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Best of Magic Roadshow #5 Aug 9th, 2007 Issue #76 Rick Carruth / editor (C) 2007 All rights reserved Street Magic's #1 free newsletter for magicians, street performers, restaurant workers, close-up artists, and mentalists, with subscribers in over seventy countries worldwide. Learn free magic tricks online and via video. _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/
Hi All Finally.. I feel like I've caught up. I've wanted to publish a 'Best Of' for months, and it's taken two issues to get it all out there. Now, we can get back on track with NEW resources, starting with the next issue, which is virtually ready to publish. One thing that amazes me is the number of broken links and removed video's I've found while looking back over past issues. I'm going to have to take a couple of days and tidy up my archives. Speaking of archives, check out http://www.streetmagic.info/archives.html Comments, criticizism, rants and raves.. EMAIL ME Now, on with the Magic.. _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ Performance of the Week (Video) After watching so many video's on YouTube by really bad 'magicians', this one is a pleasure.. This great little video shows several impressive effects, displayed by the same Japanese performer. His name? I don't have a clue. But I do know good magic when I see it. His misdirection is excellent, his double lift's smooth, and his commentary... well, it 'looks' good.. The balloon swallowing effect is my personal favorite. I've seen it before, but it never fails to impress others.. Again, this clip goes to show the power of video. Despite the fact that we are from different cultures and fail to speak the same language, I 'understand' everything the performer wants me to know, and I 'see' exactly what he wants me to see... and I'm entertained in the process.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDe0QPboP_8 ================ Mick Ayres Cardworker.com (From the Magic Roadshow's Archives..) Are you ready to cross the line? That's the question Mick Ayres asks at his super-informative site -- CardWorker.com . If you're a card worker.. then you're well familiar with Mick. On the other hand, those of you who get the bulk of your magic training from watching reruns of Stars of Magic will offer a blank stare and a polite shrug of the shoulder. Wake up! I have had the rare opportunity to hear and watch Mick perform in person. When I say rare, I'm talking maybe 'one convention every few years' rare.. Despite Mick's talent as a card worker and entertainer, he doesn't get out much.. Walt Disney won't let him.. As a full-time performer at Disney's exclusive Vacation Club Resort on Hilton Head Island in South Carolina, Mick is limited by contract how close, or far, he can perform from Hilton Head. That, and the fact that he performs about 1300 shows a year on the island.. But he's not limited by how much of his material he can share with us through his writings. His CardWorker site features a wide array of effects, sleights, routines, and essays. In Mick's own words: "Early in the 20th century, magic shops often had a white line painted on the floor near the back of the store. Unless you were recognized by the shop owner as a serious student of magic, you were not given permission to cross the line. All the secret props, devices, gimmicks and the 'underground' books were kept behind the white line. The general public wasn't allowed access to these secrets." Mick, through his web site CardWorker, gives YOU the opportunity to "cross the line" and.. "...offers explanations, discussions, and reviews about new and classic card sleights, routine scripting and preparation, rehearsal techniques, little-known finesses and staging procedures for entertainers interested in presenting fresh, new material from the world of card magic. You can learn a lot here...if you're willing to do the work." http://www.cardworker.com ============================ Tricks Gone Terribly Wrong.. (video) I remember the first time I watched this video.. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Oh, I've seen magicians perform the classic " hide a spike under a cup and slam your hand on all the cups that don't have a spike under it... and make it as dramatic as possible.." trick. I watched on TV as Chris Korn put a spike through his palm on Mondo Magic. I've heard tales of other magicians suffering unfortunate results with this effect. And I watched the first magician on this video slam his hand onto a knife blade and shock his audience as he bloodied the stage. But.. I have NEVER seen an act as totally irresponsible as the second part of this video. It's understandable why they pixeled out the magicians face, although I think it would have been far more appropriate to have shown his identity to all. I cannot imagine a magician being so confident with his performance of this effect that he is willing to bring a spectator on stage and use HER hand to slam the cups. I don't have to tell you what happens.. Unbelievable.. http://www.glumbert.com/media/magictrick ======================= Card Magic Secrets - (video) Here's a nice seven plus minute video detailing the performance and moves behind several card tricks. Most involve nothing more complicated than a double lift. I keep telling you guys... the future is video. That certainly doesn't mean that the written word will go by the wayside, but it does mean that the public's favorite way of communicating an idea on the web will be via video. http://www.metacafe.com/watch/309044/magic_exposed/ ==================== A Google Trick OK, fellow magicians, here is your 'trick of the month'. If you don't bookmark this one, then you totally have no business reading this newsletter... please go back to whinst you came.. To quote the author and designer, Edward Bain: "The Magician while browsing the internet brings up a Google search engine on the computer screen. The Magician instructs a spectator to watch the screen carefully and then lightly places two fingers on the computer monitor screen, just over the two "O"s in the Google logo." "When the Magician's fingers are removed from the screen the two "O"s in the logo have vanished. The magician then invites the spectator to place his fingers on the screen and magically the "O"s reappear upon the Logo." Personally, I can think of several other uses for this effect. The only secret is accessing Google through the link provided on the web site. 'A Google Trick' is only part of a much larger web site called DevilsTrampingGround.com, which isn't as sinster as it sounds. It primarily features a number of artistic and emtertaining video's, in a comic format... I received a lot of very positive responses after publishing this resource the first go-around.. http://www.darkartsmedia.com/Instructions.html ================ The Secrets of Mental Math Demo - Video Watch Art Benjamin, Professor at Harvey Mudd College and Mathemagician, presenting "magic squares", just one of the concepts taught in his book. 'The Secrets of Mental Math'. Art regularly performs his MathMagic act at the Magic Castle in Hollywood and is a frequent speaker around the country. He also presented at this year's TED Conference in Monterey, California. When properly performed, a magic square CAN be very entertaining. It's all in the presentation. If you don't believe it, watch Art perform... http://www.301url.com/mentalmath ----------------------- Create your Own Magic Square in an Instant - Video You can instantly create your own magic square IF you know where to place four numbers. Yes, four numbers, properly placed, will give you a magic square that's identical to those of the pro's. Now, you can look like a mental marvel, even if you can't balance your check book... http://www.301url.com/magicsquare ========================== Magic Sir - Seventeen Magic video's Oh no, Rick, tell me it ain't so.. seventeen MORE video's. If I watch seventeen more video's do you know how much trouble I'm going to be in with my wife/husband/parents/teachers/boss? Let me give you a tip... that's what bookmarks are for, my friends.. That's also why a laptop and a wireless home network comes in handy. You can sit with your honey in front of the TV, watching your vids, while they watch dueling chefs.. MagicSir. com features a series of video magic tricks and solutions. I think I counted about 17 different videos on two different pages. One included the gimmicked floating card, devised originally by Mike Bornstein, and featured in the past here in the Roadshow. A few of the other effects include a nice false cut that anyone should be able to master quickly. A cut and restored cigar. An effect with what they call a floating ball, which is actually what is commonly known as the Zombie Ball. And various coin tricks, including one with magnets, and several card tricks. http://www.magicsir.com/ ================== Mac King on the Road Mac King is one of my top five favorite magicians and performers. He has what everyone considers the best magic show - for the money - in Vegas.. The Mac King Comedy Magic Show at Harrah's Las Vegas. Mac has published many articles and interesting stories in all the major magic magazines, but I have a selection of articles that first appeared in MAGIC magazine and detail Mac's life on the road, so to speak..
Each is a PDF file and can be accessed at Mac King's " Magician's Only " web site.. http://www.mackingshow.com/html/magicians/ ===================== Spin A Card - Video Tutorial Here's a flourish magicians of all levels should be able to perform. Hold a card between your thumb and forefinger, and then, with a flick, start the card spinning on your finger. I've seen many a magician perform this move, although I am not one of them. I love the appearance, but just never took the time to learn how to make the card spin. Now, I have no more excuses.. This is both a performance and a teaching video.. Click to Spin a Card ================ Make a Playing Card Wallet.. A special 'Thanks' to Mario Roberto for this excellent link. Who knew you could take a few playing cards, some clear packing tape, and make a fully functional wallet? Certainly I didn't.. WikiHow details how, with a few minutes of your time and a minimum of talent, you can actually make your own wallet. Complete with written instructions and lots of pictures, I have confidence that you can make something that is highly personal and totally unique. If I can do it... you can do it.. Editors note: After publishing this link, I received several kind comments about the finished product.. http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Playing-Cards-Wallet ================= Keepvid - beta 1.1 Keepvid allows you to enter the url of a video you would like to save, a YouTube video for example, and it will download it to your computer and allow you to save it in a format you can play back with their downloadable player.. I'm not going into all the specifics, you can get that from the site, but video's such as those above can be saved and re-watched upon demand. We all know that video's on sites like YouTube and Meta Cafe are there one day.. and gone the next. I personally have had to go back through past issues of the Magic Roadshow and remove YouTube links because the vids are no longer there.. Save them -before- they disappear.. What a novel idea. A new feature is a button you can drag and drop onto your tool bar. When you're watching a video simply click the 'keep it' button and the vid you're watching will be saved on your computer. How easy is that? http://www.keepvid.com/ ====================== Telekinesis - Video Tutorials The following is a series of video performances and tutorials related to Telekinesis. Joe Marshall has been performing magic since the age of three when his grandfather showed him a card trick. Joe was hooked. At 12 years old he was the youngest magician ever inducted into the Counts of Conjuring, a secret magician's collective, and in time became one of its leaders. Joe now spends his time performing street magic and close-up magic for spectators across the Midwest. Telekinesis is the ability to influence objects with your mind. Bending spoons is a good example. The following is an index of the telekinesis video's available to visitors.
http://www.expertvillage.com/interviews/magic-tricks-telekinesis.htm ====================== MINDREADING Would YOU like to look into someones eyes.. and reveal their PIN number? Discover the secrets of mentalism and mindreading.. Click tp Discover ======================== Two Psychic ESP tests... Yes, psychic test online are a dime a dozen. But.. good ones are rare, and ours is a good one.. I promise you, you'll have to watch this one over and over to detect anything resembling a pattern, and you probably won't find a pattern anyway... Side note - you MAY need a calculator to help you with this one, depending on how strong your math skills are.. Bookmark this one and show it to your friends.. http://www.streetmagic.info/ESP.html ------------------ Here's yet another mental test for you.. I'm sure you will find it equally intrigueing.. http://www.streetmagic.info/mindreader2.html ======================== Free Magic, Mentalism, and Hypnosis eBooks MagicForAll has compiled a collection of magic related ebooks they make available to anyone able to download from the web. I usually try to provide links to download direct, but with their assortment of ebooks I'll provide their link and let you download on their dime.. Look around.. they also offer a wide collection of original effects they sell at reasonable rates, and furnish video's of most of the effects so you can see what you're getting.. 10 CARD TRICKS FOR BEGINNERS - You never know what you might find.. FLOATING CUP - Make a coffee cup float at your fingertips.. EASY MENTALISM - Yes, this is the same great ebook I've promoted on StreetMagic.. DAVID BLAINE EBOOK - For those of you who missed it the first 40 times around.. 10 ESSENTIAL CARD TRICKS - Ten card tricks illustrated with large high resolution photographs.. SELF FOLDING BILL - the classic effect.. FEARSONS ACES - A combination of card magic and mentalism.. HYPNOSIS - A collection of 7 ebooks HOUDINI ESCAPE - A fully illustrated ebook and a great close-up effect.. POLTERGEIST SPOON - A great combination of magic trick and practical joke.. Make an excuse to leave the room for a moment and while you are gone the spoon which had been in you cup leaps into the air and out of the cup!! No strings. Simple to learn and perform. http://www.magicforall.com/html/magic_etricks.html ======================== FREE DOWNLOADS Erdnase 'Expert at the Card Table'.. Free Download http://www.301url.com/erdnase ----------------- Easy Mentalism .. Free Download http://www.streetmagicsecrets.info/1mentalpay.htm ================== I encourage you to send any magic resources my way. If you know of a site that has a free ebook or a wide assortment of magic related material, let me know. I'm sure all the other readers will appreciate it.. I have a web page with a simple form wich allows you to easily submit url's, resources, effects, and articles.. http://www.streetmagic.info/submit.html --------- Email me.. --------- Please don't forget to visit some of my other sites.. see what's new - http://www.StreetMagic.info http://www.MagicRoadshow.com http://www.StreeMagic.info/blogger.html http://www.StreetMagicSecrets.info http://www.Mentalists.info http://www.LasVegasMagicShows.info --------------------------- May my next issue find you well.. Rick Carruth / editor ::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~ |
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