Pocket Tricks
Pocket Tricks, magic that you carry in your pocket to perform anywhere and at any time. Twenty-nine members showed up and eleven members performed! Marty Jewel had a ‘pocket book’ she took out of her ‘pocket’ along with her ‘pocket puppet’. She pulled a banana out of her ‘pocket’ and it was already cut into thirds after her karate chop. Drew and Donna Cardella did a card trick where one card flipped over one at a time and at different times. Sometimes tricks are done with mirrors and on the back of each card was a mirror. Gene Gordon did a dice routine where the numbers would change from 6 to 5 to 1 and the dots would fall off and onto a stick. He also performed a 3 Card Monte. Gene flashed a dollar and a vacuum and the coins changed into Chinese Coins, then into a jumbo coin. It was a Dave Neighbors effect. Dave Wintermute had a wire circle that changed into a square and he felt framed! Steve Davis did an amazing coin across. Young member Collin Toepfer did his sponge ball routine where balls appeared inside an empty bowl. Glenn Proulx did Card Warp then James Lopez performed a trick where a ring was inside of a coin and an Okito box trick “The Long Goodbye” Chad Wonder did Clock Colorama, an old card trick along with a mind reading trick with an Invisible Deck and finally the Get Sharkey deck. Todd Reis did a trick with wrong, right and left cards and a multiplying banana routine along with a Monte Routine using jumbo cards. Last but not least was William Rader who did a card prediction trick.
This month we had member Max Davidson, who at one time was 10 years old when he joined the club and now is all grown up and doing very well in the magic world. He performed an amazing book test virtually where any book was selected and he successfully knew the thought of word! The cool thing was that his prediction was in his mouth behind his mask! Next, Max had Drew and Donna back east; draw a picture of a random thought of card. There was a Tannen’s Mystery Box on the shelf behind him the entire time and inside the box was a picture that matched the one they drew miles away! Gene Gordon performed a Knot a Rope Routine using a red and white rope where the knots changed places on the opposite colored rope. He also had a red bag in which a deck of cards was inside. Upon opening the deck there was only one card face down with a different colored back from a different deck. Gene mentioned that for zoom meetings, matrix’s and mentalism work well and always think about what tricks will work on zoom. Don Zellner talked about how he has been doing zoom magic for his clients.
Joe Diamond made the statement; just do a great show and that is the best thing you can do to get more business! He performed and shared his Paranormal Cloth trick, taking 10 cards and after a mix and a little bit of spelling your card was the last one held in your hand…pretty cool. Joe has always been interested in the bizarre and spooky magic so he performed a DVD movie trick. His helper thought of a movie that he would like to watch on Halloween. Blank DVD movie cases were mixed and eliminated one at a time. As they were eliminated they were opened and the movie inside was shown. Finally, with one case left, the spectator named the scary movie he wanted to watch. He named the movie he THOUGHT OF and inside the case was that EXACT movie! The trick stunned all of us! Last he showed us a Palmistry trick where no matter how strong you were you could not separate your ring fingers.
This month’s theme was what did Santa bring me, so anyone who received some magic and wanted to perform could. Steve Davis did a wonderful Three Card Monte, Glenn Proulx showed us his new trick where a bottle of OJ turned into a bottle of Coke-Cola. Annamya George told us how practicing card magic helped him strengthened his fractured wrist. He showed us how he found four aces in a brand new deck and produced cards from mid air. Peter correctly matched 12 pop star musicians while face down on the table. Then, Dan Rodriquez, the first Ronald McDonald in Denver performed a Jumbo Card trick where the helper had a ‘free choice’, not really, we all thought and then the Jumbo Card completely changed into a totally different card and fooled us all. Brad Montgomery showed us his cardistry skills. Gene Gordon performed a ‘Coins in Cylinder’ trick that was very good and finally Chad Wonder had a plastic frame where psychic symbol cards were placed in slots and they perfectly matched each other and did a linking ring made out of barb wire trick.
Matt Fore also did a zoom presentation and talked about his KIOS system (killing it on stage). He wowed us by doing gags, stuck beans in his eye, mouth and nose and after some snorting all the beans regrouped in his mouth and he spit them in his hand. Rubber bands jumped through his wrist, a birthday kid would win the full bag of Milky Way candy bars. He also pulled a rope through a ladies neck. Matt said that opening lines and Segway’s are very important to keep the show going fast and fun. A call back is when you first show an object empty container and then you go back to that container and low and behold the missing object is inside after all! He did this multiple times and his hands never went near the container.
Brad Montgomery talked about his time at he Magic Castle, how he dropped a prop his first night and how fortunate he was when he was asked back to finish his night. Two card backs blended together when rotated and an ESP test was given and the prediction all matched. William Rader used his new Tarot cards and had us spell M-A-G-I-C-I-A-N with cards and as cards are eliminated you are holding your card at the end! Rabbi Eliot Baskin told us some history of the Menorah, the candles, and he demonstrated how oil for the lamps kept refilling after it was empty from a Lotta vase. A box was shown empty then when the box was opened again, the candles were in there. Using the four Kings we spelled the suits and ended up finding the real Santa King after Wendy Wylde’s directions were followed. Gary Jenkins showed us his dollar bill with a door and the bill turned inside out while we held onto the door handle. Then after mixing up a Rubik Cube it was quickly solved with a Bruce Lee karate chop. The Queen of Puns, Marty Jewell had her ‘ear drum’ jewelry, a ‘head light’ head band and did a fun trick with mixed up Christmas cards that eventually matched her prediction. Coin manipulator James Lopez made coins fly from hand to hand and once a card was selected over zoom it was the only card reversed in a normal deck. Lastly, James did a remarkable TNR card routine that was really impressive. Two Santa’s in a different chimney changed places numerous times with the skill of Chad Wonder. Shane Cohen had a gift bag for Santa, a bite out of a pumpkin flavored Oreo, swimming, a golf ball on a vase that turned into a silk and on his Wish Lish it was written that we would leave the above items for Santa on Christmas Eve. Very impressive. Gene Gordon used Dental Floss that was torn off into pieces and restored along with a torn up card and everything vanished while wrapped in a silk except for one corner. Inside of a bag that was inside a box, which was inside an Altoid box was found the restored card with a corner missing! The missing corner fit perfectly! It was a perfect end to a Crazy Covid year. Like all magicians around the world are all hoping we can meet in person before a live audience and commiserate with all our friends in the New Year.
November News
Virtual Meeting again…This month we had the pleasure of hosting Jamie Salinas. Jamie shared numerous tricks and mentalism with us this month. His M&M Candy Prediction was yummy. Wow, you need to see his Lotto Fever trick too! A ton of thought went into this trick. His version of a Zoom Bullet Catch was amazing and received wonderful praise from the audience. Jamie also explained Perfect Readings with five different people in attendance. He sure set the scary stage with his Paranormal Experience for a setting up a séance. The key to a successful séance is the build up in a persons mind.
We also had our normal lecture with many puns…like a picture of a pumpkin and the Pi symbol for pumpkin pie. Steve Davis did a nice red in his hand and a yellow out silk trick. Gene Gordon had a spooky trick or treat bag that had lots of candy appear. Then the bag was torn open and all the other candy disappeared except his favorite, Twix. He also had a ‘coiniverous’ sea shell and coin purse where coins moved around. Chad Wonder had five glasses of milk that kept filling up all the other size glasses and a Blank Deck routine. Gary Jenkins performed a mixed up Rubik Cube trick that solved itself quickly! Marty Jewell, our Queen of puns had a prop with a real rock and real roll(dinner), She had a grey-V cutout and a pill-gram. Glenn Proulx performed Quarte, stuffed an apple into a 2 liter pop bottle.
Ring 131 and Assembly 37 meet the second Thursday of the month at Riverpointe Senior Community 5225 S Prince St, Littleton, CO 80123. https://www.milehighmagicians.comGlenn Proulx 303-794-5208, glennproulx@gmail.com
October News
October is always our Evening of Odd Show and it was hit minus the lack of food. Joe Diamond introduced us to Flora his doll, who could for-tell the random word selected from a book, it was very creepy. Then Bob LaRue found a prediction in a box from 1939 that was in a Rainforrest Camp. Inside was an artifact. All be darned if the old prediction was the same outcome from the show! Susan Zeller recited a Poem from Midsummer’s Night Dreamwith Linking Rings and did a superb job performing the Card Warp with jumbo cards. Lew Wymisner had some death breath from a compeer inside a jar. The breath could light a light bulb and bent fork tines when the fork was placed inside the jar as well. Next Amy Marshack had a prediction that the helper would either pick Pork Skins, Anchovies, or Gefilte fish. Once again, she was spot on. Chris Manos had nails under a Styrofoam cup and luckily did not pierce his hand when instructed to smash his hand onto the cups. Andrew Hatfield had rope locked onto a rope. When the spectators pulled onto the rope the knot came untied but the lock remained securely on the center of the rope. Marty Jewell, the Queen of puns revived a PI-Rat. Gene Gordon, spelled out a person’s name, with cards, did his version of a burned hand on a Out to Lunch business card and did the Magic Slates. Steve Aldrich and Jasmine had a stamp collection vanish from a book and also pulled out apples and silks from a hatbox. Gregg Tobo delivered a prediction to our Emcee of the night, Mark Strivings. With the use of Flash Paper the smoke alarm went off and the card corner vanished and ended up back at Mark’s house. Todd Robbins pounded a nail into his nasal cavity, sucked the end of a balloon into his nose as well and the end wound its way into his throat. His Uvula almost stopped it.
We also had Matthew Garrett sign in and amazed the group with his Linking Ring and Linking anything and Everything skills! He performed his Impossible Ring Routine, GIR rings, Ninja Plus, Double Tiered Fan, Magic Square, and his Story Deck card trick. It was totally amazing.
Mighty Mini Lecture Series
Seventeen members attended our virtual “Mighty Mini Lecture Series” meeting. Sgt. at Arms, Gene R. Gordon, had a few announcements to make, and then we were on to the mini lectures!
Former President, Matt Brandt, taught some dollar and pencil magic. He taught how to perform the trick and make the gimmick necessary. It was perfect for online performances, and a great effect to have in anyone’s virtual effect arsenal. Up next, Gregg Tobo and Amy Marschak together gave us a quick presentation of Zoom pointers. Their advice included: Don’t try your regular stage show on Zoom. Understand your space and the size of the Zoom window, and figure out appropriate tricks for what is essentially very close up magic. They also discussed camera and sound options and what was good and bad about shows they’d seen. Up next, William Rader did a clever Mentalist act using an envelope prediction, and then a card effect as well. He taught both effects which both utilized some interesting methods mixed together in a unique way. The lecture series was closed by Gene R. Gordon who presented an interesting version of Though Stealer, from Royal Road. He wanted to present card effects for performance in the real world as well as on Zoom, though he suggested you could probably find an entire Zoom show of card magic in the Royal Road book. He also did a version of Coins Through Table with a handling taught to him by Dave Neighbors with some extra touches by Gene and Tommy Walker.
Thank you so much to everyone who attended and presented lectures for our September monthly meeting!
This month we had our local group perform patriotic magic. Gene Gordon Zoom Master ran the meeting and started us off with a very nice TNR flag cocktail napkin trick. With the drought in Colorado, Gene conjured up some water then he made a Rainbow appear. James Lopez performed the very first card trick he learned which was a 4 Aces across. Next he Made a prediction which was that the 3D would be selected; it was! Dr. Janine Aronson had Lucky and Unlucky cards from a deck. The spectator always picked a lucky card, the Queen. Member Todd Reis from California did the Endless Banana trick. Todd also did his version of Jim Steinmeyer’s called, 9 Card Problem. (I stepped away from the Zoom meeting so if I left anyone’s tricks out I am sorry).
We also had 23 people join in by Zoom for our John Carey Lecture. John got up extra early for us and has many wonderful tricks and techniques for us to try and perfect. John showed us a nifty way to improve the Hindu Shuffle, a cool false shuffle, coin routines and much more. He performed his Lockdown Act, Broken and Restored Rubber Band, Destiny Card, Yours and Mine Card and Cinematica. John also suggested to use misdirection when you use the Cross Cut Force. Another popular effect with the Zoommers was his dice version of “B-wave”. He did a very nice Copper Silver routine and a Coins Across with three coins. Both were nicely thought out effects. We took a ten-minute break so John could refresh himself. When we resumed, he taught and went through three of the packet effects he was also selling. These effects were great and ones anyone would be able to add to their repertoire. The lecture wrapped up as John talked about his new book “Reflections” and some of his other items for sale. He had a great deal on a bundle of all these plus the book!
He hung around for another 30 to 40 mins talking and answering questions! A real trooper staying up till 5 am (his time). We highly recommend John Carey’s lecture to any club!
Eric Anderson did a virtual meeting for us this June and he recommended that if we can, to start off our Magic Shows with a PowerPoint to show the audience where we came from and a little bit about our self. It is a great way for the audience to connect with you fast as you start your show. Eric explained how he works and what his pay is for different type of events that he has contracts with. He suggested that we should always make copies of the check we receive because we will need proof for our taxes. Eric’s method for success is T+T+T= More Shows. Target your market, Take-off and Take in money. He recommended magicians to send out letters or email to possible clients and have three different price packages for your shows. Eric offers a 100% guarantee that if you use his system you will bring in more money.
Covid-19 has taken a toll of each and everyone of us. We are isolated from our compeers so we decided to have a virtual meeting. We were thrilled to have 26 members sign in for the usual club meeting. Anthem and Aria demonstrated how when they perform online it is very important that the magic works on their screen and also on their audience’s screen as well. They performed Forgotten Princess by Alexander Marsch for their first trick. They also talked about lighting, sound, cameras and software.
James Lopez performed a 5 red and 5 black card trick from the book Verbal Magic from Juan Tamariz’s magic book.
Gregg Tobo had a spectator hold a small object in one of their hands and they could either lie or tell the truth. If they were to lie, they had to continue to lie for the remainder of the trick. Same thing if they decided to tell the truth. He successfully told the virtual audience member which hand held the object. Next, Gregg texted his prediction to a friend. Then he had a member pick a number only known to him, add, subtract, multiply and divide to that number. The end result was the number 409. (Not the cleaner!) Wow, that was the date of our virtual meeting, April 9, 4-09! Amazing.
Young members Collin Toepfer performed a couple of rope tricks. Paige performed the cups and balls and a mentalist card effect.
Mentalist Mark Strivings performed an effect by Karl Fulves, and modified it to make the Ouija Spell trick work better for his needs.
For our first Virtual Corona Virus Meeting it was well received by the members who logged in.