Just got back from the Devil's party gig (promised a friend). He said 20-50, but there was at least 100+ at this marina. I thought it was two or three different parties, but then as I started talking to people I discovered it was all my group.

So I panicked, since I didn't come prepared for that big of a crowd. I'm used to weddings, wedding rules, wedding tactics to get the most out of the people there... and this was unfortunately completely different. I guess in my mind I thought it would be the same, but it wasn't.

Everybody was pressed together like a Japanese train, all stand up (since I couldn't possibly reach the tables) so I start working the edges where I actually had room to maneuver. About a fourth of the tricks I had on me were table-based, so I hit the car and switched out a lot of gimmicks.

First trick up: Water Trap. After doing it once for a couple, like 20 people demanded to see what the fireworks show was. So I cranked out a card to fire wallet, then Liquid Metal.

Unfortunately, my next performance of Water Trap for a huge crowd (30+) went horribly wrong. The lady's hand was so fat that the coins didn't turn over. I had an awful gut feeling when I saw her hand close, so I'm digging in there, covering it with my hand, and finally just grabbed the coins and displayed in my open left hand. Then the lighting was so dim, they couldn't see a dime inside the stupid matchbook, so I had to point it out.

Nobody had a quarter for the stupid QB2 (or they were too cheap to give one to me), so I paid the barmaid $5 to give me some quarters. Now I'm jingling when I walk like a homeless person with a sackful of pennies. Seriously, what's the deal with nobody having any loose change?

Extractor was a huge hit, I just kept doing card to pocket until I had eaten through half the deck. One guy stole my sharpie. Ambitious, biddle, 3 effects from Party Animal entertained for a couple hours.

I end my ambitious with spec holding deck, and my wallet. As I top palm his signed card and hand him the deck, he gets nailed from behind and cards fly everywhere. I immediately pull out another deck, uncase it then have him reveal the top card - his signed card. So I skipped the wallet load in that performance. Struck me as funny, the guy freaked out.

Then the band comes in, holy Jesus mother of God they were loud. I'm talking stick your mouth to someone's ear, cup it with your hand and yell for them to hear anything. Switched to my no-talk tricks like Liquid Metal, Coins Across in the hand (slippery sam), 3/4 Across (On The Spot), then finally bailed after the whole place started dancing.

Got invited to ride in this guy's boat with a lot of other people. He looked half homeless, so I pictured a big metal fishing boat with a motor from 1973 packed with people like a lifeboat off the Titanic, so I passed. Didn't want to play Gilligan's Island at 3am.

Overall, I was completely unprepared for the venue change. It was totally different than what was described, but everybody seemed to have a good time (they were totally drunk, too). Guess I'm just not a Japanese train/Mosh Pit party kinda performer.

Funny story. It was bad but you learned from it and that needs to happen atleast once. Sounds like you coped well with the conditions.

Ive had a few bad parties myself, its something you get used to eventually. I remember once a big band started playing right at the most inopportune moment for me so that wasnt fun!

Dude,

Sounds like you did the best job you could adjusting. I worked at a party once that had a lot of comical crap going on. It was called "Artopia"

I [edited] you not, I'm in the middle of my ID routine and a freakin bag pipe band comes into the room. Talk about loud. In a little tiny room? [edited]?

Good job coping. Your story about the lady with a fat hand made me laugh. I've had the coins not flip a few times. I just told the people that the coins magically welded together and then french droped them. It's a nice out.

Ted

Oh and get this,

At this Artopia party, a dude comes out of the bathroom with cocaine all over his face, walks over to me, sniffs in as hard as he can, wipes some of the cocaine off his face and says, "[edited] an A man, show me a trick"

I just stood there stunned for a minute, I can't even remember what trick I did. Wierdest job I ever had!!

Ted

Just come up with several routines for different shows and pick the most appropriate one. I've had similar things happen to me, and I know it blows. Just take it as a learning expierence and move on. BTW, you handled it really well!!

Sorry to dig this up, just found it.

That sounds terribly annoying. How do you like doing water trap? Overall something that works well for you?

justin

two things:
1. That's really a funny story
2. Sucks to be you at a Japanese Train meets Mosh Pit Meets Homeless drunk people party.

These stories freakin terrify me...good job on pressing on!

I'm with Ted on this one. More people = Easier. This is how I think about it

I make various sets of routines for a average number of 10 people and weigh it up with the amount of people expected at the party.

E.g - 1 set might be 10 minutes. Lets say I'm there for 1 hour, and there is 60 people. I just come up with roughly 6 sets to suit the party with another 2 or 3 back up sets. The more people the more times you can repeat a set. Simple