This Penn & Teller magic act was fun to watch.
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Category Archives: Magic
Magic Round-up
It’s been a while since I did any magic write-ups, so here, in lieu of full reviews, are some brief comments on some magic related items I’ve encountered recently that I really appreciated.
First off, is Steve Spill’s new book. How is it possible that Steve Spill’s books keep complementing and topping each other? You’d think given how much Steve has tipped already, the well would have run dry. But not at all! His newest book, ASSASSIN, continues in the vein of his previous two books: real world advice for magicians who want to create in the real world. If you ever want to step on stage as a magician, this is the book you need: along with bullet-proof advice, every one of the newly published routines is a killer. Steve shows, both explicitly and by example, how to take a commonplace effect and turn it into a magical, fun-filled experience for your audiences. Highly recommended.
Next is Dan Harlan’s e-book, “Excellent Choice: The Art of Equivocation with Dan Harlan.” Dan Harlan is a master of a technique that’s so often done badly, that some magicians may think that it’s not worth it. And how wrong they would be. If you want to check out the best thread, bar none, in the Big Green Place, do a search on Harlan and equivoque, where Harlan does a mind-blowing online effect totally through his verbal posts. In this 60 page pdf, Harlan gives you four complete scripts, complete with all the branches and dialogue to enable you to cover a multitude of situations. You can use these scripts as stand-alone effects or as pieces of a larger routine. Learn it properly and you have one of the most powerful impromptu tools in magic.
Recently, I’ve been reading copies of The Hermit, a new monthly digital conjuring magazine in pdf form put out by Scott Baird. Each issue is about 50 pages, so the space devoted to each effect can be substantial. It’s very reasonably priced and if you like close-up magic you’re bound to find something in each issue that appeals to you. While most of the effects are from Scott, he has begun to attract other magician/writers: Jay Sankey has a regular column, and in the latest issue, Josh Jay contributes a variation of a Guy Hollingworth plot. Nicely illustrated, too.
And finally, there’s the Vanishing Inc Master Class series. It’s a monthly online lecture series that you subscribe to, and while not cheap, if you’re wondering, it’s totally worth it. The lectures by the likes of Dani DaOrtiz, Jamy Ian Swiss, Woody Aragon are at a level beyond the usual lectures that you may have seen before. This is truly one-on-one lecturing with magicians tipping moves, ideas and routines that they haven’t tipped before, with the opportunity of tuning in to a Zoom video call where you can ask questions of the lecturer. In addition, Vanishing Inc gives free access to some excellent videos, including items from Giobbi and Tamariz. And as if that weren’t enough, you get free shipping on anything ordered from Vanishing Inc. I would say try it out for a month or two, and see if you don’t look forward to it every month as I do.
All Hands on Deck
Magician Alana with a unique act. I’ve often said that the hardest thing in professional magic is to come up with a new magic plot–and Alana has done that. There has been some grousing in the YouTube comments that they thought that her methods were too transparent; I didn’t think so–though it’s clear that what she is doing requires some very precise sleight of hand and very careful timing, which I think she pulls off quite well. What do you think?
More at AlanaMagic
Lance Burton
Lance Burton, just 21 years old at the time, made his mark on the world in this wonderful first appearance on the Tonight Show. Johnny Carson, the host, himself an amateur magician, allowed Burton to perform what was up to then the longest segment on the show. You can hear Lance Burton talk about that experience in the interview that I conducted with him some years ago, here.
Thanks to YouTuber darksidedeceptions
Strange Magic
Reina Del Cid, Toni Lindgren, Josh Turner and Carson McKee creating their own magic with this ELO cover.
More at Reina del Cid
Tantalus Tubes
“A classic of magic,” as they say, but given full entertainment value by the great Pop Haydn.
More at Pop Haydn
Juggling Fools
Here’s a fun Fool Us challenge from a duo who perform daring magic in much the same manner as Penn and Teller did when they got their start.
Thanks to YouTubers thepassingzone
Physically Impossible
Sixteen-year old magician Stanley Zhou, originally from China, has audience members, including Penn & Teller, scratching their heads. He does a card effect, the plotline of which is well-known, but which contains elements–especially the finale–which will have even well-posted magic fans “fasten-ated.”
More at Stanley Zhou
Shadows
South Korean magician DK does a lovely magic act which involves shadows.
More at YouTuber DK
“I’m A Witch!”
Bar magician Jonathan Kamm has some fun with a *very* enthusiastic patron.
More at kammagic
Mario The Maker Magician!
I saw Mario the Maker Magician by accident some years ago; he was giving a full outdoor performance in Madison Square Park in Manhattan, and it became apparent to me that he was the best children’s magician I had ever seen. His inventiveness, love of children, and inspirational aura put him into a class by himself. Watch this clip to see how he gets the children’s attention and then switches over into a wonderful positive message about artistic experimentation.
BTW, he makes all of his own robots and teaches children how to do the same.
See the rest of the act at oldchurchpdx and more of Mario at Mario the Maker Magician
Impossible Card Through Table
Magician Jeki Yoo with an astounding blend of sleight of hand and apparent witchcraft seems to do the impossible. And what a great down to earth personality he has.
More amazing magic at JEKI YOO
Honda Car Illusions
The Opposite Of Hair-Raising?
A Jaw-dropping illusion to say the least…performed by 15 year old Kawakami Ikuko
Thanks to YouTuber shnubyfluby and Tom Stone of the Genii Forum for pointing it out
Rene Lavand
This is unusual footage of the one-handed Spanish magician Rene Lavand as a young man, and the even more unusual footage of an effusive Ed Sullivan.
Thanks to YouTuber Sebastian Tabany
Perception Deception
Magician Ben Seidman with a great effect and one of the most consistently entertaining and funny acts on Fool Us. It doesn’t seem to fool Penn & Teller, but I had no idea what Penn’s clues were there. Seidman claims on his YouTube channel that there were no camera effects involved, and that it could be reproduced live, in which case I’m totally stumped.
More at Ben Seidman
The Seventh Annual Shalom Blog Magic Contest
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It’s time once again for this blog’s annual magic contest!
Most of us have been cooped up for more than a year, and circumstances have often been trying. But it’s given us a lot of time to play around and maybe learn some skills or tricks that we wouldn’t have otherwise. So at the risk of sounding uncreative, I’m going to repeat for yet a third time a contest question that I think is valuable and worth repeating, especially at a time like this:
What were two (three is optional) actions or ideas that you think were the most helpful in the improvement of your magic or mentalism in the last few years? What is it you did, thought, learned or realized that has changed how you approach your magic in matters large and/or small? Your explanations don’t have to be profound, although profound is fine, too. But if you just want to talk about how your little pinky sticking out this way instead of that way made everything a lot better, that’s okay, too.
You don’t need to be a professional or anything like that, hobbyists are welcome to participate as well. And feel free to participate again, even if you were a past winner, as long as you were not a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place winner last year. If you contributed before, you’re still welcome to participate, but please don’t submit the same entry, let’s see how you’ve changed over the years.
No criteria for winning here other than what strikes me as interesting and useful. Details and specifics are key. Extra points for humor and entertainment value. It would be especially helpful if you could analyze why the actions or ideas were important to you.
And wonderful prizes, as always, will be awarded:
First prize is first choice from the terrific grab bag of magic books I’ve put together; second prize is second choice from the grab bag; and third prize, in a parallel, numerically pleasing manner, is third choice from the grab bag. The items in the grab bag are all commercial books or tricks, at least one of which, I guarantee, you will be very happy to have.
All are welcome to participate. And even if you were a past winner before, feel free to participate again as long as you were not a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place winner last year.
And in the spirit of everyone being a winner, I’ll ask all entrants to allow me to make up a pdf file which includes their entry. This pdf will NOT BE SOLD, but will be offered only as a free download to all those who entered.
Send your entries please to jshalom@worldshare.net
Make sure to put the word CONTEST in the subject line
Deadline Tuesday, November 2, 11:59 PM. In case of a tie, earlier entries get preference.
I’m looking forward to hearing from you!
I Have Four Parents
Stay until the end on this one, even if you think you’ve seen this trick before. Magician Daniel Roy surprises in more ways than one.
More at Daniel Roy
The Legendary Arturo Brachetti
There are not too many living performers I would call geniuses. Brachetti is one of them.
Here’s a small clip extolling “The Great Magicians” but it’s just a small snippet from his 2016 full-length theatrical show, “SOLO”.
Brachetti makes me gasp with amazement.
Lefty
The great Jay Marshall, in the prime of his career. Jay, who also ran a famous Chicago magic shop, had an encyclopedic knowledge of magic history and lore. But he was most famous as the owner of Lefty.
Thanks to YouTuber The Ed Sullivan Show
Magic, Mysteries, and Movies: John Gaspard
Who doesn’t love a good mystery? John Gaspard is the author of not just one mystery series but at least two, and I have been devouring all of them in a bet-you-can’t-eat-just-one style. One series involves the world of stage magicians, and the other, the world of small town amateur theatre companies. And as if that weren’t enough, John is also the author of a well-regarded series of books about Fast Cheap low budget filmmaking.
Click the triangle or mp3 link above to hear my interview with John, as broadcast this week on Arts Express Pacifica stations across the nation, and later in the week on WBAI FM NY.
Fastest Card Trick In The World
Card man Friedrich Roitzch fools me once, then fools me twice for good measure.
More at Friedrich Roitzsch
“Our Revels Now Are Ended…”
David Threlfall’s stunning rendition of Prospero’s last speech from Shakespeare’s The Tempest.
I had never heard of Threlfall before, but with this shorter than 90 second clip, I have become an instant fan.
Click on the image to play.
Thanks to YouTuber Guardian Culture
Fool Us: Vitaly Beckman
I am proud to say that after watching this very effective and puzzling illusion performed by magician Vitaly Beckman, I then watched it a few more times and came to almost exactly the same conclusion as Penn and Teller.
More at Vitaly Beckman
AMORALMAN: A True Story And Other Lies
Derek DelGaudio, whose theater piece, In & Of Itself was an unlikely hit, has turned that audience-centric play into a film with the help of director Frank Oz. DelGaudio has just published a memoir of his life as a card mechanic, called AMORALMAN: A True Story and Other Lies and it continues with DelGaudio’s obsession with identity and reality.
Click the triangle or MP3 link above to hear my commentary on both the film In & Of Itself and AMORALMAN, as broadcast today on the Arts Express radio program on WBAI-FM NY and Pacifica affiliates across the country.