A montage of Shin Lim’s winning season on NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” might reel off in a series of stunned faces, dropped jaws, and baffled adults squealing in wonder.
Olivia Munn’s mouth agape as Lim appears to turn one playing card into three, two, then none. Spice Girl Mel B pounding a table with childlike glee: “No, no, no, no!” Simon Cowell muttering: “Bloody hell, Shin. That was spooky.”
The montage would end with Lim, a Waltham resident at the time, being awarded the $1 million grand prize as gold confetti is raining down, the runners-up are hoisting him into the air, and host Tyra Banks is screaming over the cheers, “Shin Lim! The sexiest magician on the planet!”
But where that 2018 montage ends, Lim’s career begins.
The Acton-Boxborough High School graduate has gone on to perform a run with “The Illusionists” on Broadway, landed a Las Vegas residency at the Mirage hotel and casino in Las Vegas, married his sweetheart, Casey Thomas, in Hawaii, and returned to compete on the first-ever international “America’s Got Talent: The Champions” against a field of 50 past winners and fan faves, from Scotland to South Africa.
He won that, too.
He’s baffled Jimmy Fallon on “The Tonight Show,” made Kelly Clarkson squawk, wowed Ellen DeGeneres, Henry Winkler, Wanda Sykes, Jay Leno.
Now on his own national tour, “LIMitless,“ Lim, 28, performs on “The Today Show” Tuesday before heading to Medford for a sold-out show Wednesday at the Chevalier Theatre.
We recently talked tricks with the mind-blower, now based in Los Angeles. READ MORE
It’s so good to be back with another Roadshow. I’ve worked on this issue steadily for four weeks, and I think I have a little something for everyone. If this is your first issue.. Welcome, and feel free to participate or comment like you’ve known me forever…
First.. I want to sincerely thank all of you who took time to email me after the last issue. Carolyn and I are so grateful for all the kind thoughts and prayers. No one knows how important good friends can be until you go through a tough situation.
We did find time to make a quick trip to Myrtle Beach last week. I didn’t have time to visit all the magic shops, but I did get to spend a little time at Trickmasters at Barefoot Landing and pick up a couple of items. I still miss Conley’s House of Magic, who were a mainstay at Barefoot Landing for years, but Trickmasters had what I was looking for.. and the demonstrator (Alex ?) was very congenial and knowledgeable. If you are lucky enough to live within shopping distance of a ‘real’ magic shop.. support it. They need our business to stay in business. I’m going to find a way to support local shops in the Roadshow.. not sure how at the moment.. but I’ll figure out something..
My Asheville friends and I are meeting monthly at the Cornerstone Restaurant in Asheville NC. It’s about as informal as it gets. No affiliation, aside from a love of magic, and anyone who wants to attend is welcome to do so. Email me if you’re interested. ( We ‘usually’ meet the 3rd Thursday of the month.. and should you be passing through, you’re invited..)
Right now, most of my friends and I are patiently awaiting TRICS ( the Carolina Close-Up Convention ) the first weekend in November. Join Germany’s Denis Behr, Spain’s Pipo Villanueva, England’s Joseph Barry, Will Fern, Bill Goodwin and Steve Valentine (among others) in Charlotte NC at what those of us who attend yearly consider THE premier close-up convention in the country .. Scott Robinson does an excellent job at putting everything together and keeping the experience intimate. http://www.tricsconvention.com/index.html
Remember, the Roadshow is read by thousands each month. Also, because we are published online in the form of a blog/website, everything published serves as a permanent link to each site. This is beneficial in two ways: The search engines ‘award’ your site with a better ranking, and anything published in the Roadshow is covered by copyright laws. So, if you have something you would like to share with the magic world, getting it published in the Magic Roadshow is a good way to go. Magicians around the world will see your effect/article and I do not retain rights, other than initial publishing rights. You are free to re-publish your material wherever you wish, and, if it contains something proprietary, it is covered by copyrights from the date it publishes here… Sounds like a good deal to me!
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///////////////////// IN THIS ISSUE
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Floating Lemon Slice – ( David Blaine meets Bill Nye..) – Paul A. Lelekis
Establishing Your Entertainment Business – What Performers Need To Know – Mindpro..
Con Tricks – Article by Rob Eastaway
OSMOSIS.. – A Review by Rick Carruth
The Magic Of Shin Lim – by David O’Connor
The Merchant of Magic Podcast Episode 14 – Interview with Shin Lim
Podbean.com – Superior Podcast Hosting.
The Always-popular Magicians Podcast
A Little SHADE – JFX
SHADE Card Tricks w/ F. Paul Wilson & others..
Hollywood’s Magic Castle: The hardest trick is Getting In
SHADE – A Master of Cards.. and 15 Years of Devotion..
Learn the Strike Second Deal – The Russian Genius
Learn the Push Off Second Deal
The ‘Second’ Secret to the Second Deal.. – Rick Carruth
The Worlds Record Four Ace Second Deal – Video
Finger Exercises for Magicians – A Free PDF from Merchant of Magic
A Gilbreath Principle Magic Trick from Scam School
Con or Theft? – How to Fool a Bartender in 3 Minutes or Less.
Card Under Box – A Bold Card Trick Tutorial
How to Do the Great Escaping Ring Trick – Tom Ogden
Perfect Magic Then and Now – A Magical Blog by Evelyn Matlin
Hot Wings Prank – Video
Do You Get Stage Fright? – Article
A Psychic Card Feat – from Jean Hugard’s ‘ Encyclopedia of Card Tricks’
Another Cool Tool.. The Language Translation Earpiece..
Roy Buchanan – Live From Austin Tx
Introducing Roy Buchanan – The World’s Greatest Unknown Guitarist [full documentary]
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“The two most important days of your life are the day you were born and the day you find out why…. ”
Mark Twain
“An ounce of practice is worth a pound of theory.” —John Jacob Astor
“Sometimes you don’t know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory…” Dr. Seuss
“I am referred to as a comedy-magician because people laugh at my magic…and they are mystified by my jokes..” John Kinde
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Floating Lemon Slice – ( David Blaine meets Bill Nye..)
Paul A. Lelekis
Levitate a slice of lemon using a few simple ingredients found in any pub.
Ingredients:
• slice of lemon
• four matches
• pint glass
• ashtray
• water
Instructions:
1. Pour water into the ashtray until the water is ~1cm deep.
2. Push three matchsticks into the slice of lemon, in the shape of a triangular pyramid, with the match heads together at the top point of the pyramid.
3. Place the lemon and matchsticks in the centre of the ashtray, so that they float on the water.
4. Light the fourth match and use it to light the other three together.
5. Invert the pint glass over the lemon and matches, letting it sit inside the ashtray.
6. Watch as the lemon slice magically levitates within the pint glass!
How does it work?
The simplicity of this trick belies the complexity of the physical processes that contribute to the effect…
Firstly, there is a simple air pressure effect caused by the expansion and contraction of the gas within the pint glass as it heats up and cools down. The heat from the three matches causes the air inside the pint glass to get hot. When all the oxygen within the glass is exhausted, the matches go out and the air inside the glass cools down. The cooler air takes up much less space, so water gets sucked up into the glass to take up that extra volume.
Secondly, the combustion reaction changes the species present, thereby changing the volume of gas within the glass. When the matches burn they consume the oxygen from the air within the pint glass. The products of this reaction are carbon dioxide and water. The water will be a liquid, thus there will be less gas in the glass, causing the water to be sucked up into the glass to fill the volume.
Remember…
The lemon slices needs to be thick enough to support the matches, yet still able to float on the water.
Performance Suggestions
This trick was first developed for use in pubs, and draws on ingredients commonly found in most pubs. However, there’s no reason not to use it in other environments also. It is most suitable for demonstrating to small groups of onlookers – it won’t attract a crowd by itself, but will maintain the interest of audiences that you are already engaged with.
Did You Know?
This demo is based on a method used by Joseph Priestley to demonstrate that oxygen is a component of air, and to could actually estimate the proportion of oxygen in the air. Priestly was probably the first to show that air was NOT just empty space, but that it was composed of matter.
** This effect is one of many in the very diverse OSMOSIS ebook, just published by Paul and selling on Lybrary.com. Osmosis is $10.00. The Magic Roadshow is $0.00. So get ’em both an imagine you only paid $5 buck each.. See the full review below…
You can view ALL of Paul’s effects in 36 different ebooks at: http://Lybrary.com .. They are, undoubtedly, some of the best values in all of magic.. Many are considered underground classics and several NEW publications are climbing the ladder.. Look for Paul’s newest .. THAUMATOLOGY, scheduled to be released this weekend, and highlighted by Mike Skinner’s Version of Jazz Aces…
Establishing Your Entertainment Business – What Performers Need To Know
by Mindpro..
(This is the first part of a multiple part series created for readers of the Magic Roadshow..)
While most of us were lured to magic, mentalism or the related arts by the intrigue, fascination and that “something special” it made us feel, and eventually the joy, power and position it presented when we were performing for others, our original appeal is of the creative and performing.
We spend years practicing, improving and hopefully mastering our performance. Some choose to remain hobbyists enjoying it casually and occasionally. However, for others comes the desire for it to be much more. We want to perform for profit. Some even to the point of it becoming a larger part of their lives performing regularly part-time, while others pursue their dream of being a full-time performer making a living doing the very thing that they love.
Regardless of your level as a part-time or full-time performer, when performing for pay, you quickly find yourself operating on another level with new expectations, responsibilities and elements to consider. When performing either part-time or full-time you are conducting business with those that hire you for your services. It becomes a business transaction.
As creative people many performers struggle or have difficulty when faced with the business aspects of performing. Learning our craft is our specialty, not conducting a business. While this may be the feeling for many, the true fact of the matter is if you are performing for pay from others, they are viewing this as a business transaction and also perceive you as a professional (yes, even if you are only a part-timer.) So just as you took the time, patience and process to learn and evolve your performing skills, the same must be done for your business skills. It has often been said that success for a professional performer is created in the business behind the performance. In my 40+ years in entertainment, I have never found something to be more true.
So where do you start? What do you do? How do I create and establish my performing as a business?
These are great questions. As you will soon see, setting up the business side of your performing is very similar to when you first started to create your performance. It requires learning, knowledge, understanding and the proper execution. I’ve always said that the business side of what we do is also a performance. In our performing we think about what needs to be done to accomplish an effect, how it appears or is perceived to our audience, the perception we wish to project, and what is our final goal (hopefully thunderous applause and amazement.) We started with the basics, created a foundation and incorporated all of these other aspects on top of that to get the performance we desired.
Well the very same is true for the business side of our operations. It all begins by creating the proper foundation and making the proper choices to lead us to our final goals. Having goals and direction is important to any business. It creates a structure, plan and system that can be implemented every day and with every prospect interested in your show. Having the proper business structure in place allows you the greatest chance of getting and converting bookings, allows for the absolute best experience for the customers that book you, allows you to present the best performance possible and allows you to create a sustainable business operation that can continue to grow and thrive as you move forward.
So where do you begin? The first step is addressing some foundational decisions. Think these through carefully as the answers you provide will be what creates the foundation your entire business will be based upon. The one thing you do not want is a wobbly or unstable foundation, as everything built upon it will also become unstable, inconsistent and creates a plethora of problems, setbacks and unwanted derailments.
First, let’s look at some of the foundational questions to consider and decide upon:
How often do I want to perform?
What area do I want to be my performing area *geographically)?
What type of events do I prefer to work?
What type of performance or performances do I want to offer?
Am I currently prepared to do this? If not, what needs to be done to become ready?
Do I have a name for my performance(s) and/or what name do I want to perform as?
How much do I want to charge and why?
These are some of the most common questions to address. There can be others as well, perhaps even more specific. The better you think about, decide and know exactly who and what you are and how you want to be presented, the more you will create a solid foundation from which to build the rest of your business operation.
Do not continue on until you have given these questions the proper time, thought and importance they deserve for you to come up with the right answers for you and your business. The next set of questions to ask yourself is what do I need to get ready for business and to start? These may include things such as business cards, brochures, a sign or banner, perhaps a website or other identifying and promotional items. It also may be things like a cell phone, car or reliable transportation, perhaps some props, wardrobe or stage accessories. Perhaps a microphone and sound system. What else do you need?
Another great foundational question that you must ask yourself and clearly define is “why should the customer book me for their special event? This is a very significant question as it is the exact same question your inquiring prospects are asking themselves. Your answer to this question and how you present it will be directly related to how many bookings you will receive. If you do not know, there is no way you can expect to address this with your inquiring customers. Again, take the time, effort and research necessary to decide the proper and best answers for you, your business and your customers.
At this point you should be able to see your business and your performance as it relates to your business starting to be defined and coming together.
The other thing you may have noticed is addressing and doing this in the proper sequential order is most imperative to creating your strong foundation. So many performers want to skip over steps or perhaps don’t know the proper steps and order. So many just work on their performance and they think all they now need is to just start marketing to get bookings. Yet when they get inquiries and they do not get booked, they struggle to understand why.
Most do not realize is there is an entire segment missing between having the performance and starting to market to get bookings. This most-crucial segment is having the proper business operational system in place. This assures having a system to execute, promote, present and close the most amount of bookings. It is this business operational system that will minimize your learning curve, reduces potential risks and setbacks, allows for higher conversion (booking) rates, and most of all it is this system that assures your customers that they have made the best decision for their special event offering them peace of mind. It is also what will separate you from most other performers and create your image and perception as a professional. I can’t stress enough the importance of this major section in the establishing of your performing business.
You must honestly ask yourself… “Do I have a system in place to properly introduce my business and present my services?” “Do I know how to “sell” interested prospects on my performing services?” “Do know the process of converting interested prospects into bookings?” “Do you have the process of confirming the booking and receiving payment?”
Create your business system to bring this all together to allow you to get to the point of beginning to market and solicit bookings.
By having the right approach and perspective and by taking the time to create a solid foundation for your business by making the best foundational decisions, will allow you to best position and prepare you and your business for the success you desire.
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MIndpro is a professional entertainment business specialist that has been coaching and consulting entertainers in entertainment business and press and media for over 30 years. He has enjoyed success as a full-time entertainer, owner of three entertainment agencies, as an international talent broker, producer and promoter, as well as being a press and media coach and consultant after 20+ years in radio and television. He has helped many start, grow and master the art of entertainment business.
He has been featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Good Morning America, ABC-TV’s All My Children, CBS, ABC, CNN and FOX News as well as being a frequent guest on many various television and radio shows throughout the country.
Throughout his career Mindpro has worked with a virtual who’s who in the world of entertainment including Tom Jones, Willie Nelson, Phyllis Diller, Don Rickles, Steve Allen, Michael Jordan, Tony Danza, John Stamos, Loretta Lynn, Kenny Rogers, Tom Petty, Billy Joel, The Monkees and The Beach Boys.
His Entertainer’s Success Series of professional business resources for entertainers and entertainment business owners are available at http://www.EntertainmentSuccess.com
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Con Tricks – Article by Rob Eastaway
(Originally published on the NRICH site.)
NRICH is a website aimed at prompting young adults to master math skills. I can promise you, some of the math skills required are beyond my scope. I particularly enjoyed this page with Cons, asking the students to analyze the con and determine why it works…
“When you go out into the wider world, you discover lots of seemingly friendly people with big smiles who want to sell you things. It comes as something of a shock, therefore, to discover that not all of those people are entirely honest. In fact, some of them are what are sometimes known as ‘rip-off’ merchants or con-men (though they are just as likely to be women). And without being good with figures, you may be in danger of becoming one of their victims. I’m going to give you some examples of ‘cons’, and see if you can figure out where the trick is.”
A woman goes into a jewellers’ shop and buys a gold ring for £100 (which she pays for in crisp, $20 notes). As she is leaving the shop, she pauses, and then goes back to the counter. I’ve decided I don’t want this $100 ring – I want that $200 ring instead, she says. The jeweller takes back the $100 ring and gives her the $200 one. That will be another $100 then, madam. At which point the customer stamps her foot and says: I don’t owe you anything. Earlier on I gave you $100 in cash for the ring. And now I’ve just handed over the ring as well, which is worth $100. So I’ve given you $200, and you have given me a $200 ring in return, so we are quits. And with that, she walks out of the shop, leaving the jeweller scratching his head.
OSMOSIS.. A Renaissance Ebook from Paul A. Lelekis
A Review by Rick Carruth
It’s funny.. Each month I publish one of Paul’s many effects in The Magic Roadshow. Each month I put in the footer ” Paul now has 31 ebooks on the Lybrary.com site..”. Each month Paul emails me to gently inform me that should be ’32’ instead of ’31’… or ’24’ instead of ’23’…
I can’t keep up! I am constantly adjusting the writer credits to reflect the total, and Paul is constantly writing a new one.
Well, assuming I can publish this review quick enough, THIS is Paul’s latest… and definitely one of my favorites. It reminds me of my favorite magic books – those that include a little of this.. and a little of that. I love diversity, as I am not firmly tied to any one particular form of magic. Every audience is different, and every performance differs based on many factors.. not the least of which is my mood. Paul and I both work restaurants, and believe me, you have to perform for as diverse a crowd as imaginable. What works for one table may fall flat at the next. That’s why having an arsenal of ‘weapons’ is so important.. and why I enjoy this ebook so much..
OSMOSIS begins with two very different effects.. both well within reach of the beginner to intermediate performer.
“2002 Simplicity Aces – Aces jump to ANY packet chosen by spectator.” and ” Combo Bill Penetration and Bill Switch Routine – A hilarious double-revelation routine with a borrowed bill”
Alex Elmsley created a classic Ace effect called ‘1002 Aces’. Larry Jennings did him one better with ‘2002 Aces’. Paul introduces us to his version.. ‘2002 Simplicity Aces’, which is definitely the most simple of the three, but with the same killer ending.
The Combo Bill Penetration & Switch combines comedy and magic to provide the spectators with a complete performance piece, utilizing one of magic’s most powerful weapons… the thumb tip. The thumb tip isn’t the trick.. but a utility device to allow you to perform the effect with lots of laughs and applause.
“Mindreader – A brilliant Marlo double revelation ESP effect!” OK, I’ll tell you straight-up, this is not for the beginner. On the other hand, it doesn’t contain and knuckle-busting moves either. It DOES contain a number of moves that, fortunately, are in direct proportion to the number of eyes that pop out of sockets. You’ll really like this one…
The next two, “Reaping the Aces” and “Easy 4 Ace Cutting” are both ‘cutting the Aces’ effects. Reaping the Aces may be my favorite effect in the entire ebook. Originally published by Larry Jennings, this effect allows the spectator to cut to all four Aces. I judge every effect in my repertoire based on the effect it has on a lay audience… and cutting the Aces is far and away one of the most impressive sleights in a magician’s arsenal. Reaping the Aces looks so cool you can’t help but really, really like it. Even a beginning level magician can do this with a little practice. If you can hold a punky break and slip a card onto the bottom of the deck while taking one off the top.. you can easily do this effect.
‘Easy 4 Ace Cutting’ again allows the spectator to be the one finding the Aces. Based on the Balducci Cut-Deeper force, this is super easy to perform. It requires a small set-up on top of the deck, but you can false shuffle or shuffle around it to make it look totally impromptu.
The next effect is not an effect… it’s a technique to improve your magic. Paul describes it as.. “Professional Misdirection – Read this! Learn a little-known secret about misdirection that will revolutionize your card magic!” Once you know the secret, you’ll think back to all the times you’ve seen top pros do this, but had no idea it was a scripted part of their effect. Nuff said…
“Simplicity Itself” uses a classic effect, combined with Paul’s comedy patter, to create one of the centerpiece effects of this ebook. To quote Osmosis.. “The performer shuffles a deck of cards which may be borrowed.
A card is freely selected and freely returned to the deck. With a “snap!” a card turns face up…however it’s not the selection! After the performer “explains” why, the face-up card is used to count down to another card…this is the selection!” Paul goes to great length to explain his comedy patter, line by line, and then explains why the patter works. You really can’t be prompted more than this..!
“Coin Magic Sleights“. Next, Paul includes 5 of his favorite, and most critical, coin sleights. Each sleight includes an array of photos to help you get the proper feel. Remember, sleights practiced badly only produce bad sleights. If you want to learn a good matrix routine, or simply want a convincing vanish, these five sleights will serve you well.
“Some Cool Ideas and Routines From Skinner and Others” cover twelve different ideas and effects. Most are either less-detailed effects or well-explained suggestions. Paul’s Comedy Card Mis-Call is classic, and includes, like most of his effects, the comedy patter along with the moves. Others are Skinner’s Four Ace Reverse, Harry Lorayne’s Invisible Pass, Skinner’s Double Triumph, Fetchter’s Explain Trick, and Dai Vernon’s Fortune Telling.. among others. It would take you years to find all this ‘ magic stuff’ on your own..
Now, I’m not sure how to approach this.. but Paul got a Science bug up his… sleeve, and brought Osmosis to my kind of end.. interesting and off-the-wall. I have a soft spot for things I should have learned in school, had I been a good student, and both science and mathematics often find their way into my writings at a time in my life when one wouldn’t expect it. Thanks to Big Bang Theory, science is once again cool, and Paul has concluded OSMOSIS with two science effects.. disguised as bar tricks. The first is called Floating Lemon Slice, and shows you how to ‘float’ a lemon slice, in mid-air, inside an upside down glass. The second is called Water-Proof Hanky.. and gives you a great excuse to scare the dickens out of a perfectly well-behaved young man who is making your table-hopping a pure pleasure.. (right).
I recommend OSMOSIS to anyone familiar with Paul’s enormous volume of work on Lybrary.com, 34 total ebooks at the moment, and to anyone totally unfamiliar with Paul’s work. Either way, Osmosis is a great outlet for the magician looking for a really good read. You can do this… You will be teaching your buddies at the next meeting some of the effects in this ebook.. And you will be kicking yourself for some of the high dollar purchases you’ve made, and garnered not a single thing from its righteous pages. I love a good deal.. and at ten bucks, you absolutely can’t beat it.. (35 pages, numerous photos, and a video are included)
History of Magic: Shin Lim… Magicians from the Asian countries of China, Korea and Japan are making tremendous inroads into the wonderful world of magic artistry. At no other time in the history of magic have so many talented magicians brought so much innovation to our craft. One such highly talented performer is Canadian-born and Singapore-raised Shin Lim who in a few short years has lifted the art of magical entertainment to an all-time high. This former university music student has become a living legend in his own lifetime, with a string of awards and many achievements that are the envy of long-established magicians. Shin Lim would appear to be the leader of a new genre of magicians out there who not only carry on the traditions of the usual, conventional magic, but are broadening and expanding the whole concept of the craft.
Shin Lim’s name loosely translated means “seeking excellence,“ and this, though he is still in his early 20’s, seems to be his dictum. At the early age of 6, Shin Lim saw his first magic show but was not overly impressed by it at the time. When he was 16, his brother showed him a card trick called the ‘Slip-Force,’ which really impressed him. He was urged by his brother to study how it was done on YouTube. This Shin Lim did, and it was this that sparked his passion for magic.
Studying music at the time, Shin Lim underwent therapy for his hands which were strained from constant piano playing. His doctor suggested that doing magic with his hands would be both therapeutic and less strenuous. The ease with which he manipulates playing cards so poetically and effortlessly is beautiful to behold. Today Shin Lim has become the number one sleight of hand card performer in the world. He follows the tradition of the silent performer to music.
Shin Lim makes no claim of being a wizard or magician, but he is a self-taught, self-styled sleight-of-hand artist. He performs carefully choreographed routines, rather than pretending to defy the laws of physics. Shin Lim utilises finesse, timing, theatrics and natural skill to create wonderment rather than elicit that hackneyed question “How did he do that?“ He not only mystifies and enchants his live audiences; he also enables more people to appreciate his fine performances by using YouTube and video recordings. These performances create bewilderment and delight. While YouTube has hundreds of poorly devised magic tricks for the unwary, there are some wonderful tutorials available which Shin Lim made utmost use of to his advantage.
Shin Lim Dream ActNot only is Shin Lim a superb performer; he has also invented some wonderful magic tricks and innovative magical creations. The routine that earned him the recognition of being the world’s number one sleight-of-hand card magician at FISM in Rimini, Italy in 2015 was his ‘Dream Act.’ The act utilised smoke appearing from his fingers, and this is now available for direct buying.
Some of Shin Lim’s other popular card effects are Shenanigans and Triage, as well as 52 Shades of Red and his Gone Deck. He produces beautiful quality playing card decks, and his Vanishing is a utility device for making a coin or ring disappear. Each of his routines comes complete with clear, fully comprehensive instructions. The magic of Shin Lim is not for the faint-hearted magician but rather for those who aspire to become better magicians and who want to lift their magic to a new level.
Ever since his rise to fame and acknowledgement at FISM, Shin Lim has achieved a large number of credits to his name. His FISM prize as world champion earned him a headliner slot at the famous Rio Casino Hotel in Las Vegas and numerous engagements in the United States at conventions and seminars. Shin Lim also made a tremendous impact on watching audiences around the world when he appeared on Penn & Teller’s Fool Us television show, where he presented his double-signed card with two volunteers transition and exchange that became sheer poetry in his hands. His performance brought the audience to an absolute, hushed intensity of concentration while they tried to absorb the mystery of what they were seeing.
Shortly after the Paris, France terrorist attacks on November 13th 2015 that killed 130 people, including 89 at the Baclan Theatre, which left the world devastated and in mourning, Shin Lim, feeling the pain of this outrageous act, felt compelled to create a new wonderful playing card routine like the world has never seen. It was to be his tribute to the people of France during their sorrow and mourning. His performance was viewed by more than 1.17 million people on television and garnered more than 7,000 likes on Facebook. The effect began with the introduction of a blue deck and the remarkable production of the four aces. After producing court cards from each ace (except the ace of spades), Shin Lim made the court cards vanish. They melted away as did the three remaining aces, only to be reproduced from the ace of spades. The routine performed silently to music was sheer theatre magic and artistry never before seen. At this stage, I become unable to describe the routine as one piece blended into the next, with wonderful vanishes, appearances, and colour changes. The deck became blank then the words “Pray for Paris” appeared. Then four cards appeared, with one featuring the Eiffel tower and the three the French tricolour flag, only to fade away in a wisp of smoke, reverting to the original deck which then changed colour. Finally the deck was placed back into the card case only to completely disappear. I think that day I witnessed what I believe to be the ultimate playing card conjuring routine of all time.
I believe that Shin Lim is an active part of magic history-in-the-making and as such will deservedly become a very real part of our heritage. I am confident that Shim Lim will go onto greater things in magic, and we are fortunate to be living in these exciting magical times. Shin Lim now resides in Boston, Massachusetts and is in much demand at the higher end of the entertainment industry. We will be sure to hear more about—and be amazed more by—this excellent performer.
David J O’Connor is a semi retired professional mentalist and children’s entertainer. He has performed throughout South Africa, New Zealand and aboard cruise liners. David is a member of the International Brotherhood of Magicians and loves mentoring young people in magic.
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The Merchant of Magic Podcast Episode 14 – Interview with Shin Lim
Topics of discussion include:
His approach to creativity
The dangers of practising magic too much
Close up magic on stage
Card flourishing as magic entertainment
A detailed discussion of his Flash Card Switch
Advice for beginners
How he develops ideas for his magic and much more
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Click the banner below.. click on the Podbean logo in the upper left corner of the page to go to the Free signup.
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The always-popular Magicians Podcast also publishes on the Podbean platform. They just published their 69th podcast with the top magicians on the planet… See what they’re doing at:
Filmed at the famed Magic Castle in Hollywood, this extraordinary demonstration of cardistry possibilities will simultaneously inspire you and deflate you. F.Paul Wilson and others sit at a table and perform Scarney-like feats of magic. Again, this is not a tutorial.. but a demonstration of what is possible if you want to quit your day job and devote your life to endless practice.
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In case you missed it on Magic News.. this was featured on CNN last week, and is a highly informative ‘study’ of the Magic Castle, its rooms, performers, history, and why the greatest trick of all is…. getting in.
SHADE – A Master of Cards.. and 15 Years of Devotion..
‘Shade’ is a Las Vegas ‘performer’ who is probably familiar to some of you who are fans of the Buck brothers and other highly talented card manipulators who specialize in flourishes and extreme handling. Shade recently put together this 14 minute video.. which he calls ” ..my life’s work all in one video.” Watch and enjoy.
The second deal scares many a magicians. It shouldn’t… This tutorial explains the basics very well, and gives you a good, solid footing for mastering this classic gambling sleight. I’m going to explain the ‘second’ secret to mastering the second deal below, and if you’ll watch these two video and do as I suggest, I promise you’ll be successfully second dealing after a couple of hours practice. That’s not to say you’ll ‘master’ the second deal after two hours.. but you’ll be so satisfied with yourself and your potential that you will want to continue practicing until you DO master it…
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Learn the Push Off Second Deal
This is a second method of accomplishing the same thing. Some prefer the Strike Second Deal and others prefer the Push Off. Try ’em both and decide for yourself.
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The ‘Second’ Secret to the Second Deal..
Rick Carruth
The Second Secret is really simple… hand cream. Now, there are a number of lotions, creams, moisturizers, and the like magicians use to keep their hands moist. Some are available commercially from magic shops, and others are available at local shops and office supply stores.
Why is this important? Because, unless you have a great deal of natural oils in your hands, you do not have ENOUGH oil to successfully perform the second deal. Without the right amount of oil you cannot ‘grip’ the second card with the pad of your finger. Oh, you can get it out from under the top card with a little work.. but it shouldn’t be work to get it out.. it should slide out like butter.
I use O’Keeffe’s Working Hands primarily and SortKwik in a walk-around situation. Working Hands is a non-greasy, non-staining moisturizer that actually makes your hands/fingers a tad tacky.. and that’s exactly what you need. The same can be said for SortKwik. SortKwik is available mostly through office supply stores and is used by folks who deal with lots of paper and have to separate paper, envelopes, money, etc.. Working Hands is primarily a hand cream for guys who work outdoors and have problems with their hand cracking. I’ve seen Working Hands in hardware stores, Walmart, and on television.
All that’s necessary is to gently rub your thumb in the moisturizer, then, rub your other fingers with your thumb. A little goes a LONG way. I also add a little to the pads of my palms if I am going to perform something like an Erdnase Color Change where the palms are used to ‘drag’ a card. The color change becomes infinitely easier.
Brilliant cardician Martin Nash favored SortKwik and kept a dab behind his right ear. Right before performing a complicated handling, Martin would pull on his ear lobe with his thumb and forefinger, adding just enough SortKwik to make the manipulation look easy.
Another popular solution is Corn Huskers Oil-Free Hand Lotion. It works basically the same way as the other two I mentioned, except it’s a flowing lotion and is generally applied to the whole hand instead of the fingers. I was back stage at a conference recently and walked up behind a very famous performer who was prepping to go onstage. I said “Knock ’em out..” and stuck out my hand for a quick handshake. He laughed and said..” Too late.. I’ve already ‘Corn Huskered’ these puppies..:” as he briskly rubbed both hands together.. a bottle of Corn Huskers prominently sitting next to several decks of bikes..
Back to the second deal.. When you pull the second card out of the deck you do so with the pad of your thumb. When properly lubricated, you only need to ‘touch’ the short top edge of the second card and gently ‘pull’ it from underneath the top card with the thumb pad only. When you have a tackyness to your thumb pad the second card will slide out almost as if it’s ‘stuck’ to the thumb. Of course, you have to hold the deck loosely, giving the second card ample room to slide out.
You will be truly amazed at how easily the card clears the deck, and you’ll kick yourself for not stumbling on this much earlier in your life. I know some of you who use moisturizers regularly..wouldn’t leave home without it. But if you don’t, do yourself a favor and give it a try.
Two other opinions..
John Carney. ” I had moderate success with a product called Golden Touch, which was Vernon’s favorite. Another old world product is Corn Husker’s lotion. Others have had success with Sortkwik Fingertip Moisteners, used by bank tellers to count money. But perhaps my search is over, because I have happily found one of the best solutions … Chalk.” Read more at: http://carneymagic.com/2453-2/
Tim Quinlan. ” Papercreme is the solution. Yes, Papercreme. Never heard of it? Nor had we but now we swear by it. The substance works like Sortkwik but for some reason works better. It is the perfect consistency, easy to apply and lasts as long as a 20-minute routine. Cards don’t stick together when they shouldn’t and deal as they would if they were being handled by some know-it-all youngster in a magic club 40 years ago. We buy ours from Amazon and have not seen it in stores – and we always look. It is inexpensive and effective.” http://www.insidemagic.com/magicnews/2014/09/magicians-certain-age-dry-hands/
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The World Record Four Ace Second Deal – Video
Watch Rich Ferguson set a world record by dealing four aces, dealing seconds, in 0.37 seconds. While you’re at it, search through thousands of videos of folks setting world records in everything imaginable..
————— And while we’re on the subject of fingers…
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Finger Exercises for Magicians – A Free PDF from Merchant of Magic Techniques to Improve Finger Dexterity
The Merchant of Magic has created a free ebook that will teach you simple, easy finger exercises used by professional magicians as part of their sleight of hand practice sessions. This 21 page ebook will teach you how to:
-Develop dexterity, speed, and strength in your hands.
-Avoid R.S.I injury.
-Spot the symptoms of R.S.I
-Improve focus and coordination.
-Maintain healthy finger joints.
-Improve your ability to manipulate playing cards or coins.
-Understand how your muscles control your fingers.
-Know when, where and how to exercise your fingers.
-Much much more.
(Includes video tutorials of each exercise..)
A Gilbreath Principle Magic Trick from Scam School
If you have any interest in mathemagical magic, you’re probably familiar with the Gilbreath Principle. Discovered by a California mathematician named Norman L. Gilbreath, the principle states that a group of cards, arranged a certain way pre-shuffle, will maintain certain characteristics post-shuffle. This Scam School video explores the principle in a very creative way..
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Con or Theft? – How to Fool a Bartender in 3 Minutes or Less.. Video Tutorial
This trick may be a felony in 36 states… give or take a few. Actually, Brian shows us how to play a highly effective trick – on the bartender. With a little help, you can establish yourself as a local legend, hopefully because of your magic.. and not your crimes.
Card Under Box – A Bold Card Trick Tutorial
52Kards recently published a slick card-under-box trick that doesn’t require you to put a card under a box. It’s all in the placement.. that’s all I’ll say. If you can control a card to the top of the deck and then perform a half decent top palm, you can do this. It’s easier than it sounds because all the work occurs during an off-beat and without scrutiny… so you top palm doesn’t have to be perfect by any means…
Also, look for links to videos featuring the Striking Vanish, Elmsley Count, Torn and Restored Card, and Rub a Dub. All are quality tutorials and very thorough in their teaching.
How to Do the Great Escaping Ring Trick – Tom Ogden
I’ve developed an interest in ring tricks the past few weeks, and this is one of the better ones.. for sure. Tom composed this for the Idiots Guides series of books and I found this online. Easy to do and a real fooler when practiced thoroughly.
Perfect Magic Then and Now – A Magical Blog by Evelyn Matlin
Phil and Evelyn run Perfect Magic, which is an online and a brick and mortar Magic Shop in Montreal, operating since 1977. Phil and Evelyn are what magic is all about. I appreciate the fact that Evelyn has kept their blog going continously for over six years and right at 300 posts. She covers all facets of magic, new and old. I encourage you to visit and subscribe, as we have a sincere debt of gratitude to those who are fighting the tide and maintaining a true brick and mortar business. Yes, they’re online also, but you have to if you hope to eat occasionally. 😉
The Big Changes in Magic
“Phil and I started Perfect Magic almost 40 years ago. I posted my first blog 6 years ago. I’ve written almost 300 posts. I went to see what I wrote the first time. All I can say is that there were big changes from 40 years ago to 6 years ago, but from 6 years ago to now, there are no big changes. What changed is who is hot in magic! Many magicians today don’t know who Frank Garcia is although they are familiar with Daniel Garcia. They don’t know who Albert Goshman is but when they buy sponge balls they want Magic by Gosh brand. They never heard of Fantasio but they know about vanishing and appearing candles and canes. Now the names asked for are Shin Lim, Greg Wilson, Jon Allen, Dan and Dave to name a few. Most of the oldtimers are gone, unfortunately.
At one time a legend remained a legend, but now new kids come on the block quickly and often the star today is forgotten tomorrow. We have the internet to thank for that. It’s good and bad. Everyday there is tons of new stuff. We try to weed out the bad.” Read the rest at:
A Psychic Card Feat – from Jean Hugard’s ‘ Encyclopedia of Card Tricks’
ASK a spectator to take a coin from his pocket and write its date on a piece of paper. Then write the figures reversed and subtract the smaller number from the larger. Suppose the date to be 1935, this reversed would give 5391, and the remainder after the subtraction will be 3456. The spectator is then to take from the pack a card with the same number of spots as the first figure of the answer, and do the same with the other three figures. If there is a 0 he uses a K to represent it. The four cards must be of different suits. This done he is to lay them on the table face down and move them about so that even he cannot tell one card from another, then take any one and put it in his pocket without looking at it.
Pick up three remaining cards and as you add them to the top of the pack, slightly spread them so that you can see the indices. Note first what suit is missing, then mentally add the values and subtract the total from the nearest multiple of nine. In the case given above, suppose the three cards are the 3C, 4H, 6D, the missing suit is S, the total values 13, subtracting this from 18 leaves 5. Therefore the card in the spectator’s pocket must be the 5S. The result is surprising since the spectator 1 self cannot tell what card he picked up.
The Titanium Escape Ring
A useful tool for covert and undercover operators, those that travel abroad in unstable countries, or anyone at risk of being held unlawfully. (..and magicians and escape artists )
“The Titanium Escape Ring adds another tool to the operator’s E&E options for escaping captivity.
It’s a simple but elegant-looking ring made of titanium, cut from solid barstock and polished to a mirror finish.
But unlike all other rings, this one contains a saw and handcuff shim pick combination tool which is completely hidden from view when worn. Located on a finger, its always in the exact area needed to quickly access and deploy, even when handcuffed. The shim can be used to open single-locked handcuffs, while the saw can cut zip-ties, disposable handcuffs, duct tape, rope, and other non-metallic materials.”
Another Cool Tool.. The Language Translation Earpiece..
This could be the future of international communication.. An earpiece that translates foreign languages into the English language. I’m guessing it could be three or four versions before its stable.. but the idea is intriguing.
A Little Music to Sooth Your Soul…
I thoroughly enjoy adding a little music to the Roadshow. I know this is not what we are about.. but I’m the editor and I want to add it… So there…
This month I’ve added a little something from one of my very favorite performers…. Roy Buchanan.
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Roy Buchanan – Live From Austin Tx
I’m not sure if anyone actually reads these little music tidbits. Perhaps I add them to the Roadshow for my personal enjoyment. Music moves me. Music inspires me in much the same way as watching a maestro like Slydini perform minor miracles. My last musical link was to a Joe Bonamassa video, and I consider Joe the premier guitar player in the world. That brings me to Roy Buchanan…
Roy was a totally unassuming performer who could have become one of the most recognizable figures in the history of Rock. Instead, he played most of his career with lesser players, lesser bands, and did just enough to create a legacy that actually grows as the years pass. Roy was the only man to challenge Jimi Hendrix to a ‘pick off’.. and Hendrix declined. Roy never used a wa wa pedal, never used a wang bar, and never utilized electronic magic to achieve his sound. Instead, he mastered his guitar, and used unusually loose strings to generate his brand of the Blues. After watching Hendrix perform in 1967, he knew, as good as Jimi was, that he (Roy) could not reproduce Jimi’s sound.. but he also knew Jimi couldn’t reproduce his without electronic wizardry…. Hendrix, who was very familiar with Roy’s style, knew too, that he couldn’t match Roy straight up.
Actually Jimi Hendrix and Roy Buchanan shared TWO things in common… Both were at the very pinnacle of the guitar world, talent-wise.. and both couldn’t sing worth a hoot. Of course, when you could play the blues as good as these two.. who the heck cared?
Although probably politically incorrect in some circles, Roy’s version of a song Hendrix made popular, HEY JOE, remains as a true testament to the genius of Roy Buchanan, a man PBS called ” The greatest unknown guitarist in the world” when they aired a ‘made for PBS’ special in 1971. I’ve included a link to Hey Joe, and encourage you to listen to the ENTIRE song to understand a little something about one of my guitar heroes, cool hat, turtle neck, polyester pants.. and all. (Listen to the Hendrix tribute near the end..) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMcjPZgK9GM
Go to Youtube and search for Roy’s videos. There are some really great videos available to you if you want to familiarize yourself with this amazing artist. Like most great blues players, Roy was a troubled soul…. a rascal, a drunkard, a guy who would give you the shirt off his back. Unassuming in one moment and ready to rumble the next, Roy had friends in high places who tried their best to help Roy make it to the top. Unfortunately, he usually took the road less traveled. Everyone recognized Roy’s immense talent… except Roy.
In 1988, after a domestic dispute, Roy took to the bottle, got himself arrested for public intoxication, and was found hanging lifelessly in his jail cell, shirt around his neck. He was 48… Perhaps I feel for Roy because I’ve known folks just like him – troubled and super-talented. Unable to come to grips with whatever torture infused their childhood.. and spending their adult life clinging to God with one hand.. and a bottle with the other.
Introducing Roy Buchanan – The World’s Greatest Unknown Guitarist [1971]
Full documentary of The PBS special originally airing in 1971. Roy is spotlighted here the year of his first release “Buch & The Snake Stretchers.” Many of those songs performed Include clips of Bill Graham, Nils Lofgren, Merle Haggard and Johnny & Shuggie Otis. In interview segments Buchanan discusses his influences. Many of the live segments were filmed at Bill Graham’s Fillmore East in New York City. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tg4Cj7NqGD4
Magic Trick Reviews… Free to Everyone Facebook Group
Please consider joining us at ‘Magic Trick Reviews’ on Facebook. You’ll find a very nice selection of reviews, particularly by our friend, Jim Canaday, who is now reviewing for Big Blind Media as well as Murphy’s Magic. Check it out…
Remember.. signing up for the Magic Roadshow Journal of Magic is Totally FREE. There is NO obligation and your email is 100% safe. (I don’t even share it with my closes fellow magicians..) You will be notified each month when a new issue of the Roadshow publishes and you can unsubscribe with one click.
MAGIC NEWS.
You can get your magic fix on Magic News every week. Don’t wait a month for the next Roadshow. Instead, go to Magic News for the latest, along with the more interesting stories in the world of magic. Honestly, no other site publishes the breadth of magic related stories and videos as Magic News. http://MagicNews.org
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Even MORE magic trick, card trick, street magic and videos.. http://magicians.website
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That does it for this issue. I hope you found something to help your magic along. Remember, if you have something you would like to share with the magic community, send it to: [email protected]
“Vive Tus Sueños – Live Your Dreams “ Rick Carruth / Editor
Senior Professor – Camelard College of Conjuring of Chemmis, Egypt “Magic’s Only Worldwide Honor Society” http://www.camelardcollege.org/
jaws, and baffled adults squealing in wonder.
