Practice!

With the lack of live performance venues performers have been doing their thing with streaming video on the internet. Most of it is a person in front of a camera with no production value. Yesterday was St. Patrick’s day and The Dropkick Murphy’s live streamed a show that would normally have an audience and it … Continue reading “Practice!”

With the lack of live performance venues performers have been doing their thing with streaming video on the internet. Most of it is a person in front of a camera with no production value. Yesterday was St. Patrick’s day and The Dropkick Murphy’s live streamed a show that would normally have an audience and it was amazing.

You can watch it here:

Besides really setting the bar for a live streamed show, they also were a lesson in how to perform. You should be able to perform like it’s a stadium for no one. I know it’s strange when you don’t get the feedback from the audience, however they way they performed it was as if to a full house. It’s clear that when the rehearse, they rehearse like they are playing to a crowd. They way the pause after a song, they’ve been there and planned to be there.


Look at how you practice, are you simply going through the motions or are you doing it like you’re actually doing a show?

Taking Your Show Online…

It’s an interesting time to be a magician, with virtually no venues to perform in. There are a few birthday party magicians still performing, but I think that’s about it, the whole industry has been forced to close. This has led performers to try to move their shows online. Several performers have put their whole … Continue reading “Taking Your Show Online…”

It’s an interesting time to be a magician, with virtually no venues to perform in. There are a few birthday party magicians still performing, but I think that’s about it, the whole industry has been forced to close. This has led performers to try to move their shows online.


Several performers have put their whole shows online and can be watched for free on things like YouTube or Facebook. I’m trying to figure out what the end game is when you put a whole show online. Sure it’s great for the viewer, but most are giving it away for free and asking for donations. How do you monetize it?


Also I think we’re a bit early in the “social isolation” game to start giving away your show for donations. We’re only on day 5ish of a potential 56 days, there’s still plenty of Netflix content to get through. I’d wait a little while for people to start getting bored…

Magic Shop Jam!

On Friday of last week I pitched in and helped out at Market Magic Shop in Seattle for a couple of hours. A couple of magicians came out and we jammed a bit, it was a lot of fun! One of the things that we were goofing off with was pressed pennies. Here’s a trick … Continue reading “Magic Shop Jam!”

On Friday of last week I pitched in and helped out at Market Magic Shop in Seattle for a couple of hours. A couple of magicians came out and we jammed a bit, it was a lot of fun!

Magic Jam

One of the things that we were goofing off with was pressed pennies. Here’s a trick with one:

It’d be an amazing giveaway if you had your own custom penny made, or better yet a quarter and did the trick and gave them away. The initial cost would be crazy, but would be a giveaway that they’d keep!

Lip Bomb!

A couple of months ago I recorded my Coin in Chapstick magic trick and haven’t looked at it. I’m glad I finally did, the trick looks great! My only problem with it is that it doesn’t really have a place in my show. I did a blog post about it awhile ago about how just … Continue reading “Lip Bomb!”

A couple of months ago I recorded my Coin in Chapstick magic trick and haven’t looked at it. I’m glad I finally did, the trick looks great! My only problem with it is that it doesn’t really have a place in my show. I did a blog post about it awhile ago about how just because it’s an everyday object doesn’t mean it’s right for your show.

You can watch my trick here:

The trick would be better suited as a “street magic” type video than it would in formal show. I’ll probably write it up and publish it in Vanish Magazine.

Clean Up Your Act!

Apparently I’m pretty guilty of having some disgusting props. I was looking over what I use and my personal set of dice for my Cee Lo (cup and dice) routine are gross. I think how they got this bad is that I’m the only person that handles the dice, so I haven’t gotten anyone to … Continue reading “Clean Up Your Act!”

Apparently I’m pretty guilty of having some disgusting props. I was looking over what I use and my personal set of dice for my Cee Lo (cup and dice) routine are gross. I think how they got this bad is that I’m the only person that handles the dice, so I haven’t gotten anyone to react to their grossness.

The die with the number 1 up is the clean one and when compared to the other die, you can see how gross they were!

Right now is a good time to take a look your props and give them a good wipe down, even if they don’t need it!

Social Distance Magic

Well, in the span of two days the world has really changed, or at least the United States has. In a span of 48 hours we’ve have bans on events of over 100 people and entire states close their school districts for over a month! Many performers are complaining about this, instead moving forward and … Continue reading “Social Distance Magic”

Well, in the span of two days the world has really changed, or at least the United States has. In a span of 48 hours we’ve have bans on events of over 100 people and entire states close their school districts for over a month! Many performers are complaining about this, instead moving forward and innovating.


Right now as a performer you don’t have control over attendance caps on events or the venue being able to sanitize it, so let’s look at something we can control, close up magic. Right now no one wants to touch anything. Everything is getting wiped down and people are constantly sanitizing. It’s gotta be a hard time for a close up magician. One of the advantages is that people can touch the props and the magic happens in their hands.


Currently having someone hold sponge balls isn’t socially acceptable, I’d argue it hasn’t been for a while as they are full of germs. Even if you wash them every night, they are gross by the time the second person holds them. Sponge balls are crutch for lazy close up performers. It’s easy for a beginner to get a reaction with them, and I’ll admit it’s a good trick. If you took it out of your close up set, would people like your act the same?


I’m looking at my close up show and thinking about what I can do without people touching anything. I don’t do sponge balls, or sponge anything, so that’s no problem. My ambitious card routine (technically a multiple revelation) needs one bit cut out of it, which is the card to mouth phase. This is a bit I started to get uncomfortable with a few years ago, and this is what I need to force me to take it out. My linking pins routine has two in the hands phases, however those are newer additions to the routine, and I can revert to the old routine which is almost as strong as the current one. The shell game,and cup and dice routine all can be done without people touching anything.


Look at your close up show, can you do it in our current climate of “social distancing”?

Cool Stage Time…

After getting back from performing at a Sideshow Festival in New Orleans I realized another reason that these industry festivals are important: Stage time! Coming up in stand up comedy venues, I learned that “stage time is more important than gold.” The value of stage time is something that’s carried through my whole life. At … Continue reading “Cool Stage Time…”

After getting back from performing at a Sideshow Festival in New Orleans I realized another reason that these industry festivals are important: Stage time! Coming up in stand up comedy venues, I learned that “stage time is more important than gold.” The value of stage time is something that’s carried through my whole life.


At a festival it’s a different kind of stage time. For a younger performer, getting to work on a stage that their hero’s perform on is one of the best feelings. Even better is when they get to perform on shows with them, it’s a boost to the energy of newer acts. That makes acts work harder, which hopefully makes them better.

For an older performer like me, it’s inspiring to see newer performers excited to be on a show. That excitement motivates me to be better and hopefully keep up with the kids.

COVID and Cancellations…

Currently the COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus) is going around and people are freaking out. I know of a lot of events that are getting postponed or cancelled, and a lot of performers who are losing shows. Some of these cancellations are justified and some aren’t. Over the last few days I’ve done a lot of thinking … Continue reading “COVID and Cancellations…”

Currently the COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus) is going around and people are freaking out. I know of a lot of events that are getting postponed or cancelled, and a lot of performers who are losing shows. Some of these cancellations are justified and some aren’t.


Over the last few days I’ve done a lot of thinking and talked to a lot of people who run event venues and produce shows. I’m trying to figure out what is the artist’s responsibility in regards to cancelling shows. Many times the artist has no choice and the decision is made by the venue, booker or producer. However sometimes the artist has a choice, generally in a contract this is called a Force Majeure clause. This allows one or both parties to the contract to cancel for reasons beyond their control. This is slightly different than and “act of god” clause, which covers things like weather. A Force Majeure clause covers a few more things like riots, or virus outbreaks.

**NOTE** I’m not a lawyer, find an actual lawyer for legal advice.

In show business there’s the old saying, “The show must go on” and sometimes it should, and sometimes it shouldn’t. I’ve seen or performed in plenty of shows where things have happened that should have stopped the show. I’ve personally seen fights break out, had someone die of a heart attack at a show, and famously in the Seattle area a comedian was assaulted with a baseball bat and almost killed onstage. All three of those instances the show didn’t go on, it stopped.


All three of the examples are pretty extreme, let’s move to an example that happened early in my career. I was schedule to perform at an assisted living facility for senior citizens and they called me the day before to cancel because the flu was going through their facility. I agreed to cancel, and this was a point in time where the money really meant a lot to me, I was living gig to gig. I understood that spreading the flu was potentially deadly to the seniors, and I didn’t want to get the flu and agreed to the cancellation. If you look into the current Coronavirus situation most of the deaths happened at an assisted living facility and they think it was spread during a Mardi Gras party there.


You can read about it here:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8084659/Germ-fest-Mardi-Gras-party-Washington-care-home-sparked-deadly-coronavirus-outbreak.html

What Can You Do?

Losing gigs sucks, and losing them out of an “abundance of caution” and not something that’s currently happening isn’t fun and it’s stressful. Here’s what you can do to prepare. Build up some savings, so you can ride out the cancellations. I think the common advice is to have three months of what you need to pay your bills saved up. I know a lot of people are stressing out about losing a gig or a dozen gigs. I’ve been there, it’s not fun, however it’s your duty as a business owner to have some money put away in case you can’t perform. I’ve had to perform sick, or with a broken arm to pay the bills, it’s not fun. Save some money.


Another thing you can do is not to post how many gigs you are losing. I think it makes people who wouldn’t otherwise cancel a gig start to think about it. If I’m a corporate gig and I have you booked, and look at your facebook page and see you’ve have 5 gigs cancel this week, it’s going to put it on my radar that maybe we should postpone our monthly meeting that we have you booked at. I know those posts get comments and interactions, but it’s for the wrong reasons. You can’t complain about the hysteria when you are feeding it. If you’re going for social media content, post about the gigs you are doing, post video of magic trick from your office, or post some video of you at a show last month.


Let’s wrap this up:


I’ve come to the conclusion that for my personal ethics I need to keep my audience safe. How do I do that when I also personally believe it’s still safe to go see shows, especially if you’re not in an “at risk group” for the Coronavirus? I’m going by what the health department in city or county the venue recommends. Sometimes there are outright bans on things, and sometimes there are just recommendations. The health department is (in theory) smarter than me about things like this. I’m following their recommendations, and I think ethically as a performer that is your duty to provide a minimum level of safety to your audience.






Have Fun!

One of my favorite things is chatting with other performers.  I enjoy swapping stories, and just hanging out. Performing as a full time  job is something that not a lot of people can relate to, so love hearing others peoples triumphs and tragedies.  Last week I worked with a sideshow duo and they mentioned that … Continue reading “Have Fun!”

One of my favorite things is chatting with other performers.  I enjoy swapping stories, and just hanging out. Performing as a full time  job is something that not a lot of people can relate to, so love hearing others peoples triumphs and tragedies. 

Last week I worked with a sideshow duo and they mentioned that onstage they are just trying to make the other guy laugh.  They do that to have fun in the show and that’s why in my opinion their show is soo good.  They are having fun and that carries over to the audience.

One of the bigger notes that I would the newer performers was that they didn’t look like they were having fun.  They looked like they were working, and watching some who doesn’t look engaged isn’t as fun as watching someone who is into what they do.  Living in the moment and trying new things or whatever you do to keep the show fresh is important.  You don’t want to look like a robot or factory worker when you are onstage.

Support Your Art!

This weekend I got to perform at a sideshow festival in New Orleans. I think that performing at or attending festivals is something that very important for performers today. You are supporting innovation in your art form. When you go to these festivals or conventions as an attendee, you get to see the top performers. … Continue reading “Support Your Art!”

This weekend I got to perform at a sideshow festival in New Orleans. I think that performing at or attending festivals is something that very important for performers today. You are supporting innovation in your art form.


When you go to these festivals or conventions as an attendee, you get to see the top performers.  This keeps you informed of what level you are at and who your peers are.  Knowing what level your show or act is act keeps your helps with pricing and what sort of venues you can be performing at.  The acts you see keep you updated with the trends in the industry.  What tricks or styles are
common, and once you know the trends you can embrace or avoid the trends. 

performing at festivals is a good place to “level up” your show.  When other people see what you do and how you do it, you can become the trendsetter.  I know the old argument is that people don’t want other people to steal their material.  It’s a lame excuse because as a performer you need to do your art where other people will see it.  You’ll never know who is seeing it no matter where you do it.  Do it for industry and establish it for yourself.