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Fez New user 71 Posts |
Hello. I just needed to vent so please bear with me. I am a college student and love performing street magic. I just think the fact that a stranger coming up to a person or a group of people and showing them the impossible is simply amazing. I remember walking in Chicago downtown with my family and while we were window shopping, this random looking guy that was painted all metallic silver (I'm guessing he was a street performer) approached us. He asked us if we wanted to see a magic trick. He took a handkerchief and pretended to blow his nose. Then suddenly the the handkerchief changed into a wand. Although I now know how that is done (simple and cheap gimmick), at that time I would always wonder if I could do the same.
Fast forward 10 years. I am no where near a professional. Magic for me is simply a hobby. I perform on random days on campus and go to different malls and parties. Now, I have a friend who is a bartender at our local (and most popular) bar called Flip Flops. He suggested that I should come down to the bar and show the students some magic. I had a talk with the owner and the owner loved the idea. It's like "2 birds with 1 stone," I get to perform and get my name out while he gets students to stay longer hence more drinks being purchased. That was the problem.I've never performed at the bar but I thought, "Heck, how hard will it be..?" I should of realized what happens when you perform magic with a bunch of boozed up teens.... I started with some routines with my ['s and flipper. I borrowed a shot glass and performed coin through glass. It stirred up a decently sized crowd. Then came the 3 fly and other random tricks (I don't know the names I just kind of came up with them while playing around with the gaffs.) No problem there. I got free drinks and everything was going good. Then came the card tricks... I was performing a trick similar to this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySGypv8_z-Y It wasn't exactly like the trick but again, it was similar. I asked for a volunteer and a slightly drunk girl voluenteers and I say ok (bad move). I shuffle the deck then ask her to shuffle. Then I proceeded to go through the deck and asked her to tell me when to stop. When she yelled stop I did a DL and showed her the card. I then placed it on top of the deck and took the top card and handed it to her. I told her to hold on to it tightly. My move then was to pick up the second card and "switch" her card with mine. But before I could do that she turned the card over and started yelling "You gave me the wrong card!" This was then followed by laughter and profanity and more laughter and booing. *Sighs* I will not perform at bars ever again, especially on "Wasted Wednesdays...." If your are not bored to death and still with me, I want to ask: Have any of you ever shared similar experiences?(As far as a trick failing due to stupid volunteers) If so, how did you recover from it? |
Phil Tawa Regular user Mass. 103 Posts |
In short. Yes. It's how you deal with these situations that gives you polish.
One of the resons you don't say "What's" going to happen is to give you an out if something goes wrong. Keep an invisible deck on you. You could have said,"Of course it's not your card I belive it's in here" take the deck out and make that card come up. You also could have just given a comedy line. The worst you can do is looked flustered. That will encourage them to harass you. Let me also say I started in bars because I wanted the most difficult people to deal with. I just did it as a patron though. I would also say your attitude or demeanor can invite harassment. I am more of a comedy magician(not by choice) just the way I came out. I find being on the not so serious side people cut you more slack if something does go wrong. College kids? You've got to put match up the nose in your repertoire. |
CasualSoul Special user Edmonton, Canada 542 Posts |
It happens. I'm also a hobbyist and I perform almost entirely for drunk people. The tips I would give for performing magic for drunks are:
1. Only do magic where angles aren't too sensitive; 2. Never perform if the audience becomes too large for the type of magic you are doing; 3. Only do magic where you can physically control your spectator if you need their involvement; 4. Verbally state VERY clearly what you have done and what thoughts you want to be going through the head of your audience; 5. Stick to really visual magic or mentalism routines that are short and hard hitting (i.e. minimal patter and no long stories); 6. Never use anything that could be considered a prop (this includes cards in my opinion unless you're in a card game); 7. Never perform more than 3-4 tricks for an audience of drunks, but always do more than 1; 8. If something goes wrong while doing a trick, simply admit to it and laugh or act like you changed your mind about doing that trick, and laugh, and move on to the next one (NEVER end on a failed or weak effect). 9. Some people are actually offended by you trying to "fool them" with your magic and, when they're drunk, can be quite obnoxious about it. So develop a short script to make these types feel less defensive about what you're trying to do for them. Hope my insights help.
"Open their mind by performing the impossible"
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JoeJoe Inner circle Myrtle Beach 1915 Posts |
You got busted ... so what ... it happens to even the best, I saw David Copperfield get called out on the "that's your left hand" gag. Don't take it personally, learn to deal with it. It could have happened on the sidewalk just as easily.
Here's the news flash: a "bar" is not a "sidewalk". What kills on the sidewalk falls flat in a bar, and visa-versa! Even things that work in both usually need to be performed differently. In a bar, people have shorter attention spans and there is music in the background distracting them. You need fast visual routines that don't require a lot of thinking. In a bar, you really need to create a "rock star" persona where YOU are the one being distracted all the time, not your audience. -JoeJoe
Amazing JoeJoe on YouTube[url=https://www.youtube.com/user/AmazingJoeJoe]
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Fez New user 71 Posts |
Quote:
On 2011-04-10 09:26, Phil Tawa wrote: Thank you and sorry for the late response, I have been busy with college exams and other work. I am also very comedic and and very social. The crowd was feeling good and so was I, it's just I guess the feeling of catching a magician is always a thrill..! I know that when I was a kid, I wished that David Blaine would show me a trick and I can catch him, I really can't explain why I wanted to do that. But I am starting to look on it positively. As Eric Jones said on one of his interviews, "the best way to learn is to get caught." I know better now and I have much more "exits" in case I spoil my routine. |
Fez New user 71 Posts |
Quote:
On 2011-04-13 16:32, CasualSoul wrote: Thank you CasualSoul, but the thing is I am not good in any mentalism. The closest I've gotten to mentalism is using a marked deck and "predicting" the card. I try not to perform at weird angles, but I made sure the "sweet spots" were covered. I was in a corner and there wasn't anyone behind me. The crowd I really could not control. It was like a chain reaction. I showed around 3 people and get a reaction like "oh s**t!," then more people hear that and gather around and you know where it goes from there. Next thing I know, there's a huge crowd of drunks around me. As for doing 3-4 tricks, I agree with that. I guess I got carried away seeing such a large crowd that wanted to see more. I kind of gave in; but I should have known better. I agree with what you said last, and I need to work on that. I tend to tense up when I get caught. It was my first time I got caught in front of such a large crowd. The only other time I can say I've been caught was when I was performing in front of some close friends of mine. I laughed and shrugged it off. I guess I was less comfortable knowing the fact that I failed a great effect in front of so many people. But I will work on it because it's a weakness that I need to get rid of if I continue performing magic. Thanks again, Fez |
Fez New user 71 Posts |
Quote:
On 2011-04-13 18:27, JoeJoe wrote: Thanks JoeJoe, I COMPLETELY agree with what you said. The music was very over powering but I was doing a good job keeping the audience focused. And as I said above, the "learning to deal with it" part is the hardest for me! I just felt discouraged for so many days because now I know what I could have done. Magicians sometimes mess up intentionally just to add to the effect; I just should have had a back up plan. I just have a question on this matter though: Was my dress code too ordinary by any chance? I was dressed in a Polo shirt with some seersucker shorts and flip flops, pretty much what every other guy wears at the bar. Do you think I should have added something more or change my attire to gain more attention? I don't mean a suit or a 5 gallon top hat, but something like some nice dress pants and some dress shoes and maybe a shirt and tie? |
JoeJoe Inner circle Myrtle Beach 1915 Posts |
You are in a college bar dude ... you want to look like the coolest guy there. You want to be dressed like a "rock star". When girls see you, they should want to go home with you ... and when guys see you, they should be envious. Google "peacocking" to get a ton of ideas on what you should wear.
Polo shirt OK ... but flip flops? Wear some nice shoes dude. Your supposed to be "working" - would a waiter wear flip flops to work? Ideally, you want some type of non-slip shoes, you can get a nice looking pair at Wal-Mart for about $25. These floors will have beer on them, you don't want to slip and fall and end up breaking something. I don't think you need a tie for a college bar, but I have been known to wear them at upscale places. I usually only wear a tie in a nice place where other people won't be wearing them. If it's a jacket-and-tie type place, I prefer to be the cool guy that can get away with not wearing one. -JoeJoe
Amazing JoeJoe on YouTube[url=https://www.youtube.com/user/AmazingJoeJoe]
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JoeJoe Inner circle Myrtle Beach 1915 Posts |
Ok ... so check this out ... on the topic of getting busted ...
... last week, I was chatting it up with this hot waitress. She knew I was a magician, but I had never shown her any magic so I offered to show her a trick. I pull out my "amazing vanishing disappearing silk handkerchief", which is my favorite trick and usually always the first thing I like to show people. So I do phase one ... and she calls me out on it ... "you got some kinda thing on your thumb" and as she reaches for my hand, I pull away and say "oh, so your a smart one ... ok, I'll have to break out the heavy equipment and show you the really kewl stuff ... *** girl, your gonna make me actually work tonight" ... I bring out Mis-Led and proceed to drop her jaw to the ground. "Ok, that impressed me" she said. So we're chatting it up afterwards ... here comes the important part ... and she says "you know what I liked the most? That you didn't make me feel stupid". I was a little confused, so she elaborated ... for starters, she confessed she didn't actually "bust" me, she already knew that trick because her son had one. And apparently, she had called another magician out and he proceeded to be like "no, I don't do it that way - you don't know how I did it" and tried to make her look stupid in front of everyone. Now that is important because it is insight into how a layman thinks. When you get busted, you need to be man enough to accept it. My experience has taught me that the absolute best thing to do is to immediately direct their attention to something else. Think about it ... your a magician, your not a doctor ... it's ok if you *** up. What is more important than your bruised ego is how your audience feels about it. Instead of making her feel stupid, I made her feel smart. And I won her over in the process. Just something to think about... -JoeJoe
Amazing JoeJoe on YouTube[url=https://www.youtube.com/user/AmazingJoeJoe]
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Bondy Regular user 124 Posts |
Remember when dealing with drunkeness be in control and manage your audience
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MeetMagicMike Inner circle Gainesville Fl 3501 Posts |
I do the throw change into peoples hands (ala Bill Malone) and people used to flip the card over too soon sometimes. I thought I was doing the move badly. After a while I decided to try really drawing their attention to the cards in my hand and simply not letting them think about anything else. It worked! Now they never turn over the card in their hand until I tell them to.
I should probably never say never because it may happen again any day now but so far so good. College bar crowds are tough. But I personally don't think drunk has as much to do with it as people think. Joe Joe has some great advice about how to handle being busted. I couldn't agree more. |
Damian Veteran user 363 Posts |
JoeJoe,
That was a very interesting observation. I think I probably would have denied it (albeit in a comedic way), but your post certainly gives one food for thought. The only thing I would add is that if it had been me, I probably would have taken the opportunity later, when discussing the situation, to educate her about etiquette. If the first magician she called out made her feel stupid, maybe the lesson is to not embarrass performers in public. I occasionally will correct people's behavior, if it seems appropriate. Sometimes, for instance, I'll finish a small performance and people will launch into a discussion of how I did it, right in front of me. This strikes me as obviously rude. Most audiences don't do it. But sometimes, people don't think it thru. So, I'll politely point out (and again, usually with humor to keep it light) that it's bad form to discuss these things in front of the performer. I feel it's worthwhile to do this, so they won't repeat the behavior in front of the next performer. Obviously, Fez, none of this applies to you. When you're performing for a bunch drunks, you can't expect reasonable behavior. What a good training ground, though. I would only echo what's been said above--don't end on a weak note. Busted, just keep going. Use a throw-away line if you've got one. Afterwards, think of what you *would have said* and right it down. Finally, invisible deck is a Godsend in these situations; it's the main reason I carry one. |
JoeJoe Inner circle Myrtle Beach 1915 Posts |
Quote:
I probably would have taken the opportunity later, when discussing the situation, to educate her about etiquette. If the first magician she called out made her feel stupid, maybe the lesson is to not embarrass performers in public. I occasionally will correct people's behavior, if it seems appropriate. That's his problem - not mine. It's not my fault he didn't respond to the situation correctly. She just told me I was better than him, why would I want to try to convince her she is wrong? Not my job to talk him up. -JoeJoe
Amazing JoeJoe on YouTube[url=https://www.youtube.com/user/AmazingJoeJoe]
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Dimitri Mystery Artist Veteran user Israel/Ukraine 355 Posts |
Hey man
I agree with what have been said before, don't feel bad about mistakes, it might be the best thing that can happen to you, from this you learn, from this you will think harder how to make your magic the strongest possible and probably will develop your style and modifications for known tricks. actually, when everything is fine in our life, we stay on the same level, without worries, it is ONLY when you fall you can get HIGHER and improve (in magic and in life). einstein said "a man that hadn't done any mistake, never tried anything new"...it is part of life, just remember to smile when it happens, it is good to have an "out" when or something funny to say (i say: "sorry, I usually do magic for blinds) on the trick itself I have seen a lot of time magician performers a version of a card changing in spectator's hand and the same that happened, a spectator turn over the card! usually the magician in the situation thinks he was heckled, but before that conclusion I suggest to anylized 3 things: 1. our DL or Top.CH, if you are going to ask to a spectator hold a card FACE DOWN, don't let him a any reason to DOUBT that you might did something! 2. self confidence, many magicians show through their body language their worries of messing up the trick; if you want them not to care about the card, you should niether, be relaxed, give them something interesting to watch instead. 3.motivation: the only motivation to turn the card face down is the "method", I try to have a small reason, I ask a guy to put the hand face up and on the last moment it "occures" to me that the card can fall down, so I ask him to put the other hand over the card. I than take the attention from the card and go on with the routine. hope it helps good luck Dima |
Brandon890 New user 11 Posts |
Hey, just a quick tip for that specific trick. since you had a decent sized crowd, what I do is have them sandwich the card, then someone else sandwhich their hands and so on, adds impossibility and makes sure they wont look, that's for here then there. If it was 2 card monte, I suggest kard klub from E
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MerlinCrow New user The Netherlands 56 Posts |
I always make a joke when I give the kind of a card you are talking about,
and tell I have to kill them when they turn it around (magicians secret code) and guess what, they never turn it around ! I have to admit, teens are the hardest spectators there are, Don't stop you performing only by this occasion, use your will to push through. Merlin |
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