I've been doing magic for 3-4 months now and I have a wide range of card tricks and a few simple coin ones. So what I'm asking is if anyone knows a new way I can go with street magic without coins, cards,or thread?

I think that this whole section on “The Sidewalk Shuffle” is almost an instruction manual for street performing. There are whole routines published here. There is discussion on both openers and closers. I think that you will find that most of the experienced buskers (street workers) here do only one card trick and one coin trick on the streets.

I don’t use cards at all on the street at all! Ever. I do one coin routine regularly. It is a Miser’s Dream. I also, may do a few coin flourishes as part of firming up the edge of a tip but that’s about it.

The core of my street act includes several rope routines, a signed bill to Lemon, the Cups and Balls or Benson Bowl. I have a sponge ball/rabbit routine and a solid thumb tie (with watch steal) routine that I will also perform. I might even perform my borrowed, signed, torn and restored bill routine.

Thinking about it, I have over a dozen pet routines that can be (and have been) performed on the streets. None of them involve cards or coins.

I have a card routine or 2 that I can do if the crowd is small or I'm walking around. Remember, all street shows don't have to consist of a large group. Sometimes you get to a town, gonna work, and there are not a lot of people there or the pitch isn't good so you have to kind of take what's left. Then cards work pretty well but the hats are going to be small. But you might need some money just to eat, right?

My suggestion is to try to develop routines that play BIG but can also play small. Cards on the streets? Not that great.

koz

Thanks, but Harry, where can I find the signed bill in lemon? I've had a lot of people ask me to do it, but I don't know how.

Thanks again for the advice.

DVS,

No problem. There are several good versions of the Signed Bill to Lemon trick.

Right off the top of my head I know that Bill Malone has a version on his new “On the Loose” DVD/tapes, Ted Lesley (a Café member) has a killer version on his new “Cabaret Magic” DVD/tape, and David Regal “Close-up Assassin” has a good version.

You can also find a version on one of Doc Eason’s tapes (really Steve Spill’s version-it is excellent) and Rich Marotta’s Video (volume2-is a very good card to orange but could be easily changed to a bill to lemon).

Some of the versions are for a signed bill to fruit and in others the bill is not signed but identified some other way. For example they might use the torn corner or serial number as the identifier. I tend to prefer the signed bill versions.

There is a nice routine that involves a neat gimmick that allows you to load the actual signed bill into the fruit while the fruit is in a small black bag. It is called “Mesika's Signed Bill to Lemon” and available through most magic dealers.

I use a method that is Cellini’s. He sells the gimmick and routine or you can find it in his book “The Royal Touch”.

Heck, even “The Mark Wilson Complete Course in Magic” has a very workable version.
There are a couple of threads here that discuss the Bill to Lemon trick.

You do not have to limit yourself to bill to lemon, the bill can go any were you like it to. Terry Seabrook has it end up in a sealed envelope in his wallet. Others have it end up in a little Mystery Box. And on and on.

I still perform the bill to lemon, as old fashioned as it is.

DVS, pffff... Tell the truth on this forum. You shouldn't lie. DVS is very new and has never worked the streets. Remember, DVS, David Blaine doesn't do street magic. He does close-up tricks in a street setting (ok, ok, they are pretty close but have a big difference). I recommend Ted Lesley's video because it even has some working of the trick I sold you yesterday. I am not sure what you have against cards or coins but, on Monday I am going to slay you.

Hope this crushes your soul and makes you a strong and unforgiving magician.

Remember, people like Matt Davis will stab you because you react to it. There are many hecklers and if you get up-set with them they will win.

Hopes this helps

Hey pyro you don’t know everything that I do with magic. I know this is going to sound
stupid since I just started magic not that long ago but I’ve started to make a small “movie”
if that's what you wanna call it for a friend doing tricks to people just walking around.
And about me hating cards and coins I don’t I just think you need a little broader horizon
that cards and coins.

Oh and pyro I did say at the top I'm new to magic so remember what you read before you type it.

Hope this hurts you back

i think he meant, david blaine street magic is really close up, and street performing in the classic sense is more of a stage/street performance for a crowd

I would think a simple cups and balls would be in order. Not the long drawn out ones that go on forever. Skip all the fancy DVD versions and put together one of your own that is over in 4-5 minutes.

Get a signed card or coin effect built.(kennedy mystery box,or lippencot? Quarter-go box)or the new gold plated Spellbinding boxes/hank set.

Ok these are both cards and coins but good ones.

A good ring and string with an Ellis ring.
(one of my new favorites)

My best peice of advice(and I don't realy have much "good" advice) is to buy a couple of catalogs. Once you have an idea what is out there,(maby stuff your dealer doesn't carry) check the forums here with a search
for other buyers opinions.

I think Houdini said that if you don't do C&B, your not a magician. (must have been after he put in his couple months of practice)