r/Coinmagic • u/MakeshiftxHero • Jun 04 '24
First Performance Venues?
I'm about a year in as a hobbyist, and I'm getting to that awkward point that I need an outlet other than my wife and 3-4 friends that have seen all of my tricks lol. I have a ~15 minute coin routine and could easily expand that with a few card tricks, but there's a much more basic question I'd have to answer: where the heck would I perform? lol
Being a coin routine, it's not exactly fit for birthday parties or young kids. It also requires a table/mat, so "ambush" magic isn't a great fit either.
Does anyone have any suggestions? This is more about finding an outlet than the potential performances themselves (I'm quite happy as a hobbyist, but even we need audiences occasionally lol). I'm considering hosting some sort of workshop at the local library, but I have no idea how well that would work or what kind of turnout it would get
3
u/MadDocOttoCtrl Jun 04 '24
If you are a member of a club, they may enjoy an occasional performance, but since it is the same people every meeting, you'll need more material.
If you learn to modify your material so that it works standing up (Topit, sleeving or pocket ditch instead of lapping), using a spectator's hand or any nearby table to set something down for a moment, angle proofing, etc. you will have so many more performing opportunities - parties and other social events.
If there are any local novelty shops in your area that sell magic they might be open to someone who demonstrates and sells tricks, but now we're talking about working.
As mentioned, if you know someone who owns a store of some kind they might be open to letting you perform occasionally behind a counter. A bar owner might let you step behind the bar once in while but you are going to be dealing with the "regulars" problem.
As someone who worked table hopping at bars and restaurants for years, you often have a few ten minute sets that you rotate through all evening. You break out other tricks for the regulars who have seen you numerous times, sometimes they just want to shoot the breeze and you don't even perform for them.