Visual Obstacles

A couple of days I wrote about the podium struggle at a gig, but that’s not the only challenge at the gig. After I had set up, the event planner filled the front of the stage with prizes.

corporate holiday party

These were to be raffled off after my show. These create a huge visual distraction and barrier between the audience and me. Also, I was standing when I took the picture, so if you were sitting, you’d be looking up at them and they obscure more of performing area.

Not being able to see the whole performer does make a difference. Bob Fitch once told me “Acting is in the feet“, and while I’m not exactly acting, seeing as much of me helps. This is also why you want to try to avoid doing a low show. If you were sitting on stage left, anything I did that was below my belly button wouldn’t be seen.

You can read a post about removing stage monitors I wrote a while ago here.

During the opening of my show, I do something at events like this that no one thinks of. I ask the audience to turn their chairs so they are facing the stage. You’d think that would be instinct if your chair wasn’t facing the presenter, but hardly anyone does that until you mention it. While there’s that minute of shifting chairs, I looked at someone whose view was blocked and asked if they could see. I pretended to hear them say they couldn’t and I told them I’d fix it and started setting prizes on the floor.

Also I have verbal bits I do while people are moving chairs, so the show has started and was able to do them while moving the prizes.

Ultimately you need to know what you need for the show to work and for it to succeed and do your best to create those conditions. There’s nothing worse than a bad show that’s due to conditions that aren’t your fault.

-Louie
PS the show went great!

Ambient Entertainment

Recently an aerialist that I’ve worked with posted a picture of themself working at a corporate gig.

aerialist

It’s a great picture and she’s an amazing act.

However the picture also highlights what’s wrong with many corporate gigs. They pay a lot of money to the acts, then they just waste them. I cropped the picture above, below is the uncropped picture:

corporate ambient entertainment

They have her performing while no one is watching. Everyone is chatting with other people at the table, virtually no one is facing her. Whoever booked it is really throwing away money on an amazing act.

YES, I do understand that it’s ambient entertainment. However, if she wasn’t there the event wouldn’t be diminished, or if they had he do a formal act it’d be much more memorable.

I’m writing this as we get into the corporate holiday party season where pretty much every magician has work. When you book that gig, are they booking your stage show during the meal? If so, then you’re ambient entertainment.

Personally, I won’t take these holiday parties if I’m performing when food is being served or there’s still food on the tables. This is because my show doesn’t work as ambient entertainment, the audience needs to pay attention to my show for it to work. Sure, I’ve taken shows where I’m performing during the meal, but usually not during December when there’s soo much work that I can decline them and something will fill the spot.

Think about what your show needs to succeed, and ask for it!

-Louie

Ballrooms Are The Worst…

Performing in hotel ballrooms is one of the worst situations for a comedy magician. The main problem is that they aren’t designed for a show, but for a wedding, or meetings. Here’s a panoramic picture of the ballroom I performed in last night. There are a few problems with this room. The first is that … Continue reading “Ballrooms Are The Worst…”

Performing in hotel ballrooms is one of the worst situations for a comedy magician. The main problem is that they aren’t designed for a show, but for a wedding, or meetings. Here’s a panoramic picture of the ballroom I performed in last night.

There are a few problems with this room. The first is that the DJ is set up on the stage, which makes it unusable by me. With the giant dance floor in front of the stage, it’s not a huge loss as I could lessen the distance between me and the audience by working on the floor.


The next problem that the darkest places in the room where the stage is and directly in front of it on the dance floor, where I’d be performing. I asked if there were lights (anything) that we could turn on and after going up the chain of command at the hotel, I finally found someone who could as was willing to turn them on for my show. These lights were the general lights, so the room was lit up as if there was a meeting in there. This is better than performing in the dark, where the audience is better lit than the stage.


The moral of the story is either get there super early and try to convince them to move the stage to one end of the room, or be assertive of your needs with the space how it currently is when you get there.

Monitor the Situation…

One of the pieces of advice I always give to magicians is to get a microphone and use it. Most magicians don’t realize how quiet their talking voice is. Sure you can yell at the audience and many people do, but that’s only good for up to a couple dozen people if you aren’t in … Continue reading “Monitor the Situation…”

One of the pieces of advice I always give to magicians is to get a microphone and use it. Most magicians don’t realize how quiet their talking voice is. Sure you can yell at the audience and many people do, but that’s only good for up to a couple dozen people if you aren’t in a formal theater situation.


When I drive to gigs I always have a battery powered speaker in my car. It’s saved a ton of gigs. I use a Roland Street Cube EX:

This little speaker has enough power for a school assembly, and it’s nice a small!


Here’s the advantage to having a speaker like this: It’s versatile! What I mean by that is that I can use it as a speaker. However if I need to I can use it as a mixer, and more importantly I can use it as a stage monitor! Many smaller events will rent a sound system, but it’s just two speakers on a stand, which will work in a ballroom, but lacking the monitor, that’s where this speaker comes in!


If you don’t know what a monitor is, basically is a speaker on stage that allows you to hear your self. It keeps you from yelling and it will save you voice! When the sound guy asks always tell them you want some of your voice in the monitor!

Be Seen!

One of the hardest things when performing for a group in a banquet hall without a stage is being  seen.  Here’s a picture from a corporate gig I did recently. I sat down in a chair at the back to take this picture.  Can you see the person up front talking?  Look close, you can … Continue reading “Be Seen!”

One of the hardest things when performing for a group in a banquet hall without a stage is being  seen.  Here’s a picture from a corporate gig I did recently.

Magic Show
I sat down in a chair at the back to take this picture.  Can you see the person up front talking?  Look close, you can really only see them from about the shoulders up.  What can we learn from this picture?  If you magic is happening below shoulder level most of the audience cannot see it.

There are two ways to solve this visibility problem:

  1. Hold all of your props above your head:  The problem with this is it makes doing sleight of hand really difficult and looks strange.
  2. Bring a your own stage:  This is most obvious solution.  However not always practical, especially when flying.  So I travel with a folding stool.  This fits in my suitcase and when I stand on it makes the show much more visible.

Next time you are at a show, even one with a stage, sit in the back and watch the act or speaker before you and see what you can see. You’ll be amazed at how little can be seen even with a stage!

Louie

I Saved the Show!

Last night I did a corporate gig that I wrote a post about packing for a couple of days ago (Click here to read the post).  The gist of the post was that I had a feeling the venue for the gig that I was flying to wouldn’t have a PA, so I packed my … Continue reading “I Saved the Show!”

Last night I did a corporate gig that I wrote a post about packing for a couple of days ago (Click here to read the post).  The gist of the post was that I had a feeling the venue for the gig that I was flying to wouldn’t have a PA, so I packed my street show PA just in case.

 

Much to my surprise the venue had a PA and a sound board!   Then I plugged my audio into it and learned that the sound board didn’t work.  The venue’s PA only had one XLR input and I need 3 channels.  So I used my street show PA as a mixer and monitor:

Roland Street Cube EX

Please take note that the jumble of wires on the floor is mostly the venue’s cords, not mine.  I simply ran the audio out from my Roland Street Cube EX into the XLR input in the venue’s sound system and I was good to go!

 

One thing I’ve learned as a full time performer is your ability to be problem solver will make your very valuable to your clients.  The booker of the event was in the room when  I was trying to figure out why the sound board wasn’t working, and when had the audio up and running.  She complimented me on my ability to find a solution.

 

So the moral of the story is be a problem solver!

 

Louie

You Gotta be a Boy Scout

When you are a performer you have to live by the Boy Scout motto: Be Prepared I’m flying out today for a corporate gig and I have  a strange feeling that they venue’s sound system won’t work.  What I mean by that is that it won’t work for my show’s needs.   In banquet halls … Continue reading “You Gotta be a Boy Scout”

When you are a performer you have to live by the Boy Scout motto: Be Prepared

I’m flying out today for a corporate gig and I have  a strange feeling that they venue’s sound system won’t work.  What I mean by that is that it won’t work for my show’s needs.

 

In banquet halls there are tons of reasons why the system won’t work. Sometimes they have systems that you can’t plug into.  The speakers in the ceiling sound like a tin can or make it so you can’t move around without getting feedback.

 

Honestly I don’t know why I have this feeling about the sound system, but my “spidey sense” is tingling.

 

So what do I am I doing?

 

I’m packing my street show PA in my suitcase:

Magic show sound system

Since I’m only away a short period of time, I don’t have a lot to pack, so the speaker fits easily in the in my suitcase.

 

The PA I’m using is the Roland Street Cube EX.  The great thing about this is it’s small enough to put in the overhead bin on the plane but has enough power for a gym.   I’ve got the proper cords with me to use this as a mixer and/or monitor if they have a system I can plug into.

 

Hopefully I won’t need it, but in case I do, I’ve got it!

Louie