Before I started Street Magic Revealed Online, I spent hundreds and hundreds of dollars on all sorts of resources which I bought online, or from my local bookstore and most of it has been wasted. However, once in a blue moon I come across a product that is amazing. You know that feeling when you open something and realise is truly fantastic? That feeling that this trick or set of tricks really will set you apart? The sort of book you read and can’t put down. The sort of book you read at night, and read through till the morning. The sort of book you read in one sitting. The sort of book you wake up an hour earlier to read! And when you’re not reading it, you can’t think about anything apart from that book, and the tricks inside it.

I’ve only come across a few books like this in my time, and one of them is my own personal secret that I’m not going to share with anyone. However, the other was great value for money, great tricks that can be used for street magic or even a standard magic show. This product has everything, it’s an e-book, which means you’re not paying for those strange covers that some magicians decide to buy their books in.

It’s not often you get four books rather than one, but this time you do. You get one on money Magic, one on mind Magic, one on card magic, and my favourite: a book on magic with everyday objects. The best thing about this is that comes with a guarantee. (Have you ever bought a book or trick and wished you could just take a back, but not been able to?)

I encourage you to read this set of books, and take yourself and your magic to the next level.

I used Jing, which is pretty cool for short videos although you have to convert to avi (this took me a while, and was as tough a learning a complex card trick).

So here it is – let me know what you think

Watch it above, or see the tubesters at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCUYf6IJAi0

Is it the little one with the beard from the UK who wows mainstream audiences from distance and up close, or is it the lean, mean street-magic machine that is David Blaine?

I have to admit that I prefer the limey – yup, I prefer DB as in Brown.

I like his approach, I like the fact he can do a gig for a thousand people, and make every one feel part of the magic, and really, really screw with your mind. I’ve taught myself how to do some of his amazing card tricks, but to do some of the mind reading stuff is awesome. I’ve learnt magic tricks from books, and I’ve learnt a few great tricks that would excite anyone interested in Derren Brown, and Blaine, but in my humble opinion, Brown has what it takes.

Don’t get me wrong, Blaine is awesome at street magic, but I love the way Brown combines both street and old fashioned magic with a mental twist. It’s amazing to see magic revealed in front of you – and with Brown, It takes me an awful long time to figure out his tricks. Blaine wows you, but it’s quick – it’s over fast, the trick isn’t revealed slowly (unless you take his odd stunts).

Brown 1, Blaine 0

Who is my favourite Street Magic Performer?
What is my favourite Street Magic Trick?

Well, I’m going to put it out to you – what is your favourite street magic trick?

Tell me, and I’ll tell you!

What is it about him that made it so amazing?

Two things, just two things:

1. The tricks
The tricks were simple and perfectly performed. You’ll know when you do your first tricks that involves cards how long you have to spend to get it right – hours in front of the mirror. If you’re anything like me you’ll realise you’ll need the disciplince to perform each trick perfectly, and not to jump ahead to the next trick in the book.

The majority David Blaines Street Magic tricks were nowhere near technically complicated, or even that outstanding, but he did perform them well.

That is why the first thing you must do is have good tricks. Nothing outstanding, nothing even too groundbreaking – you just need to make sure that you know them back to front, inside out and can do them blindfolded.

2. The performance

Do you think if David Blaine wore a black top hat, had a magic wand, told crappy jokes and had a girl behind him in a spangly uniform, he would get the same reaction?

My answer – NO.

Its all about the man, the performance, the fact he walks up to people, appears like a regular guy, doesn’t set the tricks up too much – just real calm, casual – and blows them away. This is how he differs from the guys who spend 15 minutes dancing around a small box with a lock on it – all smooth hand movements and funny dances. Heck, Blaine gets the great response because nobody expects it.

If you pay for a magic trick, you expect it – in fact, if you paid and saw David Blaine on a large set, you’d be dissappointed.

So my answer to being a great street performer – is:

1. Learn magic fast.
Find a great guide – such as the one that I used to learn amazing tricks, fast.
2. Learn how to perform it your own way – take people by surprise, show them what they don’t expect, learn what the experts do – unlearn it, then do it back to front and in your own way.

Until next time…..Street Magic Dude

This blog is amount street magic revealed online.  I’ve found some great resources of card tricks online, and other items.

I always wanted a concise guide to magic.  I’d looked in all the magic shops near me, and googled and googled and googled.

The problem with youtube is you can’t save the magic – sure a great resource, but you need stuff written down to revise and review at home, on the bus, on the subway.  I’d see a video online and practice it, but really needed something to do while on vacation.  Can you imagine the joy I have when I go on vacation, I have my favourite magic tricks, I spend a few hours away from the rest of the family, and I just practice.  I sit by the lake with my magic notes, I can see my reflection in the water if I sit over the edge (sure beats that mirror) and I just practice, for hours and hours.  I’ve learnt some amazing tricks this way – and sure, youtube helps if you want to find some basic tricks – but if you want to find the real magic, I mean the stuff that makes people say ‘wow’ the stuff that makes a girl give you the most amazing smile, and the stuff that makes all the days and days of practice worthwhile for that moment of surprise, then get a book, get alone, and get practicing, period.

People always ask me who my favourite magician is – its a guy from the UK called Derren Brown – totally unlike anyone else you see.  He’s has some great ticks, which he displays as ‘mind reading’ and there is some of that, but it’s good old fashioned slight of hand a lot of the time.  I choose him because of his performance and demeanour

My favourite magic guide