Magic for Eastbourne Bonfire Society

Yet another weekend of magic. This time we were performing all the way in Eastbourne (some 120 miles away). This was a challenging gig. We accepted it when there was no sign of work on this weekend and we were still trying to become well known on the SteamPunk Scene.

We arrived at the venue at 8 AM after leaving home at 5.30 AM with no real idea what to expect. Unlike other SteamPunk gigs we hadn't had a face to face meeting and a look at the venue. The weather was dreadful and the event was going to be outside  by the sea. The plan was for Darren to work as a compare for the stage during the day and I would perform close up magic for the families with some balloon modelling. Then in the evening we would both bring our own brand of elegant magic to the tables of the Grand Steampunk Ball in the Wintergarden theatre. Then on the next day we would again perform our duties in the day time and finish around 5 pm.

Our fears were unfounded. The weather cleared up, the bands showed up and brought the crowds. Not many at first but it soon began to really fill up. I realised I would have trouble performing with the bands still running and so switched to mainly working with balloon modelling.
Some thoughts on balloon work.

Multi Balloon models may cost more in time and materials, but look amazing.

That said my one balloon Monkey rocks.

A hand pump is tiresome but not particularly slow.

I know a surprising amount of models now but want to learn more. In particular I want a good multi balloon dog Because....

Simple models are the hardest. There's less going on to give the final impression of what you've made.

To this end I've located a good source of balloons and will spend my soon to arrive free time on learning more balloons alongside more magic.

Other events helped make the day a success. The bands were all  superb ( I mean it not a single dud in the lot of them) and were incredibly professional. Darren   performed his special magic of making material pear out of thin air for the band change overs.  Umbrella fencing (at which I truly rock) and tea duelling also wowed the crowds. We need to make  our own umbrella fencing for when "Steampunk Shenanigans" can't make an event. (and practise at it and become superb brollymen).

After a feast of chips (seaside resorts always have great fish and chip shops) we assembled at the Winter Garden Theatre for the grand ball. I changed into a less steampunk but posher looking waistcoat. I really should make more outfits for these events. The organizers laid on a great night with burlesque, bands our favourite Steampunk DJ and even a corner set up were people could have their picture taken in an actual Time Machine.

I was loaded up "Once Upon a Time" and my usual repertoire of card effects. The gig at Seven Droog Castle reawakened a passion for adding class and enchantment into my work, a touch of elegance.

My first table was a young lady sitting by herself. I introduced myself, asked her for her name and asked if I may join her for a brief moment. I asked of she enjoyed fairy tales like I did,and then proceeded to perform "Once Upon A Time". She said it felt like a truly magical experience and it was a beautiful story. That set the pace of the night. I performed "Cartomancy" with a variation and spend a lovely session performing al my mentalist routines to a psychologist.

The next day suffered from poor weather, however the crowds still came and I used up just about every balloon I had on me! I also performed more magic and finished the day using "Once Upon A Time" again to cheer up a lady who looked like she was having a bad time of things. It worked and I left feeling like a true magician. Using slight of hand and story telling to create a real feeling of magic in people.

Colchester Invasion with Tea and Sympathy

Yesterday saw two events that I was really looking forward to.
Invasion Colchester is a local charity event where people dress up in sci fi and fantasy costumes and walk a round the town collecting money (normally off people having photo's taken with them). I've performed close up street magic in previous years, however this time we had other plans. Initially I was going to run an event for kids at a galleries Garden and tea shop. Due to a change in management this fell though close to the event however I did manage to get a place to perform in a different venue. Working in a coffee shop not only saved a lot of walking but also allowed me to perform on tables and to have a place for props.

  Dan was with me again and did a fantastic job performing to tables whilst I made balloon animals for the kids. This combination worked really well and I did still get to perform magic. A young girl came in dressed as Anna from "Frozen". I felt this would be the best time to make snow appear from my hands. We went outside with her mother and poured water into my hands where she magically turned it to snow. I've been working on the method of this effect and it was worth he effort. I created a full snow storm that whipped over the both of them. Research well spent. As ever "Once upon a time" truly enchanted the kids, big and small.

Dan did a great job performing to all the different age ranges and we raised a fair bit of money. However people do tend to donate for  less for balloon models than they've paid for them when I had a fix rate for them. This is the second time this has happened so in future when doing balloon models for charity I will have a minimum donation.

After Invasion we had one hour to eat  before heading to Tea & Sympathy. I had agreed to perform a little stage set and wanted to include Dan's whip work.. Making a short notice change to plans needed all the health and safety assessments on hand which Dan managed to get. This does demonstrate how important having paperwork is. I think it's time I sit down and work out all sorts of risk assessments, print them and pop them in my case along with a sheet of what was loaded into the car so I don't leave things behind.

As well as stage we were lucky enough to perform some close up table magic. I used the opituintiy to use some of my older material with new twists. The people loved them, "do as I do" one of the original effects I learnt got massive results with a little tweeking. Once the day job finishes (in 3 weeks) I intend to go through EVERY effect I perform, one a day and spend a few hours working through each and every bit of them to see if they can be enharnsed.

Fellow performers made a point of saying how well Dan was performing. Everyone found him charming and thinks his style compliments mine and Darrens' perfectly. We both dealt with all kinds of different participants from those who wanted deep intnece powerful magic to those who were maybe not in the best of moods (and soon were in good moods and wanted more powerful rich resonant magic)

Overall the day was fantastic with a broad range of magic and participants. It showed how learning your basics thoroughly is important as we both made adjustments whilst performing which you can only do when you have a solid grounding in an art. Defiantly one of those days that makes me glad I'm a magician and wants  me to learn and study even more!

Magic at Severndroog Castle

Last night was definitely one of the stand out gigs of my career so far.
I received an E-mail about a month ago asking if I could perform for a birthday party with a steampunk theme at Severndroog Castle. I Initially assumed I got the gig because someone there had seem p me perform magic at a Steampunk event at Crossness pumping station.  One of the event organizers at Crossness now works at Sevendroog so I also thought he could have recommended me as well, Turns out I was wrong, the birthday girl had researched steampunk performers and I cropped up. This by itself felt awesome, it's nice to know I'm becoming highly regarded in the community.

  Whilst I've been fortunate to perform for birthdays and weddings I often find one or two things about each gig to make them novel. In this case as well as magic the lady requested one of my mad science demonstrations. I have never performed this to an adult audience before and I was intrigued at how it would be received. They LOVED it. much like a Tea and Sympathy event I was set up in a room and people were invited to come along and be part of a small show. I often worry about this, I used to feel like I was intruding on peoples time, that it is almost rude to ask them to actively seek me out. After many events however I must admit people love coming specifically for a small show and really feel (or should I say understand) that they are part of something special. Thanks to the interaction with people in this way I certainly feel like each show is unique and special.

  On the subject of the science show...

I need to "steampunk up" my Flying wand

I need to create an obviously  "McGyvered" electric motor robust enough to be a generator as well.

People are fascinated and shocked by the Iron extraction from Rice Crispies.

One other thing that made this event different was working with Dan. Dan is a superb juggler and staff performer who is also learning magic. He's a ridiculously fast learner and has a most charming presentation style. We have worked together before several times before. However previously we worked at events he got bookings for. This was his first time in "My World" working in a  table environment for a birthday party where most people were acquainted and from a simuler background.
Before hand he had worked in a "festival environment" with lots of walk about performing with short stand up and walk around effects. Whilst I was performing "walk about" magic to meet and greet the guests he was juggling rings for groups of people before the weather made this impractical and he switched to magic as well. We did get an amazing whip performance in (he is a qualified whip master and it shows).

  Up close I used Elastic band magic (tescoes elastic bands are rubbish, must get new ones)

  Wee Wee Mentalist followed by "do as I do" and "ambitouse Card" "here then There and some Mind reading.

 All of these went down very well and I received a lot of comments along the lines of being far better than other magicians seen else where. I also received a lot of comments stating hoe good Dan was at both juggling and magic. He has developed his own set and style that comp-liments my own very well. He's not a direct copy of me and puts his own spin on everything he does and people love it.

After the walk around intro we went into the science. After which we set up a second table and we each performed our own close up table set. I went for more "rapport" effect with groups of women, mind reading, cartomancy and other empathic effects. This then climaxed with "out of this world".
With gentlemen I slipped into my old gambling routines. I had forgotten how powerful these are! The "poker hand" trick were I ask questions to build a physiological profile of someone before arranging the cards in an order I feel they would choose resulting in them getting a full house in poker has a really powerful effect. Revealing that they had given me a Royal Flush in the process just ads to the fun. Dan  performed his own material and he was getting the full range of positive reactions from the logical "you can't just have done that, that's amazing" and complimenting his intelligence and skill to the emotional gasps comments of how he made people feel they were seeing real magic.

So in summing up. Dan's performance style and abilities  compliment mine and Darren's very well. I think he's an amazing addition to the team. He also really loved being part of "my world" and wants to perform more up close and intimate table magic.

Table magic and walk around magic are VERY different. There are the practical difference of what you can achieve with a surface to work on, but also it's the setting. The intimacy afforded by removing background noise and allowing people to focus on our little velvet covered world of secrets allows for a much stronger emotional involvement in our magic. I am very proud of the fact we can perform more or less anywhere and I have enjoyed the huge amount of festival work we have done lately, but I have missed close up table magic and it felt good to return to it.

Things learnt. Card magic can have it's own beauty and charm.

People love being taken out for their world and into our sphere of magic and the effects we produce in them will stay with them for the rest of their lives.

Dan is an amazing and charming performer in his own right and I think the three of us will be able to go on to do even greater things.

Free kids gig at the The Minories Galleries
Today was my first gig at the Minories for kids. The idea was to provide a free show and workshop to test to see if there would be a  demand for more shows and classes in the summer. The understanding being if it's a hit we will get paid for the gigs in the summer.
I have learnt a few lessons about performing kids magic, mainly being

a)  Keep an eye on the props, and make sure you can keep things that do not bare close inspection well out of reach.

b) Try to arrange things so you only need to make one trip to the car, two tops.

c) Make a lift of effects and then a check list for props, both to be packed and set up.

I made a rough running order and more or less stuck to it.
The introduction was weird, as they tend to be. With no stage to walk out onto you have to just be hanging around when people show up.
 As we waited for people to show up I performed a little elastic band magic.

I opened with the coke bottle. I wanted something with crowd interaction and kids love sweets.
Reaction, The shock end had the crowd  hyped.

I moved into diminishing milk (or red fluid in my case - reaction was amazed by some, others were moderately impressed

The mirror glass turning fluid to silk, kids found it fun, not so magical

Shrinking and transporting the silk. Spun it out for AGES using the hole in the change bag and getting kids to put their hands through the bag and acting freaked out by the monsters.
-A major high point

The crystal tube. How I WISH amber traffic likes meant "Slow Down" like in America, again a good reaction.

The colouring book - And the crowd goes wild:)  IT's funny, some kids "know that one" and one did know the method. One girl insisted she knew it before hand but she still joined in with through colours!

What I learnt.
1) Kids love my magic

2) I have enough props and material to throw on a good show.

The workshop split between Darren and I worked very well as well :)

First wedding of the year.

Yesterday saw my first Wedding gig in quite a while, was I nervous? A little, but only enough to make sure I was putting effort into my prep and planning. However while prepping I had a few thoughts.
1) Iron your outfit THE NIGHT BEFORE at the earliest.  IT's a good chance to check waistcoats for damage and make repairs.

2) I really do need some clothes that are purely for performance that are kept ironed and bagged up. I have a selection of new steampunk and non steampunk fabrics so it may be time to make some "magic only" gear.

3) One joy of regular practise is it means you know well in advance of you're running low on anything and can stock up

4) double check if you need to take kids gear with you (although it's always handy to take some ropes, a hotshot colour change effect and "once upon a time" to these things.

5) I know a fair amount of card effects. counted up to 15 and only 3 of them used gaffs of any kind. More than enough material.

At the venue I made sure the manager saw my insurance (hey if you got it flaunt it) and found a place for my case. Becuase I was doing a steampunk event I had my little leather steampunk bag as well. The case was a security blanket of sorts just incase I needed a complete reload. I had my smaller bag full of reloads, cups and balls and spare decks, the case had a few things for magic that might be a little too serous/dark depending on the crowd( such as Cartomancy)

Effects that went down well were
Wee Wee Mentalist (ofcourse)
Twilight Angels (non doctor who version)
Ambitouse Card (however I needed to use one less rise for some groups, it was too long for them)
Here then There (got a lot of people talking!
Do as I Do (totally freaked a few people out)
Mind reading and invisible deck was a huge talking about

And talking point is an interesting point! I was being dragged from table to table to show people "that thing you just did!" and i'd over hear snippets of "how did he KNOW!"

Basically the whole night was an ego boost. As is normal with these events I had a few "hardcorse fans" who kept wanting more, so I switched into gambling routines, the poker hand trick worked REALLY well for that.

one thing i should have prepped. a time scale. The bride didn't' know that it's normal for a magician to start at 8 ish and then do at least 2 hours, sometimes more. I started at 5, so come 9 the night was young but i'd been perfoming for 4 hours. By this time though I noticed everyone had settled into groups and were happily chatting. My work was done. I pointed ut to the bride that from now on i'd just be interupting people. Thanks were heaped upon me. I was told that I made the event and everyone kept telling her what an awesome idea it was to have me. I was paid, and off I went, after thanking  some of the hard core fans for their time, and thanking the staff of the venue ofcourse.
Overall, a fantastic night making me realise that magician is the right path for me!

Passport to Narnia

This weekend saw yet another fantastic Tea and Sympathy night in Colchester.  As with all their nights this one was given a strong theme, and much like Alice in wonderland it was a theme I really wanted to do for a while, Narnia! I felt like I didn't prep  enough  for Alice in regards to magic, costuming and over all research so this time I started early. I read "The magicians nephew" and "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" (a book I tend to read this time of year anyway). These helped give me a feel and mood for the night but not any ideas on effects to use. I had however visited Davenport and got "Snow Storm in China" an effect that generates a snow storm of paper and my classic snowball from TT effect. To be honest the other new thing I had  was a simple table I made form a drum stand. This made a huge difference as you will see.

The format for this night was different from any other. Instead of me being on my own in a room or going up to groups I had my new high table in a room with other entertainments such as storytelling, pole swinging and a cybernetic enharnsed apple tree. Each guest was given a  "passport to Narnia" which had to be stamped at each table. The "market" would be open for 1 hour only, thus I only really had to work for one hour instead of my normal 4 or so. Also it meant I would have an intense constant stream of people, s I would only have to do one  or two effects each.

Before the market opened I went outside of the boat and performed the 2 snow based effects where they would cayuse less mess. People liked them but I felt my snowball for TT wasn't as slick as normal. I really think it will be worth spending a while working out the right ratio of water and snow effect, That said the Snow storm in China wowed one of the ladies who supports  the event :)


I went with the classics and added the new effect "wilder" from "impromptu card magic" This effect shows 4 jokers turning into a selected card before turning into the "mates" of a different chosen card. Because I had my new table I had a surface to use "Imposible" on as well as just making the other effects run slicker. I was shocked at how strong a reaction I got from "card in hand" and "direct mind reading" I miss performing these effects.
I also had a new waistcoat for the evening. The combination of new waistcoat and new effect meant I didn't feel like I was coasting the event and actually made me feel more alive and vibrant and fresh for the evening. So I  guess the motto is the more yopu put in, the more you get out :)

Ho Ho Ho,

Tonnight I had the honour of filling in for a certain large gentleman in a red suit.
WHAT a night. The idea of a magician playing Father Christmas really makes sense when you're entertaining children from an infants AND junior school. The younger kids get to see Santa, while the older kids who may be self concious about being seen as childish can tell themselves (and parents) they are just there for the magic tricks.
I got the gig because one person on the PTA is a fellow performer, and another did an amazing job on my wedding flowers. (it pays to be outgoing and chatty it seems) The fee wasn't going to be something to retire on, and from that I had to buy props and consumables. I had a long think about what in my repertoire (and in things I wanted to learn) would work in a santa setting.

I was told I'd be playing to groups of about 12, me in a grotto formed from a gazebo and amazingly well decorated, and the children standing under an awning. I would only have 4 or 5 minutes with each group. This is a double edged sword, on one hand i wouldn't need much material, but then i also  would have less chance to use different  types of effects so there would be "something for everyone" there. Also i wouldn't have time to use my engaging personality (I hate saying that as it makes me feel arrogant, but I have to admit when I  perform close up people like me).

It felt strange being just a performer and not having to deal with the organizing and advertising, I'm not, in fact I felt quit guilty when i saw the amount of work  everyone else had put in, they did a fantastic job. The grotto was amazing and the presents for the children were all sorted and wrapped. I was very impressed by thier energy and their skill.

Watching santa films for inspiration I looked for common themes. As a child we left the big guy brandy, but apparently milk is the order of the day. Going through the lift of effects I came up with diminishing milk. IT's visual and easy to understand. The plot i used was how  Santa can magically reduce milk so he could drink the millions of glasses left out for him.


 Another magician had the amazing idea of using a change bag disguised as a Santa hat and coloured beads to show how santa chose good boys and girls. A lot of coloured or silver beads were to be put into the bag and ONE gold one, then the child would put their hand in the bag and get the gold one every time. I wanted to add my own spin on this and thought of using gold and silver bells (bells being a strong symbol in the movie "Polar Express". In the film a child is given a bell by Santa, this then go time thinking about GIVING the bells away. That would prove to expense as I was expecting 200 children. the mental path however led me to chocolate coins, our local shop supplied them in gold and silver, 50p a bag (which has 10 coins in) £10 of gold coins and a few silver coin bags and I was all set. I got a 99p santa hat with the intention of stripping off the fir and pom pom, to sew onto a red change bag, however in typical Dean luck the  hat fit perfectly over the bag and just needed a little tacking.

All the children were shown a pile of silver coins go into the hat and one  or two gold coins, they were told to take a coin out, hold it and not to look at it, then it was revealed they ALL had gold coins. Many kids looked straight away, but when i told then to take a coin and hold it over their hearts without looking at it, they all  obeys. An interesting bit of crowd handling and I need to think more about why this worked and how to use it in future. Everyone loved this effect, although one girl was tieried she'd get a silver coin :)

Over all the night went amazing well, mainly due to the effective team work in play. THe head master was thrilled and told me after wards that some of the "hard " kids decided they wanted to visit the  grotto after all :)
I  made a point of telling him how well the kids behaved and how effective his team is. THey all really were. Even the older kids took part and didn't blab of chalange santa :)
THe only thing i'd do different?  A better beard :)

wow, 6 monthes!

Okay so why have I been absent for so long? Many reasons really, I have been gigging a fair bit in this time, mainly for Tea and Sympathy and for True Love Tours as warm up, crowd wrangler and light desk guy. But lots have been happening in my life, some great some not so great.
Very early in the year I was diagnosed with cancer. I then spent some 3 months waiting to find out how bad it was and what the treatment would be. Luckily the answer is not a al and none for a while. 
However now it turns out I have some damage to the kidneys so the merry go round of testing and appointments continues.
On the more awesome side of things, I've gotten married. The wedding was amazing, everything went very well. The stag was also amazing  and I was offered  some fantastic advice by Simon Drake.

Magic wise I literally struggle to recall all the gigs of the last 6 months.  Last night wasw a most epic close up party more of this in a moment.

I need a plan to improve not only what I already do but to learn more and to stay motivated.
SO a list of achivemnts...

Now Tax Registered. I can advertise, apply for professional work etc and know all this is taken care of.

I am now in Equity. This means I also have insurance.

I'm an apprentice to the Magic Circle.  This gives me access to some fantastic books, as well as mentors, and every issue of the Magic Circler digitally. To a lover of the history of magic this is something that's amazing.

So the PLAN!

Plan, Do Review. Sunday's I'll review my week in magic. Thus Sunday is BLOG day.

Mid Term
Get fitter, thinner magicians are more attractive, and I felt much better when I was on my old "oh my god I got cancer" nutrition and exercise plan. I slipped off it before my last appointment as I needed to see if this healthy living plan was affecting the results of  blood work. 

Work on some great effects I've purchased but not MADE time to look at properly

Ninja +
Nut Dropper
Horizen
Invisible

Read Tarbell.

Goals for this week.
Read a 2 Magic Circulars and 2 old Genii 
Practice Rain bow Connection for 30 minutes a day.
Spent 30 minutes a day on one of the above effects.

Read 2 chapters of Tarbell.

I have to work for 4  hours a day for my "day job". However much needs to be done there so I'll be working 6 hours a day.   However I start at 7 am,  so from 1pm until 5 pm I can work on my magic. I keep saying I need to treat magic as a job and work regular hours, lets see if I can.

Charity gig in Maidstone

See below about how I got the gig and why I did it.
THe venue was a bar. I knew I had little table space and there would music. SO effects that NEED a table were out, such as Cartomancy. I stackes twwo decks with the classic Twilight Angels and Wee Wee Mentalist double act. I had a free form deck for other effects. EVERYTHING went down AMAZINGLY well. Angles and mentalist were talked about by EVERYONE. Ambitouse card wowed people, as did Card in Hand.. TO open with I didn't use Wee Wee like normall. Instead i used a hankie vanish or elestic band tricks. THese again amazed  everyone.
things to think about.
My magic IS impressive and people seam to like interactng with me
my relaxed conversational style works well .
I need more effects where I can work in "mime" for whent here are plenty of load music.
my small selection of fluorishes are handy to have in reserve for a certian kind of participant (normally y oung men
Elastic band magic is great "non card" magic. Must learn more.
i missed an opituinity to perform a stage effect due to lack of sutible material. I need to look more at the work of John Archer and other stage performes who work with few props so I can grab these optuinities in futre

JMANY people did a whole load at screaming in disbilove, ACTUal screamming. THIs is good

Blog the first. Charity and imagination

I may have said before "If i was getting paid the proper rate I'd be doing well for this number of gigs"> Many people have told me to be wary of performing too often for free. I must confess my self esteem takes a hit when I find out I'm working for free whilst other people at a charity event are being paid. Such it was about tonight's gig, Even though no pressure was applied and I accepted the commission freely I felt a bit of a mug for agreeing to drive for almost 2 hours to the gig, a charity and fund raising gig for people I don't know. I agreed as I was asked by someone who helped raise money for a friend of mine, I thought it only fair I help his friends. I realised I was building up a resentment, which was unfair, he did nothing wrong, he just asked for some help.  So I decidede to see this gig as I initally thought of it, a stepping stone to Festive Fun. As a kid early November was the start of Christmas, it's when my surgeries tended to be, so it was the end of the winter term and the start of reading at home by the fire with hot chcolate. In resent years I left getting festivly minded too late, not having time to prepare a Christmas event and getting stressed. So I set off in the car, lictendin to "A Christmas Carol".
In the first part Marly's ghost talks about how the human spirit must go forth amongst it's fellow mans'  if not in life then in death. The whole section goes on to talk about charitable actions. I felt a lot better about doing this gig.  And what a gig it was. I'll post again about what went down BUT actions were amazing, expenses paid, journey  enjoyable, the p[participants fantastic. A real boost to my confidence as well as a few possible gigs.

And now a little about imagination.  As I left the venue it was raining, HARD. I had parked in a multi story car park, on the roof and relaised I'd have to walk up the sections reserved for cars as all the doors and stairs were shut. THe darkness, the weather and walking somewhere where you normally wouldn't work fired my imagination.  I started thinking of film noir detective thrillers, and then urban fantasies. The roof was littered with HUGE air intakes and had a strange industrial almost sci fi feel to it. In the darkness it felt more like a space station, and then something from "London Below" from Never Where.  I had to hop over barriers and run up and down service ramps to find a pay station (there were none, I made my escape by eventually using the "help" button on the wall. I should have been worried, or at least peeved off by the driving rain, the wind and the fear of being stuck there for a night. But instead I was elated, I felt like i Was having an adventure, all be it in my own mind. Maybe that';s the etheral moment I crave to create. Adventures of the impossible in the minds of my participants, even if it's for the meerest flicker of a second

contemplative

Since the last post I've had two gigs, and secured a good lead on a booking in December. Both gigs were very good, ranking highly among the past gigs in fact. My mood is slightly subdued by the tremendous physical pain I'm in though. Part of my wants to curl into a ball and hide, another part wishes I had an enemy to see to fight. The enemy within is always the hardest to defeat though. At times like this it's easy for me to remember failure and to forget the times  I've made a difference in the world. Maybe now would be a good time to write about the last two gigs, trapped between the high and the low of my emotions.

The first gig was a  charity event for "Missing People". It was effectively Bar Magic, dealing with people in a loud noisy environment. This called for short punchy effects initially, with the hope of doing something more drawn out later on.   The now most used trio of effects were brought out, Wee Wee Mentalist, Twilight Angels and Ambitious Card. These as ever packed a HUGE punch. Some  participants were a little the worse for wear and I had to deal with a  certain amount of Semi Drunkenness. A mixture of a friendly demeanour combined with physical size did help keep people form becoming aggressive.

  The last but one table involved a group of about 6 young people (around 19 years old).  I opened with Wee wee and Twilight Angels, they were hooked. I went on to "out of this World", direct mind reading, Invisible deck, Serial Killer as well as one handed card tricks. They wanted thier friends to see the first two, luckily I packed a duplicate stack deck:)

The last table had four people, 3 girls one boy. I targeted each with an effect I thought they'd like. The loud girl got wee wee, a quiet girl got Twilight Angels, the boy got Ambitious card   the final girl recived a card in hand, but signed.
Over all a great night, and the organizeres were thrilled with my work.

Not even a week later I was in Southend working a birthday party in a restaurant. The restaurant was AMAZING. Shabby Chic mixed with a sense of surreal theatre. I felt instantly at home. I was perfoming with "H" who was working with mainly mentalist retuines. I began with the classic openers, but when we s at down I started to channel more of Derren Brown's "absolute Magic" and less of "Darwin Ortiz Strong Magic". I used my personality, I engaged in conversation. Luckily I'm genuinely interested in people, I love hearing tier stories, and their opinions, it's not something I have to fake. I would briong conversationa round to star signs, and then tarrot, and then break out Cartomancy. I was unlucky every time! the effect has two possible outcomes, one more magical than the other, BUT even though I was disapointed the particpants were blown away!

Befaore the gig I knew I wanted to perfom ina  relaxed casual manor, buikding tention, working in an almost impromptu style. This I managed. After  A while, inbetween courses I built uop effect upon effect, layering Dierect Mind reading, Invisible deck, Cartomancy, out of this world as well as  working out a chosoen card from reading somone pulse.

I left feeling like a wizard. IT built my confidence no end.

I'm now working more on "ninja rings". more of this later.
Over all in love with magic, confident of my abiltites. JUst wish my leg didn't hburt.

money can't buy happiness...

Money can't buy happiness, but it can by enthusiasm. Well not money, but new material does help make you enthusiastic. I've just returned from Wivenhoe Comedy Club where I often perform close up magic before the main acts. Today I used this time to test drive "White Star" a trick lent to me from a friend.The effect floored everyon e. It's bassed on the Titanic. People chose pictures of people at random, and one will have chosen all survivors whilst the other will chose people who died. The method is staggeringly simple. IT does however require  showmanship to sell the effect. Judging by the strong lead for a gig I'd say it worked. it felt good working with new material again. Looking at my bookcase I have a lot of material I can be learning so maybe I really do need a challenge. Maybe one week one new effect (from my existing library, not bought)

 is it better to learn lots of material, or focus on a little and get it perfect? I think you can do both, learn new but don't ignore the old. Methods learnt in the new material may compliment existing skills to help you perform older material better. As with all things this is a balance act, and the only way to get the balance right is to experiment.

A life less organized.

Over all things are great. Since the last blog I've performed for Haleworth Library, Colchester Invasion and a private party with kids and adults. I've also gone back to visit MEMS for the first time since I hurt my foot (which I've also had fixed up since the last blog, simple quick operation, I'll need follow up work but nothing major). Mems welcomed me back with open arms being one of the hand full who show up to an AGM has that effect). I told them about not getting into the Circle, and explained that not getting in didn't bother me, but being treated the way I was by the Examination Sectary did. Every agreed the behaviour was shocking. This made me feel a lot better, I think sometimes we just need an outsider to say "yes you'r right that sucks".

So what next?  A new set of Cup and Balls, and then major study. I want to spend at least an hour a day on my audition. Well more a case of study for the sake of improving my magic, but now  have a clear aim. MEMS will also be holding more tutorial evenings, with a  challenge cup to aim for. Incentives and a structured learning system, hopefully this will help push  my magic skills and improve them.
SO things I want to do?

New non card magic:
Spounge Balls
Cups & Balls
Rope Magic

Card- More quick impromptu effects

I've got the learning materials for all of this already. Now I just need to focus and crack on.

Making Time

Again nearly a month since the last blog. Since them I've been gigging at LEAST once per week.
A wedding (short free gig to repay a freind)
The last few Alice in wonderland shows (unpaid, again good flight time and good fun)
A retro Vintage fair (unpaid again, but a good opituinity)

And a school's leaving party (PAID!)
The number of gig's in increasing, and there are a few gigs on the Horizon. A library want me to perform later this month after seeing me doing "walk about" magic in the street to promote Leopold Thorn.  A wedding couple are interested in booking myself and Steve, someone wants a birthday party (for adults) in October AND there's the Colchester Free Fair.

One thing I've noticed is I'm resorting to the same magic over and over. I need to stretch out, learn more and do more. The "self folding bill" and "worry dolls of doom" were meant to kick start my non card magic. Unfortunately both sets of props suffered from "A random act of Dean".

I have plenty of resources at hand for new material. And if I'm honest I have the time as well, I  just need to structure my days better. The blog and website for the shop are going well, I'
m paid for  4 hours a day (on average) but need to do more than thaty in the next few weeks, but there is still time for magic. I've subscribed to I Genni so now have 75 years worth of magazines to read.

Then there's motivation.  Every few weeks I feel a pang of resentment about the Magic Circle. Not that I didn't get in, more the way I was treated afterwards. IT made me feel like MY ideal of the Circle doesn't exist. I need to get over this. Buckle down, study and try again next year and when I'm in try to shape at least some poartof it around my dreams.

In other news I had a great meeting with a friend. I trust his opinion a LOT. He sees a lot of different performers and has given me much to think about with bringing magic and science into schools. He told me how to get myself in front of the right people. I just need to study the basics again, practise  daily until I feel ready to be in front of them.

long time no blog, but plenty of magic

woah, almost 2 months without an update. I've taken  on more work at "the day job" which has required my undivided attention.  That said whilst I've not spent much time working on new material or even practicing, I've been gigging like mad. Most of these gigs have been free or nearly free but it's all flight time.

I've performed at a garden party for a village fete, a home school group again, a kids party n the countryside, as a warm up/promoter for Darren's epoch making "cabinet of Leopold Thorn", a Steampunk Birthday party among other gigs.

Tonight was another Tea and Sympathy gig. The theme was "Mexican Wrestling and Day of the Dead". I decided to decorate the room leading to the magic chamber again, this time using a LOT of U.V. I've wanted to experiment with UV a lot and thought this would be a perfect excuse to try it. Mexican day of the dead involves brightly coloured "candy Skulls" and I wanted something that really "pinged". Also a lot of Spanish and Lati9n American art involves bright florescent colors. The surreal and ethereal game "psyconaughts" involved a Spanishy/Mexican level  that used these bright colours and a totally black  background to depict an artists dream. I wanted to create a dream. As with other gigs I set up a projector and a sound track. I used my wealth of obscure knowledge to pick a film that fitted both the day of the dead theme and Mexican wrestling. The  sound track was a Mexican techno band. The room was flooded with UV and candy skull pictures were ut on the walls. Darren had the genoiuse idea  of taping florescent card to show the door way. This was a safety feature but also added to the "door to an other worlds " effect. HE even added glowing foot steps. I also  set up a bubble machine complete with UV bubbles.The over all effecdt was sureal and dreamy. IT was just as I imagined, and I was very happy with how quick we set things up.

As with other gigs where I didn't have time to learn much new material I panic bought magic. "Worry Dolls of Doom" and a self foldng bank note. The worry dolls of doom is a lil fidly, but packed a nice punch. However I destroyed part of the prop by accident. THe self folding bill had an ok reaction, I think I need to build suspense into it more. I performed
Wee weementalist and twilight angels (but not as much as normal)
Out of this world
IMPOSSIBLE
Direct mind reading (with invisible deck follow up)
Serieal Killer
SPike through arm
Ambitouse card.

Over all i was very happy. I had NO dead responses at all. I also had 2 moments of "enchantment" ALllthe above effects worked well and different groups of participants reacted more strongly to some points than others. At the end of the evening a young lady asked if I could put the spike through HER arm. Everyone seemed very shocked and impressed with the result. IT turned a very good night into an excellent night

I spent a lot of time and money preping for this gig and got paid very little. However all the equipment I bought were things I wanted for  along time. I now have a bubble machine, a UV bulb, UV reactive paints for prop making. MY folding bank note broke and I had to go through my dvd;'s to find out how to fix it. I thought I could have MADE my own note and saved some money, however it was usefull working with a purchased one first to get a feel of the prop. Also going through the videos reminded me how much I like Brad Christopher. IT's inspired me to make some props and start learning new magic.
So summing up on the financial aspect of the night I'm reminded of Stan Alan's talk at the Essential Magic conference..."what did LAnce Burton get from winning FISM, nothing! what did he get from preparing for FISM, EVERYTHING!" thIS GIG...
Got my creative juices flowing again,
taught me some basic UV principles (including things to watch out for such as "magic/invisible tape GLOWING under UV)
An investment in non magic party props (bubble machine, paints etc)
Confidence in my painting
confidence in my ability to hold an audience
 SO well worth the time and  money

Things to think about.
Learn to use a basic editing program to blend movies and music and to edit movie scenes
Find tapes that glow in different colours for the door ways etc
UV is fun, learn some UV magic
I still get a littlen urvouse at the start of a gig. I need to realize people think my magic is WORTH seeking out. Next gig tell the DJ to announce the magic is on and to send people up
find better storage soloutions for props and prop building equipment, it's worth the investment.
and I LOVE MAGIC

Saying yes to stuff.

Had a great day on Monday with a Wedding Gig.  I worked with a pair of stacked decks preped  for Wee Wee mentalist, Twilight angels and then some impromptu magic effects (Impossible, ambitious card etc).  Had easy time approaching the groups of people and judged which effects for which people. Strangely people kept asking to see the tricks the noticed other people saw, so I only seemed to use about 5 effects all night. After reading old entries of my blog I went with my gut and trusted my personality. IT worked very well. At the end of the night the wedding venue manager asked for my card, wanting to recommend me to other wedding couples.

  When I got in I found an email from a lady who's kid had seen me perform. The young lad wants to demonstrate what he's learnt to me. They asked if I ran workshops.  The next day whilst at Tea and Sympathy I found that workshops were one of the main sources of income for the shop. I decided to hold a magic workshop. I guess all the good feedback is making it easier for me to put myself out there more. This was the first bit of me "saying Yes" to something.  The shop needed a poster quickly. Normally Darren or Inge would make posters for shows. But I had to make one myself, and come up with some "copy" as well. Thus I knocked my own up. Quickly in a basic art package. Ok it's nothing special, but it did the job. Instead of putting it off  I managed to get it done.  If I'm going to make a living as a magician then I need to get involved in these workshops and gigs and be prepared to do my own adverts and "copy". Accept it's not great but will improve over time.   This attitude of getting stuck in is paying off. I've been booked for a primary school's prom. I got this gig because of the reputation I've been building up and the connections from doing small gigs here and there. Slowly, but surely it's all coming together :)

The Impossible Magician

A little part of me was worried that I'd hit the high point of my career early with "the Night Circus". However the gig I've just gotten in from was also quite exceptional. It may have lacked the drama and theatre of the Night Circus but it was still magical.

  This latest gig was a kids gig. I was slightly concerned, whilst I have a natural affinity with kids and can normally keep their attention well, the last two kids gig of 2012 had problems. In one an adult had messed with the props, and in the second I had two VERY disruptive kids. Part of me started to wonder if I had strayed from my early, and successful roots. When I began with kids magic I had no props and no real balloon skills. I had to adapt my close up and adult magic and make do with a sack of balloons. I now have more magical props and can make a wide Variety of balloon models. The first kids gig with these props was stellar  (the kids wedding show last year and the second gig was smaller, less intense but still good.)  I then had the two problematic shows. Of course I've also worked the kids festival 3 times as well and did very well at a school gig.

  My main problem with all the props is one area of life I often fall down on. Organization . My props migrate or get badly packed away. I end up having to buy multiple replacements which is not a good thing. It is rather ironic that kids magic tends to earn you less whilst the materials for it cost more. This time however I ran through EVERY part of my routine in the morning, and placed things into my case as I finished with them. This worked very well.  I then thought long and hard about where the props would be placed when I was finished  with them, what I needed to do to stop kids (and grown ups) messing with them and generally thinking everything through slowly.

It all worked perfectly. I managed to set up in record time (two trips to the car) and my table was in good order. I opened with the "Magic Colouring book". it drove the kids wiled, they were shy to begin with but were yelling and screaming in minutes. I MUST make my own one of these days

I then moved onto the colour changing hankies, initially changing the colours with my back turned, before doing it in front of them, teaching them that it was more impressive with the magic wasn't hidden.

I moved onto the main bit of my materials, where I've tied together many effects. I started with "Milk AutoGo" using the the fluids of "concentration, hard work and imagination". This had a subdued response  so I went onto the diminishing milk with the fluids, before turning the fluid into a silk. Both the diminishing milk and the fluid to silk got MASSIVE receptions !. The silk then shrunk, which again got good reactions before vanishing into pot of bubbles. The bubbles then sent the silk to someone's sock. The kids LOVED the bubbles, they were jumping up and down, popping them, they also loves the silk shrinking, the comedy of the bag having a hole in worked VERY well. I then went to the Silk tube and a coke bottle vanish. I finished up with "once Upon a Time, Proffesoers nightmare and some close up.

I also held a workshop with my version of "the Misers Dream". All in all I giged for over an hour and a half and didn't have to break out the balloons. I had parents telling me the y enjoyed themselves, and the kids were thrilled, including a few kids who struggled to concentrate normally.It seems at every gig at least one parent will tell me they've never seen their child sit still for so long. Is this why I'm the impossible magician? not quit. I managed this gig after a full day of helping out at the superb "Leopold Thorn" and with a foot that is gradually getting worse AND an hours drive. I also  did a little juggling, explaining how it should be impossible for someone with nerve damage to juggle. Parents seem to like that little touch.
In short as I left, with the sound of amazement still in my ears, the warm glow of turning a cynical kid into someone who at least WANTS to believe in magic, I felt like a hero of sorts, Like the character I portray at kids party, a mad man out of time. it felt good, to quote Sigfreid and Roy "what a way to make a living"
SO things I learnt
Organization works
Kids love the magic I have
Parents acept the kids love close up as well as platform
It really is worth me spending more time working on  routines, and developing areas of potential comedy

The Night Circus comes to Colchester

I have blogged before about how not every gig can be your best gig yet. However this one was. For me it was a night of experimentation, chance taking and learning, as well as one massive boost of confidence.

A local T-shop called Tea and Sympathy converts into a nightclub once a month. I love attending these nights as they appeal to my love of surrealism and the ethereal. The very idea of a teashop/boutique suddenly becoming the venue for music and games is it's self nicely strange. However all this is amplified by the nature of the shop itself. The shop is infact two premises knocked into one, as a result it winds and weaves. Rooms lead to other rooms, spiral staircases lead to rooms with low slopping ceilings and tiny door ways you have to bend down to get through.   The two ladies who run the shop are VERY creative (I first performed to mass crowds when I when they ran the children's section of  Colchester Free Festival). The event they hosted this month was based on the book "The Night Circus". It's a book I've looked at before and felt a compulsion to read and so was quite glad to have an excuse to sit down and go through it. The ladies also asked if I, along with my friends, would like to perform. Magic was afoot.

The original concept was for me to perform close up magic through the night and 3 small "parlour" scale shows. The close up did not bother me, I'm very confident in my close up work, but I was a little worried about the parlour scale. I would have muddled through but as my foot is injured I decided it would be best to stick to close up alone. This was a departure from me, the first of a few that night. Normally I did what was asked of me, I didn't try to tweak the conditions too much. I then asked if I could take over a small room at the top of the building. It's the room that requires you to bend down and go through a short walk way so it had an Alice in Wonderland quality to it.  In previous nights the top floor was somewhat neglected and so I was not expecting this to be a problem. The room that lead to my arcane chamber was due to have jam jars containing scents in it, a  nod to a part of the book. This  was another departure  I was about to engage in setting a scene. I set up a laptop computer with a projector. I selected the films of Georges Méliès. To me these fitted the period and the surreal nature of the night.  I suspect the seed of this idea came from reminiscing with a friend about an 18th Birthday Party I arranged nearly 20 years ago. I created a false  ceiling in black about 9 foot off the floor that covered an entire sports hall. I then strung fairy lights under it to create a stary night. I thought I'd never do that now, it's impossible, but younger  me felt much more was possible.

My arcane chamber was decorated with some velvet over the window, my card table, a plasma ball and stools (which I brought from home). Amongst other preparations was a separate sound track to the loop of films, the themes from Mirror Mask and Coralline (more strange circus inspiration) and a few filigree globe fairy lights.

Whether these efforts  got ME in the right mood or the participants I don't know, but what followed was 4 hours of the best magic I've ever done. I didn't have to organise how things worked, small groups of people naturally came in, experienced about 10 minutes of magic and then left to be instantly replaced with more, people were queuing to see me, waiting in the room with the movies. People were every vocal about thier excitement at the magic , not just to me but to everyone in the 'night club'

I didn't have a set routine as such, but tended to perform in roughly this order.
Wee Wee mentalist.
Twilight Angels
Direct Mind reading
Invisible deck
I-M-P-O-S-S-I-B-L-E
Ambitious Card
Out Of This World.

Some people returned for a second session. Sometimes they  just wanted to sit in and enjoy the same routine as before, they were looking at the faces of the newer participants just as much as they were looking at me. Other times people returned in a small group, asking for more magic. Here I used Cartomancy, or Serial Killer". Every effect was a storming success. Every effect elicited a strong reaction. There was no filler, no fodder. With the presentation style I adopted (namely my natural one) everything just work
Everyone  was enchanted, me more so than anyone else.

  My own excitement meant I had to balance my emotions carefully. It's like a dream where you are flying, You realise it's a dream and you don't want to wake up, so you have to measure your excitement  control it. I needed the excitement and energy to perform, but had to make sure it was not overwhelming. I get the feeling people like the fact I'm enjoying myself, BUT if i displayed total disbelieve at how well things are going then I could come across as needy.

The feeling of the night was one of true enchantment and magic. A slightly other worldly quality which I  always strive for was present. More than one person said they felt my room was somehow in a different realm, where the impossible ocured (made me VERY happy). The pace was friendly and at a chatty place. Whilst I showed great energy the magic itself was at a not quite sedate pace but certainly not rushed. The MAGIC was why people were there, so the MAGIC determined the pacing of the evening.

At times I felt I was doing the magic for real.

So things I've learnt:

I'm good at magic :)

My natural creativity works with my magic

Whilst I may not wish to make demands, I can certainly make suggestions about how events play out.

Magic with a theme can be fun and more powerful  I should spend time constructing shows (maybe even making props and costumes) for different themes. These can then be used 'of the rack' or tweeked for a specific event. Even if I don't use these themes packages of magic they will flex my creative muscles and teach me what I can and can't do.

Magic Circle

I have to posts in my brain, one good, one not so good. I'll get the not so good one out of the way and then really enjoy the good one tonight.

After 12 weeks the Magic Circle FINALLY got back to me. Well actually I prodded them and they got back. I'm not in. Not only that I wont receive any feedback for a few weeks as the guy in charge of feedback is currently  out of the country. Am I disappointed  Yes. Am I upset, not really. My biog fear was that I would feel foolish and want to give up on magic. Luckily I've had some very good gigs lately  I love magic more than ever. Also I'm currently waiting to find out if I have to have my foot amputated, which is great for giving you a sense of perspective. I know there's a cliché of that not killing us making us stronger but it's something which does work for me at least. I often hesitate telling this cliché to friends as some people get knocked down again and again. However I now know what the Circle is looking for, and I'm pretty sure I can deliver it.

  Until then I have MANY magic books to read. I plan to visit the Circle about once a month, enjoy a day in London, visit the Circle and hang out with the guys there and try to get feedback and help for my next exam. I get the feeling we'll be able to apply again pretty soon (October at the latest).

Getting feedback can hurt. It hurts me when I am not fully confident in my own abilities, my confidence has grown as have my abilities, with a bit of practise every day I think I'll be able to handle what ever they throw at me.

As my Childhood heroes  once said......"We are entombed but we live on. This is only the beginning. We will prepare, we will grow stronger. When the time is right we will emerge and take our rightful place as the supreme power of the universe!"

Impromptu skills and gigs

If I were being paid a half decent rate for every gig I have coming up in the next 3 months then I could make as living as a magician.  Unfortunately I'm being paid for very few of these, and of those I'm charging a low rate.  However unlike other free gigs in the past these ones are more likely to get me future paid gigs. I'm curently making up costumes for Friday's gig (based on the Night Circus) and dreamingup what I intend to perform. I'm rather proud of myself that I'm actaully getting my costuming done a whole 3 days before the gig!

In other news. I got a very cheap dvd on impromptu magic a few weeks ago. I only learnt one of the effects so far (a pen vanish) However vanishing a pen totally impromptu without any equipment has proved very effective.It's a great way to casually bring magic into the room. Muggles seem very impressed with it and it looks liek it has helped score me a kids gig:)