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Magic Dave New user 51 Posts |
Close's review is dead on accurate. Especially about the glut. If everything on the 3 disc set was o one dvd, it would be a B product. Spread out, the discs are a C- effort.
Dave |
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Scott F. Guinn Inner circle "Great Scott!" aka "Palms of Putty" & "Poof Daddy G" 6586 Posts |
Not all Dan's material is brand new, cutting edge stuff--I'll grant you that. However, it is STRONG, commercial and audience-pleasing material. His variations are done for a reason, and you can learn a lot from them. His coin work, in particular is outstanding. I've seen him perfrom for laymen and he kills. I've also seen him absolutely slay magicians when I took him on a northwest lecture tour in the late '90's. Seasoned vets whose names you would recognize were literally rubbing their eyes at his coin and ring/string stuff.
Dan is one of, if not THE premier working restaurant magicians in America. His stuff is not geared for fooling magicians at "sessions" (although much of it does). It is for real people in the real world, and it succeeds admirably in the venues for which it was created. I know that people like Jim Pace, Jim Sisti, Bill Malone and Aldo Colombini all think very highly of Dan's work. For what it's worth, so do I, and I highly recommend his material for magicians who want to perform for "real people," especially in restaurant/strolling venues. Before I go, just to address the originality issue: many of the best performers in history were not particularly original or creative. Fred Kaps is still widely regarded as the best all around magician of all time. He performed mostly other people's routines and classics. Same with Johnny Thompson, at least as far as close-up goes. There's nothing wrong with making a classic effect your own. The strength of a successful working pro is in his ability to select the strongest effects that suit him, adapt them to his venue and style and tailor them to his performing persona. that's what these videos show--how Dan did that. There are an awful lot of "cutting edge" technicians who wouldn't make it one night in a paying restaurant gig. I've seen it--plenty of times. If you want to see totally original stuff, look elsewhere--but I'll wager it won't be nearly as commercial or effective as the routines on this DVD trilogy.
"Love God, laugh more, spend more time with the ones you love, play with children, do good to those in need, and eat more ice cream. There is more to life than magic tricks." - Scott F. Guinn
My Lybrary Page |
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Magic Dave New user 51 Posts |
Originality doesn't matter that much if you're a restaurant magician. But if you're selling a set of videos with your name on it, then it's an issue.
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Scott F. Guinn Inner circle "Great Scott!" aka "Palms of Putty" & "Poof Daddy G" 6586 Posts |
I disagree. this set is the RESTAURANT Magic of Dan Fleshman. it is intended to show you what a working restaurant magician does, and it succeeds in that admirably. there is an awful lot of "original" crap out there that wouldn't fool, much less entertain anyone. dan's routines are, for the most part, variations of standards, but they are STRONG, COMMERCIAL and even ORIGINAL variations that have been proven in the fires of literally tens of thousands of performances under fire in paying gigs where you have to be good or you get fired. dan's skill level is world class, especially in his coin work. I doubt that there is a more experienced or better magician currently working in restaurants. Until recently, the man was working 8-10 restaurants a week every week!
Lots of people can criticize him and his products, but I'll bet dollars to pennies that few, if any of those critics have worked 1/100 the shows he has or had 1/1000 his success. As I said before, if all you're looking for is "new stuff" you might want to look elsewhere. If you want to analyze what a working pro does and why he does it and why it works, though, these DVDs are a great investment.
"Love God, laugh more, spend more time with the ones you love, play with children, do good to those in need, and eat more ice cream. There is more to life than magic tricks." - Scott F. Guinn
My Lybrary Page |
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KYTerry New user 60 Posts |
Scott,
You might as well quit trying. Some people will not "get" what you are saying. Dan is a successful working pro and this is material from his actual act. Can't remember the number of useless posts on chat boards where people post 'what type of tricks would you do where?' Here it is people. Here is the real deal from a guy who EARNS his income performing for real people in a real restaurant and not some pipe dream. |
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bishthemagish Inner circle 6013 Posts |
I agree with Scott F. Guinn and KYTerry and I have known Dan Fleshman for many years. I also have worked for him in several restaurants when I moved to St. Louis.
Dan Fleshman is a class act. I think that he performs more in St. Louis and other places more than any other magician in the city. Why??? Because he is a great magician and he works very hard to do a great job for magic and his clients... And he does fantastic magic. His magic is tested - after doing it not just thousands of times but he also has performed these miracles at thousands and thousands of shows. Dan's stuff blows me away... And on top of that he is a modest great guy... If people that are into close up magic and need proven - solid performance material... They should check out Dan's DVD's - They are great!
Glenn Bishop Cardician
Producer of the DVD Punch Deal Pro Publisher of Glenn Bishop's Ace Cutting And Block Transfer Triumphs |
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MagicbyCarlo Inner circle has squandered his time making 1062 Posts |
I have to agree that these videos were okay, but nothing to get all excited over. Much of this material has been covered better elsewhere. Dan seems to be a swell guy and nervous or not, he does the work well, but none of this is original and most of it is a warm over of other people’s effects. For someone interested in what effects might work in a restaurant this tape is useful, but hardly ground breaking. I don't blame Dan for this. This problem is endemic of magic videos and releases. Find a good idea, alter it's presentation slightly and stick it on video as "my version of...” If we agree that we should all be doing our own versions of (fill in the effect) then why do we need to peruse volumes of everyone else’s version of (fill in the effect)? When I purchase effects, video or print on magic I'm seeking new, groundbreaking or unfamiliar technique and or methodology, not to parrot some else’s presentation of Vernon's twisting the Aces. I also think that one can say that material on a video is "lukewarm" without casting dispersion on the artist. After all, I know plenty of people that do other peoples material well and are nice people the question is; does that make them innovative enough to release a great or very good 3 video volume?
As for Dan’s shaking, there are people that have mild to moderate tremor of the hands all of the time regardless of the situation and while they might not make great surgeons they certainly can be capable magicians. I think one of the problems is that when we like someone we find it hard to honestly critique the product they offer. No one said this video series is bad, just that it isn’t great or innovative. I see no problem with that, there are many products in the market place that fit that description and still find customers.
Carlo DeBlasio
<BR>Entertainment specialist <BR>and all around fun guy! |
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Walter Irving Scott New user 10 Posts |
Me doth Cutts right to the chase:
Good solid magic. |
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Magic Dave New user 51 Posts |
If I want to see what a working pro does, I have better options in the terms of video selection: Mike Close's series, Bill Malone, Tommy Wonder, Peki (ok, maybe not Peki), Banachek, Eddie Tullock.
The "class act" argument has nothing do to with the merits of the tape. My next door neighbor is a "class act", but I sure hope that L&L doesn't put out a series with him attempting magic, but with their audiences, he'd get a standing o. |
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Review King Eternal Order 14446 Posts |
Do they show Dan working in a real restaurant?
"Of all words of tongue and pen,
the saddest are, "It might have been" ..........John Greenleaf Whittier |
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davidmagic Veteran user Lubbock, TX, USA 340 Posts |
Yes, they do show Dan in a real restaraunt. I side with those who praise this series-these are workers. Not variations of a variation. Some of us are in magic to learn new moves and get excited over minutae. I enjoy this and its fun, but it isn't all there is. Perhaps these folks would also point the finger at Van Cliburn for playing notes written by Tchaikovsky (incidentally-that recording of Van Cliburn's was the first million-copy seller of any classical piece) Those who want to entertain people, will find solid material here.
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Review King Eternal Order 14446 Posts |
Thanks, David!!!
Chris
"Of all words of tongue and pen,
the saddest are, "It might have been" ..........John Greenleaf Whittier |
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Magicmike1949 Special user 643 Posts |
Dan gave his lecture tonight in Memphis, the first stop on his tour. He was terrific, a good teacher, and obviously a solid pro. I recommend you see him, if he comes to your city.
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RandyM Special user 579 Posts |
I commented I think in the past on these and I couldn't express the feeling I felt watching them to clear at the time. However a member above hit the nail on the head by saying Dan's performing style seemed "STIFF". I thought nervousness many times was evident also.
His loads on the finally of the cups and balls was nice but his sleights otherwise were just "so,so" his vanishes of the balls needs quite a bit of work. Ammar hit it right by saying " When a performer tosses a ball from hand to hand to do a vanish simply means he/she is not comfortable with thier sleights. Analyzing this there no logic/reason to toss the ball hand to hand. Johnny Thompson taught a very nice ROV for the cups and balls that I still use today. RandyM |
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Richard Evans Inner circle 1379 Posts |
Great material, nice ideas & all very well presented. I enjoyed these DVDs.
I have six locks on my door all in a row. When I go out, I only lock every other one. I figure no matter how long somebody stands there picking the locks, they are always locking three. Elayne Boosler
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wayno Veteran user Canada 323 Posts |
Excellent material in there. I love his C&B routine, and his variation of Some Prediction. Dan's a great guy, and we had a good session of chat over at L&L old forums when he was on. I would love to see more of his work in the near future.
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Zombie Magic Inner circle I went out for a beer and now have 8733 Posts |
They do show Dan working in a real restaurant, but it's old footage from his actual restaurant days.
On the segments where he gives advice, he says performing during the actual meal is "totally unprofessional". Then when you watch the old footage...he performs during the meal. The magic is performed for the L&L audience and that's not the best showcase for "restaurant" magic. Most that buy a set like this want it performed in an actual restaurant. If interested, I'd wait for the set to be discounted. |
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