Al is right. In fact he is RIGHT ON THE MONEY in what he said. Mandrake, I am no Jim Cellini, Kosmo, or even as good as Chad. But, I can go anyplace, and I mean anyplace and make enough money to live very well on. The last time I went to Phoenix (from Cincinnati) I got home with $500 more than I started out with. In fact I stopped at one truck stop (I think it was a Flying J) in New Mexico. We went in and ate and then I set up and started a show outside in the parking area (out of the traffic of course) Drew a small crowd did a 15 minute show passed the hat and made $30 more than I spent for gas and food. Hey it's not a lot of money but what the heck. If I can do it those with real talent can make a bundle. Just go do it.

Peter

Uhh yeah ok.

Bottom line is, If you want to do it you will. If not, you will make excuses.

Remember, if you keep doing what you're doing, you will keep getting what you're getting.

I bet that if you made a vow you wouldn't post on this forum until you'd spent four hours out on the street doing it all, including hat lines, you'd actually go out and do it. One hour out there is probably worth over ten hours of reading forums and watching dvds.

The bonus in that tactic is you're not cluttering up this forum until you go out and do it.

Mandrake, the magician you take your name from would be rolling over in his grave. Go perform.... just do it. I am willing to bet you suck at first. We all sucked at first. Thatis just a plain hard truth. I do not know of anyone who rocked the shop first shows out... Remember when the iron in your blood turns into lead in your arse you are finished.

I am not a street "god" but I do ok. depending on a lot of factors I have a long and a short show. I have read your posts for over a year and you still aren't doing it.
I will outline my short show and you will get the idea...

If there are kids around I start with
1. colour deception
2. Needle thru Balloon
3. sponge balls
4. Ropes routine
5, Invisible deck routine
6. Water vanish routine

In there is lots of jokes humour and by-play. There is nothing there that you can't handle. The key is make it entertaining. If you can't put a few small effects together and start with a small show you ain't never gonna do it.

There is an old military expression.... GOYA. Short for Get off your A.. !
3.

Mandrake,

I think it's great that you are willing to express your concerns and fears (?) openly on this forum, especially when almost everyone else seems to casual about getting out there and doing it.

Your honesty about this actually helps me every time I go out on the street and perform ( I usually get to my pitch and am quite terrified up until the moment when I begin to try and draw a crowd). I'm certainly no busking expert but the way I see it busking as a magician achieves two things 1) it earns a little extra money for me [ I'm not up in the big hat leagues at all] and 2) I can perform as many times in a day as I want to ( how many other magicians can REALLY say that they do multiple shows a week, I'm betting very few) and so I can get better than I am... not to mention that I get immediate feedback on how well I did with each show.

In short, busking is magic's "school of hard knocks"... it's intimidating and scary because it's a tough thing to do and the fact that you get out there and do it, even occasionally, is way better than most magi out there.

I'm going to try busking at my usual pitch during the day today ( I usually busk in the evening)... I'm already nervous.

tom

Sidewalk shuffle or keystroke shuffle mandrake?

It's been one for ya for quite awhile.

Go do it. Stop talking about it.

stop being afraid of failing. In fact, get used to it! The worst failure to endure is in never trying. You will regret it forever if you don't!

go do it.


stop talking.


go do it.


I respect anyone that's out there and trying.

For the record,
I do not respect anyone who tries to give advice on a subject without knowing about it firsthand. AND I definately don't respect the fella who says he does it all the time when, in fact, he does not.

That sums up totally what happened to me today - I wimped out and I feel like I failed myself

Mandrake, remember a couple important things. First, when you find a spot, a big dude carrying some plastic cans will come up to you and politely say "HEY! Mutha !@#$!@, you bes' be steppin' out of MY spot" stand up to him. Look behind him and say "I don't see Sharpton, (@!#&(, so I guess it really isn't your spot". Don't worry, he'll leave. When you go to find a spot around Fanual Hall always make sure that, while being arrested, that you keep yelling "What about my rights? What about my rights?". This will attract the attention of tourist who will point their video cameras at you and reduce the chance of getting some stick action prior to hitting the station.

Go forth brave street performer! Go forth!

Hahahahahahahahaha!


Magicsanta, that's probably the funniest thing I've ever read.

For that one I owe you a beer...

Thanks for the kick in the virtual pants BAH. I went last week and went out again last night. Not making three figure hats, but I'm doing better than I expected and quite frankly having some fun doing so.

Good...

now go back out to work some more.

I work evenings. I can only go out when I don't have work. I have the next two weekends off (that's not always a given.) I'm going to go out these next two weekends and try to do more than I had been.

Break a leg my friend.

Mandrake, good... very good. Just put it in drive and give'er...

Hey all, I'm gonna be busking...down on the farm.

A tourist spot in the Northern Berkshires during the fall season,Ioka Valley Farm, open on weekends.

I'm wondering what kinda hats I'll get.

So, me and my wife are running errands and on the way home we go a little out of our way and stop at Ioka Farm, I had my promo stuff, bizniz cards, Holey Moley and the Ninja Rings. We got there at 1:30 pm...

They were having dinnner.

Oop's!!!

Who has fricken dinner at that time!?

They invited me in explaining they got my message but have been too busy to get back to me.The owners said they had hired a magician that used far too many heckler jokes on innocent auidience memebrs and they were a little hesitant, but when they heard I wouldn't charge them they kinda liked the idea of having me there.

The owner asked what can I show him, so I did the tricks I bought, told some jokes and gots the gigs, show up anytime I want on weekends.

:)

Nice!
ever find out who the other guy was?

Of course Johnny you break a leg too.

Yep, if I were a "real busker," I would have done better when I did it 20 some years ago in NYC.

I think my "talent" is sufficient. Eventually (and everything's eventual) I'm going to have my kid record a couple of my routines. (The rope routine which I think is fairly original and the cups and balls which is taken out of Mark Wilson's course) and put them on my myspace page. Then I'll sit back with clean hands and composure and wait for the flames!

I think "real" buskers have a stronger sense of commitment and dedication than I do. That's been one of my big drawbacks most of my life, not just in magic!

It's an ill wind that blows no good. The past few months, I've been working week ends from 1:30 PM to 10:30 PM. Then going home and collapsing. (It's _hard_ being that nice to the stupid people who shop at (and frankly some of the stupid people who _manage_) the Wal*Mart I work in! The upside of this was that I got time and a half for Sundays! Two weeks ago, I got the weekend off, had errands on Saturday, but went out Sunday. Did not spectacular, but OK. This past weekend ditto, went out Saturday, did a little better. I have the next two weekends off, if the weather holds up, I'm going out for the majority of _both_ days and we'll see what happens. (Maybe I'll get the kid to come out and record me with his digital camera!)

I'm sorry some of you feel I'm "wasting bandwidth" posting here. I know I'm not a "serious" busker in the sense of most of you who are able to make a living at this, but I _am_ seriously interested in this stuff and I thank those of you who've been so supportive, even if it's been in the "kicking the virtual pants" type of support!

Mandrake, I'm curious to know, have you performed in many bars, kids parties, corporate, weddings and etc as paid contracted gigs and if so were your clients extremely happy with your performance and handling of the audience?

If you have done so for a length of time and been succesful than I do not see why you couldn't make out good while busking, with some decent hatlines appropriatly placed also.

If you have no real performing experience similar to what I asked in my question than I'd say prepare for the occasional bad days and low on cash hats.

I started this busking thing late in my magic life but have many different shows undr my magicbelt so hitting the streets ain't nuthing but a thang to me!

I only hope someday I may be able to truly honor the craft better than I think I already can!

;)

I love coming here and ponitificating all over the place like an untrained pup that hasn't been house broken yet!

I was in fact doing most of that back in 90-91. (no bars though) Birthday parties, office parties for the children of the office I worked in, the local bird sanctuary, local yachting club and the Lion's Club all hired me for several shows. (I wish I hadn't lost the news footage of the Lion's Club show, I was background material, but it was still cool.) When the "day job" dissolved, my creative juices froze up inside. The next job I got was so far away, I spent most of my time travelling. When _that_ job disappeared most of my props got lost in an eviction! I'm just now climbing my way out of that crevace!

As much as I want to make money doing this, it's actually more important that I be out there because it's giving me positive energy about my abilities, something that's been wavering for far too long!