magic show tips – Page 30

White Album Xmas

For 17 years there’s been a circus show in Portland, OR called the White Album Xmas. I’ve heard about it and finally got to go see the show!

The show is a circus show to the soundtrack of the Beatle’s White Album, which is played by an amazing band! The show has a story that is the throughline and it loosely connects the circus acts.

This is a super fun show put on by super talented people and it’s clear that it’s a labor of love. I was chatting to a friend of my who has been in the show for 17 years and he said there’s about 65 people involved in putting the show on! That’s a major undertaking!

What really surprised me is that the demographics for the show was essentially two kinds of people. People who are into the circus and people who are into The Beatles. For each group, the other thing was a bonus. My wife and I were a good example of one person from each group!

The thing that really struck me about everyone in the show was that they all appeared to be having the best time they’ve ever had in their lives! Everyone in the show looked like there’s no where they’d rather be than on that stage. That’s something 99% of magicians should learn to do: look like they’re having fun onstage!

Sometimes I see a show and want to be a part of it and this is one of those shows. The reality is that my style of performing doesn’t really fit into the show. Sure I could create an act for the show, but the other problem is that the show runs during prime holiday party season and I’d be missing out on a lot of high paying gigs. I’ll have to settle be being a part of the show by buying a ticket and possibly volunteering as an usher or whatever on my day of.

If you’re in the Portland OR area in early December, you should check out this show!

-LOuie

Trying a New Idea!

Sometimes I have an idea and I have no idea what an audience will think of it. That’s where open mics come in! I simply drove down to an open mic and gave the idea a try in front of real people.

My idea was for the card to pocket routine that I used to do. The second time the card goes to my pocket I wanted smoke to come out of my pocket, then reach in and pull the card out.

The smoke was easy, as a while ago I picked up a remote control smoke gimmick. I didn’t know what I was going to do with it, but knew if I didn’t get it that I’d come up with a cool idea for it and wouldn’t be able to find them. I just taped it inside of my pocket . When I tried it, it got the reaction I was looking for! It made the appearance of the card more of a moment.

If you have an idea that needs an audience, go find an open mic and give it a try!

-Louie

Pavel’s Rope Magic

Pavel is probably most famous for The Walking Knot, which is a great trick! Pavel was before my time, so I don’t know a ton about him. He did put out some VHS tapes when I was a teenager, so that’s where I know him from.

I came across a great trick of his called Jumping Silks on Rope. The name says it all, here’s what it looks like:

@louiefoxx Watch the blue handkerchief! #magictrick #magic #ropetrick #ropemagic #handkerchief #silk #silkmagic #pavel #vintagemagic ♬ original sound – Louie Foxx

The method is super clever and it’s a great little transposition of the location of something tied to rope. He has a bonus trick that comes with it that uses a bracelet that hops from knot to knot.

@louiefoxx What the heck is a bangle #magictrick #magic #ropetrick #ropemagic #bangle #pavel #vintagemagic ♬ original sound – Louie Foxx

I wish I had a way to use this trick as it’s fun to do! Unfortunately it really doesn’t fit my show right now, but maybe in the future?

-Louie

Big Guy’s Magic in Milwaukee, WI

Last month I was out in Wisconsin performing at the comedy club in Appleton. It was a fun gig, and on my way back to the airport in Milwaukee I stopped by Big Guy’s Magic.

I’ve heard a lot about this magic show, so I was excited to stop by. However the guy working (who wasn’t “Big Guy”) was really disappointing. He kept telling me how nothing new was in magic (which I totally disagree with) and how live shows don’t hold audience’s attention and that no magicians tour anymore because no one wants to see a magic show. He never asked why I was in town… I was a magician ON TOUR and had about 150 people at my show at the comedy club the night before. Of all the places where someone should be enthusiastic about magic should be the person working at a magic shop.

When I travel I try to support magic shops by spending money at them. Normally I try to make a meaningful purchase, not just a deck of cards, but a book or some antique prop if they have one. I really didn’t want to spend any money here based on how the guy was bad mouthing magic, but I did make a small purchase.

I do understand that sometimes a “warm body” is needed to run the magic shop when the owner can’t be there. I hope that was the situation, and I’ll probably give the magic shop another chance next time I’m in Milwaukee.

Now for what’s good about the magic shop, it was really well stocked!

They had a ton of current magic as well as vintage magic! They also had some of the world’s largest mouth coil!

It’s always good to see an older style magic show that has a lot of stuff in stock!

-Louie

When to do Close Up Magic

Frequently I’m booked to perform both my stage show and roving close up magic for events. That’s the package that I suggest to people who want to book my show for their event. When I send out a proposal it always specifically says that the roving magic is prior to the stage show.

Most events that contact me want the roving magic during cocktail hour and the show later, but a few want the close up magic later in the evening after the show. If I’m roving after the show I charge more for the close up.

Why?

Simple, the roving magic is like being your own opening act. You’re getting the guests at the event to like you before you step onstage. Where if you do it after your show, it really doesn’t serve a purpose to make your show better and your show isn’t necessarily the best warm up for your close up.

Staring the show being liked can be a huge help when you perform at a convention where people have been in classes all day, then ate a big meal, had a couple of drinks and are simply worn out!

For me, it’s in my best interest, and of the event to do the roving magic first as I’m performing for a room of “friends” who like me, and not trying to convince a room of strangers to like me.

-Louie

Staging for Video Projection

In yesterday’s post I mentioned using a Hollyland Mars 400s Pro II for video projection in my show. I forgot to include a picture of my simple set up with it.

Hollyland Mars 400s Pro II for magic show video projection

It’s just an old iPhone with an HDMI adapter that goes to the Hollyland Mars 400s Pro II. The iPhone has a physical shutter that I 3d printed to block the camera when not in use.

That’s it! Easy peasey, nothing to crazy.

-Louie

Magic Advent Calendar!

This month there’s a really cool magic advent calendar where you get a cool magic trick each day in December leading up to Christmas…and it’s FREE

advent calendar for magicians with magic tricks

It’s not too late to sign up for it to learn some great magic. Simply go to: https://mysteryarts.christmas/ and there’s a link at the top of the page to sign up.

-Louie

Wireless Video Projection

A while ago I started using video projection in my magic shows. My camera set up is pretty simple, I was doing it with an HDMI cord that went direct from the camera to TV or projector. This worked, but it’s not always possible to do because of where the input is located and how much cord I travel with.

I recently bought a Hollyland Mars 400s Pro II, which is an wireless video transmitter. You plug the HDMI from the camera into the transmitter and the HDMI from the receiver to the TV or projector. Now if the HDMI input for the project is across the room, or in an AV room it’s not a problem. I don’t need to run cord or travel with more than a couple of short lengths of HDMI cord.

I’ve used this twice since I got them and both times the production guy at the event commented that Hollyland makes good stuff. In fact the second time I used them the venue was also using them!

So far, I’m a fan of them!

-Louie

Soo Much Trash

One of the questions that I get asked a lot by magician who see my show is “how much does it cost you to do your show?” My show has a lot of disposables, here’s what is thrown away after the show:

When I do my full show, it cost me about $10 to do my show. Sure that adds up over time, but at $10 it’s not that much when you consider everything else it costs to do a show, like travel or hotel.

If your vision for your show costs money each show, but it will help you achieve your artistic vision for the show, then $10 is nothing. If it cost me hundreds each show I may reconsider some stuff, but ten bucks I’m totally fine with.

-Louie

Breaking the Fourth Wall

Last week my wife and I went to see a show called Liberace and Liza, Holiday at the Mansion. The premise of the show is that the audience are guests at Liberace’s house at a Chirstmas party that’s hosted by him and Liza Minnelli.

Liberace and Liza, Holiday at the mansion portland OR

I really had no idea what to expect when I showed up. It was a fun show, and I didn’t expect as much audience involvement as there was in the show. What made it great was there was no “fourth wall” the performers were talking to you, not each other within a scene. This is what a magic show is like, there is no fourth wall (usually) and you are talking directly to the audience.

One of the great things was there were a lot of “call backs” to things that people in the audience did. This makes the show special and unique to the audience at that show. In my magic show, I look for things that I can comment on, then refer back to later in the show. It’s a great technique to create a unique show!

If you’re curious about the show, here’s the promo video for the show:

It was a fun show, and if you pay attention you can learn a lot that will apply to a magic show!

-Louie