Category: Pictures

Custom Made Vanishing Birdcage!

I just had my first custom made vanishing birdcage arrive! It’s the cage in the middle in the picture below:

vanishing birdcage

It’s the pretty much right in between an Owen Vanishing Birdcage and the Summers/Riser Baby Lindy Vanishing Birdcage.

vanishing birdcage

The middle size is great so far (I’ve only practiced with it). I like that it’s visually larger. I like the size of the Owen cage, however it’s just a tad too long for my sleeve and I need to ditch it really quickly after the vanish. Where the smaller Summers/Riser cage can live in my sleeve for a while. The new middle size is just short enough so I don’t feel like I need to ditch it right away!

I can’t wait to use it for an audience!

-Louie

Painting a Magic Prop…

One of the tricks I’m working on uses a fake lime slice. The one on the left is how I get them. It looks good, however the white rubs off fairly quickly and from a short distance it’s not obviously a lime.

magic trick with lime

For the one on the right I went to an art store and the lady there helped me pick out a paint to use that should be more permanent. So far the new white paint is holding up a lot better than the original paint.

Sometimes it’s the little things like white paint on a fake lime that makes a huge difference in the trick!

-Louie
Click here for more information about learning to build your own magic props.

Reducing Magic Clutter!

One of the things I’m trying to do is carry around less stuff. For example, for a 45 mins show, I used to travel with 60+ mins of material. That’s a habit from when I was younger and the time it took to do routines would vary wildly show to how. With years and thousands of shows under my belt, I’m much more consistent with the minimum time that routines take.

Here’s my set up from a recent show at a comedy club:

Comedy club magic show

In the past, my table top bin would be filled with soo much extra crap that I never used. That’s just extra weight I’m lugging around. Now there are only two extra tricks that I’m travelling with.

Here’s the what my two prop bins look like:

The two extra routines I have are the gypsy thread and my ACAAN with a jumbo deck and I rarely use those. Frequently I’m finding myself cutting a planned routine out of the show because I’m running long!

Having less clutter in my gear is super helpful for reducing set up and tear down times and having less stuff onstage makes everything much more efficient!

-Louie

Performing At Retirement Communities!

One type of show that I love doing are shows for seniors! These shows are personally very rewarding to do and I always feel amazing after them. These facilities have tons of activities going on.

It’s a market that NEEDS entertainment! I’ve been working these venues since I was a teenage while they used to be a bigger part of my income, I only do a dozen or two a year. That’s based on my travel schedule, I can only take them on dates that I’m locked into being in a town or at home.

When I was younger I used to tour doing senior shows. I would book 2-5 shows in a town and then drive to the next town. It’s a lot of work, but it was worth it to me!

You can learn more about performing in this market from my book How To Perform For Seniors!

-Louie

Take Your Show on the Road!

Tips for Travelling With Your Show!  

My “summer season” started early with a 10 day outdoor fair in Southern California in February.  Normally my outdoor season doesn’t start until March or April, so I’m out working on my tan early!

Amazon Lockers: Most cities have Amazon lockers and they can be a lifesaver if you’re flying to a gig or staying at an AirBnB.  Amazon Lockers are around town at things like gas stations and grocery stores.  You can order things to be delivered to them the day before you get into town and everything will be waiting for you. No more running around to stores to get things you don’t fly with.  For example, I’m at a 10 day gig, and will use probably 20 decks of cards.  I don’t want to fly with them, it’s too much weight, so I simply ordered two bricks of cards to an Amazon Locker and they were there waiting for me.

Cash: I always try to have $100 on me at all times for emergencies. That will get me to the next gas station and it’s handy just pay cash for your portion of dinner if you go out with other people. I also try to have five $20’s as it’s more versatile than a single one hundred dollar bill.

AirTags: These are GPS trackers that work with iPhones (there’s an Android equivalent).  It’s always nice to know that my show that’s checked luggage made it on the plane!
Roadside America:  This is an iPhone app and website that has all sorts of quirky and unusual things around the USA (and a little bit of Canada).  It’ll help you find cool things in to see or do in the area you’re performing in.

Magic Clubs: When I travel to cities I look up local magic clubs and try to visit them. You can find lists of them on the S.A.M and I.B.M. websites.

AreoPress: This is a small little gadget that makes great coffee and is easy to travel with!  All you need is ground coffee and hot water.  No more gross hotel coffee!

Hope there’s a tip in there that makes travelling with you show a little more fun!

-Louie

3D Printing Magic

I can’t imagine life without my 3D printer! There’s many props that would have neve seen the light of day without it. Right now I’m working on a batch of my Take Up Reels.

3d printing magic tricks

These are the the first lock of the Take Up Reel that locks the string long. These would have been impossible to make without a 3D printer, or at least impossible to have at a reasonable price!

If you haven’t played with 3D printing, you can play with design software and try to make something without having a 3d printer. Websites like Tinkercad.com are easy to use. If you’ve never played with making your own designs, go to one of these sight and play with them, you’ll be surprised at what you can make!

-Louie
Click here to learn more about building your own magic props!

Familiar Feeling and Crushing It!

What a difference a day makes!

On Saturday and Sunday I was struggling with my show at a venue that was very different from what I perform at. Then on Monday, I was performing at a convention for 550 people and the whole show felt really natural and easy.

magic show for a convention

Honestly, there’s a lot to be said about performing in a venue you’re used to. By venue, I really mean that the audience was seated for a show, versus a transient, standing audience who weren’t planning on watching a show.

You should always challenge yourself and try venues and situations that you don’t normally perform in. It makes you a better performer, or at least a more knowledgeable one. Know why your show doesn’t work is as important as knowing why your show works.

-Louie

Sharing a PA!

One of the things that I do when I share a PA with other performers and there’s no official sound person is take a picture of my settings.

This allows me to turn my channels down when I’m not performing. That way I don’t need to worry about something getting on my mic’s wireless channel or my music getting bumped and playing.

Turning down or muting any active channels you’re using is a courtesy for other acts you’re working with. It’s easy to do and if you take a pic, that pic is reliable to reset you audio.

– Louie

Brent Fiasco

Last weekend I was working at an Oddities Expo with Brent Fiasco. Brent crushed his shows and does a great street style show. He does a solid crowd built, and a great job of uniting the audience.

Brent Fiasco

In his 30 min set, he does four routines. He does three routines in the first 12 minutes and one in the last 18 minutes. The show does a good job of building the crowd in the first three routines and then selling the “big trick” and prolonging it as long as possible in the last 18 minutes.

Brent Fiasco

Brent’s show is a great lesson in how to structure a street show and he also does a great job of living in the moment. If you get the chance, his show work worth checking out!

-Louie