Jonathan Goodwin kicked off this week, and it’s fitting that he should end it. This is my favorite video of his. I don’t know exactly what about it speaks to me, but I love it. Hope you enjoyed the videos!

Andster

Remember long ago on Phenomenon when Jim Callahan and Criss Angel got into a shouting match? Here’s the performance and the ensuing conflict. When I first marked this, the audio was uncensored. For some reason, it’s been censored now. Still, I find it kinda funny. At some point, I’ll get audio/transcript of my chat with Wayne Hoffman up and you can hear what he says about all this.

Andster

I was originally going to post a video of a couple “Smash and Stab”-type routines gone wrong. But between when I first found the video and now, someone has put a copyright claim to some of the footage used in the clip, so I’m going to not post that and instead show you a clip of the masked magician screwing up a card trick very, very, very badly. Yes, it’s long and painful to watch. But it’s funny.

Andster

PS: Happy Valentine’s Day!

Sacrilegious? Yes. Funny? I think so. British comedian Rowan Atkinson and the Amazing Jesus.

Andster

Long ago on PennRadio, Criss Angel discussed a trick from the first season of Mindfreak where he made a couple teleport down a hotel hallway. He gave away his method, and said he was going to do it again the next season with a whole family. Well, he didn’t do it in season 2 and instead waited until season 3. If you’re desperate to know how it’s done, you can try to find the interview in the archives. Here’s 2 hints: He doesn’t have powers and it’s done exactly how you think it’s done.

Andster

Kicking off video week is British escapoligist and star of Discovery Channel’s One Way Out, Jonathan Goodwin, showing us what can happen when you take risks. I’m not certain whether the ending was planned or not. Either way, it gives me chills. This may not be for the faint of heart, but keep in mind he survived.

Andster

While looking through stuff I bookmarked to post on the blog someday, I came across a bunch of different videos I liked for some reason or another. I never got around to posting them, but there’s no time like the present, right! So for the next week (or 6 days, you know, whatever) I’ll be posting a different video. Make sure you tune in daily!

Andster

Wi by Jason Messina

Price: $21.95

Available From: Your favorite dealer

This is going to be a short review, simply because I can’t say a lot without tipping the method. Yes, it’s one of those.

I appreciate the thinking behind this. It’s clever as hell, and would fool people. The method is unlike anything I’ve ever seen, but I don’t know how foolproof it is. I can definitely see some people never thinking of this, but others having it be the first thing they think of.

Another point is that this probably isn’t for the casual performer. It would play better for strangers than for your friends. It’s similar to what John LeBlanc said about Ben Harris’s Hole in the Head (if I may paraphrase slightly): It’s as though you could do a great levitation, but you had to walk with a cane. Your friends would know that you never used a cane before and suspect that something was up, but strangers that don’t know you don’t normally use a cane would be fine with it.

I have ideas for how to incorporate this into a formal show, and I think that’s how it would be best used. I’d caution you to think about it a little bit, and not just use it as presented because I can see a couple problems that would arise. I don’t know if they’re big problems and I can’t say what they are here (one of those tricks, remember?) but just be warned.

I like Wi, but I can see why a lot of people wouldn’t. It’s clever, but tread with caution. This isn’t for everybody. If you don’t mind spending money on what amounts to an idea, this could be for you.

Andster

Some More Tricks by Anthony Owen

Price: $25.95

Available From: Your favorite dealer

I realize as I sit down to write this I never actually wrote a review for the first book in this series, Some Tricks. I feel strange writing a review for part 2 before part 1, but I’ll get over it. Guess I’ll just have to add it to my list.

I was and am a very big fan of Some Tricks, and became a fan of Some More Tricks after just one read. Although there are only 6 tricks in the book, you are buying more than just the secret. What you get is a well thought-out routine, complete with patter, blocking, and motivation.

Some of the routines require you to do some pretty extensive set up and/or gimmick making. For the most part, this is a one time thing. However, if you’re not into arts and crafts and scavenger hunts and aren’t willing to send away to specialty shops for a couple things, you’re probably not going to perform many of these routines.

The two pieces I more or less bought the book for are Big Survivor and Recaffinated Coffee. Big Survivor is an excellent piece with an easy (and surprising) method. It’s one of the “scavenger hunt” tricks, but what you’ll need is easy to find and probably inexpensive. I like the thinking behind it, and see it playing well to a large audience.

Recaffinated Coffee wasn’t what I thought it would be. It’s interesting to see the thinking behind it, but it’s not something I’d likely ever make up and perform myself. Chances are nobody else will either. If you do make it up, it’s not something you’re going to be performing at the Waffle House at 3 in the morning. You’d pretty much have to be doing it either in a formal show or for video. It’s still cool, though!

I was pleasantly surprised by Ring on Notepad. It’s very direct and easy to do, and the “moves” required are built into the routine and covered with well motivated actions. In a way in reminds me of something you’d find in Workers, not because the trick is the similar to anything in there, but because he’s taken a relatively simple concept and fleshed it out with patter and blocking to create a wonderful piece that plays well.

If you’re looking for interesting, creative magic that goes beyond “pick a card” then look no further. Even if you don’t use anything from this book, you’ll still enjoy seeing the creativity behind these routines.

Andster

Good news! Not only is there a new post today (this is it, don’t go searching for more) there’s also going to be a new post once a day for the next 9 days! Unless I screwed something up with the posting scheduler, which is a real possibility. If that’s the case, forgive me. But we’ll find out tomorrow at 9 am and each day thereafter!

I’m beat. Working 60 hours a week is catching up with me. Nobody say “I told you so!”

Andster

According to iTricks, I’m a superstar. Thanks for making my head just a little bit bigger guys! But like they said, if you’re gonna be in the Vegas area in early March, drop me a line.

Andster