I have been into Card Magic now for over 4 years and although I can now perform quite a variety of effects, I find I have little opportunity to present them.

The effects I perform can mainly be split into 2 categories.

Standing (for an audience of 1 or 2), where I will perform 2 card monte, ambitious card etc

AND

Table Presentations, which account for most of the effects I know.

The problem is, being an amatuer, I mainly perform for friends, at parties or in a bar, and I need effects that can be performed to a group, standing, with no table.

In this situation I normally perform a Cards Across, Card at Any Number and Card On Ceiling...but then I start to run a bit dry

Does anyone have any suggestions for what would be strong in that situation?

Many thanks,

Steve

Invisible Deck
Card Warp
Card to wallet
Colour Monte,


But, Why just cards.

Rubber band magic, (Ring on band, Crazy man's handcuffs etc)
The legendary Sponge Balls, (Magicians hate 'em, Lay people love 'em)
Rope routines
Coin Stuff (Coins across etc)

The above all offer strong magical eefects and are a change from cards.

Cheers

Andy

Yeah, for the most part the only place you see table presentations these days is at magic club close up shows or instructional videos.

But it doesn't mean you have been learning the wrong effects. Just means you are in the wrong venues for the tricks you've learned.

You could always host your own party and put yourself a card table up!

Or get to the bar earlier and get yourself a table.

Paul.

Another one that packs small and plays big (no table required) is The Ring on String. I perform a 3 phase routine and it's one of my most requested effects.

there are also several card changing effects (using the top change), also card to wallet, card in box, card cuffs (from book: Brainstorm on the Bahamas), spectator cuts the aces, twisting the aces, ...
have fun and let your creativity flow

Martin

Dan Harlan demonstrates some interesting bar magic on his videos however
they are more betcha's rather than magic. They could help liven up the act though. Simon lovell seems to be a great source on bar magic. I personally started off performing in a bar. Here's a few lessons i learn't. Never use a trick deck without a normal deck to switch it for. Always consider the possibility that people will wish to examine your tricks. Keep the tricks short and sweet as people's attention span drops in a bar. You may find people will just start being polite to you.
Have a laugh at yourself if anything goes wrong. Keep the props normal looking. I fortunately also have a twin brother you performs as well this can take the heat of me after a trick. He starts of and then hopefully they stop asking how was that done!! So maybe try and have a close friend as a stooge it may help you get out of a tricky one. My favourite card effect for walk around ina bar would have to be a two card transposition from between a spectators hand. Girls screem and lads just want to beat you up.
Magic Forever!!!

Try checking out Fiber Optics by Rich Sanders - plays for 10-500 people!