jimmy talksalot

Hi! This is my blog for learnin buskin.

2011-10-10T17:27:00.000-07:00

there's two commercials then the blog starts. one for my book and one for our new buskers site where the whole society du magis hangs out.

after that the blog begins, be sure and click all the months on the left for more articles.

The book is called;

"TO LURE WITH SPECTACLE AND OUR MYSTERIOUS SOCIETY."

here's the publishers site for the book;

http://leapinglizardsmagic.com/lure_with_spectacle.htm
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if you go to the site they tell the price and give you a 20 page sample and the publishers forward.

here's a video commercial clip.

AND HERE'S THE NEW SITE FOR ALL YOU SIDEWALK PERFORMERS!

the site is mostly for small acts busking for a living, but doing it because they love it first.

it´s not just magicians.

it´s any act;

musicians, clowns, mimes, balloons, jugglers, stautues,etc.etc.

the site is being designed to teach how to become and master the sidewalk.

this winter we will be filling it up with celebs and articles.

so if you would like to talk to some of the sidewalk performers you have heard of or get news about them please log on to the site.

it has it´s own forum and links to other important educational busking sites.

here´s the link;
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http://sidewalkperformers.freeforums.org

sign up for the forum, all your favorite buskers go there and gab and teach and learn.
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ME AND SONNY ARE GONNA LECTURE VEGAS.

2011-10-10T17:20:00.000-07:00

me and Sonny are gonna be in workin sidewalks in vegas.

yep,

the great master Sonny Holliday will be workin next week, on the greatest show business sidewalks in this country,

since we're gonna be in town for our lecture at denny's in vegas, we're gonna be workin the sidewalks in vegas, so if y'all wanna give us a holler or watch our shows while we're out buskin come on down.

if your a big Sonny fan this is a once inna life time thing.

just went and checked it out and vegas is the sidewalk performers dream....miles of very very small sidewalk pitches only large enough for doorway acts with thousands of people walkin by.

i have been donating my fees,hotel pay, and now, any unsold inventory, to denny to show my support for his new free magic school he's putin together.

i'll be writing an artical about this monumental school later.

things are looking up for the beginner who doesn't have the funds to start their new life in magic.

Sonny has agreed to do a show and answer questions at the lecture.

this is big.

JIMMY TALKSALOT LECTURE AT DENNY AND LEE'S

2011-09-22T09:06:00.000-07:00

Welp,

i'm actually gonna take off to do a lecture. i make my sole living on the street.

i work every day of my life.

but after meeting Denny at denny and lee's magic shop.

i realized that i needed to get over my hang ups about bein around the magic clubs.

denny is the real thing, he's the old school.

he has what john rachenbaumer has called the last real magic shop in the u.s.

and it is said that Teller loves to get lost in denny's library.

this is a shop for pros this, is where we get our stuff.

the difference is denny is a retired performer who had a huge successfull career and will now teach to who ever will listen the real truth about what we proffessional magicians do.

it took a guy like denny to get me to do a lecture. so i am asking all my friends that can, to go, and also, all those close up magicians looking for a venue and a career to come and see what magic used to be and could still be again if we support folks like denny.

here's the info;

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 8:00 pm
JIMMY TALKSALOT SHOW AND LECTURE IN BALTIMORE
ADMISSION-$20.00

also i will be doing my show and hatting the crowd in the lecture hall.

i have books and the brand new dvd that every one has been waiting for.

also i wll be in vegas speaking at jeff mcbrides school of busking oct 7,8,9th and may do one last lecture in the states in vegas.

if you wanna teacher this is opportunity.

here's denny's site;

dennymagic.com

IT'S HARDER TO DO IT THE MASTERS WAY.

2011-05-18T13:10:00.000-07:00

it should be understood i am not calling myself a master by any stretch..lol

but this artical is good as a goal to try and be one..........

any shmuck can get an amp a table and two generic tricks and clap and cheer an audience into paying a big hat.

believe me, i've done it many times.

it's even easier to just clone a show that works.

they can do this and call themselves a magician and if they make enough money the "magic community" will follow them around and honor them like lap dogs hoping for crumbs to fill their egos.

but this don't make it true.

the fact is.....it's difficult to be a real magician.

first off, you have to be one.

no really.

and being one has a whole lot more to do than just having chops. skills alone don't make a magician.

how are you gonna convince laymen your a magician if you don't believe it?

second, you have to just suck it up and embrace the fact that you are one.

and stop trying to be something you're not, to "please" the people around you.

you're not doing any one any favors.

third, you have to devote your life to it.

being a magician is a state of mind, life style, a practice, and a real person.

being a magician is a like a disease, the victim can't be anything else.

it literally consumes him.

i believe we were born this way.

i believe merlin was from the same stock as us.....only better.

ask yourself, if there was such a thing as a real magician, what would he do for a living?

what would he look like?

what and where would he eat?

how would he commute?

the fact is a magician is a wise man, worldly, theatrical, eccentric, with extensive knowledege of the sciences, the occult, spiritual, supernatural, and bizaar things.

he is a master of ESP and psycology. he can conjure with his hands and if he's any good no one will know this.

society relys on him to entertain, educate, give hope, and protect them from charlatains.

and to fill in many other holes that the modern world just can't fill.

being a magician is a lot bigger than all the things i've listed here, but i am limited in space and in time.

the point is, to try and master this takes commitment and disipline....even if you were born one.

any body can buy a gimmick, but in the hands of a magician it becomes real.

because to him it's not a sneaky trick to decieve people, it's an ancient real magic device to make stuff appear and vanish etc. it's a tool to make magic happen.

it's real.

an amatuer or a layman can't grasp this, they think magic is a trick and or superstition....they don't really understand that magic is a real thing.

whether it's trickery, illusion, or assumption, is irrelevant....we're talking about magic remember, not empirical science, different subject.

is a nightmare any less frightning, because it happened in a dream?

is a movie really not real...than what were you doing for two hours at that theater?

movies, books, and other art forms are real. they time travel and create real moments and dramatically change the world.

this is why real magicians are artists, - NOT craftsmen.

a carpenter can make a chair, but an artist creates one....this is harder.

....so, when your out there on the street representing us magicians remember this.

i know it's easier to just listen to those "get rich quick" buskers who call themselves craftsmen, who tell you to forget about magic.

they'll tell you to just clap and cheer them and stay focused on the money and treat it like a sales presentation.

they will tell you people like sheridan or cellini's style wont work now...but just remember sheridan and cellini and the many other masters could do it because they had talent and didn't need to rely on cheap gimmicks or extortion to make their living, they didn't have to.

their work spoke for itself and got the people to stop, stay, and pay.

there are plenty of performers doing creative quality shows out there right now, making a great living.....it's just harder that's all.

try and remember who we are and how we represent ourselves and our art.

don't sell out, show a little dignity.

after all the streets are an escape from conforming to the business machine....don't make them the same nightmare we ran away from in the first place.

PODCAST INTERVIEW CITY BEAT MAGAZINE

2011-05-06T17:17:00.000-07:00

I did an interview about busking in San Diego on a pod cast for City Beat Magazine, I hope you'll check it out here;

http://www.sdcitybeat.com/sandiego/blog-285-jimmy-talks-a-lot-on-well-a-lot-of-things.html

STREET METHOD AND SHOW SIZE.

2011-05-06T16:50:00.001-07:00

this of course is written for the beginner.

the key to busking i think is;

"get em to stop." "get em to stay." "get em to pay."

this is what matters most.

it doesn't matter how long your show is, or how big or small it plays.

what matters most is, if you got em to, stop, stay, and pay.

before doing a show, KNOW what type of show you are going to do!

you may like to do;

close up, or parlor, or stage, on the street, but what ever you do,

you have to set up and organize the crowd to present your work and then get paid to do it.

there is of course different methods to do this depending on the size and length of your show,

and you should choose a method that best suits the need of the show you wanna do.

generally speaking;

1."close up" or "sidewalk show", is a short show around 8 - 12 mins. and therefore,

in my opinion,

demands a quick build. and a brisk steady tempo to finale and hat.

to start, the intire crowd walking by on the sidewalk, needs to stop walking all at once and turn to you, then be brought in as close as possible.

this can be done with sharp patter and a simple large visual effect, or mimed in the same way.

after they are brought in, they are held in place by steady mime or patter and presentation.

through out the show they are reminded that they need to tip at the end of the show, and at last, before and after the finale.

2. the parlor or half circle show is the same, except the tempo is slowed and the program will run longer 15 - 25 mins.

after the crowd has been brought in close, for commitment sake, they are backed up to present parlor,

this of course isn't always needed if the crowd is a strongly committed one, as in maybe a festival.

3. stage or circle show can either be started by progressing up the latter from close up to parlor or can be started with a slow build of crowd building instead.

in other words you can entertain your audience with magic while they wait for the audience to get bigger or you can clap and cheer them for the entire time,

and or using other stalling methods some use stand up comedy to entertain them while they wait.

this is needed of course, because a large production usually needs a large audience and it can take awhile for the bodies to move into position.

also the "circle show" has a much slower tempo because it's motivation is different.

it's motivation of course is to attract those who are willing to stay 30, 45, or more mins.

- in choosing the size and method of your show;

it should be understood that a pro can perform any of these, and if you desire to be a pro you will need to know how to do all of them.

different size and method should be used to fit the venue.

but if you have the luxury to do what ever you want on your venue, in other words,

if there is a pitch of any size and lots of foot traffic, then the decision is a simple one, do what you love most.

- my choice?

i have done all of these, but i prefer to do sidewalks, but if i need money i do half circles.

this has worked best for me in my career on the street.

the only time i do circle shows anymore is if i am hired by a festival to do circle shows,

or on the street, if the show turns into that...if that's what the people want, then i will slow the tempo down and put in more material.

the point of all this is to know what the show is going to look like before you present it to an audience,

that way you and your adience will know where your going and what is expected of everyone.

and stop thinking about money......people smell desperation.....do what you love and the money will follow.

it has always been my opinion that no matter what the type of show or work we do on the street we are all in it together,

we are all buskers and should try and stick together.

also, i'm writing this because when ever i am teaching on the street, i have found that beginners are going out there and just trying to make anything work on a wing and a prayer.

don't get me wrong this is great in trying to find your self and what works, but it can be a bit brutal on you.

so i think you should try and invision the show first...after all, how is the audience supposed to understand your program if you don't.

any way, i hope this helped some one.

you pal jimmy
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ART, CRAFT, AND ORIGINALITY OF A STREET MAGICIAN

2011-02-17T12:36:00.000-08:00

JIMMY TALKSALOT
street magician

alot of people unfamiliar with street magic,

Who see a good street magician always ask,

"where did they learn that show or where did they get those quality props?"

"where did they come up with that way of doing that trick or where did they get that character?"

welp, they made them.

you see along with being an art and business, this is a craft.

if you can't make your own show,

you may not belong in this business, unless maybe, you can pay some one to make you a unique original show for you.

but even then you should ask yourself, "if i'm not creative enough to make my own show, why am i getting into the creative business?"

granted maybe your charismatic enough to entertain people from a tellemarketing script,

but,

if your not creative enough to create your own routines, lines, bits, and shows, you may just be a common salesman, who by the way can be very entertaining,

but of course for a different motive and venue.

and if you are a common saleman, i assure you there is much more money in tax annuities than busking.....go there, because that should be the motive of a salesman.

you see, the motive of a magician is to be a magician and to live that life.

you see, a magician makes his living by doing magic, not by any other product that will make him more money.

if you can't make your own props, it maybe because your not a creative person....and what makes you think you should be in a business that is intrinsically creative?

the reason we make our own props, is because one size doesn't fit all characters, physiques, and comfort zones.

heck, most of the props we need are not made because we maybe the only person doing that trick.

if you want to be a proffessional magician, you should do a lot of soul searching and strict self criticism to see if you really are this thing.

because i wouldn't wish this on my own worst enemy.

we are born this way, more than we are made.

if you weren't born to be a magician, my gad please look into what you were born to be.

it will save you years of up hill battle.

many amatuer magicians are always looking for that newest one big trick that will make their career.

the place to look for this trick is in research, stage time and in your own imagination.

now, i know that there are a lot of tricks, props, and other products on the market that promise you fame and fortune......

wake up!!!!!

these are made by creative people for uncreative people, just as a magic show is created for people who can't do magic.

these products are wonderful to use as research and a thing to get the creative juices flowing, or as another color on the palet.

please don't get me wrong products are great!

but what you do with them and how you make a new tool from the original idea is what is most important.

and i assure the reader it will be the self made, or proffessionally written, original presentation, of a very unique effect that will make you successful.

this of course is extremely difficult and not many of us, myself included, have achieved this to perfection, as many of the great legends have, but this is the work.

the real work.

in my book i try and teach this.

i go in length how to create a show and props.
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i don't want anyone to get the wrong idea and think i am full of myself and think that i am the most creative person, blah blah blah.

infact i am not saying this at all.

it should be noted i believe of course, that everyone is creative, to some degree, and with their own thing.

i fancy myself a good cook, but i simply wasn't born to be a proffessional chef.

i am not driven for that, hence my creativy wont excell in cooking, as much as some one driven to do it.

lord knows i love to eat good cooking and try my hand at it some times.

but that's a big difference from thinking i am a master chef and i will take on the world with it.....

also i am well aware that there are many more creative people than me in busking,

certainly many of my students and all of my teachers are,

but i'm the best at doing my show, because it's mine.

this is about being honest with yourself and knowing your limitations.

this is about not pretending to be something that your not.

this is about keeping up the quality of our society as magicians, by being where we are needed most.

your pal jimmy

SURVIVING IN A SMALL TOWN

2011-02-17T10:47:00.001-08:00

for the past two years,

i have been working in the hardest town,

i have ever had to work.

i have been supporting myself and my family.

i have had a lot of requests to tell my secret.

so here it is.

the trick to making a living as a busker in a very small town with hardly any foot traffic is to;

#1.
work small short shows all day and night, every day and night without fail.

if you do not work you will go back to the "real job."

YOU MUST get it into your head that this is a real full time job.

so pack a lunch and go put in as many hours as you can.

think 8 to 10 hours miniumum.

even if you suck you are bound to make money with those hours seven days a week.

# 2.
week days are a must, no exception.

do short small sidewalk shows all day and night on the week days.

week days are crucial. if your only going out on week ends.....you will fail.

if you are going out on the weekends,

fighting with other weekend warrior buskers for the good spot and only getting a few shows off for the day....you will fail.

on the week ends go out and find your own pitch somewhere and bang out as many shows as you can all day.

by the time the weekend comes, i have already made my money during the week.

so the weekend isn't a big hassle and rush to make money.

working when it is hard on the week days make you a stronger busker, so when you are on a better spot you will clean house.

the amatuer goes for a few hours on the weekend and makes a little.

the pro works all week and makes a living.

this is the #1 thing that a beginner doesn't get.

if you wont work weekdays, save yourself and all of us pros some grief and give up your dream of being a pro.

#3
when working week ends do as big a show as you can to maximise your hats.

week ends are for half circle to circle shows.

so you may have a week day rig and a week end rig, but be careful because some week days you may be able to pull a big show off.

a circle show is quick big money if you can get one off.

#4
don't judge your money by the day.

judge your money by the month.

judge your money by the week to see if your on track for the month.. then divide by forty hours to see how you compare to a real job.

if you have 3 bad days and you judged by the day you will get very discouraged...but you may have had a great week.

#5
you will have to make less money per show, to make more money in the long run.

in other words if a mall or a shop is letting you work their property and you keep blowing the pitch up with huge crowds and loud amps and long shows....

they will get rid of you.

remember familiarity breeds contempt.

this of course will cost you quite a bit of money per day, but in the long run over a year you will have a full time job.

if you can get the cops and the shops to think that you care about their rules and that you are not making that much they will will defend you.

remember, no one cares until you start making money.

#6
figure out the foot traffic schedule for each pitch for that day in your town.

when your on that pitch, stay on that pitch til it's done, milk it.

also if your pitch dies at a certain time of day and another one in town picks up go there and milk that one.

in other words,

the park or the board/river walk may be busy during the day

then at night the downtown club strip may pick up...so there's your schedual for the day and night.

try and keep your 10 hour day to no more than 2 locations when you go out and work.

#7
pick up as many festivals, craft fairs, and town events you can crash or get permission for.

try and move about town through out the month, when picking these up,

because if your in a small town, by the end of the day, they may have all seen you in that little section of town.

#8
keep a record book.

record all your pitch locations, your hours on each pitch for the day, and how much you made per pitch.

also, you may want to make a little note of things conserning the job that could be important in the future.

this will tell you how much your making per month and where.

it will also let you know next year where the money will be and what you may expect.

#9
don't be afraid to commute every day to the closest busy town next to you.

i myself commute, two hours by trolley to the pitch then two hours home every day.

#10
bad weather?

no problem,

if it's not too cold for people to stop, then work.

i have worked many times in the snow, when i was hard up.

there's gloves that are thin enough and tricks that you can do with stiff hands.

also if it's raining, that's great, because you can busk under an over hang to a {literally} captive audience.

also when there's a break in the rain you can make a big show with a fat hat, just make it quick and judge wheater or not it's gonna rain before your finale.

of course, you can also busk indoors throughout the winter.

just hit every single family resteruant and bar in town.

this is about commitment.

#11
once again, work weekdays.

this will make you the strongest crowd puller in your town.

it will also make you the monthly income you so desperately need.

while the weekend warrior idiots are fighting over a pitch and scrambling to make all their money in two days,

you will already have made your quota for the week.

let em fight, and you go find a pitch of your own, because your strong enough to work a slower pitch then them,

because you have trained all week on the slow pitch.

and remember.

short small shows on the weekdays.

and large commercial shows on the week ends.

i hope this helps.

your pal jimmy

MAKE YOUR OWN STANDARD.

2010-07-19T21:00:00.000-07:00

this is really advise

to my fellow

small show performers

sidewalk/doorway/half circle acts....[close up to parlor].

this is probably the hardest lesson i ever learned.....i payed dearly for it i assure the reader.

my teacher told me a long time ago, "make your OWN standard."

i started out doing circle shows, long big, and big money. i felt uncomfortable with them because it felt like it was a long stall, build, and constant begging for money.

another thing i felt is that they had had enough of jimmy talksalot after 20 mins.

i just didn't feel like it was theater like some of my friends who did brilliant, entertaining 45 mins. circle shows....there out there and their great.

i felt like i was turning into one of those stall and extort 45 mins. shows that plague so many streets out there calling themselves buskers.

then i started finding myself loving the 10 min. close up sidewalk/doorway acts, after mastering this i would always look enviously at the circle show acts around me.

so i would try and do large half circle shows and then tryed going back and relearning circle shows, but on my terms.

so i did that...

anyway the whole time i felt like i was betraying what i was born to do.

i watched some of my friends who usually do circle shows trying to do sidewalks with the same feelings...they wished they were doing circles instead, you know what THEY were born to do.

so since i have been doing my sidewalks and half circle shows life has gotten better for me, i am making better money and my show has improved.

granted i'm not making the big bucks like i did with the circles......but as my teacher has always said, "do what you love and the money will follow."

i say if you were born to do circle shows do them!

if you were born to do smaller shows, then do them, but remember the moment you start venturing where you don't belong there will be suffering.

suffering can be good it makes you stronger and wiser and gives you a few things under your belt....but hindsight is pretty important too...know what i mean?

one last bit of business, if you do sidewalks or door way acts.......stay away from the circle show acts.

they need a lot of room and money,

alot of them can't just pick up and move like you,

and if the walkers are a slow trickle, those circle guys are gonna be grumpy that your making money while they arn't.

another thing, don't let your mind get all wrapped up in, how much money the other guys are doin,

or because you think they are getting all the rock star fame because of the size of thier show.

if he's a statue and he's makin less don't judge him, or if he's a circle and makin more, i wouldn't judge that either, because your, WORKING WITH YOUR OWN STANDARD.

a lot of these circle show guys will try and make fun of you for working so hard for so little of money, they will try and recruit you into doing it "their way".

...well i can't tell you how many nights i had to pay hotel bills for my circle show buddies, because we were inna town that wouldn't let circle shows work....i was the only one workin,

the recruiters took the day off that week.........

once i actually had a circle guy tell me, "you know jimmy you shouldn't sell yourself short with those little shows." heh, it remeinded me of the time another guy told me,

"don't worry jimmy i got us a job driven a truck so you don't have to do that magic trick stuff anymore."

neither one of em got it....

it should be understood that i may do a circle show every day, but it just turns into that, i did not go out there with intent to do a circle show, nor do i want to.

i like to think of myself on a journey with no set destination, if the people are into it, i'll stay longer, if not i'll end with my quick alternative ending and get out.

but this is the point.

what type of show did you design?

was it because you loved it or was it because some dvd told you it would make money?

anyway....do what you love and the money will follow....AND.....make your OWN standard.

some may think my standard is pretty rich....well i don't think it is.

others make think my standard is bum, well they arn't livin my life, I AM and it's my standard.

i'm happy, my families happy, and my audience is happy...are yours?

just thinkin out loud.

your pal jimmy.

MY METHOD TO BUILD AND DRAW AN EDGE IN CLOSE.

2010-07-09T22:40:00.000-07:00

here's how to build an large crowd instantly and have them rush forward all at once into a tight edge.

do a large flashy effect with a lot of energy and noise, suitable for a stage or stadium setting.

repeat this or short routine.

that will get instant crowd.

throw a small object on the ground, one that is a suitable prop for a close up routine. eg. a coin, small crochet ball, thimble etc.

take at least a minute to to talk up the prop and how amazing the trick is that it does.

then tell the people WITH OUT ASKING that if they want to see the trick they will have to come in closer because the object is to small to see from far away.

then wave them in as you look at the object never looking up till the crowd is up to the line.

if done properly they will all rush in very very tight.

if your using a table for a cups n balls show-

the original method was warpos pitch method and was done from a table.

he would do the silk vanish to stop em far away and then tell everyone how amazing the deck was and that if they wanted to see it they would have to come up to the table to see it.

he would put his head down and stare at the deck and wave them in with out looking up until the table was surrounded and then he would begin his pitch.

the thing is i am always asked what if i wanna do close up on the street, how do i get em to stop emediatly and come in where they can see it.

i believe this method is a strong answer to that question.

when doing table walk around you constantly have to break the ice at every table....i've always hated that. i like to spend my time performing not convincing and ushering.

it's just what has worked for me.

it works like this.

your sitting on the couch and a trailer for a movie comes on and you decided if you wanna go see the movie, if it looks good you go to all the trouble to go see it.

what i'm doing is no different, i throw a trailer out there, infact i tell em, "i'm gonna do some tricks first that way you can see if i'm any good if you even wanna watch it."

i have often watched street performers throw a coin on the ground and try and stop people one at a time, "hey do me a favor and watch what this coin is gonna do."

i think this is the worst thing....asking some one to do you a favor, when your the one who is doing them a favor!

those hostages don't stick to the edge, they are always looking for a way out, after all they did you a favor watching the first trick, and if you were any good every one would wanna watch with out having to be asked...right?

anyway i hope y'all get the drift.

showing them a stage or parlor trick from far away where they don't hafta commit and can judge for themselves, i think is the best way to build repore instantly.

after you have repore, throw your favorite close up prop on the ground or table and tell em if they wanna see what it's gonna do they gotta move forward, "CUZ I'M NOT DOIN IT AGAIN!"

never ask some one if they wanna see a trick. a doctor doesn't ask if he can save your life....unless he is known for botching.

"this guy is good did you see the first tricks he did?"

"yeah and he don't care if we watch it or not, he said he's gonna do it anyway, for the people who wanna have fun."

"i wanna have fun"

"ha ha, look he's making fun of the fun haters who wont stop and watch"

"man he doesn't care, i never knew a sidewalk could be fun and safe enough to watch a show...."

watch me use the method in this mini documentry.

looking at many other videos of me and my friends you can see the same method.

LIVING WITHIN ONE'S MEANS.

2009-09-08T21:14:00.001-07:00

welp this one has been a long time comming;

some of the least known things about the buskers's life is that it requires 3 very important things; a work ethic, a frugal and practical disipline, and a keen sense of survival.

read that again and notice the order.

some begginers have a miss conception of busking as a lifestyle.

the first thing of course one should understand is that it is a career.

DIFFERENT CAREERS, DEMAND DIFFERENT LIFESTYLES.

But here's the most important thing,

if your a yuppie who keeps up with the jones's you are going to be fighting an up hill battle as a busker, i don't care how big you think your hats are.

one of the biggest problems with us americans today, is that we forgot how we built this empire, starting from lets say the 30's we began as a hard working class majority of people who moved where the work was,

then some how we went to be a self centered, spoiled, stagnant bunch who expects everything without working for it........

well my friends, reality is crawling up our chests, right into our faces with the state of our country.

we are finacially and morally bankrupt.....we forgot some things that our ancestors taught us.

the point is that most full time buskers are working class people, certainly the beginners. in order to make your new career work you will need to be frugal and practical, you will need to submit to the idea that you will have to go to where ever the work is best and work many, MANY, MANY, HOURS.

granted as buskers we live pretty well, especially if we are single, but some times..times can be slim.

those who have been doing it for years know that keeping up with the jones is not compatible with what we are doing.

example; most of us with families will go to a pitch for the season and stay and work it to death until it is milked dry and then move on to greener pastures, sending money home in bulk every morning. some of us who are more frugal,
will sleep in our vehicals and get a room every couple of nights. some of us will go in with many other buskers on a cheap apartment for the season and bunk there and eat in......sending money home every morning.

many of us travel the world, working on our careers and supporting a life at the home front.

basically we are blue collar workers in tux shirts.

we are not talking about rich or poor...because every wealthy wise man knows fortunes need to be earned.

of course this artical here is going to get many interpetations from every different person reading it, but one thing that should be understood is that busking full time as a sole means of income is a unique lifestyle and one will have to learn how to adjust, through research and a willingness to change ones predjudice.

JIMMY TALKSALOT - SAN DIEGO

2009-07-16T20:38:00.000-07:00

Seaport Village in San Diego, small sidewalk show.

PEPPE'S MINI DOCUMENTARY ON BUSKING.

2009-07-16T20:16:00.000-07:00

Well,be warned this mini documentary has some bad words and stuff, but it definately expresses what i have been trying to get through about money, what we do, and our lifes work.

the rest of the blog doesn't use bad words.....it's just that this is a really important busker talking about some really important stuff....he's just using street language.

MOTIVATIONS-by Eric Evans

2009-06-26T00:34:00.000-07:00

i have here an artical before me, that my friend ERIC EVANS wrote awhile back on an old forum we used to frequent.

he got his head ripped off for writing it....so you know it's probably good.

they hated it because it talked about the motivations of why people go to the street to work.

some of the readers there hated it because he didn't put money first and further stated that talent was judged on more then income.

i thought it so relevant that i should post it here.

here's the artical by Eric Evans;
it's titled;

MOTIVATIONS

I guess I need to spell something out…
(The reasons are simple, and not what they might at first appear to be).

I’ve been working the streets for years and years and over that time I’ve seen all sorts of people come and go. Used to, I’d see all kinds of performers who were driven there from sheer desire to perform, and the ones who were good at it made money. The ones who weren’t that good at it didn’t make all that much, but they were still doing what they loved – performing.

Then David Blaine hit it big.

David Groves was one of the guys who decided to cash in on it by writing a book. Now I’ve only read David’s book once, but aside from some good advice from other guys, mostly what I remember (besides the slick, professional packaging) is him promising the reader tens of thousand’s of dollars every other week, financial bliss, if one were to “be a Street Magician!” It was a pretty good book, other than that. At least David “interviewed” some good guys.

I was one of those who were driven to the street to perform. Not because I couldn’t find anywhere else but because that is the place where the purest, most beautiful performances can be had. What constitutes “pure”?

In 1991 I was performing walkaround in the penthouse of a hotel in downtown Dallas, one might say a real sweet gig – making roughly 500 dollars for a couple/few hours work. As I was performing I felt couldn’t escape a feeling like I was some kind of “pet”, like someone’s prize poodle. It didn’t feel right and for once I saw clearly why. Working in a hip restaurant two nights a week and taking other work on the side had left me feeling burned out. My magic was going nowhere as I was loosing touch with what had brought me to that point, my love for magic. It was it was during that time that I met Cellini. I had decided to work the street in Dallas, a couple of friends worked there, and while I now felt like it was somewhat “beneath” me at this step in my development – it turned out to be the best move I ever made. For it was there that I met Cellini.

Cellini was buoyed by freedom. His magic was unencumbered by social propriety and convention. I was so blown away by his example that a month later I hit the road and decided to make the Street my home too.

Over the years things have changed drastically as to the world of Street Performing in general and Street Magic in particular.

Now, literally everywhere I go, I see performers, who instead of perfecting shows and their own ability to express themselves in their own way and time, make shows that push the idea in their audiences head that they should give them lots of money. Their show becomes a medium for selling an idea, one simple idea, that their audience owes them something. One long commercial, and sure commercials can be funny and entertaining, but they’re just commercials. And like commercials, how much money they generate is the bottom line, the single most important consideration.

Take a stroll down the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica CA. some weekend afternoon or night and you’ll see what I mean. If their not making it, they’re telling everyone that they’re making it in the hopes to create, from sheer will power, the illusion that they’re making it so they will make it.

And make it they will.

Their good because they make the money, they’re defined by it. Sure they have some tricks up their sleeve, there’s has to be some entertainment value there upon which to hang the notion that their audience pay them big for it.

Watch them closely and you can see them grab their audiences by the proverbial throat and demand payment. And if you can’t see it, keep looking because it’s there to be uncovered and as a magician, as a real magician, you should know about these things, see them for what they are.

You see I went to the street because that was the one place I could find families. Families are my target. Nothing in this world means more to me than creating smiles on their faces and laughter in their hearts from magic. Now maybe I don’t make thousands upon thousands of dollars every week, but those guys that do, can’t necessarily do that.

I guess maybe they’ve never seen those smiles or don’t know how valuable they are.

Unfortunately, most people don’t recognize the value of that ability to create those smiles, at least not immediately. And one day soon, maybe I’ll learn the perfect way to communicate what they’re worth, but until that day comes, I won’t allow my show to become a commercial. There’s nothing magical about a commercial.

JIMMY TALKSALOT - ESPANA

2009-05-01T15:37:00.000-07:00

this is me working in Barcelona, Spain. i love it there, spain is my favorite place to work.

don't forget to check out the who's who of sidewalk performers blog to see some of the other characters out there on the sidewalks of the world.

http://sidewalkperformerswhoswho.blogspot.com/
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THE PROS AND CONS TO THE WAY I WORK

2008-04-08T13:16:00.000-07:00

i don't use an amp.

i don't use a table.

i don't use any fire.

i don't do cups and balls or a straight jacket.

i don't juggle or break dance or play an instrument.

i don't do close up tricks, but all my tricks can be seen close up or far away or surrounded.

i don't need a cart to carry my stuff.

i can walk down the street with NOTHING in my hands, stop build a large crowd and do a show any where.

i can come and go into businesses like any other normal person with out lugging stuff.

i can blend into a crowd if i need too. and just walk away before being confronted by an authority.

i can pass through customs with out being suspected as a street performer comming to work in their country, because i don't have a massive rig to explain. and i don't have to deal with shipping.

i do large parlor effects and a large half circle show ONLY WORKING FROM MY POCKETS . i can do a show 3 mins. - 30 mins. what ever will fit my needs or the needs of the pitch or the customer.

with these methods it is difficult for cops or other authorities to regulate me. this is my main objective. THIS IS MY MAIN OBJECTIVE!

the draw back to my system is it is much more difficult for me to compete with the larger circle shows with amps and huge rigs and $150 and up hats. i can make these hats but not as consistantly as proper circle show guys can.

it's give and take because, i don't have to suffer regulation like those guys and there is ALWAYS a place for me to work. the big amplified circle show spots are drying up in america, there were never many to begin with. so i take a very, very, small cut in pay per show verses the big circle show but i'm always workin, year round, any town, any where.

i do not suck all the fun out of what i do, by doing a commercial show. i try and create original tricks to perform instead of the old stand byes like cups or silk vanish etc. these tricks are great and gaurunteed to be a success by any one.......but that's really the point why i don't do them.

i love the cups and balls it's my favorite street trick and in my opinion there is no better trick for the street....none.

that's why i love the chalenge of not doing it.

i think the great draw to the street is it's fun and chalenging and is a great place to create.

this is the draw to the beginning artist type to come to the street, and to tell this type of individual that he must have a commercial show, can only be described as the rehtoric of a bitter fun hater.

but for the those less artistic beginners who are only interested in MONEY my way of working could be fatal and should be avoided because my way is not a way to make huge hats. a money guy should definately persue a larger rig and a large amplified show for larger hats for more spectacle and delay and hat build.

i'm not saying i'm artsy, i never thought i was, until all the accussations by my critiques. frankly i never thought i was good enough to be artsy. our enemys will even compliment us if they have to, so they can insult us.

your pal jimmy

here's a day at the office, showing a pretty good example of some of the strategies i use.

THIS IS A MINI DOCUMENTARY MY TEACHER DOUG CONN MADE OF ME.

THE LAST HOLD OUT, FOR A FREE MARKET.

2008-03-01T08:56:00.000-08:00

The best part of street performing for me is that I am free from regulation by a paying boss.

That's why I prefer working public streets instead of a place that demands insurance, queuing up by lottery, venue directors, schedules and time limits for pitches etc. etc. etc. you know like California.

I prefer crashing festivals instead of going through all the proper channels,

Because proper channels means receiving more nagging and regulations. It also means less time to enjoy what I’m doing and worst of all less opportunity to make more money.

With all that said there has been quite a few times that I hafta bite the bullet and go through these channels to get a special opportunity to get big money.

But my life has been spent looking for ways around this and I feel it has been time well spent.

Uptight people irritate me to my bones, they make my skin crawl, so I will go the distance to frustrate their efforts.

Little brings me more joy then watching an uptight freak tremble with frustration with tears welling up in his eyes, because he can do nothing about me, because he can't figure out a way to ruin the fun for my audience, and finally because people have seen him for what he really is.

It's the little things that make life pleasant.

I believe the street is the last hold out, the final trace of the free market that our grandparents enjoyed way back in the way back.

Before the government started deciding "what's best for us" and "making huge restrictions on us for our own good."

Before giant corporations started stamping out the little guys so they could get every last little bit and to protect their interests in the guise of protecting the "interests of the consumer."

We can thank "big government" and "big business" equally for all the wonder and awe that is the American regulation system. It truly is a massive and useless thing.

As Buskers we are the little viruses chipping away at it little by little.

I’m proud of that.

HOW TO MAKE BIGGER HATS AND A BETTER SHOW

2008-02-20T12:54:00.000-08:00

I’ve been getting a lot of responses about how I hat or what Eric taught me to increase my hats.

I am not going to tell you my exact lines or my show’s content, but I am gonna tell you the formula. so that you can build a show that is more original.

Hatting is about selling a product.....You.

In sales there are two sayings: " Always be closing."

and

"Build value and get a receipt."

I believe that you should always be closing, in other words, through out your show you should mention money. But in levels of boldness.

More and more direct as the show progresses. And this should be done through humor to lighten it up and not seem so rude.

Before you start, you can mention that this IS your "REAL JOB."

Then after your first routine, you can say something about how you've been making money like this for a long time.

Your second routine, you get a little more bold and direct like, "at the end of my show I’m gonna hold out my magic hat and ask for money, I know it's a magic hat, cuz every time I do this, abracadabra every body disappears.....Well don't do that! This is how I make my living!"

Proceed with your next routine and hat em again this time, maybe talking about how much you want,

"A buck or 2 I’ll thank you personally, a 5 or a 10 I’ll smile real big, a 20 I’ll jump up and down, a 100......some body gives me a 100 I’m goin home with them!"

Finish up your show and just before you do the finale trick, hat em hard. This is a routine unto it self. You will need to write and memorize this routine it should be as entertaining and as informative as any of your magic routines. You will need to rehearse this!

BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO HATTING IS -

BUILDING VALUE IN THE MINDS OF THE SPECTATORS AND GETTING A RECIEPT FROM THEM IN SOME WAY THAT THEY THINK YOU ARE WORTHY.

If your show, your magic, or your personality, sucks, so will your hats!

If you do not get a receipt from the people, they can act as though you are not worthy and not tip you,

But if you get a receipt you can REMIND THEM OF IT AT THE END OF THE SHOW WHEN YOUR EXPECTING MONEY.

For example; you can say, “Remember when I asked you if you were having a good time and we all cheered?”

Or

After you do the finale you can say, “you know I just realized some thing, we all had a good time, we've all been hangin out here laughin and goofin together, there's been twists and turns, but everything came out alright, so don't let me down now, and remember all your donations are tax free!”

This subtle “building value” idea is what Eric Evans taught me to increase my hats.

This single idea is what is scoffed at by many commercial workers with 45 minute shows, but it has allowed me to make incredibly large hats for very close to circle show size hats for only 10-15 minutes of work.

This is about taking the time to make sure you are showing a quality performance and getting the people to agree that is quality.

I hope this helps answer some of the questions.

In short, "ALWAYS BE CLOSING" will make sure you get paid even if your performance isn't that strong.

BUT

"BUILDING VALUE AND GETTING A RECIEPT", touching the people, getting them on your side and ADMITTING PUBLICLY what your doing is worthy......That will make your hats double and triple.

But the big point here is:

"This is the difference between a professional and a commercial busker.

The commercial busker is satisfied with a what he may believe to be a sure thing. He does not see the value in the shows proper entertainment impact.

With this formula your product will be a more marketable product for any venue you choose.

This is about BETTER MONEY, MONEY FOR QUALITY.

SOME GOOD REFERENCE MATERIAL FOR BEGINNERS

2008-02-17T18:28:00.000-08:00

REFERENCE BOOKS FOR MAGIC THAT IS PRACTICAL FOR THE STREETS;

“The Tarbell course in magic” volumes 1-8 by. Harlan Tarbell.

“Hugard’s Magic Manual” by. Jean Hugard.

“Now You See It Now You Don’t” by. Bill Tarr.

“Routined Manipulation” Volumes I & II by. Lewis Ganson

“Swami Mantra” by. Sam Dalal.

DVDS;

“Cellini’s Magic That Can be Performed Anywhere”

“The Incomparable ROMAINE: The Monarch Of Manipulators” 2 dvd set
A virtual encyclopedia on manipulation.

“Eccentricks” volumes 1-3 by. Charlie Frye.

Secret Art Of Manipulation {With Jumbo Coins} by. Eric Evans.

Reference books on busking for magicians;

“The Royal Touch” by. Jim Cellini.

“The Dreamers Highway” by. Jim Cellini.

“The Secret Art Of Magic” by. Eric Evans and Nowlin Craver.

“Jeff Sheridan’s Street Magic” by. Edward Claflin and Jeff Sheridan.
A great history book of the streets.

“Street Wise” by. Professor Gizmo.
This is a good book for working the west coast of the U.S.

A GOOD DVD INSTRUCTIONAL ON BUSKING IS;

“The Art Of Street Performing” volumes 1-3 by. Jim Cellini.

So this list of reference materials could be a start, but the fact is there is a huge body of material on the subject and I think it is money well spent if you tried to get your hands on all of it.

FAT HEADS, ART SNOBS, SELL OUTS, THE GREAT ONES, AND THE REST OF US.

2008-02-13T09:00:00.000-08:00

FAT HEADS,
there are those who run around telling every body they invented everything they do and that they are the worlds greatest magician, but after they see your show their doin your act. and tellin everybody they were doin it first.

they've been doin magic for a year or two and they tell you they've been doin it forever.

the conversation always revolves around them and when they give you advise they speak from authority but you find out later they were talkin out their ass and it cost you alot of time and money.

they keep tellin you how to be great but their lives are in a shambles.

their always right even when their wrong and they never say "thank you."

this was me in my younger days before i got old and found out i don't know as much as

young people who think they know everything.

ART SNOBBS,

there are those in our community who focus an the mechanics instead of the show. who are consumed with the perfection of a move and perfect magical form, than fun and entertainment.

there are those who will only perform what they want or what they think is good magic, instead of giving the audience what they want or hope for.

the art snobb will starve before he will sell out. he wont bring himself to the fact that we
are providing a product. it is all about him. and his sacred magical family and tradition.

in show business he has focused on the show and little on the business.

the've spent their whole life to be great and they are great but they don't have the money that great men deserve.

they arn't being paid what their worth

if i was a good enough technition i would definately be guilty of this. fortunately for my own humility i am not good enough. unfortunatly i still ain't got any money!

THE SELL OUT,

the sell out thinks to be the best you need to make the biggest hats ergo he thinks he's better then those who make less hats then him. watching a number of street shows will tell you how wrong this is.
a quantity before quality mentality.

you see the sell out can't see the difference from "mozart" and "the back street boys" infact he would defend the back street boys because of their income and popularity...this is assinine of course but tolerated so everybody gets theirs.

the theme,

money, a popular product, simple vulgarity for cheap laughs, and pride in trash,

instead of skill,beauty, perfection and real wit.

their pride in their work is weighed by the money.

loyalty is the enemy because with loyality you need humility.

the sell out takes from the masters and claims it as his own.

you see the ugly truth about the the sellout is they want to look classy but their cheap.

and no amount of money can buy class or greatness.

being a magician takes to much disipline but posing as one don't.

the sell out could never apologize to some one above him for the sake of something greater if he thought he was right....because its about him and him bein right...not the art.
this was me as a pichman and shop owner back when i had money. it was about me and the money not the art.

THE GREAT ONES,

the masters with impecable shows and fat hats which are being copied to this day.

the masters who were like encyclopedias of magic with exstencive knowledge of our art.

the masters who touched so many and told thier students about the ones above them and did things for the ones above them.

the masters who got paid, or at least could support themselves. and when they were critisized during their finacial short commings, took it with humility and didn't feel the need to boast to defend themselves. and continued to provide for their students and family long after their retirement age.

the ones who left a body of work behind.

the masters with the enumerable other qualities i have failed to mention here but made it

necessary to call them masters.

all of these things i have fallin very short in, but they are still goals for all of us i believe.

THE REST OF US,

the rest of us are doing the best we can, to do the best we can.

but we gotta lotta obstacles. when we look for those to look up to we find folks like the art snobbs or the sell outs, or nilists or the whiners, or the ignorant with a beliveable story that could cost us alot of time and money.

the rest of us are just tryin to learn and fit in.

the rest of us just wanna be good at what we do and make an honest living like any other worker of any other lifes work.

i'm part of the rest of us.

EUROPE

2008-02-13T08:47:00.000-08:00

Cellini said;

“ I don’t know why the artist stays in the U.S., there is nothing here for him.” “ you have to stand on your head and spit nickels to get people to watch you!”

Needless to say I have definitely learned to dance like a monkey and stand on my head and spit nickels.

I am an American sidewalk performer.

But the point that Cellini made is true. EUROPE IS HEAVEN.

I remember my first experience in Europe, I was in Barcelona with 5 bucks in my pocket never been to Europe before. I stuck my bank card in the machine and it ate it…..I was in trouble.

It was getting late so went out to the sidewalk on Las Ramblas with my bag of belongings….I was terrified.

I banged my stick on the crowd and started digging in my bag for my rig I looked up and there was @ 50 people waiting, perfect edge. I started rushing thinking they were gonna leave….I’m an American [it’s hard to stop em here in the U.S.].

I did my show and made well over a hundred 12 min act, more then I had ever made at that time in my career and got a hotel.

a lot of my friends come here from Europe and they all ask the same thing;

“why do the people walk by disinterested?”

And I tell em the Americans are all Homer Simpson, they don’t know what we are doing.

It’s not just Europe that’s an easy place to work it’s a lot of places outside of the U.S.

STREET PERFORMERS ETIQUETTE AND MANNERS.

2008-02-13T08:38:00.000-08:00

heres some things that street performers know universally about how one should behave.

these are NOT rules and are bickered about constantly they are sort of like guide lines sort of

1. don't touch another performers stuff unless you ask.

2. the first person on the spot has a right to be there.

3. don't ask some one to watch your rig unless there is a strong established relationship....or this could end bad.

4. never leave your rig anywhere it should be by your side.

5. don't set right on top of some one especially if the are doing something similar eg. performance.

6.if your sharing a spot don't hog turns you get one turn make it good.

7.if your on a big pitch and the acts are 45mins and yours is 15-20 mins ask if you can go twice on your turn to get equal time.

there's a bunch more keep your eyes and ears open for em.

ART,TRADITION,PROFESSIONALISM,AND MONEY,IN THAT ORDER.

2008-02-13T08:26:00.000-08:00

Art, tradition, professionalism, perfection, and money,in that order.

If you consider yourself a magician, then you’re an artist and you belong to a tradition whether you like it of not , with expectations from your peers and the laity.

This form of art can only function gracefully if the operator works with perfection in his mind, otherwise it appears clumsy and transparent to the spectator.

Professionalism in character, showmanship, technique, and in the work place, sadly seem to be the most neglected in the world of busking.

Money of course is a need and must be on the list, But should remain at the bottom of the list in it’s proper home. One drives a car from the drivers seat not the roof of the car.

Art, tradition, and professionalism, are absolutely mandatory, because they involve preserving the art so we all can benefit. They are also important because using these three you can still learn and progress so that you can get perfection and money.

For those who do not consider themselves magician yet persist on doing magic in their work on the street and only see the value of making money and cannot see the value of the rest of the list, I would hope at least one day they may have the intellect to understand that PROFESSIONALISM, is and always has been an important part of capitalism.

Professionalism;

do you look professional in your costume of dress and in your character and behavior?

did the people think they saw talent and quality theater at the end of the show when being asked for money?

or did they just think, "that guy was funny and he had alot of audacity for a street guy."

when they approached did they know emediatly that there was a talent infront of them?

or

when they saw you perform magic did they see a huge "tell" that the person infront of them couldn't be a magician because he didn't act or look like a person involved in that sort of funny business.

worst of all did they think you were just an average guy who learned a couple of cheap tricks and were foisting them on the passer by to get money.

did you hound them for money over and over to where it appeared more like a commercial then a show?

was it a "street hustle" or "street theater?"

don't get me wrong i'm not downing the money or hatting the people with strong lines, i love it, i do.

but i love my art to much to cheapin it by making that the main emphasis of my show redunantly.

SO YOU’RE A GOOD MAGICIAN AND YOU WANT TO BE A BUSKER.

2008-02-04T15:37:00.001-08:00

YOUR GONNA HAVE TO CHANGE YOUR MIND SET.

Street performing and magic 2 COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THINGS!

The first and hardest thing your gonna have to embrace is that IT DOES NOT MATTER IN THE LEAST HOW GOOD YOU ARE AT MAGIC!

Read it again!

Your magic is useless when you first hit the street!

Let that sink in for a moment and don’t blow it off, think about it!

YOUR FIRST JOB IS TO SELL THEM THE IDEA THAT WHAT YOUR DOING IS INTERESTING AND THAT THEY LIKE YOU. Always be closing them on that idea from beginning to end.

Now stop thinking magic and read that again!

Another thing if you’re a good magician this will be the hardest;

YOU ARE GOING TO SUCK!

Not only that but you are going to have to suck to get any good at this.

Infact if your not sucking out there at some or all points your doing something WRONG! LIKE BRAIN WASHING YOUR SELF THAT YOU DON’T SUCK.

As hard as it was to learn magic it should take the same time and effort learning how to street perform.

You will need to engulf yourself in busking info and huge huge huge time on the street…..stage time is what makes you good at busking, not magic.

In short if you want to be a great street magician you will have to put forth the same effort into street performing as you do your magic and I would suggest since your already good at magic FOCUS ON BUSKING.

The next thing you will need is a “set show.”

STREET THEATER VS. STREET HUSTLE.

2008-02-04T15:35:00.001-08:00

THIS IS ABOUT PROFFESSIONALISM!

First of all if your goin out there with money in your head your walkin out there with a big sign on your face and the public can smell it a mile away. And it’s gonna be a long hard day for you!

I have seen guys go out and hound, harass, and intimidate every single passer by, tryin to stop them.

The people stop not because they were interested on their own, but because they were blatantly cohersed into it, they were hounded for money over and over and over again and saw little too no entertainment.

This same “busker” would come up to me at the end of the day and tell me he made a $100 and think he was a great street performer because he made all that money.

First of all that ain’t street performing that’s street hustle intimidation pan handling!

Secondly I got news for this “busker” street performers have been known to make a whole lot more then $100 a day and they didn’t have to harass anybody they simply performed and instructed the audience that it was their job and that they expected to be paid.

This is called SERVICES RENDERED!

I’ve seen guys go out and clap and cheer a large audience up then hat them with out ever showing any other skill then building a crowd, no magic, no juggling, no laughs, no nothing! I watched in utter disbelief as the crowd came in and put money in the hat.

I’ve seen them do this three times in a row then I saw an actual performer go up and no one would stop for fear of being duped again……later in the day I also saw a group of performers beat those clap and cheer guys up for it.

AS BUSKER WE ARE NOT PAN HANDLERS, TIMESHARE SALES,BUMS OR STREET CONS.

WE ARE ARTISTS WETHER IT BE PERFORMANCE ARTIST OR ANY OTHER.

LIVIN IN THE 3RD WORKIN IN THE 1ST RUNNIN WITH THE BIG GUNS!

2008-02-04T15:26:00.000-08:00

Livin in the 3rd workin in the 1st runnin with the big guns!

This is by no means a rule, merely a lifestyle of the big guns.

So here’s how it works.

You work in 1st world countries on the best pitches and crash all the festivals you can or get booked for pay plus hats. Try and hit the big ones.

You work north of the equator in the summer and jump south of the equator in the winter because down there it is summer and you work the same way down there.

You do this till you save up a floater bank account of about 10 grand.

Once you’ve done this you can vacation in the third world and live off your floater.

If you do this long enough you will be self sufficient and as stable as it can be possible for a busker.

In my travels I have met quite a few fellahs doing this and some live well, very well.

If your needin a wife Asia or Latin America awaits.

STREET TOLERANCE

2008-01-04T13:28:00.001-08:00

Since I have been exploring the forums and the internet, I have been exposed to some thing that has just reached it’s boiling point with me.

I have been attacked for smoking, bad spelling, bad font, bad grammar, being tolerant for dumpster diving, have photos of me unshaved, posting to much, not posting enough, HAVING A CRASS SENSE OF HUMUR, being to opinionated, and on and on and on!

These people are not regal or civilized they are tyrants!

This is inhuman intolerant behavior.

When I go on the pitch I meet weekend warrior buskers who are experimenting with the idea of going full time.

they complain about the same and more about me and other full timers. they call the cops on other performers and want permits and zones and venue directors, and on and on and on it goes.

THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT REGAL!

THEY ARE TYRANTS!!!!!!!!

IF YOU WANT TO BE A BUSKER YOU ARE GOING TO NEED TOLERANTS!

IF YOU WANT TO BE A BUSKER YOU ARE GOING TO NEED TOLERANTS!

IF YOU ARE THINKING RIGHT NOW IN YOUR HEAD THAT, “HEY I AM JUST AGAINST THIS ONE THING OR THAT THING” YOU’RE THE INTOLERANT ASS I’M TALKING TO!

The street is the street! It is not the Ritz Carlton gig. IT IS NOT YOUR HOME.

IT IS THE PUBLIC STREET STUPID!

Busking is hard enough with all it’s intricate hurdles, why in gads name would you be wasting your time complaining and trying to fix the area so it feels like your special private place at home.

A REAL BUSKER IS AT HOME ON THE STREET….ANY STREET, ANY WHERE.

YOU DO NOT CHANGE THE PITCH,

YOU CHANGE FOR THE PITCH!

If you want people to like you and watch you and pay you and if you want to appear as a fun person YOU WILL NEED TO LOOSIN UP AND ALOW PEOPLE TO BE THEM SELVES EVEN IF YOU DON’T LIKE THEIR HABITS, FORM OF DRESS, WHAT EVER….DON’T BE AN ASS.

One thing I don’t like is vulgar shows but I DO NOT TELL A SEASONED PRO HOW TO DO HIS SHOW, THAT MAY CAUSE CONFLICT AND SHOWS A LACK OF RESPECT.

NOW IF YOU THINK RUNNING OUT THE BAD ELEMENT IS GONNA HELP JUST REMEMBER NO MATTER WHAT, THE POWERS THAT BE CONSIDER YOU THE BAD ELEMENT ALSO…..NO MATTER HOW NICE A MANICURE YOU HAVE.

IF YOUR UPTIGHT, WHEN YOU COME TO THE STREET LEAVE YOUR PURSE AT HOME, CUZ EVEN THE BUSKER CHICKS ARE TUFF OUT HERE.

STOP WHINING AND COMPLAINING.

OR STAY INDOORS BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT MORE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT OUT THERE THEN IF YOUR FRIEND SHAVED TODAY.

THERE’S CRACK HEADS AND WHORES AND BUMS PISSING ON THEM SELVES BEGGING FOR MONEY FROM YOUR AUDIENCE IN THE MIDDLE OF YOUR SHOW.

AND WHEN YOU SEE ONE OF US FULL TIME BUSKERS DON’T EXPECT US TO PUT OUT OUR CIGERETTES OR NOT SAY WORDS THAT OFFEND YOU OR WHAT EVER BECAUSE WE ARE THERE TO WORK, MAKE MONEY AND HAVE A GOOD TIME.

WE ARE NOT THERE TO HOLD YOUR HAND BE YOUR MOMMY AND PET YOUR HEAD AND TELL YOU EVERYTHING IS GONNA BE THE WAY YOU WANT IT.

IF THIS IS BOTHERING YOU REMEMBER THERE ARE PEOPLE WAY WORSE THEN ME OUT THERE.

….AND YOU CAN’T FIGHT THE WORLD AND STREET PERFORM AT THE SAME TIME.

AND REMEMBER YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE A MARKED MAN OUT THERE...BAD THINGS CAN HAPPEN ON THE STREET.

you can be a gentleman out there,

but not a gentle castrated emasculated neurotic bundle of nerves, because they smell fear, your audience, the bad guys, the cops, everybody.

and you wont make money and you will be marked.

the audience will mark you boring or a hack.

the bad guys will see fresh meat,

the cops will see a hassle that they have to put up with instead of chasing bad guys or eating donuts....and that pisses them off!

this uptight attitude may work for you at the corporate gigs or the back yard show, but this is exactly what you don't want to do busking!

THE SET SHOW

2007-11-29T18:08:00.000-08:00

IF YOU’RE A BEGINNER THE FIRST THING YOU'LL NEED IS A “SET SHOW”!

You need to create a set show and I’ll explain why and what it is, in a minute.

But,

If you’re gonna go out there for the first time there are 3 huge mistakes you wanna avoid.

#1 don’t ask people if they want to see a trick! - just tell them to watch and begin your trick…DON’T ASK!

#2 don’t plan to do a new trick, no matter how good it is! -only begin with tricks that are tried and true, the one you can do in your sleep and have been doing for ever. And do it the old way. NO NEW ADDITIONS TO IT!

#3 only do “improv” after you have a SET SHOW! that’s the real secret to “improv“!

A SET SHOW, is a show that is scripted, memorized, has a beginning, middle, and an end.

It is the same show every time except for the occasional “improv” that seasons it.

I once saw a film of a show done by Gazzo 20 years ago and it was the same show pretty much that he does today.

I’ve talked to old timers who saw Cellini’s show 20 years ago and they described the same show I saw recently.

The list goes on, even and especially to T.V. and stage shows….you think David Blain or Chris Angel aren’t doin a set show?

think again! They are!

For most of my life I did improv magic. I’d look at the people and judge what I thought they should see then I’d reach into my bag pull out the props and do that trick when I was done I’d look at em again and decide which trick was next and on and on…..

I got away with it for a lot of years and made plenty of money, but that’s not gonna work here if you want to make a living or a career or get any better…..

If you want people to watch and pitch like some of those statue guys who don’t do any thing this might work for you but if you want to be any good at this you need a set show. Even the good statues have a set show they do in between standing still.

The way to create this set show is put it together and practice it out on the pitch over and over wether or not somebody stops and watches….you’re like an infomercial.

ONCE YOU HAVE THIS “SET SHOW” YOU HAVE A PERSONAL BELONGING, THAT TAKES CARE OF YOU AND YOU CAN TAKE IT ANYWHERE AND SURVIVE…IT’S YOUR SHOW.

After you have made this set show you will start to see how much it is capable of paying and you’ll we begin making adjustments for it to pay more.

IF YOU LEARN NOTHING FROM ME OR ANY STREET PERFORMER PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS THE MOST IMOPRTANT FOR BEING A PROFFESSIONAL BUSKER!

costuming

2007-11-21T16:07:00.001-08:00

YOU HAVE TO KNOW THE RULES BEFORE YOU CAN BREAK THEM.

I’m not suggesting that you have to or even should wear a suit please read this whole post before you start bitching.

when i first became a magician and was learning the rules, the first of course, is always keep it a secret.

and there seemed to be many after that.

one of these is that "as a magician you should always be dressed just a little more formal then your audience."

in the beginning even David Blain was wearing the suit until he created his character to what it is now.

one of the most practical reasons for this, for the -BEGINNER-, is to add credibility to himself so

#1 the people stop

and

#2 they don't give him such a hard time when he sucks.

And

#3 maybe the most important is when you tell them your gonna do magic, do you look like a magician or some body that knows magic? Because if you don’t look like that to them you might have trouble.

Well a suit is a nice generic costume that also gives off a little authority.

My suggestion here is if you havn’t “found” your character you might want to think about this.

Now the most common opinion about this is that you want to look nice, but not so nice they don’t pay you…..ya get it?

Now I’ve seen guys in wizard costumes complete with pointy hats and david copperfield or eve david blain stlye of costumes but the point is YOU GOTTA KNOW THE RULES BEFORE YOU CAN BREAK EM.

Heres some suggestions;

IT SHOULD LOOK PROFFESSIONAL.

The costume should match the character.

It should attract attention. A friend of mine bought a bright yellow suit at one of those suit shops for the distinguished black man down town.

Make sure it’s comfortable and portable.

If you’re a traveller you might want a costume that you wear all the time as your regular clothes even sleep in it till it’s comfortable.

street tuff, child like, and a royal touch.

2007-11-02T23:15:00.000-07:00

when your on the street your on stage and every ones watching.

every ones looking for a chink in your armor.

"THE BAD GUYS" are looking to take your spot, your money, and maybe your life, so you want to have a danger element in your persona and you don't want to dress too extravigantly. you need to give off the impression that you could be somewhat dangerous if pushed the wrong way.

a good example of this is of course; Gazzo or Sonny Holliday

THE GOOD AND DESENT TYPE PEOPLE who are probaly gonna tip you are looking at you to see if your a con or a threat in some way, so you need to have a child like disarming side to your persona. it should be saying "i'm a harmless and a good man to harmless and good people, but i don't like bad people."

mimes are a good example of this.

AND EVERYONE is looking at you to see if you truly are what you claim to be...a magician, so you need that royal touch that something that says your of a higher class, a wiseman, a man who could hold himself with proper breeding even when he's wearing rags. a man capable of being a gentleman even if he's not always behaving like one.

a few good examples of this royal touch are of course; Cellini, Eric Evans, Tom Frank, Doc andrews, and Paul Nathan.

you need to have all three of these to some extent, some have more of one then the other but they all have all three at some point.

strangley i've noticed that Danny Hustle has almost all equal parts to this. i think it may be his heavy entertainment background.

stranger yet theres a guy in london named "Pepe" who pushes "child like" and "street tuff" to an extreme that can only be explained as ominous in a clown car wreck sort of way and it's no wonder why he would get the largest crowds of all.

yet he holds himself like a dignitary even in rags. Pepe has been to the best schools of theater and recieved many awards from the hoity toity theater powers that be, but he chose the street as his venue, and rejected the high institution. every now and then they come and give him awards and recognition and he throws them in the trash and says,

"when are you gonna bring money i can't eat these."

here's a tiny clip of him;

a true genius but don't push him the wrong way. it's also no wonder that him and Sonny Holliday hit it off big when they met this last summer in london.

of the three of these i think the royal touch is the most ignored by the performer in the u.s.

when infact it should be on top of the list. this is where we need it most, people think we're bums and cons here.

you can go out there in shorts and a "t" shirt and without a costume,

you can go out there and be loud mouthed rude and demanding money over and over,

and you can disregard the importants or value of our art,

you can do all these things and make alot of money, they'll pay you good, and you'll make big fat hats,

BUT THEY'LL STILL THINK YOUR A BUM WITH A GIMMICK. DON'T FOOL YOURSELF.

so many buskers out there are fooling themselves into thinking they are greats because their hats are always big.

and sure they figured out how to hustle, big deal, so what. they should go into time share sales because theres way more money there for a good hustler.

ask yourself if you made a bigger hat then Cellini,Tom Frank, Eric Evans or Sonny Holliday, would that make you a better magician or even a better busker?

of course not. because these guys have been doin it for years they have forgot more then most people know on the subject.

but there are actually fat heads out there who think their better because of their hats and i'm sure you'll be hearing responces from them here.

MAKING ALOT OF MONEY DOESN'T GIVE YOU CLASS, IT GIVES YOU ALOT OF MONEY.

YOU CAN'T BUY CLASS.

and the people watching you know this, they maybe watching you like they watch a white trash t.v. show every nite at 7pm.

but that doesn't mean they think you or that t.v. show is important to our american community. THEY STILL SEE TRASH. and americans buy alot of trash.

i've seen it go so far that some guys who can't even tie a tie and who look like junkies will call other buskers "bums" because they arn't making hats as big as theirs.

money is important, but you can make money doing any thing.

it's about dignity.

and it's saturday, so if you'll exuse me i gotta put on my clown shoes and grab my horn and go to work.

chasing a pitch

2007-10-28T23:21:00.000-07:00

chasing a pitch is where you work a spot for a short time become impatient and move to another spot in the hopes of the grass being greener.

generally this is a bad idea, usually the best thing to do is to find a pitch you know has been reliable in the past and do your work day there, the money might be a trickle, but slow and sure is still sure.

while your chasing a pitch, your losing money.

NOW i began this with "usually" because usually this is the rule, but i assure you not always the rule.

"toot" said, a pitch can make you or break you.

when i work new orleans, i got an old grandma bike i ride around following the movement of the tourists.

the tourists have their own schedule they start out by "cafe du monde" and the river in the morning and work their way into the quarter until nite time they end up on bourban street.

different attractions at different times and i show up before they are letting in or letting out depending.

but i still lose money, so why do i do it? cuz i don't like fighting with the other buskers for time on a pitch or dealing with cops about upstruction because they got familiar with me in one spot. some times i even make more then i would if i secured a spot....alot of times i don't.

if you have a small 5 min. doorway act, {like a one trick sandy} moving every show up and down the sidewalk could be the best.

in a situation like this you can work any where and the cops will have an impossible time catching you in the act and they probably wont get any complaints anyway because your in and out so quick.

but you know if your in a town that sucks it matters little, it would be best to work a reliable spot all day practising if nothing else. but definately keep your ears open for a spot you may not know about and maybe do a little exploring now and then.

busking indoors

2007-10-28T23:18:00.001-07:00

you learn a SET SHOW, so it's yours, so where ever you go you have it as a tool to provide for you.

what do you do when you can't street perform as a busker?

what if it's snowing or busking is illegal where you're at or what ever, what do you do?

i worked for years in doors all venues from walk around to stage and was paid.

but busking indoors?

i saw an old street performer's video called "doing magic all the time and anywhere people will watch it."

great tape, sorry the name of the guy escapes me.

this guy's tape really had an impact on me.

you can busk any where you go, heck look at amway....ok maybe a bad example but it's true if you want it, you can make the money and and make the dream happen where ever you are, you just need alot of drive.

cellini told me a story;

him and his wife had got to the hotel she told him they were out of money it was late and snowing, so he told her,"i'll be right back" and he headed to the restaurant in the lobby.

he walked in picked up a glass and a butter knife clanged the glass got everyones attention and began his show. he hatted em at the end went back up to the room and dumped the money on the bed infront of his wife.

they had enough money for thye room and the rest of their needs......that's another reason why he's the master.

remember it's your show it's there to take care of you when you believe in it.

i asked cellini how he gets permission to work and he says he just tells the guy in charge, "hey i'm a travelling magician and i'm gonna entertain your guests" and when the guy asks how much, cellini tells him "nothin!"

after he does his show or shows the guy in charge might ask him to do this on a regular basis on certain nites, thats when cellini would hit him with a fee and stips.

you see it's like a paid audition.

cellini would also keep a book or a log with all of the places that would alow him to busk them and also the places that would pay him.

my friend peter at http://www.buskerscafe.com wrote this;

-Bro. Paul West in his DVD "X Marks the Spot" talks about working indoors. He tells the story of a guitar player that walked into the bar and passed around a half page flyer stateing he was going to play 3 songs and ended with the phrase "No Drinks Just Tips." He did his 10 minute show, passed the hat and walked out to the next bar.

Bro Paul then describes how he did the same thing with just 3 quick magic effects and supported himself just doing several guick 10 to 15 minute shows in different bars per night.-

your lifes work must be sacred

2007-10-28T22:52:00.001-07:00

your lifes work must be sacred
as a sidewalk performer i gotta code i live by and even though i fall short in so much of my life i try very hard to stick to this code.

below is an excerpt of an article i found on the internet i'm a huge fan of dashiel hammit the writer of the "Maltese Falcon"

below is a picture of humphrey bogart he played sam spade in the movie version.

This code of behavior — which harks back to the credo of the post-World War I Hemingway code hero — would become part of the standard equipment of later hard-boiled detectives in film. But while later detectives such as Philip Marlowe were capable of feeling compassion and a certain amount of empathy for other human beings, it is Sam Spade's personal code alone that makes him a hero and is, in the end, the source of his redemption. Indeed, the negative aspects of Spade's character make his ultimate sacrifice all the more affecting — despite his cynicism and his somewhat cruel nature, despite his negative feelings toward Archer, and despite his love for Brigid, he is determined to see that Brigid pays the price for murdering his partner, because his personal code demands it.

"When a man's partner is killed, he's supposed to do something about it. It doesn't make any difference what you thought of him. He was your partner and you're supposed to do something about it. And it happens we're in the detective business. Well, when one of your organization gets killed it's bad business to let the killer get away with it. Bad all around. Bad for every detective, everywhere."

It should be noted that factors originating outside of the film itself also contributed to the effectiveness of Bogart's portrayal of Spade and the audience's appreciation of Spade's ambiguity as a hero. At this point in his career, Bogart had yet to play a genuine hero. He had been a star of the second tier for years, but he was best known for his portrayals of cold- blooded killers and gangsters, often being gunned down in the last reel by the star, such as James Cagney or Edward G. Robinson.

magi in spain, using a silent crowd build, no table. clips and tips

2007-10-18T13:11:00.000-07:00

this is typical of european street acts and works wonderfully in the states if you know the tactics. theres alot to learn here in all different aspects of street performing.

when you're watching it, notice none of them are using a table, cups and balls, and little or no cards, and it's all parlor.

heres a buddy of mine named Istvan doin his finale, he has a full length act totally silent even when he hats em. notice the size of his crowd.

heres a guy doin a silent act no table and twards the end they pan the camara over his audience and you should notice how big it is. theres a lot to learn from this clip.

here's that magician i was talking about that made all the girls in the audience cry, but here he's just doin a sidewalk show.

heres another of him doin a more sidewalk work. this one has got a the most beautiful trick done with a book.

but understand i saw his huge circle show when i was there normally he didn't do sidewalk work.

i never used sound equipment till recently with my silent acts but it's made all the difference in the world.

notice with each one of these guys they gotta small amp HIDDEN from view yet they change music as they need for each routine it doesn't hafta be preset.

notice the type of music they are using, notice the simplisity of the tricks mostly stuff common to all of us, BUT DONE ORIGINALLY.

i've also seen guys just bring a small boom box for smaller shows.

heres another guy in spain, notice the music he's playing in the back ground.

notice he can do the routine with the belongings on his person no table no nothin.just his skill. the people appreciate this and will show it by paying.

he never says a word he lets his skill speak or itself.

heres one last one of my friend Istvan rememeber he does all this silent.

here's another

where's our community on the web

2007-10-11T19:28:00.000-07:00

well if you're interested in reading the blogs i've posted here in a forum where they have been commented and critisized by real life performers i would suggest you go to the buskerscafe american here's the link

http://buskerscafe.com/

also try

performers.net

or

buskercentral.com

or try

themagiccafe.com go to the sidewalk shuffle section.

your first time busking, what to say to the people?

2007-10-11T19:26:00.001-07:00

when you finally decide to go and do it,what to say to the people?

the big question.

cellini discusses this in length.

i would suggest this;

you have 3 tricks you always do already,

i would start here because you already have the patter and you have memorized the moves which is crucial to creating and delivering patter.

need something to say just start saying the patter and dive into the tricks.

also talk about where you learned the trick, where it was begun originally and its place through history. the beauty, mystery and or upsurdity of it.

tell the people your name the name of your show what tricks you'll be doing and how long it is.

tell the people where you learned it or if you put it together yourself and what it was designed for.

but most of all relax and mentally record what hecklers have said and either use it for future material or try and think of it as constructive critism if you can find the patience.

in the u.s. what size show do i need to survive?

2007-10-07T09:52:00.001-07:00

first of all, i will say in europe it didn't seem to matter. it was so good there, a close up card act could feed you.

i heard in other places it similar.

but here in the u.s. different story fellahs.

the sidewalk show or door way act is perfect for the single guy butif you live in the u.s. and got a family to support the sidewalk doorway show ain't gonna work for you, get it out of your head...we've all tryed.

don't get me wrong you can make money but not enough.

your gonna need to do a circle show or at the very least a half circle show...sorry.

i know i call myself a sidewalk magician, thats because i love the doorway act, the sidewalk all of it, i do.

but in this country you can't support a family with it, the side walk ain't big enough and people arn't cultured enough to tip that high consistantly.

if somebody tells you different it's because they're still in the mode of thinking they can make it work i know cuz i was that guy for many years on the sidewalk. but it's simply not true.

the argument that you bang out 2 or 3 shows and make the same as 1 circle show is a myth, it don't work that way.

first of all your puttin out more energy then he is and you can only do so much inna day and the numbers have alot of different ways of not workin out money wise.

now if you book yourself in festivals you might be able to pull it off but it's gonna be up hill all the way.

if you wanna barely scrape by get bigger into a half cirlce or parlor show.

but,

IF YOU WANNA MAKE THE BIG MONEY LEARN A CIRCLE SHOW.

IF YOU WANNA GET EVERYBODY OFF YOUR BACK ABOUT A REAL JOB LEARN A CIRCLE SHOW

bright and shiny vs. bright and shiny

2007-10-07T09:48:00.001-07:00

your props should be big bright and colorful, like red, yellow, white, etc.

for instance your silk vanish should be one of these colors instead of lets say a black silk. and you should use the biggest silk and t.t. you can and if your doing the color change at the end you should use a much large silk then the silk vanish and it should be a brighter color for impact.

when you produce, a good judge is wether a bad video camera can pick it up from a distance.

now of course this is going to make it harder to manipulate and thats the point the audience realizes this.

NOW THE VERSUS IS IMPORTANT,

alot of guys going on the street for the first time think they are museum curators and keep all their props clean and unscratched....this is upsurd.

you are a street performer your tools should be durable AND SHOULD BE USED TO DEATH BY YOU.

when ever i see a guy with a set of cups that are clean undented and emaculate and he is afraid to hit them, i know he just came outdoors.

if your gonna be a street guy be a street guy!

don't get me wrong you don't wanna be a bum but you wanna have a perfect feel for your props....how do you treat your tooth brush?

by the time you wear out one of these props you should be well versed with it and its capabilities.

you should always have back up or replacement props for when you've distroyed them, through use or lost them.

look at a constuction guy's tools they look used, he takes care of them but they look used......this adds credability on the street to the audience.

you look like a worker.

but not clean and shiny, not on the street.

clean and shiny might indicate failed indoors and forced to go on the street.

so bang that wand on those cups and make a noise, a loud noise and don't be an uptight freak because thats not fun entertainment.

but try not to look like a bum or a rich guy because people don't like getting close to bums and crack heads would love the opportunity to rob a rich guy. there's a wierd balance there and i'll write about it later.

we need to have faith in our trade!

2007-10-07T09:45:00.000-07:00

I think art is expression, further if done properly it is the expression of a community.

and I think it is our obligation as artists to try and do the best job we can to express ourselves.

and think I in the u.s. street performer's scene we are lacking in the quantity of street performers and the quality that a nation with the reputation we have in the world should have.

when I have travelled around I was amazed at what the world was offering in street entertainment...then I came home and reality hit me in the face.

what was the difference?

they had commitment to their art as an expression of their nation.

ironically we americans are known for our gumption, so what happened here?

as entertainers we lost faith in our trade.

evertime a person blindly follows the way of street performing and has complete faith in the way of street performing they have made a living.

the beauty is you sink or swim

like any other business if you do your home work and keep giving it your best shot it can and will work.

"YOU GOTTA BELIEVE IN WHAT YOUR'RE DOIN"

2007-10-07T09:41:00.000-07:00

here's one cellini gave me he got it from slydini.

"YOU GOTTA BELIEVE IN WHAT YOUR'RE DOIN"

i believe we're the real thing .

magicians are real and we're it.

merlin was of the same stock.

you see i believe we've always been here only in the beginning, we were royalty.

when the people watch us, in the back of their heads they know this!

and they wait for the confirmation......that is, wether you're good or not!

and if you suck they are upset they fell for an imposter.

we have keyed in on the "secrets" and the BELIEF.

you must believe in what your doing when you do it. if you fail to do this, you're gonna leave a "TELL" for the whole world to see.

being a skeptic is an admiral cause, but their is no room for it during the presentation.

not while the magic is happenning.

you see, "IF YOU BELIEVE IT, THEY HAVE LITTLE OTHER CHOICE, BUT TO BELIEVE IT TOO."

a good mime could demonstrate this more transparently.

playing poker could give you a good feel for it.

here's a good beginners exercise;

when you palm a coin try and believe that you really put it in the hand.

let your subconcious take over concealing the secret moves. let the subconsious understand that's how the mechanic's of real magic works.

and pretty soon if you practice enough over and over you will be doing it with out thinking about it and you could even start moving impromptu and the subconsience will be covering for you.

i think this goes for anything you're doin.

if you believe you could be the best street performer it's possible but if you're just faking it you got no chance.

you see "fake it till you make it" is different than believing you could be the best.

do you wanna settle for just makin it?

the sidewalk or doorway,the half circle,and the circle show definitions.

2007-10-07T09:37:00.000-07:00

o.k. here i go stickin my hand in the trick bag.

these definitions are argued and what makes it worse is when some amatuer starts talkin out his ass about it and making a confusing but important discussion even more confusing.

i have alot of experience with the sidewalk and the half circle shows, but not alot with the circle show, but i'll try not to talk out my ass any way.

any way;

IN THE U.S.

A SIDEWALK OR DOORWAY ACT,

a close up act scripted and played up big.

it usually runs @8-10 mins but some run as long as 15 mins.

the act is done in a small area holding a crowd from @ 1-20 people it's repeated over and over.

hats are generally @ $10 but could be from $1 - $30 depending on the day and the pitch. in a festival of course these numbers would be alot higher.

of course none of this is etched in stone.

the cups and balls by it self alone is ideal but many have had success doing more tricks usually small hand magic tricks.

a sterio typical act would be;

silk vanish, coin routine, card routine [ambitious], rope routine[professors nitemare] and finale w/ cups and balls.

the pace is almost hectic with small bursts of dramatic pauses until the hat is passed the audience is barraged with patter and tricks so they can't think almost hypnotized. usually manic.

A HALF CIRCLE SHOW,

a parlor act scripted and done up big.

it runs from @ 15 - 25 mins.

done in an area holding @ 20-100 people in a half circle edge in front of the performer.

hats are usually @ $35 but run from $15 - $80 depending on the day and the pitch. in a festival of course these numbers would be alot higher.

of course none of this is etched in stone.

typical act could be;

silk vanish, multiple selection card routine, linking rings routine, cut and restored rope routine, cups and balls.

the pace is slowed down from the hectic pace of the sidewalk show but has NO dead time and alot more disscussions about money.

A CIRCLE SHOW;

a stage act scripted and dragged out and done up big.

act runs @ 30mins - 60 mins but is typically 45mins.

done in an area large enough to hold 100- 400 people [i've seen spots that hold a 1000]

the people create an edge around the performer in a large circle...hence the name.

hats are around $100 but can be more then $300 depending on the spot and the day. in a festival of course these numbers would be alot higher.

a typical act could be;

silk vanish, multiple selection card routine, signed bill in lemon/cups and balls routine.

the thing that should be really understood here is that a circle show is very different then the others in that the pace of the show is a much more relaxed and almost dragged out stall for time kinda thing.

theres interaction and getting the people to clap and cheer to help build the crowd bigger.....because you see that is the whole point it's a game to get as many people there to watch and pay you as you can.

the more people, the more money.

the circle show is usually, but not always, a commercial for you to get money in the hat.

the best money making circle show is that in which 35 mins has been spent building a crowd and 10 mins doing a trick at the end to prove your worth.

i have seen circle shows that were pure entertainment for 45mins but saddly they are few and far between.

"IT'S BETTER TO GO OUT AND DO SOMETHING, THEN TO STAY HOME AND PLAN SOMETHING!"

2007-09-29T21:57:00.000-07:00

three big mistakes beginner's make on the street;

mistake #1.
asking the people if they wanna see a trick [instead of telling them to watch]

mistake #2.
focusing on the fixing of the slieghts, the flashing,the mechanics and the magic instead of focusing on how to do a street show first.

nobodies gonna watch it any way if you don't got a show thats why they call it a show.[ these are usually the "move monkeys" who are always trying to fool magician's but arn't entertaining]

and #3 the point of interest,

3. sitting at home and planning what your gonna do instead of doing something. it usually that big trick you've never tryed but you know will stop them in their tracks....this is a mistake, stop doing that!

now this is gonna sound crazy and wrong but it's absolutely not.

here it is - "IT'S BETTER TO GO OUT AND DO SOMETHING, THEN TO STAY HOME AND PLAN SOMETHING!"

now i realize you're gonna wanna get a little stucture together before you go out there but the longer you take the less you've done.

you see at home the conditions are perfect and when you go out in the real world, it don't work like that.

staying home will procrastinate you right into a real job..i assure you.

everytime i try and fight this one i lose and every time any body i know trys to fight it they lose.

go to the office your pitch and go out infront of the people and do your practicing and planning out there where you can get some honest feed back instead of torturing your wife over and over with it.

you wanna be great stay on the pitch and work it out!

magic tricks with balls

2007-09-26T08:39:00.001-07:00

i use large high bounce balls and a yellow lacrosse ball. in the video on youtube.

i've used every thing.

i'm always on the hunt.

in craft stores i've bought every size woodin balls and eggs and brought them home and painted them.

i've use all the different sizes to see what each can do for me. if their small i can steal 2 etc.

i go to novelty stores, i shop at loftus, any where, toys stores and i buy them and take them home.

fakini's are incredible sonny holliday uses these and mixes with various others balls he gets from toy shops or dollar stores.

the trick for me is to use the largest and brightest i can get away with, for maximum visual effect.

for wooden balls;

i've gone to the craft stores like "michael's" or "jo ann's" and bought every size they go by inches they have 1/4 in - 5 inch whats great is they mark the sizes so you know what your working with infact you can now judge what size other balls are, like rubber balls at the toy store that are'nt sized.

needless to say i have a lot of balls in fact my wife got me large bins to put them in because she didn't like find them laying around.

i wanted to work with every size to see which was best and how to work with other sizes i've painted them red and with diferent colors to "color change" or for surprise productions.

they're simple to paint just go to walmart and get "apple barrel" acrylic paint comes in a little bottle for @ $1the color is called bright red.

the little sponge brushes are 50 cents.

this is why you need a teacher.

2007-09-26T08:25:00.000-07:00

your gonna meet guys who tell you, "oh i don't have a teacher cuz i don't need one." don't believe this braggart, this is pure ego.

heres what happenned either they had a teacher who couldn't stand them or they are so full of themselves they think by denying their teacher and their peers that they'll stand out as the best.

but sadly for them this doesn't work. but they try for years some times.

these are the ones who stand on the backs of those they have forgotten....feel sorry for them.

but why do you need a teacher.

because being a magician is more then being an entertainer, a businessman, or a guy who does tricks. in fact those are things you should do after your a magician.

you need some one who's gonna teach you how to be a magician proper, and you need some one qualified who understands just exactly what it is to be a magician proper.

and finally if you want to be the best, you need to know who it is, you need to be better than
[even tho you may never be able to be better then the mentor but at least you'll know the right direction]

if your saying well thats why i went to the street to get away from the rules, i hate to break it to you but this started in the street first then when indoors.

you see nobodys tell you, you have to do any thing we're just saying its nature.

you stop breathing if you want to, but its gonna make life harder.

if you can't find a teacher right now you should at least buy

"the tarbel course in magic volume #1"

and read the first few chapters especially the one on secrets and history.

a slower pitch means more "flash".

2007-09-26T08:21:00.000-07:00

if your workin on a spot with very little foot traffic, you need more FLASH!

whats flash - it's stuff that surrounds you to make you look bigger then you are and add credability.

you need to lay a fat heavy colorful rope down as a stage boarder.

a sign with boring print that states MAGIC SHOW and nothing else.

you need to be LOAD and reciting a pitch to the street wether some one is listenning or not.

a table for focus.

lay all the props you can out infront of you in a display showing what you will be working with. don't leave any thing in the bag that doesn't absolutely have to be concealed.

this is flash it catches the eye of the passer by.

and use anything else you can think of.

going from a "real job" to your "lifes work", how to make the leap?

2007-09-26T08:06:00.000-07:00

this is the scariest.

and everyone you know is against it.

"toot" told me years ago he saw sheridan working new york and he watched him over and over on breaks from his job..til one day he decided thats what he was gonna do with his life, the problem was he knew very little magic.

what did he do?

he went home to his roommate and told em the situation.

he suggested to the room mate that he should sponsor him for a few months....support him.

the roommate agreed if he would support the roommate for the three months after that.

so toot worked 8-16 hrs a day to learn.

ate, breathed, and crapped, street performing.

he was in a hurry cuz he knew 3 months flys by.

he did it, and the rest is history.

your gonna need time to go to school....the school of street performing.

and your gonna need 100% focus to save time.

will everything work out....no.

will your wife and family get angry....yes, they already do.

will she leave you?

in this country the odds are good she will, so be careful, DON'T TAKE HER FOR GRANTED AND ASSUME EVERY THINGS FINE,time to pay attention to your marriage. make sure she feels secure. and prove to her she is.

people will tell you they're supportive and they arn't, why?

not because they are bad people, its because they know you....your an artest and you got problems. face it, learn to embrace it, things will go along smoother.

your not normal, your here reading this!

your smart, too smart thats the problem. wake up! this is a bad thing! you'd be better off if you could be content working a brain dead job that pays.

when should you take this time off and make the leap?

the key is to not put it off.

i would suggest, just before the beginning of the season[summer months].better hats.

3 months might not be long enough it took me almost a year.

and you might want to practice through winter to be ready for summer.

why so long?

1.you need street[stage] time under your belt

2.you need a show that pays

3.you need to know how to find pitches to do that show.

i've heard some great success stories from a bunch of guys over the years so i know their out there.

kozmo got a great one.

if you make the leap DON'T PANIC! YOU'RE GOING TO BE MAKING MONEY THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT!...my friend dante told me this just before i went to europe the first time...i was terrified but this calmed me down and it turned out to be true.

a day at the office

2007-09-25T10:30:00.000-07:00

when i go to the pitch i get settled in and make my self at home, i plan to stay there awhile. that becomes my territory, my spot, my office.

this does a few things first of all it puts me in the mind set that, wether the people stop to see me or not i'm at work for the day and i'll keep workin wether they stop or not.

the other thing it does is i can better defend myself in my own office. wether it be crack heads or hecklers.....thats my office not theirs.

four obligations of the magi worth noting.

2007-09-25T10:26:00.002-07:00

four obligations of the magi worth noting.

1. KEEP THE SECRETS

2. PRACTICE TIL PERFECT

3. TEACH IF A STUDENT IS WORTHY

4. PROTECT THE LAYMAN FROM CHARLATANS

how to get a teacher.

2007-09-25T10:22:00.001-07:00

i always meet some guy with ego problems who thinks he's a renegade and who says,

"i don't have a teacher i don't need one, i invented everything i do, i'm just that good."

then he shows me his ambitious card routine, assuming i've never seen one before.

this happens alot.

once it even happenned with a scotch and soda, you know who you are!

so if you ain't gotta teacher here somes suggestions.

let magicians you respect know your looking for one.

find a guy who has a teacher or has had one. try and get him to teach you or get his teacher if you can.

masters are obligated to help if they see some one with, LEGITIMATE INTEREST AND TALENT.

that means you gotta nag day after day after day and you gotta be able to show him something,some thing good.

most masters are reluctant to be a teacher, thats how you spot one.

when you get a teacher, time to suck up pay attention and don't try and teach him because after awhile it will get on his nerves and he'll try and shed you.

if he needs some thing give it to him. you need to take care of your teachers.

YOU CAN HAVE MORE THAN ONE TEACHER DEPENDING ON THE VENUE YOUR LEARNING.

if your some where this isn't possible buy tarbell vol. 1 devour the first few chapters about our tradition and then buy the rest as you go along.

if your renegade loner who doen't play well with others heres what sonny holliday did, he wanted to be the best in the world so he knew he'd have to find the best and learn from him because that would be the only person he respected, that was cellini.

you'll have to find who ever it is you respect for your type of work.

a tip from doc andrews on how to find a proper teacher.

2007-09-25T10:15:00.000-07:00

this is a picture of doc andrews on the pitch in new orleans in jackson square.

this is copy and pasted from the buskers cafe i thought it was so good i'd put it here.

this is what dwayne andrews said. i call it the doc andrews perscription;

"The price you will pay is putting away some of your misbeliefs. and sacrificing a little ego on the alter to the quest of knowlegde

How to know a good teacher from a bad one when you are new to Magic.

First, you do the looking, find those you respect and enjoy; or just want to be better than. If you dont want formal training like the Chavez School of Clones, then watch from a distance-PAY ATTENTION- to everything they do. The best way to become successful is to find successful persons and emulate them. You can probably figure out why they do what they do after some amount of study then remove the negative habits and pecularities you dont want to have stick with you and you will become better. Next if you are considering actually studying with someone, Think About This--How do they treat you personally, If he treats you poorly he is thinking more of his own ego and not the student, or the Profession. These people will constantly seek others to spew their misbeliefs apon.
Second listen to your gut instinct, and dont turn off your brain just because someone may know more than you or has a known name. A real Mentor will look at all questions with a realistic approach, because he realizes he has a lot to learn or relearn from his own answers, not just turn them down out of hand. It sometimes codifys our own rational to ask a question from a different angle than our norm.
Next before considering anyone for this most estemed position think to yourself; is this who I would like to become: Because a student will follow in the masters footsteps.

When you do find someone you RESPECT pay attention to their personality and habits as well as their magic - there is a lot to learn from simple oberservation- this is the other gift a real mentor has to offer. Not just about your double lift but about approach, personality, and motivation and a myriad of things he may never think to explain. Each of these conspire to create the whole performer. Maybe this is why the other magician asked you to watch his act. He could have known you two werent a good fit or wanted you to be able to decide for yourself ( I am giving him the benifit of the doubt here ).

Also if you wouldnt want to have a late dinner with someone, dont look to them as a role model. because you will end up spending a great amount of time together.

We differ from Magicians in that we focus on the actual entertainment of the people in front of us. Not just the latest slieght on some website. This is a very important point here, and the main reason we dislike other "MAGICIANS" but seem to get along well together. We are focused on being ENTERTAINERS, This is a major difference. I dont know about you, but I feel a passion I dont experience anywhere else, when I step on stage and know the audience is paying ( or will pay ) good money to watch me perform. And by God I had better do it right. At this point I am not just playing the part of a magician I AM THE MAGICIAN.

Zig Ziggler told me, if you will help other people get what they need, They will help you get what you need. When our esteemed peers notice us contributing to the Artform they love, and see us trying to make a better Act, or create a more magical persona or environment by helping others, they will step in at that point to do what they can for you.
You may learn from them in an instant or in years. It depends how much you need to really learn from that person.
And remember, I could be totally mistaken.
I hope this adds in some way to the discussion "

Oscar Wilde said, " We are all lying in the gutter but some of us are looking to the stars."

_________________
Dwayne Andrew
Professional Entertainer

the job of the teacher

2007-09-25T10:13:00.000-07:00

i'm not gonna get this one completely right i know, so if theres input from experinced teachers even better.

before one can be a teacher one MUST BE QUALIFIED TO TEACH.

the job of the teacher is to;

1.make the student better then him.
[even if it means holding back information]

2.to be loyal to the student in all things.

3.to be patient.

4.to teach the student the traditions of magic[keeping secrets,science, and respect for better magicians etc.]

5.provide a venue for the student to work.

and heres an important one, there is two prominant methods of instruction,

one is to tear down the student in an attempt to chalenge him. i think this is destructive.

the other is,

to build him up like he's a superman and the student will just assume he can do any thing....this is the method i think is best as long as you arn't afraid to give him honest criticism when its needed.

theres a bunch more i know these just stick out in my head right now.

what are some good sidewalk rigs to get started?

2007-09-25T10:07:00.000-07:00

heres some rig ideas.

doctors bag or tool bag that opens like a doctors bag.

20 ft. of heavy THICK but soft nylon rope so the wind can't blow it.

sign that ONLY SAYS just 2 words only nothing else! just the words in black and white real big and plain not fancy.....MAGIC SHOW....but no other words. the sign should fit in your bag without folding and should have velcro on the back and velcro on the bag so that it will stick to the side of the bag. you can make it out of poster board clear tape and a black felt marker.

sign unnecessary out side of U.S.

a 11- 12 inch drum stick saw of sharp end so it looks like an unpainted wand. this is your noise maker,slight prop,and may have to go into the ribs of a violent aggressive person....you know your magic wand.

so theres your flash {stuff to make the people interested and mark your territory}

sidewalk routine suggestion;

silk vanish

coins and jumbo

deck of cards

rope trick like professors nitemare or some rope work as a finale to your little 8-10 min act.

what ever tricks you decide the real trick is.

don't bring any thing but whats in your show.

not extra tricks, not nothing.

in reality you don't even need that flash, no bag, no nothin, just keep those things in your pocket and stop out on a sidewalk and go to work.

oh and by the way don't bring any other tricks but whats in your show every time you perform it. and yes i know i said that all ready but this is the hardest for a magician to understand about street performing...pack small play big...not pack rat just to be sure.

remember at first your tryin to learn a set show, not trying to amaze them. you need to rely on the set show to get good enough to do its job on its own.

if you got a table;

silk vanish

coins or cards

cups and balls.

if your not doin cups and balls ask yourself why in gods name am i draggin this table around all the time when all i'd have to do is improvise like a real entertainer.

you really only need a table for the cups and there is cellini students in switzerland right now who do it on the ground....not to mention india.where they street performed for thousands of years.

and what other entertainers in show business use a table and how about t.v. magicians do they use one?

the job of the student

2007-09-25T10:04:00.000-07:00

eric evans said,
"be a suitable student. For it is my belief that if you're a suitable student, the world working the way it does, a teacher/mentor will appear--its up to you as the student to see the opportunity and sieze it."

danny hustle said;

"I believe mentoring works. I also believe that you need to be a good student. The type of person who doesn't know what to take his hands off his ears and put them over his mouth should NEVER try and find a mentor. To be a good student you need to be humble, and know when to listen, even if deep down you might not agree with your teacher, right now. For a guy who grew up in the street and almost every person I grew up with now dead or in prison I can say in all honesty that the reason I am still here has been my ability to check my ego, shut up, and listen. You have to achieve a level of trust in your mentor that is wholly unnatural to most people. That mentor has the responsibility of never betraying that trust.

That being said, (and Jimmy will know what I am talking about) having a bad mentor can ruin you. You really need to know when it is time to cut the strings and follow a different path.

I am humbly thankful to all of the people that have mentored me in my lifetime, several of them are members of this very forum.

I should also like to give you my definition of what a mentor is. A mentor first is a friend, a true friend. This friend shares his faith, hope, and experience, with you because he has a great desire for no reason outside of his friendship to see you succeed. "

"Choose your mentors as wisely as they choose their students. "

one thing i'd like to add is that you need to take care of your teacher if he needs somethin get it for him cause if he's good its for your best interest.

if he's bad and you've helped him you've done it because your taking the high ground...and people see that.

stop a child stop the world [cellini]

2007-09-25T10:02:00.001-07:00

cellini is famous for this saying.

yet i always hear these hacks [who do 1 corprate show in 4 months]say "oh, i don't do kids shows"

well guess what neither do we, thats not the point.

this the same problem i've talking about in all my posts, alot of magi are not flexable enough or a stong enough performers to perform for all crowds at the same time. but instead of admitting this they say "oh, i'm better then that".......misguided ego .

if a child is watching you, no one is afraid of you and most will think its indearing and will stop.

without a child your scary, creepy,insane or boring, and very few will just stop and give you a chance. remember you want as big a crowd as you can get.

a hobbiest says "i don't do kid shows"

a pro says "i do shows"

wanna work every day doin what you love, get over it!

the hobbiest is a dreamer but he doesn't live the dream the pro does

my vision for buskers in the u.s.

2007-09-25T10:00:00.001-07:00

i see a time when;

cities are proud of their buskers and advertise them in tourist info. to bring more prosperiety to the city. and other cities are lookin for away to get buskers for them selves

a city, a mall, or private business will pay you 50 a day to entertain and hat the people.

people walking down the street will see you from afar and say, "honey get the kids theres another one, he's a magician hurry up, before we miss something!"

kids start out their careers as entertainers, on the street, and are getting paid to practice enough to support themselves. and by the time they get older are working in great venues.

a time when;

you've made a carreer out of it and got a big house, nice cars, etc.

buskers turn down prepaid work cuz they can't afford the time off from busking the street or indoor venues.

big busker supply stores in every major city because busking is such a large industry.

where young guys say they're buskers to get girls, but who have never busked before.

a place where the girl isn't worried about dating a busker because he's a broke dreamer who couldn't provide for her.because it would be common knowledge that he could.

crazy?

i'm dreaming?

i need medication

that will never happen?

WELL I GOT NEWS FOR YA.

its happening right now all over europe and different parts of the world....

infact some of these things are even happening here in the states with the top pros and festival workers.

but heres where i might be dreaming i'd want it here in the states in mass.

i want it all.

but i'd want the buskers to be good....no great.

instead of hearing,

"he's from europe and thats what they do there so he's gotta be good"

or

"oh that busker is from austalia so he's really good"

or

"he's from japan so he's gotta be good" i'd want people to say that about us.

and i believe thats why our tradition is so important. why we have to remember, why our tradition is important, so we don't suck.

i think pure talent can make this happen here.

after all we just gotta make people like us.

why ain't it like that here people are unfamiliar with us on the street.

instead they are familiar with crack head cons on the street.

or worse yet they are familiar with a street performer who was untalented, rude, and made a fool out of some one in a bad way.

checking out the equipment-clip

2007-09-25T09:58:00.001-07:00

escape money and a floater.

2007-09-25T09:51:00.000-07:00

this is only food for thought.

if your stuck some where, your roomates throw you out, you get in trouble with law, you get hurt, you get so crapped out you can't work and you need a break,somthin, somthin, what ever.

you need to have "escape money".

now a "floater" is this thing i heard about in europe. its a bank account with @ 10 grand in it, so you can take winters off if you want to.

now i understand most of us don't have that kinda money...it's just food for thought

the trick to both of these is never use a "real job" to make these.

you should get used to having your security in street performing.

you should be relying on street performing to take care of you.

by preparing with a real job, in your head, when times get rough you'll want to turn back to the real job.

like my friend george gilbert says friends are super important in your life as a busker but if you can become independant i think you should.

the magician's den.... your studio/library/office/work shop.

2007-09-25T09:49:00.001-07:00

i remember the first time i saw one it was many many years ago.

it was doug conn's.

he had a display rack on the wall, with all the close up props he used, displayed.

his table was directly under it and it all looked like a minuature museum.

if you don't know what i'm talkin about....you should!

if your magician your supposed to have one.

its a space with a full a length mirror, your props, and all the things you need to practice and make your tricks... all your books are there.

you gotta phone in there to book your gigs...you know every thing for your work.

if your living by yourself in an apartment it could be the whole place.

so.

where do street performers keep a den, if they are a homeless travelers?

in there pocket?

sort of, it gets broken up unless you got an rv.

most can fit in a van.

the mirror is the windows on the buildings. you practise outside.

if you have no van, its in your travel bag and rig and can be set up in the hotel room.

with no van the library is being recyled as you buy and read them, you exchange or just get rid of them and by new ones. you can carry the important ones...but you'll get sick of that.

there was a cool magicians den caught on film, in the illussionist. it was his WORK SHOP where he worked on his illussions can you remember it?, and he would practice in his theater.

i dunno anybody got any thoughts on this?

the secret of shy buskers and being in your own world

2007-09-25T09:46:00.001-07:00

i've noticed shy people generally are really good at mechanics,sublties and manipulation.

not only that but they are sneeky.

my teacher is like this.

my teacher uses his shyness to his advantage he sucks people into his world. he lures them in when strange things start happenning to him[magic].

heres some tips and then i'll tell you the secret.

set up your pitch so your comfortable enough to be there all day.

lay a fat rope on the ground in a half circle to make your stage [see my posts on "rigs"]

use a sign that only says, "magic show". make sure it's written plain and not fancy, so its completely laedgable.

use lots of flash [stuff you lay out to draw people].

but if you do none of these things heres the secret;

when you work your doin it for you, NOT THEM!

heres the deal do your whole show wether they are watching you or not, because it doesn't matter, because the show is for you, NOT THEM!

you block em out! don't acknowledge them.

if and when you get a crowd acknowledge them in such a way that tells them they may watch you if they are nice. try and do this without telling them directly....or if your feeling confident go ahead and tell em.

working a slow pitch

2007-09-25T09:43:00.000-07:00

if your sitting on a spot and there is nobody walking by you, you wanna ask yourself;

"do i have a DAMNED GOOD REASON for working here, instead of a good spot where i know theres alot of foot traffic and money, like quincy market in boston or a buskers festival or what ever.

now unfortunately we've all had those momments in our lives where YES WE DO HAVE A DAMNED GOOD REASON.

case in point i'm in san diego cuz i hafta be here to see my kids.

and there are many more reasons and you all know them.

anyway, what do you do?

first of all make sure your on the best pitch in the town.

secondly change your state of mind about the spot don't expect alot and know you have to roll up your sleeves and go to work. your gonna need to do hours if you wanna make money to leave or what ever. this a job remember.

thirdly be prepared to work all day and into the late nite so you can figure out when the best times are to work this pitch. so you can make a schedual for yourself, this is if you gotta stay in the town for a long time.

and fourth a bad spot is the perfect place to tighten your act. just keep doin it over and over wether they watch you or not. what difference does it make if your forced to be there any way.

when i was in europe people would ask me why i worked so many hours and this is why.

[in europe theres less bad spots]

when the european buskers would come here they'd ask me "why do the people walk by disinterested?"

i believe, if you can make it on a bad spot in america you can make it any where.

but for gads sakes if you can leave....leave!

on the street,never ask anyone if they want to see a trick

2007-09-25T09:36:00.000-07:00

let me save you some time.

if you ask some one if they wanna see a trick the answer is NO!

got it?

its NO!

stopping asking that stupid question over and over to the people your imbarrassing us magi.

here it is;

NEVER ASK SOME ONE IF THEY WANT TO SEE SOMETHING!

TELL THEM THEY WANT TO! AND DON'T BE A WUSSIE. they smell fear.

when i started out busking....asking, was the biggest mistake i ever made. i spent all day asking, "would you like to see a trick?"

this is not busking this is begging.

the passer by is inundated with these questions from all sides and he becomes jaded and reactionary.... short story he says no.

what should you say?

"pay attention cuz i'm not doin it again!"

or

"watch this"

or just begin your patter for the trick.

get creative but don't ask.

when you speak, speak very loud, use volume.

2007-09-25T09:32:00.000-07:00

the biggest problem i've seen is that people with the best skills are too quiet and people with the worst skills have the biggest mouths.

ideally you should have the best skills with the biggest mouth.

if you can't be loud learn a silent act with alot of energy or costume or both.

this is a flesh issue....you need flash or they don't stop.

when you talk to the peopl talk past the people infront of you and direct your conversation to the person accross the sreet or a half block down...remember your trying to build a crowd.

don't worry about what your saying so much, just say it loud it should be comming from your gut or your gonna go hoarse by the end of the day.

your not necessarily yelling your talkin so the person far away can hear.

i'll be writing about the secrets of shy and withdrawn entertainers later.

here's what curtis frye had to say about it;

"It's hard to explain in print, but here goes. Take in a nice, deep breath through your nose, slightly tense your top-most ab muscles, look at someone you want to hear you, and start talking. Watch that person to see if they can hear you."

"You get louder by pushing more air past your vocal cords, but not by yelling. When you yell, you straighten up and push from your throat, which means you'll go hoarse in no time. When you support your voice with your stomach muscles (actually your diaphragm) and let the air out slowly, you can speak from your chest with a relaxed throat and let everything come out naturally."

"In _The Amateur Magician's Handbook_, Henry Hay recommends trading a show for voice lessons. I think that's great advice."

fighting over a pitch and pitch "owners"

2007-09-25T09:28:00.000-07:00

i heard cellinin say once, never fight over a pitch.

lord knows i've tried.

but some times you know !@#$%^&*!

i've had guys set up on top of me, during a show.

i've rolled into town where theres only one pitch and i'm out of money.
and that guy keeps saying "this is my spot, i've been here for 55 years blah blah blah crack head."

or how about that guy that sees you work a pitch that you pioneered and the next day, there he is bright and early and he sits on it all day.

worse yet he's makin small hats because he's got no talent.

so the question begs to be answered what do we do?

well.

usually i bitch alot, but some times i piss and moan.

cellini's got a horror storie about a guy who would sneek up behind you with a brick in the middle of your show and crack you if you were in his spot. i wont ruin the story read it [dreamers highway]

language barriers and comedy in different countries

2007-09-25T09:24:00.000-07:00

when i was in spain i did a silent act and spanish act .

i was excited to see how my show would translate, i'm half hispanic.

silent and spanish paid @10 euros.

in english it paid 30-50 euros.

i watched the other acts the story was the same i was disappointed but i was doin shows in english for the remainder of my stay.

in fact i noticed other countries were alright with me doin my stuff in english.

you see over there they have a state launguage but they are educated enough to speak others.....i was embarassed i could only speak some spanish and some english.

with that, it is always a good idea to put some of thier language in your show to at least show your trying and as respect.

some times jokes didn't translate and i tryed new comedy that worked but it didn't work here when i tryed it here.

i noticed different cultures found different things funny.

what size show fits best

2007-09-25T09:18:00.000-07:00

when i started learning to busk my friend dante in new orleans was showing me the ropes. he had a large circle show.

i asked dante the question what size show is best.

he told me he likes 45 min circle shows, cuz you only have to build a crowd every 45 mins. not every 8mins.

so whats better?

$- well if your all about the money i would say, definately go do a CIRCLE SHOW [30-45mins.] or be a juggler or a break dancer instead of a magi....no better yet just sell time shares. i think you can see the direction there.

if you want to avoid regulation and be stealthy without carrying a bunch of stuff and if you want the ability to work anywhere any time that would be a SIDEWALK SHOW or a DOORWAY ACT [8-10mins].....

but be prepared to do shows all day back to back, grinding out less in money then those circle acts at the end of the day.

if you want the ability to do both and make mediocre hats do a parlor or half circle show [15-25mins]

and this might leave you confused on your structure and leaves you feeling how good it could be but it always just seems out of reach....sort of the middle class of the these 3. and your still making less at the end of the day then those full circle acts. this happens to be where i'm at, half circle shows and i'm completely unsatisfied.

i wanna go full circle but its hard to find pitches unless i go legit [gad forbid] i don't like regulation.

funny enough this is why dante got out of street performing and went to underground cabaret.

he was sick of walking down the street and people telling him not to set up around them.

i crashed a festival on the thames in london-clip

2007-09-25T09:05:00.001-07:00

my most prized picture

2007-09-25T08:52:00.000-07:00

this is jimmy talksalot,sonny holliday,studini,eric evans, and toot [riki palmer] with his hands stretched out.

what is a street magician? [cellini]

2007-09-25T08:39:00.000-07:00

WHAT IS A STREET MAGICIAN?

when asked this is what cellini says,

"Exactly who or what is a street magician?

In my humble opinion he is a wanderer who believes he is the inheritor of all he surveys.

Someone who goes from place to place with or without a settled route or destination.

He is a boundary crosser; his purpose is to discover new places, meet new people, make new friends and preserve a way of life while perfecting his craft.

He is a person who is both loved and envied for his way of life which appears to the untrained eye as jolly-good, and fancy-free. But in fact it is a life of unremitting toil and unfailing persistence.

He must be willing to stake his future on his ability to persist no matter how hard the going gets. He must have an unshakable faith in himself and in his specialized knowledge to resist all the temptation; to buckle under the weight of society, to refuse to be herded like sheep into a pen and to be told when, where, and how long he can stay.

He is the first Church of the Street Theater and claims the same rights as any religion. To stand on any street corner and gather a crowd. To say and do as he wants whenever he wishes as long as it is within the bounds of propriety and good taste. And lastly, ask for support.

He is adventurous, persistent and courageous. Along with those characteristics, he has the determination to survive, the tongue to persuade, and the hand to execute any mischief called for.

He is a man possessing a touch of the earth with a warm and sincere interest in his fellow human beings. His heart, soul and thoughts are those of a king. He is a man blessed with the Royal Touch."

-- Cellini excerpt from "The Royal Touch"

jimmy talksalot clip in covent garden, london

2007-09-25T08:35:00.000-07:00

a busker must travel to be great

2007-09-25T08:33:00.001-07:00

a busker must travel to be great.

ooooh,this one always hits a nerve.

the theory on this one covers vast territory and before you make a snap judgement, think it out.

heres a few but not all to ponder.

1. your show needs fresh faces in the audience all the time to make money and get fresh feed back.

2.every pitch is different and has to be learned which gives you serious experience and makes your show air tight.

3.travelling gets you around other performers and shows and teaches you new stuff for your show.

4.A PROPHET IS NEVER ACCEPTED IN HIS OWN NATION. as magi we are supposed to be mysterious and unfamiliar in our ways, exotic if you will.

ever wonder why nick nicholis is in australia

or

cellini in switzerland.

or

gazzo in the u.s.

ever think about it?

with all that said.

my friend patrick has found a spot that he has worked for many years he's home steaded and has supported his family with busking.

you should make it your business to meet the masters

2007-09-25T08:31:00.001-07:00

you should make it your business to meet the masters.

when i started i wanted to be the best i could so i knew i was gonna need examples, so i went on the road looking for them.

i'm gonna post the stories about the ones i met when i went on the road to check off my list.

what was my list?

for sidewalk performers

sonny holliday

- and i found out that he was the master at sidewalks and also did circle shows}

tom frank

danny hustle

and i met a bunch on the way and i'm gonna write about it.

for big shows

my list was;

cellini-met

eric evans-met

dante-met

gazzo

nick nicholis

captin keno-met

pepe-met

johnny fox

on the way i met others i never heard of like paul nathan who i found out the hard way is a master also.

stop using filler in your show, only use the best material

2007-09-25T08:27:00.000-07:00

i learned this from sonny holliday.

he's a brutal guy and people are scared of him and sometimes thats why they stay[their scared to leave] but most of the time they're mesmerized by his work even if some of them don't like his character they watch in awe.

his patter works the same way only the strongest.

if your a beginner this is gonna be tough.

this is gonna take a while.

but after you got some street time under your belt remember,

by using "filler tricks" your wearing your weakness on your shirt.

sonny holliday said,

"i only use tricks that get the biggest impact, so my routines are these tricks put in a special order."

unfortunately he was only interested in learning one of my tricks!

if you do a trick and you get a huge reaction or a stunned look from the reaction thats the trick you save.

after you have a collection, put em together and now you got a proper routine.

go from there.

this goes for tricks,lines,jokes,costume,equipment, or what ever.

jimmy talksalot

2007-09-21T15:42:00.000-07:00

rotation show or trickle show

2007-09-21T15:40:00.000-07:00

what am i talkin about?

what is a rotation show?

its a show where you do a routine and at the end tell the people;

"if your waitin for the end of the show it ain't commin, i do this all day long over and over if you liked any thing you saw please put some money in the bag on the ground."

then you do a different routine and at the end of that one, you repeat;

"if your waitin for the end of the show......etc."

i think its best for a sidewalk and helps you get your routines tighter as you learn the order of your new show.

it also helps you understand which routines have the best effect on the people.

it's also a great way to keep a crowd all day on a pitch if your on a slow pitch.

some people call it a walk and pitch cuz people walk by watch a little and pitch money in.

this is not the strongest method of hatting.

but.

i think its a great way to make money while you practice and will take away from the monotany of doin your same show over and over.

be warned this is more for the art or show part of your show, in my opinion this is not a big money maker.

i feel your loosing a little money while you do this....but it could pay off in the end by improving your show.

it also comes in handy in a pinch if your on a dead pitch or your dealing with people with no energy.

jimmy talksalot rope routine-clip

2007-09-21T15:37:00.001-07:00

intro repeat routine to crowd build

2007-09-21T15:34:00.001-07:00

intro repeat routine to crowd build.

the idea is to to intro your show and educate the people to what your about to do.

you see sonny holliday doin it in the cellini dvd...."let me tell you what the 8 mins. consists of one card trick...one...etc."

a good idea is to have the propes out infront of you and point to each as you talk about whaty your gonna do.

i think it is very important to be doing a visual effect over and over while your talking about your show so the patter for the trick is your intro not the actual patter for the trick.

i've seen alot of guys do the silk vanish over and over not even looking at it while they talk about the show they are about to do.

you should keep rotating the intro when your done if you don't have a big enough crowd start over thats why its important to have a trick you can do over and over.

some times i do a silent mime/magic routine as an intro and repeat till the crowd gets big enough.

or

i do the flip routine and my entro goes like this;

"if you were out here 50 60 years ago this is smething you might have seen, i'm a sidewalk performer...and i know its true cuz my grandfather taught me how, i don't use trick stuff like those guys on t.v. cuz i ain't gotta milliom dollars its my hands i brought em all the way from new orleans to show em to you, i'll show em to you,you tell me what you think.........etc.

all this is before and seperate from your show[but you may wanna pull it together later].

on the street you must deliver what you promise

2007-09-21T15:30:00.001-07:00

on the street you MUST deliver what you promise.

if your ballying [trying to stop a crowd] and you promise your gonna saw a lady in half, levitate or change a $1 bill into a $100 bill......you better do it.

you can not blow it off this will not work.

if you do not deliver its gonna cost you money and credability.

people are trying to avoid scams on the street.

now if your a salesman, not delivering can work in your favor, you can turn it into a humurous thing like,"yeh, kid don't believe everything you hear from a guy off the street selling you something." thats fine i know i used to do that when i was a pitchman. THIS IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT...this is street performing.

this is something i had to learn the hard way going from pitching svengalis to street performing.

if you make big claims, you will get a big crowd, but if you don't deliver they won't donate to your cause because they feel like they got jipped.

you see the product was your show and it didn't do what the program said it would.

did houdini build interest with the promise of escapes and then only did card tricks after they paid? no he did escapes like he said he would.

in your bally they stopped to see one thing and and were forced to see something else.

no matter how good this something else is, it becomes less good. hurts your show and your hat.

i know, me and my street performer friends have tryed and failed...thats why some old street performer years ago said "you must deliver what you promise."

ask your self this why are you making a claim you won't keep? is it because you feel the tricks your gonna do arn't strong enough to stop them?

if you tell the people your going to change a $1 bill into a $100 do it!

as a magician you should be able to this.

if you don't deliver on the street, your hurting your own credability as a magician, an entertainer.....and worst of all, the rest of us.

understand this doesn't apply to a salesman....he can get away with it people know salesman will do any thing to sell their product.

and this is not a jab at don driver.

don's a genuis.

and has forgottin more about our art than i know.

in fact i think his famous bally could be a great street show if you did exacly what you claim to do in your show and for your finale....you see that would make it a magic show.

but i'd definately hat before the finale, cuz the people are probably not gonna wanna tip you if your standing there with all those hunskys in your hand....know what i mean?

if you don't know what i mean get familiar with his bally.

you hafta play with the people, you're only playing

2007-09-21T15:26:00.000-07:00

"you hafta play w/the people,your only playing"

this was told to me by a guy named pepe in covent garden [london].

he got the largest crowds i've ever seen. he does sort of a walk behind mime act..incredible.

one day he saw my silent act and offered instruction for me.the other guys told me this was a huge honor and i knew it so i took it.

i met him the next day and he started teaching about silent character and behavior. it was really hard.

i was having problems grasping concepts and thats when he said it... and a great big bell went off in my head.

we are out there because we want to play and they want to play also and the best work is gonna come out when you have more heads workin together on how to have a good time.

theres so many interpretations for this and they all seem to be good.

especally if you like interaction. i don't too much but its always gonna happen in a street show, and i thought i should mention it because it did so much for me and my show.

color,sound,movement, and break the ceiling-cellini

2007-09-21T15:23:00.000-07:00

this i learned from cellini and sonny holliday.

4 things stop people.

color, sound, movement, and breaking the ceiling.

you should be using all of these to build a crowd or more importantly TO HOLD ONE.

suggestions;

pace the full edge back and forth from one side to the other don't be timid.

put your arms in the air [breaking the ceiling]and yell,"watch this"

use what your wearing as props for movement.

bang a stick on the ground, a drum, a cow bell.

have a sign....wave it around.

pace, rant, and rave.

bang a pot.

be annoying.

if you see some one leaving....START PACING and bang your stick honk your horn and watch them walk right back.

create these nervous habits its more interesting believe me

your an infomercial or the crazy man who talks to himself on the street

2007-09-21T15:20:00.000-07:00

you're an infomercial.

you ever go to the grocery and they gotta tv goin with sombody cookin a recipe....or late at nite you see this 15min commerciall that runs over and over all nite long?

this is how i thought of myself when i first went out on the sidewalk or in the door way.

5min show over and over like an infomecial or the crazy man who talks to himself on the street.

over and over 8-16 hrs a day over and over.

needless to say the act got pretty tight i could do it in my sleep.

sometimes nobody would stop sometimes they would over and over 5min show.

when people hear a script being recited they stop they know its pro they see improv the know its amatuer at best at worse possibly a con or a hustle.

if the people come late i simply stop and start over.

i kept doin this progressing from 5mins to 10 mins to 15 until i got to about 30min shows.

it's about commitment and owning your own business

2007-09-21T15:18:00.001-07:00

being a magician or busking or both is owning your own business, its better than a "real job"

its about being a fanatic.

its about believing in what you are doing, wether its a magic trick or your friggin life{cellini}.

its not about whining and bragging.

its not about doin it part time on the week ends any body can buy a magic set and do that.

its about taking a chance on you.

if your really that good at magic why arn't you doing it for a living?

instead of pushing those other products why not just push the most important product you and your show?

why are you making other people rich and famous?

we only live once and are judged after that for what we did.

...did you do your lifes work or did you do some one elses?

tyou need to support you your family freinds the dog what ever so figure it out.

booking festivals, great pitches, big hat show, company picnics what ever theres plenty of info out there.

check out

performers.net

but...did you do your lifes work or did you do some one elses?

focus on street performing first and magishing second

2007-09-21T15:03:00.001-07:00

i was instructing a guy once and taught him show structure for the street.

he had great stuff for indoors but out doors he was limited to a samll amount of tricks and his show was weaker but he had asmall set show and was makin small hats.

now a friend of ours who was really skilled indoors came out and watched and critisized his magic.

so our friend went out and tryed working the street.

his magic was good but he was have alot of problems for the first time in his magic career. he couldn't understand why his magic was better but the other guy was makin hats with few problems....until it dawned on him....this is the street.

jackson square, new orleans, louisiana,u.s.a.

2007-09-21T12:58:00.001-07:00

it's easyer to get forgivness, than permission!

2007-09-21T12:56:00.001-07:00

this is a pic of "nick sharpe" aka "dr. street".he taught me this next one.

don't ask if you can work a spot.

our job is to congest a walk way.

no one wants you to do your show anywhere, got it, don't ask.

when they see you makin people happy, they'll change their mind unless they're stupid then they'll yell at you, in which case you still made money...don't ask.

don't start a show when the authorities are around, that's like asking.

when they shut you down, put your gullable face on and say, "oh, i'm sorry i didn't know."

they'll probably forgive you.

whaa

2007-09-21T12:54:00.001-07:00

who's doin who a favor? stoppin a crowd.

2007-09-21T12:51:00.000-07:00

the most popular method of stopping people i've seen is to hound every single passer by till somebody stops.then do a show and hat em. start over and start hounding em again.[mostly sidewalk guys].

this works.

this works good.

but i don't do it.

i have a different approach i do big flashy tricks or sight gags or just act so stupid that people stop in disbelief that any one could be so stupid.

i make a specktacle out of myself.

i got this from workin new orleans where they just wont stop because they think its a scam or theres somethin better around the corner they have to see. also from european performers.

understand this method is weak on a slow pitch with little walkers.

so why do i do it?

heres the deal, if i hound em they are only staying as a favor to me so when they saw a trick they did their favor and they don't feel the obligation to tip. now i realize its not that cut and dry but i'm moving to a point here.

if they stopped cuz they saw something they were interested in they're anchored and they feel like i'm doin them a favor and they need to repay me by not heckling,participating, defending me, and most importantly paying me at the end, its the least they could do!

how do i get em in without askin them for a favor?

i tell em if they want to see the stuff i'm gonna be doin they can't see it from far away and they'll have to come in closer and then i begin to sound irratated and i urge them to hurry "cuz i'm not doin this stuff again!"

leaving them still in debt.

i prefer having this kind of show theres no pressure.

if i hounded them there leaving me under the pretense that i stopped them from that very important what ever they were doin to show them this thing nobody wants to see yak yak yak they're rushing me,they're critical and if i'm lucky this is worth a dollar its not until they crowd shows up that i got any hold.

they stopped because it was their idea not mine they saw something that they wanted to see not what i wanted to show them. it was all them infact to incurage this i do a big sight gag and tell the people to move along theres nothing to see here as if i don't want them watching it.......

ever try tipping a secret to another magician in public you can't beat the crowd of with a stick, but when you say "all alright i'll do a trick for you" they all scatter like rats from a sinking ship [i got that line from koz]

jackson square, new orleans, louisiana-clip

2007-09-21T12:46:00.000-07:00

how to shop for magic.

2007-09-21T12:43:00.001-07:00

when i shop for magic i go to juggling stores,walmart,hardware stores,sports supplies, marine and boat stores. the best place is mom and pop hardware shops.

why?

a.

like an idiot, in my life i've owned all that junk from a magic shop and the shop.and i learned it didn't do me a bit of good.

b.

i don't use any of that stuff in my act nor do any pros that i know.[except for the silk vanish t.t. ]

so what i do is buy books and network with magicians and find out how to make stuff. if i can't make stuff i would go on buskerscafe and find a link for a comp. that makes this stuff.

but heres what most important;

i frequent walmart and hardware stores like lowes or home depot all the time looking at what they have in inventory so when i'm gonna put a trick or routine together i don't have to bother a senior magician for the parts or where to go.

you see this is an art, a craft, a lifes work.

gimmicks are a waste of time and money but they help you learn how magic works. if your using gimmicks in your show you should try and move twards not using the unless your disabled in some way.

magic shops with all their gimmicks are great for uncle louie who goes to family functions and shows of his hobby.

don't get me wrong there are pro shops like denny in baltimore who sell fakini and other stuff pros need and pro shops are the hardest for owners to keep open and should be used as much as possible lord knows they don't get enough business. hobbiests become frightened when they learn you have to use skill or wits or talent to do stuff in a pro shop...."wheres your scotch and sodas and i'd like to see a new packet trick please."

you'll know what kind of magic shop right away if you ask for a pouch and a set of street cups and they don't carry any but tell you the standard cups are good enough and you don't need a pouch.

i'll ramble for ever i'm sorry.

myspace.com/jimmytalksalot

2007-09-21T12:38:00.001-07:00

http://www.myspace.com/jimmytalksalot

interaction is over rated and over used.

2007-09-21T12:36:00.001-07:00

interaction is over rated and over used.

and worse yet might just be the problem in your show that you couldn't quite put your finger on.

yeh! yeh! yeh! i know all the old timers told you to do it.

times have changed fellahs people are more uptight,kids don't play outside as much and what about these dorks who spend to much time on forums instead of going out and experiencing the real world.

please hear my case;

my wife and her sisters would never stop and watch a street performer they don't like confrontation or social surprises.

so when i started makin my show it was for those types of people, understand i already got those out going people to stop any time i want them.

so when i'm ballying i don't even look up or at the people i ignore them or act like i want privacy but these amazing things keep happening.

when i'm done with my bally routine i look up and surprised to see all the people and then i tell them reluctantly i will do a show for them.

another tactic i use is i act like i think i'm a big shot street performer proffessional.....but it becomes evident that i'm stupid,bad luck,or confused...what ever it is, i don't try and hide my frailtys i wear them on my shirt and people feel like i'm child like and harmless certainly making it hard to heckle me because i've done a sufficient job of that myself.

theres many of other tactics i use and others use.

point to be made, i can get old ladys to stop with no interaction.

familys, elderly, shy people, you know all the ones who wont stop for that magician guy hounding them to watch a magic trick.

i continue the show with out interaction, UNLESS i get a heckler then i blast him, bad, gazzo style, boom!

somebody walks through my show? boom! gazzo style, no mercy!

some body going behind me to try and catch some thing i'm doin?

or

talkin to his friend, "hur hur der, i know what he's doin he has a magnet under his skin...boom! i blast him into oblivion so he knows who's boss.

so basically the rule in my show is you can watch with no interaction, no confruntation, if you don't make trouble.

if you make trouble then your gonna be a guest star in my show which is bad! your gonna get sucked into my stupidity and they'll be laughin at you instead of me or some facsimile there of.

if i do any more interaction its small things usually w/kids and something they can't screw up like;

"hold the rope and pull it...pull it ...whats wrong with you? you go to public school or somethin?"

don't get me wrong, when i hat them i take the time to walk around and look em all in the eye and ask for money.

but most of the time in my show i never look them in the eye to long makes us both feel uncomfortable.

cellini yelled at me about it...said "i need to look at the people to touch em".

i told em it was because i didn't like the people.....but hey, its been workin for me.

ocean city, maryland.

2007-09-21T12:34:00.001-07:00

nobody minds till you start makin money

2007-09-21T12:32:00.001-07:00

on a good pitch on the street you should be BIGGER THAN YOU ARE;

when your doin close up, do parlor.

when your doin parlor, do stage.

when your doin stage, do "oh my god thats huge."

reason bein, i think you should maximize your pitch for money, art, and sensation. they don't have any choice but to stare in awe and be involved. if you yell loud enough they'll stop.

when i work a sidewalk i'm doin a half circle show[parlor] i want to fill up that space. and give em a good show.

problem is of course cops and shops don't like that. but if they'll let me thats my goal.....my job as a street perfrormer is to congest the area the cops job is to keep it moving and some where, in there, i we try and find a medium.

remember....

everybody's your friend and nobody minds till you start makin money.

i remember workin a pitch in atlantic city it was a legal pitch and the ripley's shop owner couldn't stop me from workin in the area. after a few words and a few weeks the manager came out one day and was just hangin out with me. he said "i work bell to bell every day, i'm the highest paid in here and on breaks i come out and watch you make in a couple of hrs what i make all day.. and more...i might as well come out here. why am i killin myself with this real job any way?you arn't even payin rent here!"

my response to that was,"hey i see a pattern emerging here.....do you?"

i told him he was welcome to come out and share a spot with me any time.

in the day

2007-09-21T12:29:00.000-07:00

the hat is the finale

2007-09-21T12:27:00.000-07:00

i've always been battling with a finale because i don't do the cups and balls.

i did cups and balls in the begining, but i wanted to free my self from the table and yet i still wanted a stand up act in case i went into cabaret with my show for a gig or something.

when i was learning busking in new orleans i followed Studini [ an old pro] around for a few days and he wouldn't teach me anything to my frustration, till one day i asked him what i should do as a finale and he said, "well the hat is the finale...isn't it?"

i went back and remembered cellini ending on the slidini rope for his sidewalk show and i tryed finaleing on any routine i had and it they all worked and then it dawned on me, that a show can just end it doesn't need a big ending.....and that was liberating.

i think a show should build to the hat.

a day at the office.

2007-09-21T12:24:00.000-07:00

why i prefer parlor over close up

2007-09-20T22:58:00.000-07:00

when i was putting together my show i was comming from the pitch joint mind set.

when i was goin to the sidewalk pitch, in my mind i was goin to the office and i needed a table to make my self at home and hide behind.

to this day a real sidewalk performer in my minds eye, is, suit, tie, fedora,wand, cards,cups, and table....well i still got the wand and fedora anyway.

i spent most of my life doin close up. doctors bag, random routine improv stlye. walk around sometimes but i prefered stationary table close up [where the people come to you].

i remember david walker pokin fun at me when i told him i didn't like set shows, he said "yeh like all the greats you know copperfield,cardini,etc."

i also remember;

doing close up and people backing up to give me room to see what i got and i had very little.

people hiring me and trying to stick me on stage and confused why if i was a real magician why i couldn't work on stage.

working none stop show after show so everyone at the function could see what it is that i do.

people not wanting to be bothered while they were eating at their table....table after table.

people interupting in the middle of a routine and wanting to hold discussion with me or others or just heckle or what ever.

getting paid less then stage shows.

getting paid less then parlor shows.

understand i supported my wife and kids with close up magic.

i figured out how to over come all these problems. and yes i've heard of video screens.

and i still say close up magic is a waste of time. not completely but practically.

and yet there is always some young kid who tells me "well you just don't get it!"" you see i'm better" or "i know how to get paid more" or what ever else their ego has brainwashed themselves into.....and rarely are they even supporting themselves with magic. and sadly i think their gonna have to learn the same lesson i did the hard way.

i know i've hit some nerves already. so before you go looking for your gun. please hear me.

don't get me wrong close up is great for showing a few people, but thats just the problem you see?

close up is not just hard to see as a visual art its hard to market, i know i did it for years successfully. and it was an up hill battle all the way.

i believe parlor if done right can be done close up or far away effectively anyway with out close up.

the real magic of parlor or platform is that the above problems seem to all but vanish or at the very least become nonexistant.

and this just leaves time and energy to work on the show and figure out where to sell it.....and does it sell?....like a dream.

you see i feel close up is better for the mechanics{move monkeys} and very rarely benificial for an entertainer....don't believe me? stop by your local magic meeting where they are doing marlo or vernon card stuff and ask your self if i was a layman what would my reaction be?

do these guys at the meetings have any personality to go with their hands? and if so how big a crowd could they hold with it.and if not are they even doing magic or finger puzzles. how do we interpret what they are doing.

why does parlor pay more?

simple more people watching, more money.

don't blow that one off think about it!read it again.

but lets talk about art and expression.

i know why the close up performer likes close up its because he "FEEELS" in his hands the magic while he's doin it, its one on one intimate he and the layman can feel it together.....yeh,what ever ego.

problem is your limiting yourself to how you can express yourself...YOUR TRAPPED IN CLOSE.

THEY CAN'T SEE IT FROM ANY FARTHER AWAY.

the parlor performer is free to get small or get bigger and the skill comes in being without angles.

why are we all doing close up...simple the break down in teacher student relations back in the old days and magic dealers are making a killing i know i was one of them remember...hobbiests the bread and butter of the industry.

WHEN WE ARE WATCHING ANY OTHER FORM OF ENTERTAINMENT [INVOLVING PEOPLE PERFORMING] ARE WE JUST WATCHING THEIR HANDS?

all the famous magicians through out history are they know for color change w/ cards or a muscle pass....even blaines famous for levetation.

checking out the equipment-clip

2007-09-20T22:52:00.000-07:00

A "REAL JOB"

2007-09-20T22:46:00.000-07:00

i've been a magician all my life,but living in america i was always told that this is just a hobby. that i should grow up and get a real job. that i hafta live in the real world to support a family.so i did;

so i was a car washer, service writer, a barber,car sales man,telemarketer,steel worker,off shore oil worker,construction,carpenter,corporate jobs, and the list goes on for the "real jobs" i was thinking that if i just made enough to buy a theater or buy the equipment or enough to afford to be a magician.

part time and some times full time i would do walk around, and back yard shows, pitch magic, manage magic shops and eventually owned some.

i met jamie ohara in las cruces and he helped me go full time and realize it was a real job and you could support a family with just entertaining people and you didn't have to sell them any magic. i made a good income and i felt like i was finally doing my lifes work.

but it was to late my wife said she had had enough....and listen up fellas what she said before she left;

"do you know what its like to be the #1 fan of the worlds greatest car sales man and then the #1 fan of the worlds greatest off shore man and then the #1 fan of the worlds greatest magic shop owner then magician.....why didn't you just pick one.

why?why? we know why don't we fellas.

bad advice from every angle sadly even from magicians.

she left and she wouldn't take me back......the story of course is longer and more involved their was other reasons on her part but that was the big one, i'll spare us the rest of the story.

her leaving me was the hardest thing ever happenned to me my friends came out of the wood work and saved my life.

my teacher told me it was time for me to work the streets and trained me and got me around the pros. he sent me to europe.

i went there and saw shows w/$1000 hats, i saw 1000's of buskers all over the place. i saw 3 and 4 generation buskers,i saw buskers buying nite clubs and homes w/o credit just on what they saved up, i saw doctors and lawers look at me as an equal, i saw things american magi should see.

i came back and saw very few american buskers. and they were makin middle class exsistence and some makin alotif they were pro,and i saw buskers with no trade skills or knowledge and i got mad.

why did i get mad?

venue the most important thing to us. and the hobbiests who run our industry in their spare time have misinformed us. told us that its begging that you can't make any money at it and that we should just keep buying close up packet tricks.

it was cellini who changed this he provided venue for his, when the other old school guys didn't for their students.it was cellini who provided real tricks that you can do in a show and make money[not close up card hack]

you know its bad enough when when every one around you is bad mouthing your lifes work but its pathetic when other magicians chime in....and its a lie.

2007-06-09T08:53:00.000-07:00

ocean city clip

2007-06-08T12:54:00.001-07:00