Using a Magic Show Set List

Whenever I hear that magicians don’t have set lists, it amazes me. There was a point early on in my career when I didn’t use them; however, you need them if you’re doing longer than a 30 minute show for a birthday party. For longer, more formal shows, you need structure and flow. You don’t get that if you’re just randomly grabbing props.

Here’s my set list for a 90 min (including intermission) show:

magic show set list

Having a set list helps you with transitions and general prop management. One thing that I try to do with a set list is to not have two routines in a row that use people from the audience onstage. Another thing is to not have two long routines back to back. These aren’t absolute rules; however, with a set list, it’s much easier to do than when you’re just grabbing props and doing that routine.

-Louie

First Tuesday Night Magic Meet Up in Portland OR!

In Portland OR there’s a magic meet up on the first Tuesday of the month. This used to meet at the magic shop at Lloyd Center before the center closed. Now they meet at a bar in Portland and it’s a fun night of jamming and BSing!

magicians sitting at a table

If you’re in the Portland area on the first Tuesday of the month, reach out to the Portland Society of Magicians for information on the meet up. This meet up is an independent meet up, but George at the PSM can give you info.

-Louie

The Moisture Festival Podcast – Podcast on the Road in Ohio

This week the Moisture Festival goes on the road to Ohio to chat with Bill Robison, Roberto the Magnificent, Eric Haines and Ran’d Shine!

In this episode we get caught up with the four acts, and learn about how to crash Dick VanDyke’s 100th birthday part, what it’s like to perform at a halftime show, what a follow mime is and the best kind of professional wrestling!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Coin Balm by Rocco and Roy Kueppers

Over six years ago, I published a trick called Lip Bomb in this blog and in Vanish Magazine. Here’s what the trick looks like:

Then recently, I saw an ad for a trick that Rocco and Roy Kueppers called Coin Balm. It looks like this was initially released in 2004, here’s what it looks like:

It looks very similar to my trick…doesn’t it?

I do like the lifting of the coin up out of the tube that Rocco does, that makes the trick play bigger than the dumping of the coin downwards that I do in my trick. However I really like the spectator producing the coin from the chapstick tube that I do more than the reveal that Rocco does where he pulls it out himself.

I haven’t bought this product, so I don’t know if my trick is credited in it, or if Michal l P Lair’s Rich Smoke trick is credited.

-Louie

How to Load the Snake Wand Surprise v2

One of the questions I get asked about the Snake Wand Surprise V2 is how long does it take to load it. Here’s me loading it slowly, and talking through the loading process:


That took less than 3 minutes to do slowly and as you can see, it’s not very hard to do. Normally, I do it in about 2 minutes.

-Louie

Final Day of Presale: How to Perform for Seniors – 3rd edition

Today is the final day for the $5 off presale of the 3rd edition of my book How To Perform For Seniors. When I got the two boxes of books from the printer, I had a fun surprise when I opened one of them!

The presale on the book ends at the end of the day today. Get your order in now, and it’ll ship tomorrow!

-Louie
Get the book at: https://www.magicshow.tips/product/16716/

A Close Up Magic Routine

There’s a new sequence I’m playing with for my stage show. This is close up magic with projection. This whole sequence is done solo, with just me onstage. Here’s what’s going on:

1: Stand Up Chop Cup: This is the chop cup routine from my 2025 PCAM Lecture Notes. This routine doesn’t use a table and is done solo onstage with no projection. It ends with the production of a tennis ball.

2: Shuffle Routine: I move to the table, with the close up camera on it. A deck of cards is introduced and shown in new deck order. It’s shuffled a few times and is spread out to show it’s back in new deck order. This is repeated a second time.

3: That Way More: This is a modified version of my horizontal Ambitious Card routine. I’ve published parts of this routine in Vanish Magazine.

4: Card in Tennis Ball: The ending of the sequence is the selected and marked card comes out of the tennis ball that as produced at the beginning of the sequence!

What I like about the sequence is that it ends with a callback to the tennis ball that was produced at the beginning of the sequence.

-Louie

How to Perform For Seniors 3rd edition – presale info

drawing of magician performing for seniors

There’s only a couple more days left for the presale of the 3rd Edition of How To Perform for Seniors book. The third edition updates all the info in the previous two editions and includes new information, like using video projection in your show.

This book is normally $35, however if you order before October 12th, 2026 you’ll save $5!

You can place your order here:
https://www.magicshow.tips/product/16716/

The estimated ship date is October 13th.

-Louie

Demo of An Easy Elmsley Count Trick

Yesterday I posted an simple color changing back routine that is Elmsley Count based. You can learn the sequence here. While I waiting in my car for an appointment, I grabbed some cards and made a quick trick using that sequence:

I think more people should use the Elmsley Count with the cards held vertically. You have to shift your thinking a bit, as it’s backward. Your finger will do the thumb’s action, and your thumb will do your finger’s action.

Doing the Elmsley Count vertically puts your face into the frame, which in theory is good.

-Louie

An Easy Trick with an Elmsley Count

Here’s an easy color changing backs sequence with an Elmsley Count. I came up with this the other night, but it feels like I’ve either come up with this same sequence before or read it somewhere.

You need three red backed cards and three blue backed cards. The set up from the top down is: red-red- blue-blue-blue-red

1: Do an Elmsley Count to show four red backs
2: Do an Elmsley Count to show three red and one blue. The final card of the Elmsley Count goes to the bottom of the packet.
3: Do an Elmsley Count to show two red and two blue.
4: Do an Elmsley Count to show one red and three blue.
5: Do a final Elmsley Count to show four blue cards.

There you go, not much to it. Pick up some cards and try it for fun!

-Louie