So I was finally able to visit Las Vegas and see some of the street performers there. I had an absolutely amazing time and it was all due to TheRealMagicMike. He took me in and made me feel just like one of the locals. He showed me around and pushed me to perform in many different environments. One of which was on the street. He took me out on a Monday and let me use his spot to try my hand at busking. It was absolutely brutal, but a great experience. Now I cant wait to become a full time busker. If you are heading his way and he has time to meet up with you, you are doing yourself a diservice not meeting him. He's not only nice and outgoing but knows so much. He showed me subtleties that I would never have dreamed of. A big thank you to TheRealMagicMike for changing my magic forever.

Sounds like an amazing day out!!

When I was in Vegas, approx 12 months ago - magicians were light on the ground. 😢

Sorry to hear that. Next time you go try Fremont street. There seemed to be a magician there every day at least. I did have a great time and met some really nice people

Nice to hear you gave it a shot Kyoki.

That's the first step. Very Nice.

Thanks Kyoki_Sanitys_Eclipse for the kind words!!! I had a great time as well with you and your wife and was glad to have a couple of nights to have some fun and do a little magic together. I'm glad you enjoyed yourself, it was my pleasure... let's stay in touch...

I, too, was disappointed by my first trip to Vegas. The only magician I saw was on Fremont Street. He was very good and worked the crowd well. I saw him do a 3-card reveal for 3 different specs and a bill transposition (he called it "giving a deja vu").

Otherwise, no other magicians. This was the Saturday after Thanksgiving this year. Wish I'd read here first, I'd have looked up TheRealMagicMike!

There just aren't the number of magicians in Vegas that most people would think... many come thinking it is a dead easy gig and leave after not too long a time.

I love meeting magicians who visit here... "Kyoki" was one of the few who contacted me prior to his visit so I was able to put some time aside for him and have some fun.

Right now its hit or miss with me as far as street magic goes since the temperatures have dropped to a level that is uncomfortable. On nicer days I'm still out but most days I'm now performing bar magic at a couple of Strip Bars (bars on the "Las Vegas Strip"... not "Strip Clubs"...)

Anyone who is visiting Vegas, my invitation is always open... just let me know before you come !!!

Thanks for the invite!

Well, I am sorry to report that street performing on the Las Vegas Strip has pretty much been completely shut down. Over the past 2-3 weeks the police have increasingly applied pressure by issuing tickets for things like noise ordinance, impeding foot traffic and even for having a battery that powers an amp. There have been many arrests of those who ignored "warning tickets" and now the streets are empty except for some costume characters.

The rumor is that Ceasers, who owns the bulk of the casinos on the strip, wants performers to pay for performance spots and audition. A similar thing is happening on Freemont Street, but so far there are still performers there.

Some legal action may be on the way in the form of filing for an injunction in Federal Court... but for now, it is pretty much dead here. Sad.

Bummer. I am heading out next month, and staying downtown this time. Used to always been plenty of action on Fremont. Vigil is no longer at the Mirage either. Not interested in big shows, but close up and the such, so if anyone knows of any memorial day thru thur, please PM me.

Well, Freemont St still has some action, but not as much since they are giving everyone a pretty hard time.The Strip is dead for now, BUT, things can change quickly here so you never know what can happen within the next month.

Smoothini is doing bar magic nightly at the Rock Bar at Planet Hollywood and I am at Chayo Mexican Restaurant & Tequila Bar at the Linq Hotel Casino nightly from 7-9:30pm.

I will update the Vegas info here periodically as things change.

Hey Mike,
I sorry to hear about the Pitch being closed down.

Someone once told me:
"Humans are the only terrestrial animal,
that pinkles and poops in his own drinking water."

I've come to believe:
"Buskers are the only theater people,.....
.......on their own stage."

Hope things turn around for you,..
(hope your bar magic keeps you afloat 😋 🍺
Chayo's Mexican Restaurant, will probably keep you fed! 🌮 🌮 🌮)

,....after a while,
though,
you'll miss,
..a 'good' Street Show(!). 🙃

keep the fifth Ace,
a Heart,
...and high up the sleeve.
gallagher

Thanks gallagher, it's definitely been a rough week. A pinched nerve in my back along with severe spasms sent me to the hospital a week ago... been loaded up with drugs for the past 5 days as the prescriptions slowly run out. Haven't worked in a week, hoping to make a short appearance tonight.

Some street performer friends are packing up and heading several hours away near Santa Monica until things straighten out here. Once I'm fully back up and running I'd like to join them for a few days a week and also keep the bar thing going as well here in Vegas.

Right when you think you've got things figured out that *** monkey always seems to show up with his wrench... well, better days ahead !!!

Hey Mike,
your back sounds like a bigger problem,
then losing your Pitch!

Two things:
1.) Cissus Quadrangularis
('Broken-back-plant')

2.) Pavel Tsatsouline 'Kettlebell Swinging'
{wait 'til you're pain-free before starting(!)}

No lie. I'm painfree,..
trouble-free,
for the past several years.

Check it out,...
There's nothing,..NOTHING worse then living in pain.
,..doesn't have to be.

Head up.
gallagher

I was in Vegas in January crazy saturated with performers.
On the strip aswell as Fremont.
Yes they should audition performers.
Look at Boston fanny hall, Baltimore harbor.
Surfers paradise Australia and on and on.
Those are killer pitches and very well run.
In Vegas you can stand with diaper on and a sign.
They call this performing?

No. We call it "freedom of expression."

I'm All for freedom, wouldn't be a street performer otherwise.

But really standing with a sign and asking for a photo.
Yes it is freedom of expression, performing not really sure.

To each there own.

I didn't see a guy with a diaper. Just characters in costumes. My hat's off to anyone who can pose in Las Vegas with a Darth Vader or Chewbacca costume. The guy in the Chuckie costume had a fan built into the back of his head!

I don't see where restricting them would be a good thing. How long before it went from; "you're not performing, you're not alllowed on the streets," to "you're not performing WELL enough, you're not allowed on the streets?" The streets are supposed to be the great equalizer, if you have a gimmick people will tip for, you have every right to be out there.

Performance art is much like porn; you can't necessarily say exactly what it is, but you know it when you see it. The same thing can be said in regards to not being performance art..

...and that is where all the trouble starts.

For example, the situation here in Las Vegas: There are roughly 30 pitches/spots (yes, literally spots) on Fremont Street. About the same number of pitches in Ocean City MD now. 30 spaces for people to perform to get their money, to make their living. In one case, everyone has to move every two hours and you may not get a space at all. So, if you can't make what you need to in two hours, you have to wait around for an undetermined amount of time to secure another two hour pitch. There's no certainty whatsoever.

To make matters worse, only half of the pitches are any good. And of course there are tons of cardboard sign holders and palm leaf twisters taking up two thirds of them. The sign holders have clever slogans such as "GO !@#$ YOURSELF!" and another gem, "Trump Sucks". Actually the Trump signs are more explicit. Anyway, you get the idea.

So would you consider that an art form, or a relevant form of expression? Has inane profanity usurped meaningful discourse? Americans seem hell bent on proving this to be the case.

Getting back to the topic at hand,



It's not my intention to restrict anyone of any rights, those are already being restricted by the municipal forces, Police, either State or Local or both, Park police, Marshalls, Sheriffs, I've been run off by them all.

I'm not the one restricting anybody's rights, on the contrary, I'm busy fighting for my own. And have been doing so for most of my life.

Speaking of which, I'm really tired of doing it. Especially since I'm equated as no more deserving than some old lady in a wheel chair holding a sign that says "Suck My D**k".

Free speech?

Really?

You must inhabit a different spectrum of the intellectual/social sphere than I.

Hear, Hear,

I agree with the above post.
Yes they should be auditioned, best acts get a permit.