talkmagic.co.uk

Dynamo’s Concrete Playground.

This is not an instructional DVD (although you may pick up some ideas from the performances encoded into its shiny surface).

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I must admit I thoroughly enjoyed Dynamo’s DVD as it combines two passions of mine: hip-hop and magic...

So straight away a few of you are already shaking your heads and mumbling “the youth of today.” But I’d like to think that even those who remember a time when street magic was just something practiced on rooftops by faux cockney chimney sweeps - could still find something entertaining about this loveable young rogue from Bradford.

The DVD takes the form of a northern road movie, and sees Dynamo and pals visit various areas of urban decay, bringing to the people (and a few rappers) the wonder of magic.

What I like most about the video is the reaction from some of the passers by. Watching Dynamo perform the cigarette through card trick to cries of “Bloodclat Dynamo, what you do?!” (in a thick Jamaican accent) will stay with me forever. Other performances include the self tying shoelace, some PK watch crunching antics, a nice coin through table, an amazing quick change in JJB sports and some skilled card manipulation.

I also enjoyed the trick where Dynamo burns a hole in the T-shirt of a passer by, not in the least because I instantly guessed how it was done and yet the entertainment value of the trick was not diminished – visual impact counts for a lot indeed!

There are plenty of other good tricks performed in the DVD (but I don’t want to spoil everything) and although most of it will be familiar ground to most magicians, I for one think it’s always nice to see a trick well executed.

It’s funny how hiphop and magic can make such great partners. Some time ago I knew a b-boy crew from Swindon and almost all of them practiced magic (and or juggling) to some degree (although I never saw them combine the two in one act). Recently I saw a highly innovative break-dance based performance that gave me the foundation stone of an idea that I hope to turn into a small/intimate stage based magic performance in a year or two. Who knew?

And on a final note, I wonder if I guessed correctly how young Dynamo makes the bottles explode. I believe he may be using a technique sometimes employed by car stereo thieves…
If you know what I’m on about perhaps you’d like to PM me.

Nice review there, good to see some performance DVD's being reviewed too.

Although Dynamo is fairly skilled in ECM, there are elements which put me off such as the (lack of) presentation skills and the fact that neither hip-hop or chav/street culture are my cup of tea.

He's certainly managed to make a name for himself and is a nice fella to talk to. Although I have not seen this DVD, I saw his tv special 'Estate of Mind' where he dared to go where I wouldn't - onto a council etate!

lol! Sorry, I just had to post, I read the line that said 'hip-hop and magic... ' and litterly started shaking my head and tuting, only to continue reading...'So straight away a few of you are already shaking your heads'

Strage thing is that I AM the youth of today, I just dont get this culture, it seems so Alien to me, perhaps its due to me having lived a fairly sheltered life outside of the major cities.

I dont even know what a 'b-boy crew' is and the last time I heard some one say 'Bloodclat' they were a 28 year old white guy, born and raised in a well spoken english family in west sussex yet felt that as he was a DJ in the local nightclub it was 'cool' to speak like that... interesting! :-s

Thanks for taking the time to write the review mate, Its been a fair while since I've picked up any DVD's, Perhaps its time I did a little shopping, I'll be sure to take my anti-cups pill before I get started.

Rob

I'm not into the hiphop magic chav "bloodclat" etc etc things either.

But...I did pick up this DVD a while back now.

I like to watch someone else perform magic, and sometimes you pick things up and learn things, thats the main reason why I brought it.

Watched it once and now its somewhere on the shelf covered in dust, not saying its bad, but personally not something I'd watch again.

It was fun to watch the first time and see how everyone shares a love of magic, with an audience I'd probably never approach