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Tom Frank V.I.P. industrial Strength Magic 493 Posts |
Got to Pike Place Market at 11:30AM Sunday morning. Chris the bird man was working my spot. He had another half hour before Johnny Hahn would play the piano and sing for his hour at the corner of Pike and Pine. I was queued up to get in my first show at 1:00PM. No problem, plenty of time to get my hands warmed up, smoke a cigar, and take advantage of my free weekend minutes.
I chatted with Jim Hinde and a few of the other street performers. I was excited to tell them all about my new found enthusiasm for the art of street performing. I've been spending a lot of time lately, thinking of ways I can be the best street magician that I can be. Trying to identify and eliminate all of the negative and self defeating frustrations that can be the result of focusing on the money, audience response, or people leaving. Yesterday I felt like I was having a breakthrough. No longer did it **** me off when a family of 6 left 5 minutes before my pitch. I truly felt grateful that they had watched as much of the show as they did. I talked to Johnny as he put his CD's away and his rain cover over his piano. I asked him how the people were. He didn't seem too happy and was apparently leaving for the day. Not sure if this had anything to do with his set or not. The traffic was light for a sunday, but it didn't matter to me. I was excited about doing the best show I could possibly do for who ever wanted to watch. I did two 15 minute shows back to back. As I was performing, I removed all thoughts of financial expectations. It was about the art. It was about trying to connect with the audience by coming up with **** off the cuff. Having fun with the people in-between my routines and performing the material that I know so well and love. In the first half hour of performing I got three, ten dollar tips as well as a twenty, not to mention all of the ones and loose change!!! I can't remember the last time I got a ten or a twenty dollar bill from street performing. I believe that my frame of mind and being engaged with the material I was performing had a lot to do with it. My third show, a large portion of the crowd left without chipping in, but I didn't care. I told them as they left, thanks for the smiles and the good vibes. No one queued up behind me and I worked for three hours straight. I had a great time making people happy with my magic. http://www.ballvase.com/tfrank/weblog/tfblog.htm |
Werner G. Seitz Inner circle 3131 Posts |
Tom, just to let you know I enjoy your blog very much!
Experiences of the life and times of a real artist.. I really love that kind..keep it going...
Learn a few things well.....this life is not long enough to do everything.....
( Words of wisdom from Albert Goshman ...it paid off for him - it might as well for YOU!!!- My own magic is styled after that motto... ) |
kOnO Special user 548 Posts |
Tom,
Thanks for the POST.... I think you hit the nail on the head. I belive you are giving away one of the most important "Secret's" of MAGIC (not only on the street but in every performance). "It was about the art. It was about trying to connect with the audience by coming up with **** off the cuff. Having fun with the people in-between my routines and performing the material that I know so well and love. " I think if more of us performed this way we would much better off. Thanks for sharing this lesson and sharing your "BLOG" with us. kOnO
It is a lot easier to get older than it is to get wiser.
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swatchel-omi Regular user 116 Posts |
Hey Tom,
Just out of curiosity, what are you standing on in the photos ? Is it something you bring, or is it something that's there ? Also, do you do the Jack Miller Ring routine that you've published on the street or is it another routine? Keep up the good work, Joe |
Tom Frank V.I.P. industrial Strength Magic 493 Posts |
Joe,
I am standing up on top of a newspaper box. I start my act on street level, then after the cup routine I hop up on the box. Yes, I have been closing my act with the Jack Miller Linking Ring Routine with Poetic Patter for over 20 years. If anyone is interested in buying my Linking Ring DVD it's $25 + $3.50 S&H |
swatchel-omi Regular user 116 Posts |
Thanks for the reply !
I thought in one of the photos it looked like a newspaper box, but thought I was seeing things. it's a cool idea. Your ring routine is on my list of things to buy this year. I'd love to see work sometime, sounds like a fun show. Joe |
atucci Veteran user Middleburg, Florida 381 Posts |
Tom I've been following your blog for a few months now and am happy to see you here in the Café. I've been to Seattle twice now and its own of my favorite cities! Hope to catch your show next time I'm there......
Tony Tuccillo
Middleburg, Florida |
bropaul Loyal user Florida 222 Posts |
Good Job Tom...
I have found over the years that getting your mind off the money is a key secret to making more money. As with all performers, I need the dough, but if I need a couple of hundred bucks to make the rent, and I go out and busk to get it and I count every hat down after each performance, I don't get it. But if I do "the Magic", and enjoy the day and the shows myself, push the money in a leather pouch that I have and count at the end of the night... Well I usually get what I need. In fact I don't stop and fold the bills, I just push them in the bag. I can tell at the end of the day by squeezing the bag about what my day has been. It's a game I play with myself. It can feel like parsley, or on a good day I call it cabbage, there's even romaine in between. And it's good at the end of the day to sit down with a coldy and straighten out the bills, put them in order, bundle up the ones, in 25's, and put a rubber band around them and count down. Kind of a cool down ritual. Then I give thanks for all the energy that people have shared with me that day. I Reflect on what went right and what went wrong. Make some notes, check tomorrow's weather and hit the sack, unless theirs something going on. It really is a good life and you are doing it with style my friend. Keep it up! |
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