I'm on the road from July 12th to August 17th.
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-Louie Foxx Dismiss
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.
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.
The final two Halloween shows that I did yesterday went fine, with the usual challenges that I’ve written about the last couple of days. I just don’t get people who insist on sitting and watching a show through a mask. It doesn’t make sense and really I find it disrespectful to the performer, unless it’s … Continue reading “It’s Over!”
The final two Halloween shows that I did yesterday went fine, with the usual challenges that I’ve written about the last couple of days. I just don’t get people who insist on sitting and watching a show through a mask. It doesn’t make sense and really I find it disrespectful to the performer, unless it’s a mask that’s really difficult to take off.
Oh, I forgot to mention that of the four of the shows, apparently none of the read the document I send that tells them how to set up my show. The main thing is having people seated in rows, at all of my shows but one they were seated at tables. Another thing is that food isn’t served during the show. At one show they put me in front of where the food was and kept going behind me during the show to get food to serve!!!
As much as I dislike the performing situation at Halloween gigs, I think it is good to take them. It makes you have to work a little bit harder as a performer and not let the conditions get to you.
Two Halloween shows are down and two more to go. Yesterday I did a show for kids and one for adults. They both ran into the challenges that I was anticipating and wrote about yesterday (you can read it here). Both shows went well, but I had to work hard at them. The one thing … Continue reading “Halfway Done…”
Two Halloween shows are down and two more to go. Yesterday I did a show for kids and one for adults. They both ran into the challenges that I was anticipating and wrote about yesterday (you can read it here). Both shows went well, but I had to work hard at them.
The one thing that I notice this year, and hopefully it’s a trend, was that there were less masks worn, in fact I don’t think I saw a single person wearing a mask. I’ll never use (if I can help it) someone with a mask. This is good as it gives me a bigger pool of people from the audience to use.
The downside was that I notice more full face make up on people as part of their costumes. For the same reasons as someone wearing a mask, I avoid using someone with full face make up.
This year I’m only doing a total of four Halloween shows, so it’s not as big of a pain as when I was younger and would do two weeks of these shows!
The next couple of days I’m performing shows that are at Halloween events. If you read my post from yesterday you know that I don’t do a “Halloween” show, but my normal show. As a performer I’ve notice that Halloween shows reliably have the worst audiences. Why are the audiences bad? The answer is simple, … Continue reading “Halloween Shows…”
The next couple of days I’m performing shows that are at Halloween events. If you read my post from yesterday you know that I don’t do a “Halloween” show, but my normal show. As a performer I’ve notice that Halloween shows reliably have the worst audiences.
Why are the audiences bad?
The answer is simple, they are wearing costumes.
When the audience is in costumes, they act strange. Some play their character, which if that’s the person you bring on stage that makes it hard for the audience to relate to them. Or in the case of kids (or drunk adults) if they are dressed as a wolf, they’ll just howl instead of talking.
Add that to costumes not being as comfortable as normal clothes and masks can limit vision and it makes the show hard to watch for the audience. Then you factor in that costumes can also make you hotter, or colder than normal. An uncomfortable audience isn’t a good audience.
I’ve got four of these shows over the next two days…yippee!
While at the showcase last week, all off the other variety acts has problems with their vocal mics. In the three showcases prior to mine all of the headset mics cut out multiple times. I notice this and didn’t want it to happen to me. The first thing I did when I went into sound … Continue reading “Watch Out For Yourself…”
While at the showcase last week, all off the other variety acts has problems with their vocal mics. In the three showcases prior to mine all of the headset mics cut out multiple times. I notice this and didn’t want it to happen to me.
The first thing I did when I went into sound check was scan for a free channel while the band that I was sharing the showcase with was doing their sound check. In theory they are going to have all of their wireless packs on, so my pack will find a channel they aren’t using.
The second thing I did was insist on using my mic pack and not theirs. I didn’t initially do this, I just assumed they’d be using mine. When it came time to tech me, they told me they’d prefer that I use their mic and pack and that all of the other acts used theirs. That told me that the problem was with their system, as that’s the thing all of the other acts had in common, using the sound company’s gear.
When my showcase came around, I used my audio gear and it went great. Nothing cut out, and my vocals went flawlessly! If you notice a problem with other acts audio, try to solve it before it’s your turn!
One thing I love doing is watching other acts and thinking of ways that they can improve. If they are friends of mine and open to it, I’ll share my notes with them. Recently I watched a friends show and they are controlling their music with a smart watch. One of my notes was to … Continue reading “Listening To My Own Advice…”
One thing I love doing is watching other acts and thinking of ways that they can improve. If they are friends of mine and open to it, I’ll share my notes with them. Recently I watched a friends show and they are controlling their music with a smart watch. One of my notes was to get an actual remote, not your watch to run your music.
Using a smart watch to control you music looks bad. It looks like you are constantly looking at the time. Also to use it as a music controller, you need to look at the face of it, you can’t really find the button locations by feel. With a remote like the iJet or Audio Ape you can feel the buttons and use them without looking.
Yesterday I was out doing my flea circus and decided to run it off my apple watch. My reasoning was to simplify a set up and to give it its own dedicated audio set up. This was also the first time I’ve used the apple watch to control music in a live show. It’s clunky as heck when you have to look a the watch and then hit the button.
If you were to use an apple watch, a better system would be to mount it somewhere and push it. Wearing it on your wrist ties up your hands and eyes. It’s easier to glace at your table than it is to glance at your wrist. My advice is to get a remote control unit with buttons you can feel.
One of the two new routines I’m working on this week is my cracker routine. It’s a card trick with a cracker and it’s got a long way to go, but made some huge strides. Basically it’s card trick with saltine crackers. One of the things that it’s lacked is an ending. The other day … Continue reading “Seal It Up!!!!”
One of the two new routines I’m working on this week is my cracker routine. It’s a card trick with a cracker and it’s got a long way to go, but made some huge strides. Basically it’s card trick with saltine crackers. One of the things that it’s lacked is an ending.
The other day I was having breakfast with some other performers at the fair and we were brainstorming and one of them suggested that at the end the signed cracker reappear inside a sealed cracker packet. I liked the idea, but didn’t think I’d be able to come up with a loading system that would work using the limited tools and materials I have with me.
Luckily I kept my eyes open and saw a pie lid that worked perfectly for what I wanted to do. I built a cracker packet loading device and I’m happy to report that the loader is working great!!!
Today is my first day of the two week fair that I’m performing at. In the next two weeks I’ll be doing 58 shows! I’ll be doing four shows a day, plus a couple of volunteer things. That’s going to give me a lot of chances to work on new material. If I set a … Continue reading “”
Today is my first day of the two week fair that I’m performing at. In the next two weeks I’ll be doing 58 shows! I’ll be doing four shows a day, plus a couple of volunteer things. That’s going to give me a lot of chances to work on new material. If I set a goal of coming up with one new joke or bit a day for my show, that will give me 14 new bits, that’s a lot.
Hopefully this goal isn’t too ambitious. That’s a lot of writing that will have to happen in a day that’s already pretty full. I think I’m going to do my best to record (either audio or video) every show. Unfortunately the stage I’m on isn’t the best set up for video recording my shows. Video is the best way to learn and critique your show.
There’s a lot to be learned through audio recording. One thing you’ll really notice are dead spots. These can be harder to spot when you watch your show on video as there may be an action happening that makes the dead spot less obvious. So there is a lot of different information that can be learned from just audio.
A couple of days ago I wrote about seeing an amazing act perform under horrible conditions (you can read it here). Yesterday I was performing at a festival and I got to be a good act performing with not so idea conditions. I’m not one to complain, as I’m honestly grateful for any gig and … Continue reading “Making the best…”
A couple of days ago I wrote about seeing an amazing act perform under horrible conditions (you can read it here). Yesterday I was performing at a festival and I got to be a good act performing with not so idea conditions. I’m not one to complain, as I’m honestly grateful for any gig and do my best to make it work.
The gig yesterday had a raised stage, which is good. Unfortunately the stage was only about 6 inches high, so it didn’t offer the same visual advantage as a 12 or 18 inch stage would have.
The ground that the audience sat on sloped downward away from the stage, so any advantage from the short stage was quickly lost. The picture was taken with my camera held at eye level from about the 8th row. You’ll notice that you can only see one performer on the stage, in reality there were six people! They were a Taiko Drum act, a they have some very large props, however you’ll also notice you can’t see them in the picture.
The stage also had to metal poles that block sight lines and a barricade in front of the stage. The metal pole and barricade are more psychological barriers for the audience. However there were four giant pillars in the middle of the audience blocking the sight lines, which were actual barriers.
How do you make this work?
There are some things you can’t control, like the big pillars or the sloping ground. The first thing I did was move the barrier from in front of the stage. Now there’s one less thing between me and the audience. Then I did a lot of my standing on the stool that I keep in my car for situations like this. It makes the show much more visible. These two things made a huge difference in how the show was received.
You can complain about situations, or you can do you best to make them the best they can be!
Not too long ago I worked with an act that was a talking act, but used music. He did used music as a background to talking pieces and also did acts to music. The music should have added a lot to his show, however it didn’t. The way he used the music wasn’t “seamless” and … Continue reading “Using Music…”
Not too long ago I worked with an act that was a talking act, but used music. He did used music as a background to talking pieces and also did acts to music. The music should have added a lot to his show, however it didn’t. The way he used the music wasn’t “seamless” and it wasn’t loud enough.
Let’s tackle the last problem first, since it’s the easiest. There are times when you want music quiet, there are times when you want it loud, and there are times when you want it to vary. The simple solution is to re-record your music tracks at the approximate levels you want them. Background music tracks are quieter than tracks for acts to the music. Simple…Yes, however I’m always amazed more acts don’t do this.
Now for the problem of using music seamlessly. The act I saw had an ipod in their case, and whenever they needed to play music, they had to stop what they were doing, run to the case and change the music. This created a lot of dead time and took the audience out of the moment. The first solution is to use a cue sheet and give it to the sound person. The next solution is to use a remote control. This is one of the better solutions because you can make sure your cues happen when you want them to. It also allows you the freedom to go off script.
Using music effectively from a technical standpoint is easier than ever to do. Years ago recording your tracks with varying audio would have been insanely expensive and using a remote control is simple and reliable now.
