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Misanthropy wrote:I don't mean drink until you're pi**ed out of your skull but just one to help you mellow out a bit

Unfortunately, for me one drink is enough!
I find that sleight of hand needs 100% concentration.

Others, of course, may be able to perform as well, if not better, with a couple of drinks in them.
But it doesn't suit me.

I'd say it definitely is something to do with alcohol, but not drinking it yourself...

bar and club magic!

Even if you don't go there yourself for R&R, consider the following points:

(Pretty much) no lively bar or club is going to throw you out for doing magic, even average magic.

You have total power to walk away, and, unless you totally botch a trick up right before you do, you will be leaving people wanting more and seeing you as a mysterious man of... er... mystery.

It will be dim and noisy - perfect for starting out!

They will have been drinking, which will mean that: a)they are infectiously and easily impressed, b) their scrutiny will be dulled, c) they won't remember the wrong bits, just the amazing bits (unfortunately, they may also not remember their card!) d) Simply by staying icily sober and in control, you are - as Sankey would say - "soooooooooo far ahead!"



Really, it's like shooting fish in a barrel. It's almost cheating. But it's great for live practice and for building confidence

Yeah, I really like working in bars. I feel really at home doing magic in a bar/pub envoronment, and the punters are usually very vocal and enthusiastic (you do get exceptions of course).

Compare that to doing a zombie ball for a bunch of sugar-high 8 year olds who are screaming that you're using magnets/compressed air/string/glue/a lighter than air ball made of a metal as yet undiscovered by man (delete as appropriate), and you're talking heaven and hell. IMHO of course...

Guys,
Thanks for all the responses, I agree that a few drinks can help to add a little ducth courage, maybe I should work on a card to hip flask routine.

I was talking to some other magicans last night and it became clear that whislt I know a few tricks, I maybe dont know them well enough to give me the confidence to pull them off in my sleep, more importantly I dont have any mini routines in place to allow me to show 3 or 4 effects together.

Last night was prime example we meet at a pub every week and there was a group of old dears having a do in a fuction just off of the garden.
There were maybe 40-50 of them sitting at tables just passing the time away chatting after there meal. They spotted us in the garden playing around and asked if we would come in and provide them with a little entertainment.
Three of the guys went in & done the same three trick to maybe 5 tables each, there tricks and patter were almost identical for each table.
When I was invited in I froze,I could have maybe gone in and shown 1 trick but could not of followed it up or flow into another effect.

I came away very disapointed, a very good opportunity again was missed.

I think I need to break this cycle, currently I have a very small audience of around 4 people which I have managed to pluck up the courage to show. With that small an audience learning the effect and patter flawlessly is alot of effort for very little show time,UNTIL NOW. I intend to learn maybe 3 effects well in a short routine, once that is achieved go out and try to stop being a baby.

Thanks again for you support

my thoughts:

perhaps you get nervous infront of family or friends cos you care more about what they think, rather than some stranger who you'll never see again or remember their face?

just remember that thats the beauty of it though...because your family and friends care about you they're not gonna burn you at the stake for fumbling or getting something a little wrong...it wont matter...

i would say actually dont have a drink to steady yourself...if you repeat it, you'll get used to having one before you perform...not healthy...the one time you dont have a drink before you do anything and wallop! you might start subconciously panicking that - "oooh ive not had a drink this time..might go wrong..no, no, no..."...do it all sober...then celebrate with a drink...

...and basically, more practice! film yourself if you can, and write yourself a script too...then string 3 effects together for starters...one on one first off, then slowly creep up participants...and even simple direction to the people too - "ok, take the card, and please show it her too please...both got it? good, now...blah blah blah"...

anyway, ramble over...good luck, goodnight, and back in my box i go...