacob
 
Jan 30, 2011
50
0
i have no routines. i have 30 tricks. biddles trick, astounding appearnce, collectors, tivo2.0, hoffzzy osbourne, a couple from red mirror and more older tricks and variations. and i agree. i am definitely not professional. i would like some help on becoming at least a little better at being an amateur though. the gig doesnt start for awhile so i have time for more practice.
 
Jan 30, 2011
50
0
i agree. definitely not professional. i dont know what to do when performing. the gig is mostly walking around tables at three restaurants a night. i would like some help at least becoming a better performer. i have about thrirty tricks. 5 from helders red mirror, the sculpture, helder skelter, invisble thread, sloth. a couple fromdan and dave, collectors, tivo 2.0, hoffzy osbourne. then random ones that have been around awhile, biddle trick, astounding appearance, invisible card,jacks be nimble, refined.
 
Sep 17, 2010
22
0
NC
I hate to say this, but really, if you don't feel you're ready, you aren't. Unless you can think of way to organize the tricks you do best into a decent routine, I would call it off. And also, only do tricks that you do best... as in the ones you can do in your sleep. Sorry if I sound discouraging, but this is just my perspective as I've done gigs myself.
 
Jan 30, 2011
50
0
I hate to say this, but really, if you don't feel you're ready, you aren't. Unless you can think of way to organize the tricks you do best into a decent routine, I would call it off. And also, only do tricks that you do best... as in the ones you can do in your sleep. Sorry if I sound discouraging, but this is just my perspective as I've done gigs myself.

oh no. dont be. i am looking for these exact things. thank you. ive been trying to write routines down and obviously practicing everyday. i feel that im ready. but of course i always need to get organized and practice more. thank you.
 
Jun 20, 2009
627
3
near paris
i agree. definitely not professional. i dont know what to do when performing. the gig is mostly walking around tables at three restaurants a night. i would like some help at least becoming a better performer. i have about thrirty tricks. 5 from helders red mirror, the sculpture, helder skelter, invisble thread, sloth. a couple fromdan and dave, collectors, tivo 2.0, hoffzy osbourne. then random ones that have been around awhile, biddle trick, astounding appearance, invisible card,jacks be nimble, refined.

i don't think those tricks are ideal for table hopping, try professor's nightmare, red hot mama and a card ambitious, may be a triumph and a rubberband trick like stairway (ideal for tips) and the bill switch, simple tricks visual at chest level, no table required
 
Sep 17, 2010
22
0
NC
i don't think those tricks are ideal for table hopping, try professor's nightmare, red hot mama and a card ambitious, may be a triumph and a rubberband trick like stairway (ideal for tips) and the bill switch, simple tricks visual at chest level, no table required

Yes. I don't actually regularly perform tricks that require a table because I'm used to a stand-up/street environment. I would recommend for a 10-15 minute card routine, opening with a transpo of some sort, doing something like a Triumph, and ending with something like an ACR. You just have to keep it short and sweet, and build to the final effect.
 
Sep 1, 2007
723
2
You don't have much time at tables, so build routines that are about 5 mins in length. I have a couple card sets, one is 3 tricks the other is 1 long ACR style routine with a twist. I have a coin routine, a rubber band routine and I have a good number of effects on the back burner ready to be pulled out for whatever the need be.

The important things about the routines are that they are simple, easy to follow, make some sort of connection and not flashy or fast.

I think the problem you'll run into is the problem of the generation - any Dan and Dave style magic =/= magic. They're displays of skill and the audience can tell. Commercial magic and magician magic are two separate ball parks.

To be honest, give it a shot, what do you really have to lose? Self respect? Dignity? You can find that on eBay. No entertainer has thin skin, you take your tumbles and embarrassment becomes tolerable, you'll get over it. Yet the experience/knowledge you gain is invaluable. You can't fake it, you can't buy it. You can't read it out of a book or from a DVD. I say go for it, with nothing to lose everything to gain.

Shoot me a pm if you want and I'll give you a couple routines I do that work well for me. It might give you some contrast so you can see what works well about those routines and how you can find your own style that appeals to spectators. Good luck!
 
I'd recommend learning some sponge balls, a bill change, some sort of levitations using invisible thread, invisible deck, coin bite, and a quick coin trick.

Anything that is visual, quick, and includes audience participation is going to be a definite *thumbs up*.

Since you will be at a restaurant, any tips that you get should go to the waiters/waitresses, that way if the manager asks them how you were they'll say, ''He did an A+ job!"

Hope that helped!

Mehar
 
Apr 1, 2008
34
0
Roberto Giobbi explains routines well in Card college Vol 2

As many here say: keep it short. First of all, have fun with it. Choose 5 tricks, as in the classical plays, you want to choose your five best. If you like them, everyone else will too.

Secondly, start building your routine.
You would like to choose a structure of tricks becoming increasingly fascinating and magical. Take a sharpie with you. *****es love to sign card :D just kidding. But take one with you, personifying a card helps to captivate the audience and they feel part of the trick. Really, what is the price of a pack of cards? :)

The first trick should be short and humurous, as an introduction. Secondly, pick an effect with a little audience input (pick a card for instance).

Now you have their full attention. Do a trick that requires some attention (for instance, I noticed you know the invisible card, do that one).

As a fourth, go for a mentalism effect of something alike. Keep them a bit at a distance this time, in await for the final trick. I prefer Clutch from Oz Pearlman, it's a perfect tricks for your restaurant surroundings.

Now end with you best trick. I prefer Card to Pocket (homing card plus from Roberto Giobbi, CC vol 2) for it ends with the deck vanishing for the main part. I read here someone chose to end his performance with: "Now the deck is gone, so I fear I can't do more tricks", but do whatever you want :) You can leave by simply thanking them and wishing them a lovely evening with their company :)

I hope I was of some help
 
Jan 30, 2011
50
0
Roberto Giobbi explains routines well in Card college Vol 2

As many here say: keep it short. First of all, have fun with it. Choose 5 tricks, as in the classical plays, you want to choose your five best. If you like them, everyone else will too.

Secondly, start building your routine.
You would like to choose a structure of tricks becoming increasingly fascinating and magical. Take a sharpie with you. *****es love to sign card :D just kidding. But take one with you, personifying a card helps to captivate the audience and they feel part of the trick. Really, what is the price of a pack of cards? :)

The first trick should be short and humurous, as an introduction. Secondly, pick an effect with a little audience input (pick a card for instance).

Now you have their full attention. Do a trick that requires some attention (for instance, I noticed you know the invisible card, do that one).

As a fourth, go for a mentalism effect of something alike. Keep them a bit at a distance this time, in await for the final trick. I prefer Clutch from Oz Pearlman, it's a perfect tricks for your restaurant surroundings.

Now end with you best trick. I prefer Card to Pocket (homing card plus from Roberto Giobbi, CC vol 2) for it ends with the deck vanishing for the main part. I read here someone chose to end his performance with: "Now the deck is gone, so I fear I can't do more tricks", but do whatever you want :) You can leave by simply thanking them and wishing them a lovely evening with their company :)

I hope I was of some help

you helped very much. gave me some good i deas. thanks
 
Jun 1, 2009
1,066
6
All the advice given has been really good, and I hope you learn a lot from it.
My main concern is that you said you are looking to be a better performer, which doesn't make it sound like you are ready for this. People at restaurants vary considerably. You can get some people who absolutely love magic at one table, and then completely blank slates at the next.
If you are not confident in your performing abilities, and are asking for effects to do in just a few weeks, it doesn't seem like you are prepared for this.

The effects you should do are ones that you've been doing for a while now that you know are workers for you. Not ones that you haven't heard before and will need to look up, buy, and practice for just a few weeks before performing. That's not enough time to be doing some of these effects, since they need a good amount of practice in not just sleights, but presentation and knowing their weak and strong spots.

Also, if you can't take the 30 effects you know and make some sort of routine with them, that's not good. Pick effects that are similar, like triumph and inversion effects. One of my routines is a sandwich effect with the four kings, then Doc Daley's last trick with them, and I close with Panic. They all use the kings, and they are all justified in moving into the next one. Since Panic is so powerful, I usually tell them to have a good night and walk away at that point.

Another point, if you're still an amateur like you say you are, that's another pretty big indicator that you're not ready. People on the amateur level tend to either get really nervous performing for strangers and/or get the shakes. How often have you performed for someone you've NEVER met before? How often have you been out and about performing magic for random people? How good are you at approaching people, introducing yourself and what you do, and then performing for them? These are questions to think about to see if you are ready for this. I'm not claiming I'm a professional, but I know for sure I'm well beyond an amateur level and am very good with meeting new people.

I'm not trying to bring you down, I think it's great you're getting out there and performing, but this might not be the right environment to start off in. I'm assuming this is a paid thing or you got hired for it since you said it'll start in a few weeks. If that's so, then the above questions are very vital to determining how prepared you are, along with others. I wish you all the best if you feel more than ready for it, and I hope it goes very well. Don't take offense to this, it's just a constructive critical way of looking at what you have been telling us.

Jacob
 
Sep 26, 2007
591
5
Tokyo, Japan
Take a few moments and stop thinking about the magic side of this endeavor, and let us focus a bit on the business side for a few minutes. In addition to needing routines that you can do 99 times perfectly out of 100 attempts, you will need presence, confidence, and the ability to strike up instant rapport with the clientele. In order to do this, a well-rounded education and understanding of how to portray yourself as a professional is needed.

To get to my point, your first step is quite simple...

Please learn how to use capital letters at the beginning of your sentences. I know this is an online forum and such, and you might not believe it is necessary to compose accurate posts, but you are quite mistaken. Representing yourself more professionally when asking questions about how to start being a professional will go a long way in terms of the types of responses you will receive.
 
Jan 30, 2011
50
0
All the advice given has been really good, and I hope you learn a lot from it.
My main concern is that you said you are looking to be a better performer, which doesn't make it sound like you are ready for this. People at restaurants vary considerably. You can get some people who absolutely love magic at one table, and then completely blank slates at the next.
If you are not confident in your performing abilities, and are asking for effects to do in just a few weeks, it doesn't seem like you are prepared for this.

The effects you should do are ones that you've been doing for a while now that you know are workers for you. Not ones that you haven't heard before and will need to look up, buy, and practice for just a few weeks before performing. That's not enough time to be doing some of these effects, since they need a good amount of practice in not just sleights, but presentation and knowing their weak and strong spots.

Also, if you can't take the 30 effects you know and make some sort of routine with them, that's not good. Pick effects that are similar, like triumph and inversion effects. One of my routines is a sandwich effect with the four kings, then Doc Daley's last trick with them, and I close with Panic. They all use the kings, and they are all justified in moving into the next one. Since Panic is so powerful, I usually tell them to have a good night and walk away at that point.

Another point, if you're still an amateur like you say you are, that's another pretty big indicator that you're not ready. People on the amateur level tend to either get really nervous performing for strangers and/or get the shakes. How often have you performed for someone you've NEVER met before? How often have you been out and about performing magic for random people? How good are you at approaching people, introducing yourself and what you do, and then performing for them? These are questions to think about to see if you are ready for this. I'm not claiming I'm a professional, but I know for sure I'm well beyond an amateur level and am very good with meeting new people.

I'm not trying to bring you down, I think it's great you're getting out there and performing, but this might not be the right environment to start off in. I'm assuming this is a paid thing or you got hired for it since you said it'll start in a few weeks. If that's so, then the above questions are very vital to determining how prepared you are, along with others. I wish you all the best if you feel more than ready for it, and I hope it goes very well. Don't take offense to this, it's just a constructive critical way of looking at what you have been telling us.

Jacob

Thank you very much. im pretty good at introducing myself to people. i have a very outgoing attitude when i meet people. i perform for people i just meet quite often so i think itl go great. thanks again
 
Searching...
{[{ searchResultsCount }]} Results