A good bill switch can be jaw-dropping (trouble is there are a lot of bad bill switches out there). also many of the effects you can do with it fit all your requirements (although you do have to be a little careful with angles). I recommend "Switch" by John Lovick. Not only will you learn some great switches but there's lots of routines in there that are suitable for closers.

george

Check out the trick Cramped on The Richard Sanders Show Volume 1:



It's an ordinary, ungimmicked marker that you can use for other effects, and everything instantly resets.

Just as a forewarning, it does require a particular kind of marker that is a little hard to find nowadays. I had to search around a little online to find a supplier. You don't absolutely have to use the same marker Richard uses, but you do need one that has a cap large enough to fit a folded bill into.

ahah


Alrighty then!

I'll definitely be looking into that. Thanks for sharing!

How are the other effects on The Richard Sanders Show Volume 1? Thanks

I think they're pretty good, though I wouldn't say they're all ideal restaurant tricks. Synchronaceity requires a little too much table space; Pile of Change is good but not quite presentational enough for a restaurant table IMO. Behind My Back is shocking for layman, and would make a good "street" trick (much as I hate that term), but you wouldn't want to do it surrounded.

On the other hand, Gobsmack Pack (Invisible Deck type routine only with no rough and smooth cards) is nice and spooky, happens in your hands and resets instantly. Named is a cool visual quickie if you don't mind using a gaffed card (easy to add and subtract from the deck as you need).

Double Bill Switch is very neat to watch, although in terms of resetting, you probably want to avoid having the bill increase in denomination. There are plenty of other plots you could adapt this technique to, though. (It's possible this may also be taught in the "Switch" book already mentioned in this thread, I'm not sure.)

And Magic Marker is a terrific effect, especially the third handling he provides. That one is perfect for restaurants. (Unfortunately, the marker won't work for the bill in marker effect on the DVD.)

All in all, while these tricks aren't necessarily groundbreaking, there is some strong material that I don't see performed much. Plus, I love watching this guy work; he handles his props so casually and gracefully at the same time. I'd say the DVD is worth a look.

I have to say I find threads like this kind of amusing. Basically, they end up being just a list of tricks that don't really have any intrinsic "closing" aspect to them.

What exactly are you looking for? What, in your opinion, makes a trick a "closer"?

How can you provide a closer to someone's routine without knowing what the routine is?

IMHO, having a trick work as an opener or a closer or whatever is really a matter of routining, not necessarily the trick itself. For example, I regularly use Card Warp as an opener in my walkaround work... but I have also used it as an effective closer. And if it is the only trick I do for a table, it ends up being my opener...AND my closer.

In fact, if you are talking about walkaround magic, you need to be prepared to turn any effect you do into a closer since you never know when the food or bill will arrive or if some other circumstance will require you to end your performance at a moment's notice.

Effects I've used as walkaround closers include Card Warp, The Best Gosh Darn Imptomptu Linking Card Effect You'll Ever See (yes, that's really the title), Pinnacle, Jo-Dan Link (linking two rubber bands), and The Ooh-Ah Bird, The Twins... but I've also some of these as openers and transitional effects. Circumstance and context play a huge role.

What do you want your closer to acheive? Do you want it to simply bring your act to a conclusion? Do you want it to leave your audience at a specific emotional point? Do you want it to leave them with an "impossible souvenir" of some sort in their hands? Do you want it to leave them with your business card? Do you want it to set you up to receive a tip?

How you answer those questions will be more helpful to you in workign out closers than any list you get here.

I use a Hobson Egg Bag when strolling. It's hard to top!

Of course, your audience management skills have to be excellent, to perform this. The spectators know that I mean business - I can hurt them, literally. It's nice to have a grip that can leave deep bruises, but it almost never comes to that.

I like Jay Sankey's "Collateral Damage" as a closer effect (I also use it in parlor magic). Bank Night is a good one as well.

"Collateral Damage" can be found in the bonus material on "3 Ring Circus". Automatic reset, packs small, non-conventioal props (not boring), humorous plot, impossible effect. This is a rare gem that Jay should have sold solo for twice the money - and I repeat, It's in the BONUS section of the DVD.

Bank Night is just a good trick no matter how you slice it. I use it in every type of venue (excluding kid's magic).

No offense, but I would not consider an egg bag as amazing.


I know people will think I'm an amateur for saying this, but, I'm thinking more along the lines of "Chris Angel" type tricks. I know some of his stuff cannot be done without camera tricks, but even when people watch him on tv, they are amazed. I want that type of amazement.

And yes, I know that it is the magician's performance that makes or breaks the effect, but if you have the option of a better trick, why not use it?


Thanks thus far,

Pimp daddy Austin

I feel like your putting too much importance on the actual effect and not enough importance on the presentation.

No. I have bought and read books solely devoted to entertainment and presentation. But thats beside the point. Like I said before, if a trick sucks, the trick sucks. It still can be entertaining, but it still sucks.

I am just looking for suggestions for freaking amazing tricks.

Oh, so you're under the impression that restaurants and walkaround are about amazement. I see. Well, that's your problem right there.

Your job in such venues isn't to "amaze" it's to entertain. That's why I've never liked "Mr. Serious Mentalism" for restaurants - it's fun to do, but not to watch.

I don't do kid shows, but I was thinking about doing a Bank Night style effect for kids using envelopes with cartoon characters on them and using something other than money as the prize, but give them all a present at the end like Osterlind does. I haven't put much thought into it, but you may get something out of it.

Hey Austin it's Mike from HSC I saw your post and thought I'd say hi...

Onto what you are looking for...hmm....I own all three Sander Shows (vol. 1-3), if you'd like to borrow them, you are welcome to. I agree with the above guy, and that gobsmack pack, double bill switch, and dollar to marker are definitly worth your time...I also found this (watch the demo):

http://www.penguinmagic.com/specialorde ... hp?ID=9664

And I thought it might have the wow factor you are looking for... Hope this helps, call me on the Sanders stuff...

Your Magic Bro,

-Trix