My Review of “Live in Your Living Room” double DVD set by Bob Solari $39.95 from bobsolarimagic.com.

I will review the effects from Disc 1 and will cover Disc 2 later. This DVD set is a bargain. Bob’s effects are unique and he does an excellent job of explaining each one in his humorous way. Each explanation is clear and concise and constructing each effect is extremely easy. I personally do not have the patience to construct complicated gimmicks for effects and that is the beauty of Bob’s effects (easy to construct and perform and that is why I am a fan of this DVD set). If you were to purchase each of these effects you spend would hundreds of dollars. If you are newer to magic or experienced this DVD set is a winner. I love it! I would rate the production quality as on target (no, you are not going to get modern day motion picture quality that you see in some DVDs but the quality is just fine and does the "trick").

Disc 1

COMPRESSED- This is a quick and visual opener turning a full deck of cards into a mini deck. You quickly sandwich the deck between your hands and when they are opened, you have a full mini deck. It is easy to construct (less than 5 minutes), very clean and the angles are pretty good. This really is a stunner and is easy to perform. You can transition into an effect using the mini deck if you want to after this quick visual opener (such as Bob’s Brainwave). You will LOVE this effect and it is one of my favorites).

BOB’S BRAINWAVE- Spectator names any card in the deck and named card is buried in the middle of the deck. When you turn the cards over and spread the deck, all of the cards have the same colored back except the card named by the spectator.

This is a clever Brainwave effect that is easy to construct and perform and that uses a different method from other Brainwave effects. Even if you are not a fan of Brainwave effects I highly recommend this.

SIGNED, SEALED and AMAZING- A spectator selects a card and writes their name on the face. The card is replaced and lost in the deck and the deck is divided into 3 piles. A sealed envelope is on the table (in sight during the whole performance). One-by-one, the spectator picks up each pile and goes through the cards. Bam…...Their card has disappeared. You point to the sealed envelope that has been on the table in full view the whole time and when it is opened, the spectator’s card is inside.

This is a very creative effect. You do need to buy a few supplies at a store ($10 - $15 total) but they will last a lifetime and can be used in another of Bob’s effects (Gift Box Prediction). This is another easy to construct effect that is a strong piece of magic.

MATCH MATE- Two spectators each select a card. You take both cards in your hands and show both as they are supposed to match. Oops, they don’t match. You squeeze the two cards together and out pops a matchbox. This gets a great reaction as it is very visual. You have one of the spectators open the matchbox and when they do, the 2 selected mates to the 2 chosen cards are found folded up inside the matchbox.

Bob gives a great story about pretending to read the instructions for his "new trick" which plays big.
This is another creative and unique effect that is easy to construct (minutes) and perform. You get two great surprises with this effect and this is one of my favorites on the DVD.

BUSINESS MINDED- Spectator takes one of your business cards out of a rubber banded stack. You draw a crystal ball on the back of the card and instruct the spectator to draw something inside the ball when your back is turned. When they are done drawing, they turn the business card face down on the table. When you turn around you take the facedown business card and return it face down in the stack of your face down business cards. Everything is fair. Performer takes another business card out of the stack and proceeds to draw a crystal ball with the same drawing the spectator did on their card.

This is a stunning piece of mentalism that makes a great giveaway with your business card. I have always used “Out-to-Lunch” effects such as Houdini’s Silent Prediction (Bob Solari’s) as well as John Guastaferros “Constellation” for business card effects (two strong effects). “Business Minded” is now a regular in my routine and is easy to set-up and perform. This is one of my favorites on the DVD.

SOLARI’S MONTE- A Monte effect where a red backed queen and 2 blue backed black cards (let’s say 10’s) are used. It starts out with the typical sucker effect setting spectators up for success every time. After it looks easy to find the “odd colored back” queen card, all three cards are laid face down on the table with the red backed card in the middle. When each card is turned over, they are all 10’s. The red backed queen has now changed to a red 10. The red queen is now revealed under your close-up mat.

This is a powerful and easy to perform Monte effect that only takes a couple of minutes to construct. I am not a Monte guy but this is a good version if you like Monte routines.

RING RAPTURE- You pull out a gold necklace and ring and in the blink (or should I say bling) of an eye the ring gets linked on the chain which can be passed out for examination. This is a quick, visual effect lasting only seconds. You need to purchase the costume bling and make a clever little gimmick which like most of Bob’s effects, only takes minutes. This is a quick and easy effect that requires no palming.

METAMORPHOSIS BILLS- You borrow a $5 and $1 bill from your spectators. You do a sort of “Do-as-I-Do” fold with the $5 bill and the spectator does the same with the $1 bill. You put both folded bills in the spectator’s hands and pullout one bill. You show the $5 bill you took out. You have the $5 bill and the spectator has the $1 bill and they change places with you now holding the $1 bill and the spectator holding the $5.

This is easy to do and yes, you give the $5 and $1 bills immediately back to the spectators(s).

SOLARI’S IMPOSSIBLE ACES- You remove the 4 aces from your deck. The aces are tabled and you make 4 piles of 4 cards each (3 different cards face down on each ace). You give the spectator the first pile of cards to sit-on. The spectator cuts the deck and buries the other 3 piles of cards on the table in the deck. When the deck is spread the aces have disappeared. The spectator is asked to remove the cards they have been sitting on the whole time and they are the 4 aces. Wow!

Once again, this is easy to perform and do and only requires a few minutes to construct the effect. I love this effect as it plays big (another favorite on the DVD).

GIFT BOX PREDICTION- You show a small gift box and hand 10 cards to the spectator. The spectator drops all 10 cards into the gift box and the magician puts the lid on the box and shakes it up. The lid is removed and the spectator is allowed to reach in and select ANY card. Magician shows an envelope which has been on the table the entire time and it matches the card chosen by the spectator.

This uses one of the same gimmicks as in Signed, Sealed and Amazing and takes a little time to set-up but is well worth it. This brings a nice visual prop (gift box) into a card effect and I HIGHLY recommend this one.

SOLARI’s FLOTATION DEVICE (Bonus Effect)- This is a fun little effect where you pick up a playing card and it appears to float away from your fingers towards the spectators. The gimmick is inexpensive and fairly easy to make. Although I still love my Hover Card, this uses a clever principle and the card can be handed out for examination at the end.
I hope this helps and I will review Disc 2 later. I HIGHLY recommend buying “Live in Your Living Room” as there are several effects you will enjoy and want to perform time-and-time again. It is nice to see a DVD set of effects where you actually feel you have quite an array of effects you want to use and that you got them all for an amazing price.