Pet Peeve #731

Something that drives me nuts and I see it all the time in magicians promo and shows is when they say they “Aren’t like other magic shows”. Then they proceed to do the same magic tricks, the only difference is that they aren’t wearing a tailcoat and top hat. They are trying to break a … Continue reading “Pet Peeve #731”

Something that drives me nuts and I see it all the time in magicians promo and shows is when they say they “Aren’t like other magic shows”. Then they proceed to do the same magic tricks, the only difference is that they aren’t wearing a tailcoat and top hat. They are trying to break a stereotype that changed in the late 1990’s when David Blaine came on the scene.


The amount of magicians that are the stereotype are very few. What really drives me nuts is when they have to keep telling me about it in the show. Really, I can see that you’re not wearing a top hat, I can see that you aren’t making a rabbit appear. Show me with your content and not your words.


I think the space where you tell me things I can’t see or that I will figure out could be used more effectively in a show. Instead tell me how you got into magic…or better yet, tell me how you fought with your first magic teacher over how you dressed or performed. Then I’ll get some insight into you.

Ending of a Show…

The other night I went out to Hales Palladium to check out Billy Kidd’s magic show. I’m always amazed at the lack of magicians that go out and support these things. There were a few magicians there, but nowhere near how many should have been out. The show was good, and the particular show I … Continue reading “Ending of a Show…”

The other night I went out to Hales Palladium to check out Billy Kidd’s magic show. I’m always amazed at the lack of magicians that go out and support these things. There were a few magicians there, but nowhere near how many should have been out.


The show was good, and the particular show I was at, I felt like there was an ending that was supposed to happen, but didn’t. I’m not sure what the ending would have been, or if there was something more planned, but it felt like there should have been something.


There are times in my show when something goes wrong and you know it, and you cut the big ending. Or you hit the end of your time and you just need to wrap it up. I’m curious and would like to see the show again to see if there was something that wasn’t done.

Magic Prop Problems…

There are many magic props that are a pain to use. Mostly because of either they wear our or need to be maintained. For example, you may have a prop that has a flimsy hinge or a string that rubs against something. Those are things that you need to keep an eye on. On thing … Continue reading “Magic Prop Problems…”

There are many magic props that are a pain to use. Mostly because of either they wear our or need to be maintained. For example, you may have a prop that has a flimsy hinge or a string that rubs against something. Those are things that you need to keep an eye on.


On thing that I use in my show is a remote control to run my audio. I’ve heard stories of people breaking the belt clip on it. While not a huge deal, it’s a pain the butt to not have one while you are waiting for a replacement to arrive, or trying to figure out how to make a makeshift belt clip.

I was working on another prop and had some leftover silicone, so I made a mold of the remote control’s belt clip and made a couple belt clips.

Audio Ape remote control belt clip

These fit perfectly onto the remote control. The are going to live in the bottom of my audio case for when I need them, or am working with with someone cool who might need one.

Be Conversational…

A friend of mine was headlining a local comedy club for the first time, and a bunch of us went out to see her. Her show was great. She came out and was instantly in charge of the audience, she smiled and her act was version conversational feel. I didn’t feel like she was doing … Continue reading “Be Conversational…”

A friend of mine was headlining a local comedy club for the first time, and a bunch of us went out to see her. Her show was great. She came out and was instantly in charge of the audience, she smiled and her act was version conversational feel. I didn’t feel like she was doing lines.


Personally it’s always interesting to see the difference between the opener, feature and headliner. This difference shows how much experience and stage time really matters. It’s more than just the quality of a joke. It’s the pacing, it’s smiling, it’s reacting to the audience and their reaction to the joke.


While you are doing jokes and working off a script, you also need to be able to be in the moment. You need to react to how people react, and be in the moment. Magic works the same way, if you feel like you are doing lines, there’s a disconnect.

The Vanishing Bird Cage is one of the hardest tricks I’ve ever worked on. It seems like every problem I solve, another problem pops up. In the recent past when I did the cage, the plan wasn’t for it to stay in the show for very long. Because of this, I didn’t put a ton … Continue reading “”

The Vanishing Bird Cage is one of the hardest tricks I’ve ever worked on. It seems like every problem I solve, another problem pops up. In the recent past when I did the cage, the plan wasn’t for it to stay in the show for very long. Because of this, I didn’t put a ton of time into it.


Now that I think this is something that’s going to be in the show for a little while, I’m putting more time into it. I want to do the vanish of the bird cage faster than the “slow motion” vanish. I’m having a frequent problem with the cage hanging up on my sleeve at the exact same spot. I think it has to do with the coat more than the cage. Material seems to bunch about 3 inches inside my sleeve and the cage gets stuck about 20% of the time.


My solution was to have it not run up the sleeve. I’m having it run across my hand. This gives me a more unusual grip of the cage, the cage sits on the palm of my hand. It’s similar to the one handed grip that John Carney uses in the CARNEY 2013 video on the Vanishing Bird Cage.

John Carney Vanishing Bird cage

The main difference Carney’s grip and mine is that my hand is completely palm up. The cage can be displayed with no support from either hand, aside from my right palm as a base.

Adjusting my grip has reduced the cage hanging up to less than 5%. This is good, but still a long way to go!

Writing for the Vanishing Bird Cage…

Yesterday I was doing some writing for the routine for the vanishing bird cage. The basic flow of the routine is the box is introduced, the cage vanishes and the bird reappears in my pocket. Here’s the first rough script that I wrote: When I was a 7 years old, I wanted a pet bird … Continue reading “Writing for the Vanishing Bird Cage…”

Yesterday I was doing some writing for the routine for the vanishing bird cage. The basic flow of the routine is the box is introduced, the cage vanishes and the bird reappears in my pocket.

Here’s the first rough script that I wrote:

When I was a 7 years old, I wanted a pet bird more than anything…even more than a pet tyranosaurs.  Turns out my brother is allergic to birds, so my mom got me a rubber canary. One the plus side his cage is clean, on the minus side I’ll probably die in a coal mine.  I also learned I’m allergic to latex. 

He’s trained to do tricks.  Stay…incredible. Freeze…amazing.  Play dead (shake cage)…tah-dah!

Most amazing trick he does is jump up, eat the cage,then fly into my left pocket, which is amazing because everyone knows canaries are right handed. 

Drum roll…One Two Three 

OK, the above isn’t the worlds greatest routine, but it’s a start. Then I just wrote some random jokes for it:

This cage is made of reinforced suitable for holding pretend animals and despot rulers. 

The cage looked soo much bigger on the ebay listing

You can’t spell PETA without pet.  

The decline in this tricks popularity corresponds with the decline of coal miners.

Display at a coal mine supply shop

I like the “despot ruler” joke, however I don’t think it will get a big laugh.


Next I tried writing the script again with a slightly different approach:

This is the only trick in the show that I didn’t invent, so it’s the best one in the show.   It was invented in a magician in the 1800’s named Dekolta. He was famous for making his wife disappear…he also held the guinness world record for most number of marriages.  

He’d take a cage with a canary and make it disappear.  This is the actual cage he used, and inside is the actual canary he used…according to ebay.  

Unfortunately this trick is copyrighted by the magician’s guild and I can’t show it to you.  So I’ll do it undercover of a handkerchief.

It happens quick.  1, 2, 3

What I don’t like about the above trick is that I’m telling them about a trick that someone else did. I should really be telling them something about me, or what’s happening now, not two hundred years ago.

I gave the script another try with another approach.

When I was a teenager I went to magic camp…I know, can you believe I turned out this normal.  I got to see Harry Blackstone Jr do a trick with a canary in a cage, I always wanted to do it.

I begged my mom for a canary…I wanted to do the trick more than anything…even more than a a normal social life.  Mom said I wasn’t “responsible” enough for a pet, so she got me a rubber canary. One the plus side his cage is clean, on the minus side I’ll probably die in a coal mine or from my latex allergy.   

This cage was made by my middle school shop teacher / life coach, and is suitable for holding rubber animals and despot rulers. 

His name is frankie, he likes sunflower seeds. 
(put sunflower seed into cage and falls through)

He’s trained to do tricks. (put sunflower seed into cage and falls through) Stay…incredible.  Freeze…amazing. (put sunflower seed into cage and falls through) Play dead (shake cage)…tah-dah! (put sunflower seed into cage and falls through)

Most amazing trick he does is jump up, eat the cage,then fly into my left pocket, which is amazing because everyone knows canaries are right handed.  

Drum roll…One Two Three

I like this script best, as you learn a little bit about me. I think that the feeding the rubber canary is an original bit. There’s still a long way to go, and this probably isn’t what I’ll use, but it’s something.


No Outs and Snagging…

Honestly, I’m not sure how I used to do the vanishing birdcage. I think I was very lucky in that years ago it never really hung up on my sleeve in a show. I also think that I’m currently more aware of failure without an “out” in tricks that I do in the show. Billy … Continue reading “No Outs and Snagging…”

Honestly, I’m not sure how I used to do the vanishing birdcage. I think I was very lucky in that years ago it never really hung up on my sleeve in a show. I also think that I’m currently more aware of failure without an “out” in tricks that I do in the show. Billy McComb in an interview on the Greater Magic Video Series says, “…there is no out when the cage is hanging out of your sleeve.

Currently I’m following Tommy Wonder‘s advice. Every time the cage snags on something, I’m trying to figure why it snagged and what I can do to stop it from snagging. It’s a smart approach, and one that’s a lot of work and will end up with a fairly altered jacket.

The last year or so I’ve been working with the vanishing bird cage trick. I used to do it a long time ago, and at one point even did the Tommy Wonder version with the sleeves rolled up. The vanishing bird cage is one of those tricks that I keep revisiting. Currently it’s in the … Continue reading “”

The last year or so I’ve been working with the vanishing bird cage trick. I used to do it a long time ago, and at one point even did the Tommy Wonder version with the sleeves rolled up. The vanishing bird cage is one of those tricks that I keep revisiting.


Currently it’s in the show and I’ve been doing essentially Billy McComb’s Slow Motion Vanishing Bird Cage. The main difference is that I’m doing it fast, just under the cover of the sheer scarf. I think the scarf adds a little bit to the vanish. Yes, it takes away from the instant vanish, but also adds a bit of other options as to where the cage could have gone.


Last night I stumbled upon a video of Tommy Wonder doing his vanish with the scarf:

I like this better than when he does it uncovered.

One thing that the scarf does is that it gives the audience a moment to process what’s happened while you show the sheer scarf empty and let’s their brains get caught up.

Magic Jamming…

One thing that I recommend to all magicians is to hang out with other magicians. Playing around with magic can lead to some interesting results for tricks. Here’s the highlight reel from a magic jam session yesterday: One of the things that we played with was an oversized thumbtip. There was a lot more we … Continue reading “Magic Jamming…”

One thing that I recommend to all magicians is to hang out with other magicians. Playing around with magic can lead to some interesting results for tricks. Here’s the highlight reel from a magic jam session yesterday:

One of the things that we played with was an oversized thumbtip. There was a lot more we came up with using it than what’s on the video. Who knew you could do soo much with a thumbtip without putting it on your thumb. Now the tricks don’t really work in the real world, as you’re using the tip as a prop that’s in view. With that in mind, it’s still a great creative exercise!

Creative Slump…

The last few weeks I feel like I’ve been in a creative slump as far as generating new tricks goes. It’s not that I haven’t been creative, I’ve been working on existing tricks that are in my show, just not creating new tricks. There’s nothing wrong with this, it’s just that when I go out … Continue reading “Creative Slump…”

The last few weeks I feel like I’ve been in a creative slump as far as generating new tricks goes. It’s not that I haven’t been creative, I’ve been working on existing tricks that are in my show, just not creating new tricks. There’s nothing wrong with this, it’s just that when I go out and do close up gigs, I feel like they are lacking something for me.


One of the things that I love about performing is doing new stuff. Exploring and taking risks. The last month in my close up work, I really haven’t been taking any risks, while the gigs are good, they aren’t as personally fulfilling as they could be.


Luckily I have some time off, so I’ll have some time to start creating some new stuff. With any luck I can have something new for my close up set!