How did you do that?

As a professional magic-type dude, this is of course the most popular question I'm asked. Even with close friends though, I maintain the magician's code of keeping secrets. The second most popular question is "Are you ever fooled." I normally answer "Not as often as I like." There is no greater feeling in the world to me than being amazed. Being as wary I am of magic on TV and the internet, this means I get my fix from other magicians. I'll be in Vegas in a few weeks for The World Magic Seminar, and I'm sure to get fooled plenty, maybe even dish out a little of my own.

I do however love to discuss how magic works. Not necessarily the particulars of any specific thing I perform, but the principles that make it work. So many people say they feel stupid or drunk. This could not be further from the truth. After studying magic for so many years, you can't help but learn a bit about how the brain works. Since this blog is not intended for magicians only, I don't get very specific here. However, I will share a very cool video a fellow magic-type dude sent me. It's a brilliant ad campaign that shows quite a bit about how your brain works. Yep, it fooled the hell out of me.

http://www.dothetest.co.uk/

What is art?

Last night, I had my first night of performing at Texas Roadhouse. What a fun place! I had only eaten there one time before. I was so surprised not only by the fun atmosphere, but by the great enthusiasm the employees have for their jobs. It surely made my night go by quickly. If any of you are in the Harrisburg area, I urge you to stop by the Camp Hill Texas Roadhouse Tuesday evenings from 5-8.

I came across a fascinating article today from almost a year ago in the Washington Post. It details an experiment done by the newspaper and a world renown musician. Here's the link.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/04/AR2007040401721.html?hpid=topnews

(Edit here, for some reason, I can't click the actual link. If you can't, just copy and paste in your browser window.)

It's a bit lengthy, so I'll give you the gist of it. They conducted an experiment with world famous violinist Joshua Bell. They wanted to know if his art could transcend his venue. They dressed him in jeans and a sweatshirt and set him up in a busy subway station in D.C. As he stood there and played his 3 MILLION dollar violin, (yep, that's right) a shocking thing happened. No one noticed. Now, surely these people could recognize wonderful music. You don't have to be an aficionado of classical music to know it's beautiful. A few people tossed bills and coins in his open case. Of course, he wasn't doing this for the money. Joshua makes about $100 a minute when he plays with symphonies all over the world. The point was would he be regarded as just another street performer. To 99% of the people, the answer sadly, was yes. There was one woman at the end of the story who was a ray of sunshine for me. I really urge you to check it out. There is video and audio. Just look at it and you'll see what I mean.

I got into a very heated debate online with someone on this topic. He says that your venue and audience decide if you are an artist, or just a guy with a fiddle. Undoubtedly, that's what the article would have you believe. I say no. An artist is someone who puts a piece of their very soul into every performance. Joshua does it, the world's great painters do it, and yep this big bald guy with a deck of cards does it. So be on the lookout. You just might see an artist at work when you least expect it. On a street corner, at a train station, or at a restaurant before your meal arrives. Take a few minutes, and enjoy what they are creating for you.

My new gig!

I can now announce that I will be performing at Texas Roadhouse in Camp Hill, PA every Tuesday 5-8. If you've never been. It's a very fun place. Good prices, big juicy steaks, and now a big juicy magician. Stop by if you're in the area.

Bad biker dude...

This past weekend, I had a really fun time performing at a Yamaha motorcycle dealership. They loved me so much, they gave me this bike! Nah, it's a Honda that belongs to a friend of mine. When I has having new head shots done, he was there and the photographer couldn't resist. Anyway, this was a special promotional event for the dealership. They had the usual trappings to entice buyers; prize giveaways, rock band, free wine, gourmet chocolate and a big bald guy doing card tricks. (What a combo.) Everyone was really great and a good time was had by all. I also made a new discovery. There was a lady with gourmet chocolate and she had spicy nacho chips dipped in chocolate. I was a bit apprehensive, it's two tastes that I love, but can't imagine together. (Marge Simpson's butterscotch chicken anyone?) Boy was I wrong. I couldn't have more than one or two at a time, but boy what a different experience.

Also, big news for my fans. (All 2 of you.) I just sealed a deal for a new performance venue in the Harrisburg area. I'm meeting with the staff tomorrow afternoon and after that, I"ll be able to give details.

As a matter of fact, I DO know everybody...

Just a quick post this week to relay a funny story.  Friday night I went to go check out some folks in a band I met a few weeks ago.  The band, Take 147 who does mostly rock covers and a few originals features Greta on guitar and lead vocals, Amber on bass and bongos, (sexy haircut) Patty on drums, (SQUISH HIM) and Mike on lead guitar.  They were playing at a lesbian bar called liquid.  (Not sure if that's PC or not, but that's what it was.)  There were a few guys there, not sure how many of us were straight, I think I can vouch for me and Eddie.  I walked in fresh from a gig, so I'm a bit over-dressed in my gray pin-strip suit.  The second I walked in, I had 2 girls come up and hug me.  "Hey, magician man!"  "Yeah, hey what's up ladies."  I replied.  Of course they asked what I'm doing there.  I guess they wanted me to make sure I didn't wander into a place where I thought I might pick up a date.  I explained that I knew the band and came to check them out.  After I grabbed a beer and sat at a table where Amber's girlfriend Amy was hanging out, I felt someone come behind me and kiss my cheek, then whisper in my ear "You know, this really isn't the place to try and pick up chicks."  I turn around and it's my friend Mary.  We dated for a few months, but like most relationships, I screwed that one up real good.  We're still good friends, although we're both so busy we hardly see each other.  She was out with friends celebrating her new job and someone asked if she'd mind going to see a band at this bar.  Mary seemed to have 4 or 5 cocktails in her by the time I saw her.  After introducing her to Amy and her friend Mary went to get another drink, (lush).  Amy leaned over and asked about her, I explained that we used to date.  Amy's eyes lit up and asked "Is she gay?"  I just had to laugh and explain that I have this thing about bumping into people in the weirdest places.  In fact that night, about 4 total.  6 degrees of seperation?  Try 2 with me.

Back in the swing....

This week was interesting.  No beauty pageants, but fun all the same.

Tuesday was Mardi Gras.  Fat Tuesday, or as I call it Tuesday.  (Damn I love that.)  I was invited to perform for students at Penn State Harrisburg during lunch hour.  The whole atmosphere was very festive.  There was a great dixieland band and jambalaya and king cakes were on the menu for lunch.  Students didn't really have any idea there would be a magician, so I was just a little bonus.  All the students really seemed to enjoy my performance, and the band was really great. Fun time had by all.

Thursday morning, my killer cold from right after New Year's came back.  I swear, I honestly think I have the plague.  I had to heavily medicate myself for 2 shows this weekend.  The magic was pretty easy, I can pretty much do that with my eyes closed.  Saturday night's swing gig was a bit more of a challenge.

Friday night, I had a wonderful evening at my home away from home, Scott's Grille.  A pretty average night.  A few large parties made my evening a lot of fun.  Especially a quartet of diners in their late 50's early 60's.  One man let out several loud obscenities during my performance.  I often tell people, this is the greatest compliment.  Much more so than applause or stunned silence.  People are shocked and they forget proper decorum in a fancy restaurant.  

Saturday night, I was on stage with my horn and my buddies in The Encores Big Band. (encoresbigband.com)  It's a great band that has a light schedule so it fits in well with mine.  Saturday we were at the Valencia Ballroom in York, PA for a special Valentine's diner/dance.  So great to see people actually doing the proper dance steps to all these great old tunes.  One couple in particular had a really mean lindy-hop.  I had a special treat, during our last set, a lady came up to the stage and ask us to do a polka.  The rest of the band kind of laughed, I went nuts.  "Hell yeah, let's polka!"  I was tempted to put the horn down and go and show 'em how a fat guy from Pittsburgh can polka.  (It's a well known fact that when it comes to polka, I'm a bad mofo.)  We ripped though the beer barrel polka and boy the people loved it.  At our next gig, I may have a shill in the audience ask for a polka so I can go and dance.  Another fun part of the night came during our last tune, Things Ain't What They Used To Be, my buddy Jose' Johnson, (trumpet dude and kung-fu badass) shows off by soloing on trumpet and flugelhorn at the same time!  One horn in each hand, 2 measures, then switch.  Damn showoff.

Beauty queen judge...

This post is a bit overdue, but I think it's interesting.  

A few months ago, I got an email from my friend Kirk.  In addition to playing bass in a great jazz/ RnB band called Jazz Me, his "day job" (man I hate that term) is promoting racing events.  Specifically a genre known as "dirt trackin".  Yep, it's just what you think.  Cars racing in a track covered with dirt.  Now, I've never been a big fan of any kind of racing.  Nascar, Formula 1, whatever.  But Kirk is a buddy and is very supportive of my work so I said I would work his event.  It was a whole weekend at the York Fairgrounds called Dirt Trackin' Expo.  I wasn't really sure what to expect.  There were local commercials running around the clock.  I had many friends call me and ask "Are you performing at some kind of tractor pull?"  "Yeah, something like that" I said.  I really had no idea.  It turns out it was sort of a trade show for dirt trackin enthusiasts.  There was plenty of memorabilia, cars, photos, and other stuff.  Of course, it was widely advertised that I would be strolling during the show.  A few days after we agreed I would perform at the show, Kirk drops me another email asking me to appear Friday night to be a judge.  I tell him sure, but I'm not really that much into racing; but whatever he wants.  "You're not judging cars dummy, you'll be judging the Miss Dirt Trackin' competition" he says. "Oh, THAT I can judge!"  It was actually a lot of fun.  Even though racing still isn't my thing, (I actually have a funny NASCAR joke) all the people were great.  The photo above shows me performing for the winner of the Miss Dirt Trackin' competition, Lindsay Krug and family.  Check out Kirk's band at www.jazzmeband.com

On the complete opposite end of the spectrum, was my gig at the Hershey Country Club last Saturday night.  (Well La Di freakin' Da!)  I got to perform for about 60 heart surgeons from the Hershey Medical Center.  Shows like this are special to me for a few reasons.  One, I grew up right down the road, and I still love my hometown of Hershey, PA.  Two, I really have so much respect for medical professionals.  Having had my share of problems when I was younger that were dealt with at that same hospital made this important to me.  I told them to go easy on me if I ever wind up on their table.  A special thanks to all my new friends in the vascular surgery dept. at the Hershey Med Center.