Okay, I'm from belgium and I would like to get into busking, every dvd on it I've watched closes with the cups and balls, this requires me to get a pouch, I don't have a pouch, and I'm not liking the price of the ones that are suggested, quite simply I've spend quite a lot on magic, and at the moment I'm not going to spend much more. I have a nice table.

I'm wondering are there any other closers that are being used that have the same visual appeal as the cups and balls?

Keep in mind, in my country everything is original, I've never ever seen a magician on the street, I'm sure most people never even saw a live magician, or a cups and balls trick, so it's not a classic over here

You can close with almost anything. For great information, go to jimmytalksalot.blogspot.com.
Good luck!

HÃ¥kan
:wavey:

First of all, high quality pouches have never been more attainable or affordable, if you don't mind me saying so.

Also who cares if you don't close with the cups and balls.

I switch back and forth whether I even use the cups at all in that kind of venue.
I've closed with:
card trick
cups
rings
mouth coil

do your best trick last and make it play big. have the guts to do something nobody else is doing.

Quoted for Truth! Nicely stated Frank.

I used to close my street act with Linking Rings.

Straight jacket.

the bra trick.

signed bill or card "to" tricks. card to mouth, with routine intro.

3 envelope burn / bill in lemon or walnut or wallet or egg or a nest of objects.....pick an oject to make a bill appear in.

swallow and thread razors or needles.

eat glass [real or rock candy].

flaming bull whip routine.

turn music on and finale with silent manipulation act.

100 foot of rope escape.

throwing a card over a building.

linking rings.

passe passe bottles.

sydini rope routine.

rope through neck or grandmas necklace [there is various effects and routines with this method]

cigerette/pipes/cigars routine


the list goes on, but I'm tired of doing it.

2 things I would suggest.

read my free blog. I have written extensively on this and have many videos of different performers finales none of which are cups.

and secondly read "Hugard's Magic Manual" By Jean Hugard.

it is absalutely the best book for finales and magic routines that work great on the street.

Harlen Tarbell has a book called "the companion" which lists a huge amount of routines from his course and his course also has list of routines for all size shows and venuues.

what should be understood, is that this is a state of mind and being creative and original.

I cannot remember any DVDs that have provided us with finale alternatives except of course marios's.

Posted: May 17, 2010 3:43pm
Pull a rabbit/guinee pig/rat grapefruit out of a hat. w/pouch or loader.

produce a rabbit/bird/rat/ whatever from a drawer box or a devils hank.

saw lady in half, or levitate a kid.

juggle knives or torches.

eat fire.

read this;

http://jimmytalksalot.blogspot.com/2007/......ale.html

Swallow some gasoline, some nitroglycerine, a few sticks of dynamite and chase it with a lit match. It's one hell of an ending, but you can only do it once.

Once.

If you doubt me, ask Daffy Duck.

Yeah, seen that one, he gotta HUGE responce.

I heard that Daffy got huge hats!

G'day Cougar
I've been busking regularly for about 18 months and have included the cups and balls because it has such a strong impact and has lots of options for different combinations and requires a range of skills in regard to technique combined with performance. And also I enjoy the challenge.

However I have recently been reducing what I am carrying and heeding Jimmy Talksalots advice on working without a table and finding that finishing with my 3 rope routine is working well.

Like people are saying take one of your strong effects and let it play big.

Bob Latta (aka Troppo Bob)

I still close with my take on Whit's Linking Rings. I built my hat lines into the routine.

1st, I do Cups & Balls without a pouch...I wear pants/trousers with "cargo pockets" & load from there.

2nd, I'd LOVE to perform Cups & Balls in front of an audience who's never seen it done before! Wow! Would they ever be astonished! A real live VIRGIN audience regarding C.& B.! Just think about it!

Sir Richard.



Don't let it get out but I heard that he really was a student of Bugs Bunny!

Sir Richard.

My pouch is a $10 messenger bag. I flip the top over backward and hold it on with a belt underneath. Just saying, most pouches out there are extremely expensive, so I worked around it. I think it's important to be able to think like MacGyver occasionally.

A good alternative to the pouch is a tool belt I have seen it done and has worked well.

It is easier to load from a good pouch like a Gazzo Pouch!

I can't imagine anything could work much better than the messenger bag I use. I mean, a Gazzo pouch is probably a fine product, but it's not worth the price.

http://www.agilemodeling.com/essays/barelyGoodEnough.html

There's a principle that says if something works reliably to do a job well, and something else can do just slightly better, than either it should only cost just slightly more, or it's not worth getting. A Gazzo pouch may work 10% better than a messenger bag, even as much as 40% better. It costs 2900% more. By the "barely good enough" principle of cost-benefit analysis, I'm sure as heck sticking with my messenger bag.

Talk tto Frank at http://www.theambitiouscard.com his pouches are equal, or better quality to Gazzo's and are very reasonable priced. Affordable to all.

Paddy

Right now I use a tool pouch that I picked up at a hardware store. It cost around $10 and it's been serviceable (though a little small). I hope to pick up one of the Jimmy Talksalot pouches from http://www.theambitiouscard.com soon!

Even though I don't use a table or do cups and balls, I use the pouch for some ditches/vanishes and also for subsequent loads to a utensil bucket (which also doubles as something to make noise with via wand banging and a bucket for my closer, a miser's dream routine : )

TristanBuckley

It is worth the price and I will be able to pass it on to my children. The bag stays open and can hold a heavy final loads.

Thanks

Tristan,
for cups and balls regular coffee cups work well. ALTHOUGH THEY WILL NOT LAST ON THE STREET. The same goes for the pouch vs, the messenger bag. The Gazzo pouch will last forever. You are also paying for how the product will last. I have seen a Gazzo pouch and they are made to last. I may self have one from ambitious card. That is the best value for your dollar though.



If you are going to use a messenger bag. Wear it like one. Don't hold it on with a belt. I have seen it done before, and it works well. Load from you side where the messenger bag naturally hangs. A messenger bag held around the waist by a belt looks out of place, and could lead to exposure. It will be much more deceptive, and natural that way.