Magic Reviews by Cameron Ramsay

Hello readers! Welcome to my new review section. If you are looking for a column where a guy rips into bad magic products than tries to trash the creator than this is not the column for you. My whole idea and goal for the review column is to just highlight good effects and recommend creators that put out great products. Yes the format of the column might change but hang on there guys, this should be a cool trip

T2P

Torn to Pieces

Shawn Farquhar

Manufacturer’s Description

Here’s the killer effect Shawn has kept secret for over a decade. It’s the effect Shawn does when he wants to get a client to book him again and again! A real photograph, signed by the spectator, is torn into four pieces. The photo is really torn. Then in an instant all four pieces join together but in the wrong order leaving the spectator with a mismatched photo with their signature! That’s right their signature is on the odd “almost restored” photo.

Cameron’s Description

Okay it’s not often you see an effect that is a killer on television and that’s also usable for a walk- around performer. Shawn’s effect does all of that and it leaves you with the chance to add your own personality.

Shawn does give many ideas of what photos to use (he also supplies digital images to get started with) and also presents ideas for many age groups. I am not the best with kids so when I saw Shawn explain the version with Humpty Dumpty I knew it would be going into my close – up arsenal. No, not the soccer team.

Cameron’s Favorite Part

This is a personal effect; it can be used to tell your audience exactly who you are. My favorite aspect is that this can be carried in your wallet and it actually makes sense to have it. Bravo Shawn, Bravo!

Thanks for reading my first column, many more reviews to come. If you have any comments, concerns or submissions please email me or contact via this new thing called the World Wide Web.

Cam
MrCameronRamsay@gmail.com
@Cameron401 on Twitter

Card Magic, Close Up, DVD, Effect, Restaurant, Standup/Stage, Street Magic, Visual, Worker Material | View Comments

Magic Reviews by Cameron Ramsay

Above the Fold

Rich Aviles

Vanishing Inc Plublishing

Manufacturer’s  Description

Published by Vanishing Inc. Magic, Above the Fold is the debut collection from one of magic’s most exciting new talents: Rich Aviles. In this intelligent, praiseworthy collection of card and close-up material, Aviles details thirteen effects and seven moves, each one explained with equal parts clarity and wit.

Cameron’s Description?

Yes,Yes,Yes, people are still writing books. Andy Gladwin and Joshua Jay are bringing sexy (books) back and I am certainly loving it. This debut collection from Rich Aviles has a lot of great material in it. Highlights for me were Pocket Protector-a clever prediction using an Alex Elmsly move. Asher Twich- Rich’s take on the now classic ace routine by Lee Asher. Now I’m not a guy that thinks any one should be boring their audience with 37 different color changes but I really like 2 Legit as a double color change.

Cameron’s Favorite Part

Again this is a book, what’s even better is that it is a book I can take on the subway (I don’t’ go on subways ever since Spiderman) and easily travel with anywhere with it. It’s not big and that’s what the guys at Vanishing Inc Magic are trying for. They are calling it their “Small But Potent”, just the best material from that one creator.

Now I didn’t want to write about this but there is a secret gem in the book that I am sure a lot of card guys won’t use. It’s the only non card trick/gag in the book. I have been able to put this gem in my comedy club set. To sum it up this is a great card book from a really funny guy that everyone will enjoy.

I really look forward to more books and products coming out of the Vanishing Inc Publishing company.

Cameron 

MrCameronRamsay@Gmail.com

@Cameron401 on twitter

Book, Booklet, Card Magic, Comedy, Worker Material | View Comments

What The Audience Sees:

“Okay, so I’m still in mass mental meltdown after that trick Jamie showed us on Friday. I mean, he didn’t do any funny moves or gestures, or any abracadabray kind of stuff, or anything! He simply showed us six cards, 3 red & 3 black. And he laid them down, alternating the colour. Red, black, red, black, red, black. Then “poof” they were separated! Red, red, red, black, black, black! It was just so…magical! I don’t know what else to say! It was real, true magic. And he did it three times! and the last time he did it? Get this! He did it face up!!!I’m speechless…”

How It Went:

If you were right beside me, at this moment, watching me type, you’d see the huge smile on my face. I love this trick. Love it! As many of you know, I don’t review bad magic (I can’t really go around showing bad magic, can I?) but there’s some that I review, that I like more than others. And Anthony Owen’s “Ultimate Oil & Water” is now at the top of my list. When it comes to magic that I keep with me, in my wallet, this is probably the first thing I’ll be pulling out in the future.

The thing that I loved about Friday was that it is such a clear effect to explain and describe. Six cards alternating colour magically separate into three and three of each. Period. Visually, it is just as clear. It’s like the audience was watching the magic happening at that moment. When I showed that the colours were grouped together, people got the feeling that it was happening right at that moment.

Combine that with the fact that I can do it three times, with each time escalating in proof and impossibility, and you have a sure-fire winner. I had such great reactions all day that it was an absolute pleasure to have to work, lol. There wasn’t a single “meh” reaction from all the times I performed it, either. Gasps and shock were the orders of the day.

The Difficulty:

This isn’t a hard trick at all but you will need to practise it a bit. It’s important to put the time into this if you want the confidence needed to not worry. 3/5.

Best Lines:

“Where are we?! Are we still in Vancouver?!”

~This is an awesome line, lol.

“Amazing, amazing, amazing.”

~What more can you ask for?.

Angry Bob Rating:

For those of you reading this article for the first time, Angry Bob is a co-worker who has an understanding of some magic because his uncle was a magician. Angry Bob knows that TT’s exist, for example, but he has no desire to become a magician himself. He also has an anger management problem that can be experienced first hand if he can’t figure out how a trick is done. A high rating means he has no idea.

Angry Bob is having a hard time these days. I might have to bust out a TT trick next week to give him a break. I seriously thought he was going to have a heart attack right in front of me. Needless to say- no clue.

“$#%# it. I don’t even want to know.” 4.5/5.

My Rating:

Magic Friday Approved!

A new packet trick- hurrah! I know I’ve been going on and on about my summer project of only doing magic with borrowed decks but I stil allow myself one packet trick to be on me at all times. Ultimate Oil & Water is now that trick!

The JDG Tip:

Watch it here!

The iTricks Idea:

The last phase is by far the most shocking so really give it a pause before the reveal. I try to create as much tension an this moment and wait for the incoming explosion…

Closing Thoughts:

Thanks for reading and watching everyone! If you are reading this in the summer of 2010, I highly suggest you go over to www.Professional-Magician.com and check out the “Send Wonder” campaign. If it’s years later and you’re reading this, I simply hope you enjoy the review.

Have a Great Week Everyone!

Jamie D. Grant

www.cardsinabottle.com

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What The Audience Sees:

“This Jamie dude can make stuff, like, teleport, man! He made this card I pick fly across the table and land under a box, and I didn’t see a thing! Check it, I pick a card. He puts it into the deck. BAM! It’s under the card box. He takes it again. He puts in into the deck. BAM! It’s back under the cardbox. He says he’ll do it one more time. It doesn’t work. Why? BAMALAM! Because the whole deck, except my single card, is under the cardbox! AMAZING!”

How It Went:

I think I may have mentioned this before but I often feel like I’m an old miner in the Klondike searching for gold. While sorting through DVDs. Books, tricks, etc, looking for effects for Magic Friday, I get hungry, cold, scared, and worried. Sometimes I cry. And then, while knee deep in the proverbial rivers, I’ll look into my goldpan and find the biggest nugget you could imagine. And it all suddenly becomes worth it.

Box clever is one of those pieces of gold. You can use a borrowed deck. There’s no moves. Brilliantly routined. Everything I look for. Why James Brown didn’t just call me and tell me to look at this is beyond me, lol.

When I performed this all day, it kept getting better and better. I ended it with the deck going to under the box and people couldn’t believe it. It’s just such a shocker. I think they thought that twice was impossible enough, so when you can keep going, it just fries their minds. And the great thing is, that everything can be examined. People would immediately grab the deck and I could just sit back and relax. Fantastic.

The Difficulty:

This isn’t a hard routine in the slightest. You just need to focus and control your surroundings a bit. 2/5.

Best Lines:

“NO IT’S NOT!!!!”
~When I told them the deck had traveled, lol. And yes it had.

“UNGH!”
~This person actually let out a noise like they had been punched in the calf.

Angry Bob Rating:

For those of you reading this article for the first time, Angry Bob is a co-worker who has an understanding of some magic because his uncle was a magician. Angry Bob knows that TT’s exist, for example, but he has no desire to become a magician himself. He also has an anger management problem that can be experienced first hand if he can’t figure out how a trick is done. A high rating means he has no idea.

Ha! There’s nothing more enjoyable than leading Angry Bob down the garden path only to watch him fall into a deep hole at the end. After the first phase he was so smug and demanded to see it again. When I did, he was floored. And when the entire deck went, he was silent, lol. A true testament. 4.5/5.

My Rating:

Magic Friday Approved!

A great find. This is going into my Top 10 tricks that I do with a borrowed deck, for sure.

The JDG Tip:

Watch it here!

The iTricks Idea:

Every time something is examinable, let it be examined if asked. Or, beat them to the punch and simply ask them to shuffle. Often, that can be enough.

Closing Thoughts:

I’m up for future Magic Friday suggestions so, if you have any or if you have anything to say at all, please leave a comment~ I read them all!

Have a Great Week Everyone!

Jamie D. Grant
www.cardsinabottle.com

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What The Audience Sees:

“Can someone please explain to us how Jamie has managed to sneak into every movie I’ve ever seen, since I was a kid, and remember them all?! Because that’s the only way he could have known! Listen, he had these cool business cards printed, right, because he collects autographs or something. I mean, they’re blank except for a picture of a movie screen. Anyways, I write down a movie that only I know I’ve seen, onto the card and place it FACE DOWN into his hand. He cannot see it! To prove the point, he even slides it back into the middle of the stack of business cards. And then…BLAM!…He names my movie! HOW? Thank goodness he gave me his card- I’m calling him for my next party!”

How It Went:

You know, I’ve been meaning to write this one up for some time but I’ve been unintentionally delayed. I really wanted to see how it would play at an actual paid gig and, even though I’ve done a few hundred since I’ve gotten this effect, I’ve always forgotten to take it with me. Doh! Double Doh! This trick is great! It takes up the exact same amount of pocket space that I normally designate for business cards, but I now have a great closing effect for my set. I sincerely wish I had it for all those other times.

I think I made up for it on Friday, though as I used it dozens of times to great effect. What I like about it is that it’s super clean. I mean, you’re basically looking at a stack of business cards and an elastic band. That’s it. No wallet, clipboard, helmet transmitters, etc. Just a small stack of cards. No folding required! Hurrah! Not that I’m lazy, but at gigs, I really want to not have to worry. And Sneak Preview is worry free.

The reactions were right on point as well. I can always tell if something’s gone exceedingly well when the spectators start addressing each other. They wanted to know if we were in on it and all the pressure is on the spec defending himself that we weren’t in cahoots, lol. Awesome.

The Difficulty:

Man, like, what, 1/5? Do your eyes move? Sweet, then you can do this.

Best Lines:

“Peter! PETER! Do you guys know each other?!?!! ANSWER ME!”
~Poor Peter was in for a rough night I think.

“Were you there?!”
~At Ben Hur?! Um, no.

Angry Bob Rating:

For those of you reading this article for the first time, Angry Bob is a co-worker who has an understanding of some magic because his uncle was a magician. Angry Bob knows that TT’s exist, for example, but he has no desire to become a magician himself. He also has an anger management problem that can be experienced first hand if he can’t figure out how a trick is done. A high rating means he has no idea.

Let’s just all be thankful that Angry Bob doesn’t show up at any of these functions. Could you imagine?! With regards to this, however, I’d say pretty high. There’s a flash of the stack that is really nice and takes people away from the cards. Maybe 4/5? I’m not worried.

My Rating:

Magic Friday Approved!

I owe myself an apology for not taking this out sooner. It’s gone into my Suit Jacket- the ultimate rating!

The JDG Tip:

Watch it here!

The iTricks Idea:

The only thing you need to brainstorm is why you had the cards printed. Try and find a plausible reason for you and stick with it. Conviction!

Closing Thoughts:

Someone e-mailed me and mentioned that they couldn’t watch my video reviews because they live in a mountain cabin, so it looks like we’re back to the old format-written and video. I hope you like it!

Have a Great Week Everyone!

Jamie D. Grant
www.cardsinabottle.com

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The Video Review (PASSWORD: The name of this trick. The “S” needs to be capitalized.)

Watch it here!

Best Lines From The Day:

“Are you kidding me?!!”

~He was convinced that he was seeing things!

“Give me that!!”

~And it wasn’t so he could clean his hands again, lol.

Angry Bob Rating:

I have a co-worker (Bob) whose uncle was a magician and thereby has a good working knowledge of how magic works. He’s pretty grumpy but likes Magic Friday’s because he can tell me how he figured out how the effect is done…

The card reveal isn’t a magician fooler. And Angry Bob, although not a magician per se, wasn’t fooled at all…except on how he was made to pick the Nine Of Clubs. So you can imagine that this works quite well- which it did- when you do it on someone who has no idea what a force is to begin with. 1/5.

The JDG Tip:

If you can find it- get the Aloe Purell- it’s green and will help your colour effect!

The iTricks Idea:

I wouldn’t perform all 3 effects that come with Sanitized at the same time- that’s just me. But I would do the colour effect plus one of the others maybe. Just don’t do the colour reveal until the very end.

Closing Thoughts:

I didn’t review the other 2 effects that come with Sanitized but should mention that they’re quite good. Will Tsai has an idea on the Free Will effect which is absolutely awesome and is an idea that you can use in many other applications.

Thanks for watching!

All my best,

Jamie D. Grant
www.Professional-Magician.com

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Hiya Gang!

I’m going to be experimenting with different Magic Friday formats, now that I’m doing video every time~ so please bear with me while I decide on what’s best. And I’d love to hear your opinions! (You can’t write here, but you can leave a comment over at the blog).

Without further ado:

FOOTLOOSE by Dan Hauss:

The Video Review: (PASSWORD: The name of the DVD set this trick comes from)

The Magic Friday Show~ Episode 10 from Jamie D. Grant on Vimeo.

Best Lines From The Day:

“Whawhatwhat?! Hey! HEY! COME LOOK AT THIS!!!”

~This guy was yelling so loud, I thought the cops were going to come by for a visit!

“Nope. That didn’t happen. Nopey dopey.”

~”Nopey dopey? Lol, just pure disbelief (in a good way).

Angry Bob Rating:

I have a co-worker (Bob) whose uncle was a magician and thereby has a good working knowledge of how magic works. He’s pretty grumpy but likes Magic Friday’s because he can tell me how he figured out how the effect is done…

Well, he stared in disbelief, and then almost kicked me in the face, lol. He then started inspecting his own shoelace as he thought I had done something to his shoe. Lol, I’m going to say 4.5/5.

The JDG Tip:

I’ve actually got a few good tips that are only going to make sense to people that own this. So to these people, I’ll just tell you to use a chopstick or a piece from a coathanger…

The iTricks Idea:

Okay, so my other tip is that certain things come in different sizes and different construction. If you’re having trouble because of something you found inside- make a small cut in the end lengthwise.

Closing Thoughts:

Thanks for watching, reading, and commenting everyone! I do my absolute best to never steer you wrong, as I know we all want to make great purchases. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with this one as the set has something for everyone!

All my best,

Jamie D. Grant
www.Professional-Magician.com

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Corey Martin is a regular contributor to iTricks Raves.

Most of us remember when we first saw Sinful. For me, it was on an episode of Criss Angel’s “Mindfreak”. A signed coin visually penetrates a sealed soda can. Magic at one of it’s purest moments. Since that episode it has been hailed as one of the greatest impromptu effects of all time. With all of the classic movies getting a “facelift” these days it is nice to see that some of the great magic effects are getting similar treatment. If you liked the “original” version of Sinful, then you are going to love the new style, tips and handling of the new version. Inside this book not only shows you how to perform an incredible piece of magic, but it also lets you in on just how intense of a process goes into creating something so special. Welcome to Sinful: A Graphic Novel.
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What The Audience Sees:

“Okay, so Friday was really strange- I think we were all hypnotized! Jamie shows us an American one-dollar bill, right? Nothing crazy. But then, all of a sudden, it changed! It morphed itself inside out or something! Jamie told us that he had temporarily hypnotized all of us and that the bill should look different, and did it ever! It was like all reversed, backwardsy, split into quarters, kind of magical weirdnessness! None of us could believe our eyes! And man, did we ever have a great weekend because of it!”

How It Went:

You know, I’ve never really given the Mis-Made Bill premise a go before and I have to say, I’ve been missing out. I only wish I had been able to do it with borrowed money, which all you guys and gals in The States will be able to do. A Mis-Made Loonie just wouldn’t be the same, lol (a Loonie is a Canadian one-dollar coin). On that note, those of you in the US do have a real advantage. Up here, the smallest bill is a Five, but people are never really carrying them around because the smallest bill that most ATMs give out are Twenties. So, if you’re in the US, take advantage of it. However, I digress…

Even though I was using my own bill, and a foreign one at that, it still rocked the house. I was a bit surprised myself, actually. People were giving each other looks like, “Are you seeing what I’m seeing?” The magic really played with their minds on Friday. I’ve been thinking about it all weekend and I’m still trying to dissect why it went so well, and I think it’s because, unlike normal paper, people know how impossible it is to “make” a bill. And a bill has a feel to it that can’t be faked (well, not legally, lol) so I think as soon as people touched it, they simply fully believed. There is also something more believable about it being the same denomination, I think.

And I have to say, I love Magick Balay’s handling of the switch! It has a more natural sort of feel to me than previous switches I’ve used and it went by everyone on Friday. There is something about the “turning” in Magick’s method that I really like and it seemed to help both me and my audience. I’ll talk about it more in the video portion but I just found it a more believable way of folding something. I found people weren’t burning my hands as much as when I’ve done switches before- perhaps it comes across as more casual.

The Difficulty:

This took me a while to get down and, as you’ll see, I still have to force myself to not look at my hands (when performing for real people, I find that an easier task because you have conversation going on, but it still took a while to get confident). However, this should be well within the capabilities of a solid magician. 3/5.

Best Lines:

“OMG, it’s backwards…no, it’s sideways, OMG! How did you do that?!”

~It’s always better to have someone ask, “How did you do that?” as opposed to, “Where did the other one go?”

“Holy %$^$! This is the same dollar, too!!!”

~I’m not sure what convinced them of that, but hey, I’ll take it!

Angry Bob Rating:

For those of you reading this article for the first time, Angry Bob is a co-worker who has an understanding of some magic because his uncle was a magician. Angry Bob knows that TT’s exist, for example, but he has no desire to become a magician himself. He also has an anger management problem that can be experienced first hand if he can’t figure out how a trick is done. A high rating means he has no idea.

“You %$^$%#n switched it. That’s pretty cool, though.”

3/5. I’m giving this a higher mark than you’d think after Angry Bob’s reaction, but that’s because he still has no idea how I did it. I’ve used a bill switch for a few Magic Fridays in the past, so I’m pretty sure Angry Bob has looked into how it works but I know he can’t do it himself. If you were to do this to someone with no magic knowledge, you’d fry them.

My Rating:

Magic Friday Approved!

Well, I’ve decided to switch (Ha, Ha, get it? I said…never mind) in Magick’s new handling as the one I’m going to be using in the future. When you watch the DVD and you see how fast he is with it, you can see how it will get light years better than how I’m currently performing with it. And, when it gets to Magick’s level (hopefully), I think it will be perfect. The “turning” combined with the “kickup” of the bill is just enough to make me put my old switch back on the shelf.

The JDG Tip:

Watch it here!

The iTricks Idea:

Make sure you crumple your bill up a ton before going live. What I did, was I always kept it in my pocket with another bill. It seemed like the other bills age rubs off a bit on the new one.

Closing Thoughts:

Congrats to NYMP for making such a great DVD. It was nice to watch something that just showed me the performer going through the steps. Sometimes Magic DVDs get so complicated that I want to throw myself out the window and this was a refreshingly straightforward instructional video. Very well done.

Have a Great Week Everyone!

Jamie D. Grant
www.whatizit.net

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Corey Martin is a regular contributor to iTricks Raves.

There are countless DVD’s out on the market that focus on the art of card flourishing. Many are rich in visual “eye candy” but very difficult to master. Then there are the select few that look fantastic but are much simpler to master.  Aaron Fisher’s One-Hand Popover is a beautiful piece of slight of hand that can be used as a visual production, a slight or even just a flourish. It combines elements that many magicians use everyday combined with Aaron’s incredible insight and teaching to create a fantastic piece of magic. The DVD is broken down into sections to focus all the attention on the most important parts of the move.  The Grip, The Popover itself, and then taking the actual move an applying it to effects and routines, both as a visual production and a slight.

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Card Magic, Close Up, DVD, Flourishes | View Comments

What The Audience Sees:

”So Jamie has become some sort of ninja, apparently. You should have seen it man, this guy is so quick! He showed us his ring, but then he took it off his finger so that he wasn’t wearing it, but simply holding it. Then…BLAM! It was right back on his finger! We were all like, “WHHAAAAAA??!” So he does it again- Ring On, Ring Off, BLAM! It was like Bruce Lee stuff! Or maybe he took his ring off, hypnotized us, went out for a coffee, hung out with some druids, wrote a few spells, had a hamburger, came back, put the ring back on, and unhyptnotized us. Who knows! All I know is that it rocked. ”

How It Went:

I’m a huge fan of ring magic. Ring Thing, Pinnacle, De’Ring, all of this stuff- I really enjoy it. I can also confidently say that the audience enjoys it too. De’Ring is a bit of flash that just looks super cool! And rings just have a sort of magical quality about them- I think that if I was going to do magic with something I’m wearing, then a ring seems to make sense, as opposed to, say, a belt, lol. De’vo, if you read this, I would love to see a wicked belt manipulation video! That would be fan-tastic.

So Friday went over really well. De’Ring is one of those effects where it it’s not such a mystery as to what’s going on but as to how it’s going on (literally). Well, maybe that’s not a fair thing to say. Because De’Ring does fool people. Most people won’t know how you got it back on your finger, that’s for sure. I think people come away with a feeling that I’ve done a specific task and that I’m good at what I do. It’s almost like a confirmation of skill in all aspects of what I’m performing. In a sense, I felt like people thought, “Of course, Jamie can do that. He’s so good,” which puts them in a fantastic thought process of “What’s next?!” And people’s reactions were great! It’s just such a shock to see it back on.

And of course this is all thanks to De’vo, who is such a talent it’s freakin scary! The things he can do are absolutely stunning and look like the kind of things you’d only expect someone with superhuman gifts (which he has) to do. I think he’s not into magic so much as manipulation but, I’m sorry De’Ring, when done well, is real magic. It was especially powerful when people didn’t realize that it was back on my finger right away. Instead of a ‘travel’, it was a ‘disappearance’ and an ‘appearance’, Two for the price of one!

The Difficulty:

I’m not going to lie to you and say that you’ll be busting this out in ten minutes. It takes practice. It’s not as hard, by any means, as some of the other stuff that De’vo puts out though. Also, you’ll also be throwing your ring all over the place (well, at least I did!) so don’t practice with something expensive, lol. 3.5/5.

Best Lines:

”WHHAAAAAAA??!!! DO IT AGAIN!”
~Lol, Imagine walking up to someone and slapping them in the face. But instead of it hurting, it feels good. That’s what this is like.

”How the %#^# did you get that back on there so fast?! That’s amazing!”
~Simple, Practice.

Angry Bob Rating:

For those of you reading this article for the first time, Angry Bob is a co-worker who has an understanding of some magic because his uncle was a magician. Angry Bob knows that TT’s exist, for example, but he has no desire to become a magician himself. He also has an anger management problem that can be experienced first hand if he can’t figure out how a trick is done. A high rating means he has no idea.

”You %#%##’n put it on your finger, ^^&$&((*$.”

Yeah, I know. I put it there. So does this “fool” Angry Bob? I guess not. 1/5. But, does it impress Angry Bob? I would think so. I mean, it’s a display of skill, as well as being a great effect. For me, it’s almost a no lose situation, If someone has an idea how it’s done, it doesn’t phase me because it simply looks so great.

My Rating:

Magic Friday Approved!

Like I mentioned above, I love Ring stuff and De’Ring is an effect I use daily. No kidding, I probably do De’Ring for someone every single day of my life. How many other effects do I have that I can say that about? So for me, De’Ring is an absolute must-have! I also love the fact that it doesn’t take up any more pocket space. If I could wear a deck of cards on my finger, I probably would, lol.

The JDG Tip:

Watch it here!

The iTricks Idea:

Check out your finger before you walk out the door. Lol, this might sound crazy, but depending on the weather, how much ice cream you’ve eaten, etc, your performance can really differ. So just do a quick check to make sure you’re ready to roll before you bust it out!

Closing Thoughts:

Thanks for reading and watching! If you’ve got a minute, please leave a comment and let me know you came by for a visit! And…

Have a Great Week Everyone!

Jamie D. Grant
www.whatizit.net

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Jamie D. Grant is now a regular contributor to iTricks Raves with an enhanced version of his reviews from MagicFriday.blogspot.com.

What The Audience Sees:

”Holy Smokes! Jamie brought in an envelope of some crazy weird photos on Friday- they looked like Angry Bob as a baby, Ha! Seriously, they were these four strange photos of some Shrunken Heads that were totally bizarre. On one of them, Jamie had a message on the back, and he gave it to me and said to not read it yet. He then had me select, from the remaining three, one of the photos for me, one for himself, and one to go in the envelope. Well, you’re not going to believe this, but after I made the selections, he told me to look at the back of the photo I was holding… I looked on the back…and it said exactly what I had done!!! It was creeeeeepy awesome! Big Ted started to take off his shoes, and I went running to look for some Garlic and a wooden stake. Those Heads must be stopped!!! ”

How It Went:

Sometimes there’s magic that you know will stay with people. A special moment of time, an image, a thought, ~something that they won’t ever forget because it made such an impact. 3 No Evil is one of those effects that provides that magic. Not just because of the outcome, but because the story and the pictures are so interesting. I don’t think many people have seen a Shrunken Head before, let alone four of them, and they caused mucho discussion on Friday. Note: It helps to have a little bit of knowledge of the history behind Shrunken Heads and I encourage you to read up a bit about them- they’re absolutely fascinating and will give you some great discussion material!

Most people on Friday were absolutely fascinated with the pictures, which is great, because they can be studied to no end. There’s nothing to find, which makes the ending so strong and I really emphasized the selection process, which is quite clear. As a result, the reveal came across as a real kicker. People just weren’t expecting it. I think because this effect is so hands off that it just played a bit differently, which was nice. When they read the card, there’s an element of mystery, in the sense of, “Who wrote that message? And when?” It’s deeply intriguing.

I love magic like this. It brings something into play that is totally outside the norm for most people. I mean, if I was a piano player, it probably wouldn’t make sense to be carrying around an envelope with four Shrunken Head pictures in it, lol. That’s why it’s so great to be a magician. Where else can I introduce these kind of things into someone’s life? Awesome.

MUCH MORE INCLUDING THE iTRICKS IDEA AFTER THE JUMP

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Jamie D. Grant is now a regular contributor to iTricks Raves with an enhanced version of his reviews from MagicFriday.blogspot.com.

What The Audience Sees:

”Today was MY day, man! I’m thinking of starting my own mind reading business! Jamie comes in and busts out a deck of cards and tells us that today is going to be good. He asks me to think of a card, any one I like, and then remove it from the deck. Them HE selects a card, and we’re all laughing because we’re pretty sure he’ll be able to find that one later. Anyways, once our cards are back into the deck he tells me to “’read his mind’! Yeah, like right. But he insists. He tells me to concentrate and pull his card out of the deck, but to not show him. So I just pull out some whatever card, you know what I’m sayin, and he has me put it into my pocket. So I’ve selected a card, he’s selected a card, I’ve ‘found’ his, and now he says he’ll find mine. Well, he does! Which is whack because I have no idea how he does this voodoo crazy mojodojo. But then it gets really %^^##%d up. Because, wait for it,… he tells everyone the name of the card that he had picked for himself…and that’s the card I pull out of my pocket!!!! It was Mingo!! People were freakin’ out asking me how I knew what his card was and I didn’t know what to say! When you’re good, you’re good. Booya!”

How It Went:

What can I tell you? When Paul showed me this at MINDvention, it just blew my mind. It’s not just the effect which is so awesome, but the completeness of it all. The plot, routining, involvement, and method are as good as it gets. And it’s all accomplished with a deck of cards and nothing else. Fantastic.
And, I’m very happy to say, that it played as well as I hoped. Sometimes I’ll absolutely love something only to have the Magic Friday Crowd collectively go, “meh” but this wasn’t the case on Friday. Every group loved it. Period. And it’s just a surprise to have the person pull your card out of their pocket. There’s a certain sort of legitimate real-world magic to the scenario. I’m even happier to say that I also was 100%. I was worried that I might crack under pressure and mess things up but I managed to really rise to the occasion. Which is funny, because I was jamming with my magic gang a couple of days before and I was having some difficulties with some very basic life skills. But, hey, that’s what practice is for.
On that note, I’d also like to mention that practice actually works. That might be a strange thing to say but I think it needs to be said. For me anyways, I know that I might be going through something and think that I’ll never get it down but if I keep at it, I always get it. And from that point on, I always seem to not have a problem. The mind is a wonderful thing.

MUCH MORE INCLUDING THE iTRICKS IDEA AFTER THE JUMP

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Jamie D. Grant is now a regular contributor to iTricks Raves with an enhanced version of his reviews from MagicFriday.blogspot.com.

What The Audience Sees:

”Okay, okay, okay. So apparently Willy Moth%^ f#^^#n Wonka came into our office on Friday. Yeah, I’m not kidding you. I won’t be surprised if my desk is now made of cotton candy or something! First Jamie did this super quick trick where some aces switched places, which was awesome! We were all lovin’ it. But then, as he’s leaving, he asks us if we want some gum. When he shows us the pack though, there’s only one piece. Big Ted almost trampled poor Shortstop trying to get it when Jamie told him to hold on a second. He waved his hand, and the pack was now full! It was now full of gum! It was utter madness! I mean this was some seriously Golden Ticket magic going on right here. I almost had me an Oompa Loompa! ”

How It Went:

I should mention that the trick where “the aces switched places” that I performed prior to GUM was John Bannon’s version of Doc Daley’s Last Trick. I’ve already reviewed that trick for Magic Friday but John has a specific moment in his handling, which is awesome, that he just released via his new DVD set Bullets After Dark. If you haven’t checked it out, you should.

Okay, so how is Jeff Prace’s GUM? What can I tell you- I love it. I am a big believer in having everything in my life contain a magical property or have the ability to do something magical. I think, and this is just me, that everything I touch should have the ability to obey my command, lol. A nice idea, but pretty impossible. It’s not impossible, however, to stack the odds in my favour. And if I can do so by simply carrying a gum packet around with me, then rock and roll.
Now, some people are probably thinking, do we really need Gum Magic? Is this what our art’s all about? And I say; sure, why not? This trick isn’t going to take people into a new state of consciousness about society or anything but it is something, I think, that they expect a magician to have the ability to do. If I knew a magician, a real magician, liked gum and he/she ran out, I wouldn’t expect them to head to the 7-11. I would expect them to do the very thing that Jeff has enabled us to do. Make it appear, as if by magic.

And it does appear so. It’s real eye candy and looks wonderful. People were absolutely stunned when they saw the full box. What’s great about this is that no one misses it because everyone’s truly paying attention. I mean everyone really wanted a piece of gum, lol. So the disappointment and subsequent joy is real emotion. And the trick itself is utterly foolproof, which leads me to a possible new section…

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Jamie D. Grant is now a regular contributor to iTricks Raves with an enhanced version of his reviews from MagicFriday.blogspot.com.

What The Audience Sees:

”Well, it’s good to see Jamie back on track, man. He had a bad stretch there for a while but last week he took us to the bridge with that Coin and Chapstick magic, and this week, %#^#, this week he had us all havin’ the time of our lives with this card trick he pulled off. He took the two Kings out of the deck right, and he had me select a card. I put it back, but with a snap of his hands- BOOM, it was between the two Kings!

Then he took it to the next level! He gave the deck to Angry Bob and said that A.B was going to do the magic! He had Big Ted select a card and put it back, and then he gave the deck to A.B. The two Kings were put back in near the ends of the deck but after A.B. said his magic word of “Go ^#&& yourself,” the Kings got closer together! He did it again, and this time the Kings were side by side in the deck with only one card in between them- Big Ted’s!!! It was awesome! Angry Bob dropped the cards in astonished disgust and Big Ted started to rub his knees with his elbow! Me? I just freaked the %$^$ out!!!”

How It Went:

I’m starting over. I’m talking about my Card Magic here. I think I’m done with special decks, custom cards, etc. I just can’t deal with it all anymore. I keep losing track of what does what, lol! So I’m starting over. Every card trick I want to do now needs to be done with a regular deck that I can leave with the specs. That’s my plan. And I want to do strong magic. Really strong magic. Paul Vigil’s Diplopia is on my list definitely (look for that in the next couple of weeks) as is Kostya Kimlat’s Roadrunner Cull. This week though? Aaron Fisher’s SEARCH and DESTROY (featuring the NOWHERE PASS). And it fit the bill to a “T”. A regular deck, with awesome sleight of hand, that can be done for the spectators and left with the spectators- both the memory and the deck itself- that’s what I’m talking about.

MUCH MORE INCLUDING BEST LINES, TIPS ON HANDLING AFTER THE JUMP
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