I am starting some restaurant gigs and I realize I am surprisingly weak in this department.

Here is what I have now,(1) Josh Janouski's Counterfeit(money trick similar to extreme burn)
(2) Flash- Chad long
(3) Ringmaster -David Jay (I just do one move of this and launch into a ring and string routine.

So here is the criteria. (1) NOT CARD! I rely on my card magic for most of my closers and I want to break up my sets with some variety.

(2) Fast. Ideally introduced and first effect can happen within 10 seconds. So with Flash the first color change actually happens really fast and with Josh's effect the whole thing is over in about 10 seconds.

I know it is an odd question coming from me but in truth most of my experience is in parlor and small stage. I have trolled other threads on this topic but it seems like 90% of the suggestions are some form of card magic or another. Oh...and I realize someone will say chop cup...That's cool. If I get a jigger I might work on a routine with that. More my style than carrying a cup around.

So I am really hoping to here some creative responses. Most of these threads die with chop cup and chicago opener. I am hoping to find some other unique openers. Thanks all!

Sugar Rush
Freakey
Copper Silver
Linking Rubber Bands
anything with a ITR
Bite and restored coin
Haunted Key
Magic Mints

Thanks...Sugar Rush and Free Key are good suggestions.

Linking rubberbands....Okay for kids. Looking for stuff that will wow adults quickly as well. ITR is alright but I like to warm people up to PK or levitation. Just out of the blue with a "look at the floating Doritos" with out any set up and I am afraid people will skip straight to the obvious method.

Bite and restored coin is something I considered but I am not sure it is my style.

Haunted key....can't do in 10 seconds. Plus...falls into that warm people up to PK category.

Magic mints...another good one that might be fun and quick.

Thanks for the ideas. Helped me with a brain freeze. On the stuff I wasn't interested in I am not trying to be contrary. Just trying to narrow the field to stuff that is more "me."

Also been considering a shot glass production. Might be fun for a group of adults. Any thoughts on that?

Well as far as shot glass productions, the Shot and Stabbed gimmick is far better than the Sure Shot gimmick. Though the dvd has been catered to a card routine, easy to change it to just a production i think.

Heres more ideas
Warning (flash paper thing on cigarette lighter)
Anything else using flash paper
Key Master
3 Ring Circus
Toosh
Strip
Some tricks using gum?
Pointless
Ring Flight
Pen thru Bill
Bag 4 Life
Coin Bag
Any Ring routine (linking rings, ring on pen, ring on string)
Smoke
D'lights
any trick using a credit card
Lubor Lens
Any trick using a matchbook, matches etc
Flash by chad long
3 shell game


Yeah i'm running out of ideas. If you have anymore, let me know. i'd also be interested in whats out there.

What about Jay Sankey's Holy Moly? It's quick, visual, doesn't use cards, and the finale' ends up in the spectator's hands. It's also an older trick that a lot of people don't do any more, so your chances of the spectator saying, "Oh yeah, that washer trick," are fairly slim.

MENTALISM! Packs small, plays BIG too! ...Peeks (wallet), center tear, confabulation, Super Sharpie, Xpert.

Eugene Burger's, Shot Glass Surprise - This effect could be incorporated to use your jigger to go in to the chop cup routine. This is a -make your own gimmick- type of effect.

Another idea for a chop cup routine that is MUCH smaller is to gimmick one of those old black plastic film canisters. Use the cut out from the bottom of a second canister.
Produce an old roll of film as the final load.

FreaKey ABSOLUTELY! Along with Gregory Wilson's, Florida Keys routine from his On the Spot video. Which reminds me... Anything off of On the Spot or his In Action videos.

And speaking of keys- Pro-flite!

Yip holy moly is perfect for table hopping

also adding in the unholy gimmick and using holy stretch as the finish.

[quote="eostresh"]Linking rubberbands....Okay for kids. Looking for stuff that will wow adults quickly as well. [\quote]
I have blown audiences away with Crazy Man's Handcuffs. Been doing it for almost two decades now. Even professional adults marvel at the magic. One client, a professional Physicist, went on about how I was "disorienting" him by "going against nature".
Don't overlook an item as simple and unpretentious as a rubber band as just a thing for children.

Great ideas for the most part. There are a few that are not quite what I am after though. Let me reiterate.....10 seconds. I am looking for quick attention getters. Some of the recommendations are great effects, some that I even use(Holy Moly and keymaster for example). Effects that happen in a spectators hand are truly powerful indeed. That said....have you ever really timed an "in the spectators hand" effect? The simple mechanics of introducing yourself, showing them an object, asking them to hold out a hand, placing an object in the hand, performing your "magic moment," and revealing the magic in the spectator's hand, requires quite a bit more than 10 seconds.

So again...I am looking for the super quick attention grabbers. The effects that say, this guy is worth my attention. Then (and many are already in my set list as the second effect) I can take the time for an in the hands effect.

Any bottle production!



I think your adding too many restrictions on yourself man.

Bottle production is another good idea. Not trying to add too many restrictions BTW. Perhaps over thinking it a bit. lol Actually well over half the suggestions are ones I may use. But I really would like something quick. Hi I'm Erik....bam...now I have their attention and I can go into some other stuff.

Sponge balls anyone???

I use Hundy/extreme burn, ring and string routine after "The Ring Thing", color monte, peek gimmick in my restaurant/hotel work. I also tend to close with card routines.

You know I have been playing with one move of ring master followed by one move of ring thing. Then jumping into a ring and string routine. I think I like the speed and simplicity of those effects.

Have you ever seen Rich Moratta's sponge bunny routine? pretty funny stuff.

FIRE WALLET!!!

...Appearing anything.

I have not seen the sponge bunny routine, but I just love sponge balls !!! They take up very little pocket space and I KNOW when I do my routine I will get great reactions. Something about a ball appearing in ones hand when they know it is NOT there makes 'em go crazy...just does )

I start my ring and string routine by asking, "Have you guys ever seen those rings that come off and on....??

whatever they say,

I say, "that is all of them that come off and on...." they laugh usually, and then I say, "but watch this !!" and I do the ring thing move 2-3 times at most so they don't figure it out. I then go into the ring and string routine.

I actually use basically the routine taught on the "Proflight" dvd. I do not use the Proflight gimmick but I think the actual routine he teaches on there is really good !! No need for Ring Leader even tho Greg teaches so many moves on there )

-Ari