MAKE YOUR OWN STANDARD.

this is really advise

to my fellow

small show performers


sidewalk/doorway/half circle acts....[close up to parlor].

this is probably the hardest lesson i ever learned.....i payed dearly for it i assure the reader.

my teacher told me a long time ago, "make your OWN standard."

i started out doing circle shows, long big, and big money. i felt uncomfortable with them because it felt like it was a long stall, build, and constant begging for money.

another thing i felt is that they had had enough of jimmy talksalot after 20 mins.

i just didn't feel like it was theater like some of my friends who did brilliant, entertaining 45 mins. circle shows....there out there and their great.

i felt like i was turning into one of those stall and extort 45 mins. shows that plague so many streets out there calling themselves buskers.

then i started finding myself loving the 10 min. close up sidewalk/doorway acts, after mastering this i would always look enviously at the circle show acts around me.

so i would try and do large half circle shows and then tryed going back and relearning circle shows, but on my terms.

so i did that...

anyway the whole time i felt like i was betraying what i was born to do.

i watched some of my friends who usually do circle shows trying to do sidewalks with the same feelings...they wished they were doing circles instead, you know what THEY were born to do.

so since i have been doing my sidewalks and half circle shows life has gotten better for me, i am making better money and my show has improved.

granted i'm not making the big bucks like i did with the circles......but as my teacher has always said, "do what you love and the money will follow."

i say if you were born to do circle shows do them!

if you were born to do smaller shows, then do them, but remember the moment you start venturing where you don't belong there will be suffering.

suffering can be good it makes you stronger and wiser and gives you a few things under your belt....but hindsight is pretty important too...know what i mean?

one last bit of business, if you do sidewalks or door way acts.......stay away from the circle show acts.

they need a lot of room and money,

alot of them can't just pick up and move like you,

and if the walkers are a slow trickle, those circle guys are gonna be grumpy that your making money while they arn't.

another thing, don't let your mind get all wrapped up in, how much money the other guys are doin,

or because you think they are getting all the rock star fame because of the size of thier show.

if he's a statue and he's makin less don't judge him, or if he's a circle and makin more, i wouldn't judge that either, because your, WORKING WITH YOUR OWN STANDARD.

a lot of these circle show guys will try and make fun of you for working so hard for so little of money, they will try and recruit you into doing it "their way".

...well i can't tell you how many nights i had to pay hotel bills for my circle show buddies, because we were inna town that wouldn't let circle shows work....i was the only one workin,

the recruiters took the day off that week.........

once i actually had a circle guy tell me, "you know jimmy you shouldn't sell yourself short with those little shows." heh, it remeinded me of the time another guy told me,

"don't worry jimmy i got us a job driven a truck so you don't have to do that magic trick stuff anymore."

neither one of em got it....

it should be understood that i may do a circle show every day, but it just turns into that, i did not go out there with intent to do a circle show, nor do i want to.

i like to think of myself on a journey with no set destination, if the people are into it, i'll stay longer, if not i'll end with my quick alternative ending and get out.

but this is the point.

what type of show did you design?

was it because you loved it or was it because some dvd told you it would make money?

anyway....do what you love and the money will follow....AND.....make your OWN standard.

some may think my standard is pretty rich....well i don't think it is.

others make think my standard is bum, well they arn't livin my life, I AM and it's my standard.

i'm happy, my families happy, and my audience is happy...are yours?


just thinkin out loud.

your pal jimmy.

MY METHOD TO BUILD AND DRAW AN EDGE IN CLOSE.

here's how to build an large crowd instantly and have them rush forward all at once into a tight edge.

do a large flashy effect with a lot of energy and noise, suitable for a stage or stadium setting.

repeat this or short routine.

that will get instant crowd.

throw a small object on the ground, one that is a suitable prop for a close up routine. eg. a coin, small crochet ball, thimble etc.

take at least a minute to to talk up the prop and how amazing the trick is that it does.

then tell the people WITH OUT ASKING that if they want to see the trick they will have to come in closer because the object is to small to see from far away.

then wave them in as you look at the object never looking up till the crowd is up to the line.


if done properly they will all rush in very very tight.

if your using a table for a cups n balls show-

the original method was warpos pitch method and was done from a table.

he would do the silk vanish to stop em far away and then tell everyone how amazing the deck was and that if they wanted to see it they would have to come up to the table to see it.

he would put his head down and stare at the deck and wave them in with out looking up until the table was surrounded and then he would begin his pitch.

the thing is i am always asked what if i wanna do close up on the street, how do i get em to stop emediatly and come in where they can see it.

i believe this method is a strong answer to that question.

when doing table walk around you constantly have to break the ice at every table....i've always hated that. i like to spend my time performing not convincing and ushering.

it's just what has worked for me.

it works like this.

your sitting on the couch and a trailer for a movie comes on and you decided if you wanna go see the movie, if it looks good you go to all the trouble to go see it.

what i'm doing is no different, i throw a trailer out there, infact i tell em, "i'm gonna do some tricks first that way you can see if i'm any good if you even wanna watch it."

i have often watched street performers throw a coin on the ground and try and stop people one at a time, "hey do me a favor and watch what this coin is gonna do."

i think this is the worst thing....asking some one to do you a favor, when your the one who is doing them a favor!

those hostages don't stick to the edge, they are always looking for a way out, after all they did you a favor watching the first trick, and if you were any good every one would wanna watch with out having to be asked...right?

anyway i hope y'all get the drift.

showing them a stage or parlor trick from far away where they don't hafta commit and can judge for themselves, i think is the best way to build repore instantly.


after you have repore, throw your favorite close up prop on the ground or table and tell em if they wanna see what it's gonna do they gotta move forward, "CUZ I'M NOT DOIN IT AGAIN!"

never ask some one if they wanna see a trick. a doctor doesn't ask if he can save your life....unless he is known for botching.


"this guy is good did you see the first tricks he did?"

"yeah and he don't care if we watch it or not, he said he's gonna do it anyway, for the people who wanna have fun."

"i wanna have fun"

"ha ha, look he's making fun of the fun haters who wont stop and watch"

"man he doesn't care, i never knew a sidewalk could be fun and safe enough to watch a show...."

watch me use the method in this mini documentry.



looking at many other videos of me and my friends you can see the same method.

LIVING WITHIN ONE'S MEANS.

welp this one has been a long time comming;

some of the least known things about the buskers's life is that it requires 3 very important things; a work ethic, a frugal and practical disipline, and a keen sense of survival.

read that again and notice the order.

some begginers have a miss conception of busking as a lifestyle.

the first thing of course one should understand is that it is a career.

DIFFERENT CAREERS, DEMAND DIFFERENT LIFESTYLES.

But here's the most important thing,

if your a yuppie who keeps up with the jones's you are going to be fighting an up hill battle as a busker, i don't care how big you think your hats are.

one of the biggest problems with us americans today, is that we forgot how we built this empire, starting from lets say the 30's we began as a hard working class majority of people who moved where the work was,

then some how we went to be a self centered, spoiled, stagnant bunch who expects everything without working for it........

well my friends, reality is crawling up our chests, right into our faces with the state of our country.

we are finacially and morally bankrupt.....we forgot some things that our ancestors taught us.

the point is that most full time buskers are working class people, certainly the beginners. in order to make your new career work you will need to be frugal and practical, you will need to submit to the idea that you will have to go to where ever the work is best and work many, MANY, MANY, HOURS.

granted as buskers we live pretty well, especially if we are single, but some times..times can be slim.

those who have been doing it for years know that keeping up with the jones is not compatible with what we are doing.

example; most of us with families will go to a pitch for the season and stay and work it to death until it is milked dry and then move on to greener pastures, sending money home in bulk every morning. some of us who are more frugal,
will sleep in our vehicals and get a room every couple of nights. some of us will go in with many other buskers on a cheap apartment for the season and bunk there and eat in......sending money home every morning.

many of us travel the world, working on our careers and supporting a life at the home front.

basically we are blue collar workers in tux shirts.

we are not talking about rich or poor...because every wealthy wise man knows fortunes need to be earned.

of course this artical here is going to get many interpetations from every different person reading it, but one thing that should be understood is that busking full time as a sole means of income is a unique lifestyle and one will have to learn how to adjust, through research and a willingness to change ones predjudice.

JIMMY TALKSALOT - SAN DIEGO

Seaport Village in San Diego, small sidewalk show.

PEPPE'S MINI DOCUMENTARY ON BUSKING.

Well,be warned this mini documentary has some bad words and stuff, but it definately expresses what i have been trying to get through about money, what we do, and our lifes work.

the rest of the blog doesn't use bad words.....it's just that this is a really important busker talking about some really important stuff....he's just using street language.

MOTIVATIONS-by Eric Evans

i have here an artical before me, that my friend ERIC EVANS wrote awhile back on an old forum we used to frequent.

he got his head ripped off for writing it....so you know it's probably good.

they hated it because it talked about the motivations of why people go to the street to work.

some of the readers there hated it because he didn't put money first and further stated that talent was judged on more then income.

i thought it so relevant that i should post it here.

here's the artical by Eric Evans;
it's titled;

MOTIVATIONS


I guess I need to spell something out…
(The reasons are simple, and not what they might at first appear to be).

I’ve been working the streets for years and years and over that time I’ve seen all sorts of people come and go. Used to, I’d see all kinds of performers who were driven there from sheer desire to perform, and the ones who were good at it made money. The ones who weren’t that good at it didn’t make all that much, but they were still doing what they loved – performing.

Then David Blaine hit it big.

David Groves was one of the guys who decided to cash in on it by writing a book. Now I’ve only read David’s book once, but aside from some good advice from other guys, mostly what I remember (besides the slick, professional packaging) is him promising the reader tens of thousand’s of dollars every other week, financial bliss, if one were to “be a Street Magician!” It was a pretty good book, other than that. At least David “interviewed” some good guys.

I was one of those who were driven to the street to perform. Not because I couldn’t find anywhere else but because that is the place where the purest, most beautiful performances can be had. What constitutes “pure”?

In 1991 I was performing walkaround in the penthouse of a hotel in downtown Dallas, one might say a real sweet gig – making roughly 500 dollars for a couple/few hours work. As I was performing I felt couldn’t escape a feeling like I was some kind of “pet”, like someone’s prize poodle. It didn’t feel right and for once I saw clearly why. Working in a hip restaurant two nights a week and taking other work on the side had left me feeling burned out. My magic was going nowhere as I was loosing touch with what had brought me to that point, my love for magic. It was it was during that time that I met Cellini. I had decided to work the street in Dallas, a couple of friends worked there, and while I now felt like it was somewhat “beneath” me at this step in my development – it turned out to be the best move I ever made. For it was there that I met Cellini.

Cellini was buoyed by freedom. His magic was unencumbered by social propriety and convention. I was so blown away by his example that a month later I hit the road and decided to make the Street my home too.

Over the years things have changed drastically as to the world of Street Performing in general and Street Magic in particular.

Now, literally everywhere I go, I see performers, who instead of perfecting shows and their own ability to express themselves in their own way and time, make shows that push the idea in their audiences head that they should give them lots of money. Their show becomes a medium for selling an idea, one simple idea, that their audience owes them something. One long commercial, and sure commercials can be funny and entertaining, but they’re just commercials. And like commercials, how much money they generate is the bottom line, the single most important consideration.

Take a stroll down the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica CA. some weekend afternoon or night and you’ll see what I mean. If their not making it, they’re telling everyone that they’re making it in the hopes to create, from sheer will power, the illusion that they’re making it so they will make it.

And make it they will.

Their good because they make the money, they’re defined by it. Sure they have some tricks up their sleeve, there’s has to be some entertainment value there upon which to hang the notion that their audience pay them big for it.

Watch them closely and you can see them grab their audiences by the proverbial throat and demand payment. And if you can’t see it, keep looking because it’s there to be uncovered and as a magician, as a real magician, you should know about these things, see them for what they are.

You see I went to the street because that was the one place I could find families. Families are my target. Nothing in this world means more to me than creating smiles on their faces and laughter in their hearts from magic. Now maybe I don’t make thousands upon thousands of dollars every week, but those guys that do, can’t necessarily do that.

I guess maybe they’ve never seen those smiles or don’t know how valuable they are.

Unfortunately, most people don’t recognize the value of that ability to create those smiles, at least not immediately. And one day soon, maybe I’ll learn the perfect way to communicate what they’re worth, but until that day comes, I won’t allow my show to become a commercial. There’s nothing magical about a commercial.

JIMMY TALKSALOT - ESPANA

this is me working in Barcelona, Spain. i love it there, spain is my favorite place to work.














don't forget to check out the who's who of sidewalk performers blog to see some of the other characters out there on the sidewalks of the world.

http://sidewalkperformerswhoswho.blogspot.com/
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THE PROS AND CONS TO THE WAY I WORK

i don't use an amp.

i don't use a table.

i don't use any fire.

i don't do cups and balls or a straight jacket.

i don't juggle or break dance or play an instrument.

i don't do close up tricks, but all my tricks can be seen close up or far away or surrounded.

i don't need a cart to carry my stuff.

i can walk down the street with NOTHING in my hands, stop build a large crowd and do a show any where.

i can come and go into businesses like any other normal person with out lugging stuff.

i can blend into a crowd if i need too. and just walk away before being confronted by an authority.

i can pass through customs with out being suspected as a street performer comming to work in their country, because i don't have a massive rig to explain. and i don't have to deal with shipping.

i do large parlor effects and a large half circle show ONLY WORKING FROM MY POCKETS . i can do a show 3 mins. - 30 mins. what ever will fit my needs or the needs of the pitch or the customer.

with these methods it is difficult for cops or other authorities to regulate me. this is my main objective. THIS IS MY MAIN OBJECTIVE!

the draw back to my system is it is much more difficult for me to compete with the larger circle shows with amps and huge rigs and $150 and up hats. i can make these hats but not as consistantly as proper circle show guys can.

it's give and take because, i don't have to suffer regulation like those guys and there is ALWAYS a place for me to work. the big amplified circle show spots are drying up in america, there were never many to begin with. so i take a very, very, small cut in pay per show verses the big circle show but i'm always workin, year round, any town, any where.

i do not suck all the fun out of what i do, by doing a commercial show. i try and create original tricks to perform instead of the old stand byes like cups or silk vanish etc. these tricks are great and gaurunteed to be a success by any one.......but that's really the point why i don't do them.

i love the cups and balls it's my favorite street trick and in my opinion there is no better trick for the street....none.

that's why i love the chalenge of not doing it.

i think the great draw to the street is it's fun and chalenging and is a great place to create.

this is the draw to the beginning artist type to come to the street, and to tell this type of individual that he must have a commercial show, can only be described as the rehtoric of a bitter fun hater.

but for the those less artistic beginners who are only interested in MONEY my way of working could be fatal and should be avoided because my way is not a way to make huge hats. a money guy should definately persue a larger rig and a large amplified show for larger hats for more spectacle and delay and hat build.

i'm not saying i'm artsy, i never thought i was, until all the accussations by my critiques. frankly i never thought i was good enough to be artsy. our enemys will even compliment us if they have to, so they can insult us.

your pal jimmy

here's a day at the office, showing a pretty good example of some of the strategies i use.



THIS IS A MINI DOCUMENTARY MY TEACHER DOUG CONN MADE OF ME.

THE LAST HOLD OUT, FOR A FREE MARKET.

The best part of street performing for me is that I am free from regulation by a paying boss.

That's why I prefer working public streets instead of a place that demands insurance, queuing up by lottery, venue directors, schedules and time limits for pitches etc. etc. etc. you know like California.

I prefer crashing festivals instead of going through all the proper channels,

Because proper channels means receiving more nagging and regulations. It also means less time to enjoy what I’m doing and worst of all less opportunity to make more money.

With all that said there has been quite a few times that I hafta bite the bullet and go through these channels to get a special opportunity to get big money.

But my life has been spent looking for ways around this and I feel it has been time well spent.

Uptight people irritate me to my bones, they make my skin crawl, so I will go the distance to frustrate their efforts.

Little brings me more joy then watching an uptight freak tremble with frustration with tears welling up in his eyes, because he can do nothing about me, because he can't figure out a way to ruin the fun for my audience, and finally because people have seen him for what he really is.

It's the little things that make life pleasant.

I believe the street is the last hold out, the final trace of the free market that our grandparents enjoyed way back in the way back.

Before the government started deciding "what's best for us" and "making huge restrictions on us for our own good."


Before giant corporations started stamping out the little guys so they could get every last little bit and to protect their interests in the guise of protecting the "interests of the consumer."

We can thank "big government" and "big business" equally for all the wonder and awe that is the American regulation system. It truly is a massive and useless thing.

As Buskers we are the little viruses chipping away at it little by little.

I’m proud of that.

HOW TO MAKE BIGGER HATS AND A BETTER SHOW

I’ve been getting a lot of responses about how I hat or what Eric taught me to increase my hats.

I am not going to tell you my exact lines or my show’s content, but I am gonna tell you the formula. so that you can build a show that is more original.

Hatting is about selling a product.....You.

In sales there are two sayings: " Always be closing."

and

"Build value and get a receipt."

I believe that you should always be closing, in other words, through out your show you should mention money. But in levels of boldness.

More and more direct as the show progresses. And this should be done through humor to lighten it up and not seem so rude.

Before you start, you can mention that this IS your "REAL JOB."

Then after your first routine, you can say something about how you've been making money like this for a long time.

Your second routine, you get a little more bold and direct like, "at the end of my show I’m gonna hold out my magic hat and ask for money, I know it's a magic hat, cuz every time I do this, abracadabra every body disappears.....Well don't do that! This is how I make my living!"

Proceed with your next routine and hat em again this time, maybe talking about how much you want,

"A buck or 2 I’ll thank you personally, a 5 or a 10 I’ll smile real big, a 20 I’ll jump up and down, a 100......some body gives me a 100 I’m goin home with them!"

Finish up your show and just before you do the finale trick, hat em hard. This is a routine unto it self. You will need to write and memorize this routine it should be as entertaining and as informative as any of your magic routines. You will need to rehearse this!

BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO HATTING IS -

BUILDING VALUE IN THE MINDS OF THE SPECTATORS AND GETTING A RECIEPT FROM THEM IN SOME WAY THAT THEY THINK YOU ARE WORTHY.

If your show, your magic, or your personality, sucks, so will your hats!

If you do not get a receipt from the people, they can act as though you are not worthy and not tip you,

But if you get a receipt you can REMIND THEM OF IT AT THE END OF THE SHOW WHEN YOUR EXPECTING MONEY.

For example; you can say, “Remember when I asked you if you were having a good time and we all cheered?”

Or

After you do the finale you can say, “you know I just realized some thing, we all had a good time, we've all been hangin out here laughin and goofin together, there's been twists and turns, but everything came out alright, so don't let me down now, and remember all your donations are tax free!”

This subtle “building value” idea is what Eric Evans taught me to increase my hats.

This single idea is what is scoffed at by many commercial workers with 45 minute shows, but it has allowed me to make incredibly large hats for very close to circle show size hats for only 10-15 minutes of work.

This is about taking the time to make sure you are showing a quality performance and getting the people to agree that is quality.

I hope this helps answer some of the questions.

In short, "ALWAYS BE CLOSING" will make sure you get paid even if your performance isn't that strong.

BUT

"BUILDING VALUE AND GETTING A RECIEPT", touching the people, getting them on your side and ADMITTING PUBLICLY what your doing is worthy......That will make your hats double and triple.

But the big point here is:

"This is the difference between a professional and a commercial busker.

The commercial busker is satisfied with a what he may believe to be a sure thing. He does not see the value in the shows proper entertainment impact.

With this formula your product will be a more marketable product for any venue you choose.

This is about BETTER MONEY, MONEY FOR QUALITY.

SOME GOOD REFERENCE MATERIAL FOR BEGINNERS

REFERENCE BOOKS FOR MAGIC THAT IS PRACTICAL FOR THE STREETS;




“The Tarbell course in magic” volumes 1-8 by. Harlan Tarbell.

“Hugard’s Magic Manual” by. Jean Hugard.

“Now You See It Now You Don’t” by. Bill Tarr.

“Routined Manipulation” Volumes I & II by. Lewis Ganson

“Swami Mantra” by. Sam Dalal.

DVDS;

“Cellini’s Magic That Can be Performed Anywhere”

“The Incomparable ROMAINE: The Monarch Of Manipulators” 2 dvd set
A virtual encyclopedia on manipulation.

“Eccentricks” volumes 1-3 by. Charlie Frye.

Secret Art Of Manipulation {With Jumbo Coins} by. Eric Evans.

Reference books on busking for magicians;


“The Royal Touch” by. Jim Cellini.

“The Dreamers Highway” by. Jim Cellini.

“The Secret Art Of Magic” by. Eric Evans and Nowlin Craver.

“Jeff Sheridan’s Street Magic” by. Edward Claflin and Jeff Sheridan.
A great history book of the streets.

“Street Wise” by. Professor Gizmo.
This is a good book for working the west coast of the U.S.

A GOOD DVD INSTRUCTIONAL ON BUSKING IS;

“The Art Of Street Performing” volumes 1-3 by. Jim Cellini.

So this list of reference materials could be a start, but the fact is there is a huge body of material on the subject and I think it is money well spent if you tried to get your hands on all of it.

FAT HEADS, ART SNOBS, SELL OUTS, THE GREAT ONES, AND THE REST OF US.

FAT HEADS,
there are those who run around telling every body they invented everything they do and that they are the worlds greatest magician, but after they see your show their doin your act. and tellin everybody they were doin it first.

they've been doin magic for a year or two and they tell you they've been doin it forever.

the conversation always revolves around them and when they give you advise they speak from authority but you find out later they were talkin out their ass and it cost you alot of time and money.

they keep tellin you how to be great but their lives are in a shambles.

their always right even when their wrong and they never say "thank you."

this was me in my younger days before i got old and found out i don't know as much as

young people who think they know everything.

ART SNOBBS,

there are those in our community who focus an the mechanics instead of the show. who are consumed with the perfection of a move and perfect magical form, than fun and entertainment.

there are those who will only perform what they want or what they think is good magic, instead of giving the audience what they want or hope for.

the art snobb will starve before he will sell out. he wont bring himself to the fact that we
are providing a product. it is all about him. and his sacred magical family and tradition.

in show business he has focused on the show and little on the business.

the've spent their whole life to be great and they are great but they don't have the money that great men deserve.

they arn't being paid what their worth

if i was a good enough technition i would definately be guilty of this. fortunately for my own humility i am not good enough. unfortunatly i still ain't got any money!


THE SELL OUT,

the sell out thinks to be the best you need to make the biggest hats ergo he thinks he's better then those who make less hats then him. watching a number of street shows will tell you how wrong this is.
a quantity before quality mentality.

you see the sell out can't see the difference from "mozart" and "the back street boys" infact he would defend the back street boys because of their income and popularity...this is assinine of course but tolerated so everybody gets theirs.

the theme,

money, a popular product, simple vulgarity for cheap laughs, and pride in trash,

instead of skill,beauty, perfection and real wit.

their pride in their work is weighed by the money.

loyalty is the enemy because with loyality you need humility.

the sell out takes from the masters and claims it as his own.

you see the ugly truth about the the sellout is they want to look classy but their cheap.

and no amount of money can buy class or greatness.

being a magician takes to much disipline but posing as one don't.

the sell out could never apologize to some one above him for the sake of something greater if he thought he was right....because its about him and him bein right...not the art.
this was me as a pichman and shop owner back when i had money. it was about me and the money not the art.

THE GREAT ONES,

the masters with impecable shows and fat hats which are being copied to this day.

the masters who were like encyclopedias of magic with exstencive knowledge of our art.

the masters who touched so many and told thier students about the ones above them and did things for the ones above them.

the masters who got paid, or at least could support themselves. and when they were critisized during their finacial short commings, took it with humility and didn't feel the need to boast to defend themselves. and continued to provide for their students and family long after their retirement age.

the ones who left a body of work behind.

the masters with the enumerable other qualities i have failed to mention here but made it

necessary to call them masters.

all of these things i have fallin very short in, but they are still goals for all of us i believe.

THE REST OF US,

the rest of us are doing the best we can, to do the best we can.

but we gotta lotta obstacles. when we look for those to look up to we find folks like the art snobbs or the sell outs, or nilists or the whiners, or the ignorant with a beliveable story that could cost us alot of time and money.

the rest of us are just tryin to learn and fit in.

the rest of us just wanna be good at what we do and make an honest living like any other worker of any other lifes work.

i'm part of the rest of us.

EUROPE

Cellini said;

“ I don’t know why the artist stays in the U.S., there is nothing here for him.” “ you have to stand on your head and spit nickels to get people to watch you!”

Needless to say I have definitely learned to dance like a monkey and stand on my head and spit nickels.

I am an American sidewalk performer.

But the point that Cellini made is true. EUROPE IS HEAVEN.

I remember my first experience in Europe, I was in Barcelona with 5 bucks in my pocket never been to Europe before. I stuck my bank card in the machine and it ate it…..I was in trouble.

It was getting late so went out to the sidewalk on Las Ramblas with my bag of belongings….I was terrified.

I banged my stick on the crowd and started digging in my bag for my rig I looked up and there was @ 50 people waiting, perfect edge. I started rushing thinking they were gonna leave….I’m an American [it’s hard to stop em here in the U.S.].

I did my show and made well over a hundred 12 min act, more then I had ever made at that time in my career and got a hotel.


a lot of my friends come here from Europe and they all ask the same thing;

“why do the people walk by disinterested?”

And I tell em the Americans are all Homer Simpson, they don’t know what we are doing.

It’s not just Europe that’s an easy place to work it’s a lot of places outside of the U.S.

STREET PERFORMERS ETIQUETTE AND MANNERS.

heres some things that street performers know universally about how one should behave.

these are NOT rules and are bickered about constantly they are sort of like guide lines sort of

1. don't touch another performers stuff unless you ask.

2. the first person on the spot has a right to be there.

3. don't ask some one to watch your rig unless there is a strong established relationship....or this could end bad.

4. never leave your rig anywhere it should be by your side.

5. don't set right on top of some one especially if the are doing something similar eg. performance.

6.if your sharing a spot don't hog turns you get one turn make it good.

7.if your on a big pitch and the acts are 45mins and yours is 15-20 mins ask if you can go twice on your turn to get equal time.

there's a bunch more keep your eyes and ears open for em.

ART,TRADITION,PROFESSIONALISM,AND MONEY,IN THAT ORDER.

Art, tradition, professionalism, perfection, and money,in that order.

If you consider yourself a magician, then you’re an artist and you belong to a tradition whether you like it of not , with expectations from your peers and the laity.

This form of art can only function gracefully if the operator works with perfection in his mind, otherwise it appears clumsy and transparent to the spectator.

Professionalism in character, showmanship, technique, and in the work place, sadly seem to be the most neglected in the world of busking.

Money of course is a need and must be on the list, But should remain at the bottom of the list in it’s proper home. One drives a car from the drivers seat not the roof of the car.

Art, tradition, and professionalism, are absolutely mandatory, because they involve preserving the art so we all can benefit. They are also important because using these three you can still learn and progress so that you can get perfection and money.



For those who do not consider themselves magician yet persist on doing magic in their work on the street and only see the value of making money and cannot see the value of the rest of the list, I would hope at least one day they may have the intellect to understand that PROFESSIONALISM, is and always has been an important part of capitalism.

Professionalism;

do you look professional in your costume of dress and in your character and behavior?

did the people think they saw talent and quality theater at the end of the show when being asked for money?

or did they just think, "that guy was funny and he had alot of audacity for a street guy."

when they approached did they know emediatly that there was a talent infront of them?

or

when they saw you perform magic did they see a huge "tell" that the person infront of them couldn't be a magician because he didn't act or look like a person involved in that sort of funny business.

worst of all did they think you were just an average guy who learned a couple of cheap tricks and were foisting them on the passer by to get money.

did you hound them for money over and over to where it appeared more like a commercial then a show?

was it a "street hustle" or "street theater?"

don't get me wrong i'm not downing the money or hatting the people with strong lines, i love it, i do.

but i love my art to much to cheapin it by making that the main emphasis of my show redunantly.