Best Things To Have

Michael Kras · Best Things To Have

What, in your opinion, are the absolute essentials to carry when walking the streets?

Here is my list.... I never leave home without:

Two Decks of Bicycle Cards

A Half Dollar and a Jumbo

A pocket hankerchief

a box of Certs Mints (For the killer effect Cellophane Surprise in the Art Of Astonishment Books)

A Sharpie

A Pen

A Pad Of Paper

Holy Moly by Jay Sankey (kept in a coin purse for two effects in one)

White Bikes by Paul Richards

Two pieces of rope, one small and one large for Fiber Optics

It seems like a lot, but I can entertain for hours!

What do you carry on you?

Liam

i dont carry much, just
one pack of red bikes
the colour changing deck i made
a sharpie
and... thats it
occationally i'll bring my newest packet trick, like NFW or Twisted Sisters

Craig Browning

NOTHING!

Nothing but what I have learned over the years, which includes the skill of being able to create miracles rather than doing a ton of tricks...

People like tricks but they quickly forget about them and you... give them something miraculous -- a memory to cling to -- and they will be yours forever. It does not matter if you are a magician or mentalist, what matters is what you leave them with.

We have tens of thousands of "magicians" out there with their pockets stuffed full of CRAP and the only person that is amused is them... they get their rocks off by fooling people and presenting things in a way that makes them feel superior to their patrons... that's not magic!

If you want MUST HAVE items then start with educating yourself on how to not be so co-dependent on things and how to use your mind, your words and your sense of presence; learn how to work with what is available rather than being armed for bear every time you leave the house.

It will also favor you to realize that few folks appreciate card tricks... they are a masturbative skill enjoyed by magic buffs more so than the laity. So recognize that there is much, much more to our art than showing off with a deck of cards in your hands.

BTW Michael... nothing on your list matches what most pros classify as "must haves"... other than maybe a deck of cards, they will most all carry a thumb tip and possibly an ITR unit of some sort... if you are an actual mentalist then a couple of Swami Gimmicks isn't uncommon along with a note pad and maybe a peek wallet for those that haven't learned how silly such things really are vs. Billet work.

Less is more my young friend... less is more!

Liam

um, craig, i know you have LOTS more knowlege on the subject, but i dont beleive that people dont like card tricks.
In my opinion, that is a misenterpritation because we are magicians.
All magicians have seen hundreds of card tricks, so we tire of them.
But most lay people have seen very few card tricks, and if they have it was probably their 5 year old kid using a one way force deck.
In my opinion, there are alot of crappy card tricks out there, but if you show them something like paperclipped, they will love it.

Reuben The Great

I would caryy these "essentials" (or my opinion of essentials) when doing close up or walk around:

Deck of cards

Three silver Canadian Dollars, or half dollars, and a jumbo coin occasionally

A lighter

Maybe, just maybe a spongeball or two, depending on the situation.

Sympathetink and a small pad of post-its

A ring on my finger.

That's about it, some things more than others for certain scenarios, but thats basically it.

Liam

now i would be carrying a deck setup for my routine.
i'd be ready to perform a fair bit.

Ben Train

Craig and I have disagreed before.

I don't think people don't like card tricks, just like I don't think people like mentalism...

NECESSARILY.

People may enjoy Craig's mentalism because he does it well. I hope people like my card work because I do it well.

I have a deck of cards with me, as well as... wait for it... some mentalism-like stuff I carry in my pocket.

Now, something I want to touch on-
Sometimes theres NOTHING WRONG WITH DOING A TRICK! If a classmate (I'm in university) asks me to show them something during a break, they don't want a ricky-zay like piece of theater. They want something "nifty" or "cool"... and that's fine. I'll deliver.

Later, when we're hanging out at a bar, and they ask for some stuff, I might do a 15 min set with some MAGIC- and blow some heads.

But I know WHEN and WHAT to do (sometimes! lol).

Ben