I am curious to know what other performers most often use as an opener for their close-up routines, and more important, the rationale for using that particular effect. Thanks so much!

I like sponge balls as an opener because it is in their hands which grabs their attention. Impromptu you could use crumbled up paper nampins or sugar packets.

Thanks Maricr. Any advantage you can see of using sponge rabbits instead of the balls? (I'm thinking of Daryl's routine, specifically)

Just a suggestion. I usually DON'T use a person's hand for an opening effect. Why?
Because they don't know you and it may cause them to feel uncomfortable. There is the issue of personal space that you have to earn and be invited in to.

My opener is to change a blank piece of paper in to a bill. No touching the spectator, they get to see something amazing and it establishes my magical abilities. After some small talk to test the waters I'll them proceed with more interactive material, like sponge balls. Just my 3 cents.
Dave

I agree, Davidpaul$; it is probably not the best idea to start touching spectators right out of the gate. I've found that quick, visual and amazing openers seem to work the best, but I'm always interested in what works well for others.

For me, the opener not only has to be quick, visual and amazing, but I also prefer that it is relatively easy to perform. Richard Osterlind talks about opening with something that allows the performer to focus completely on the presentation without any distraction regarding mechanics. He suggests that such an opener also helps build the performer's confidence going forward into the rest of the routine, as well as giving the performer an opportunity to shake-off the initial stage freight that most of us have at the outset of any performance. It's good advice.

So, what are the great openers that are:

1. Fast
2. Visual
3. Amazing
4. Easy to perform, and
5. Set a good tone for the rest of the performance to come?

One of my favorite openers is the Invisible Deck. It has never failed to fry. Een though my routine isn't quick, it helps me estabilish a good relation with the participants on a more natural way, instead of just popping out of nowhere with cards or weird red balls on my hands.

For me, a great way to 'crack the ice':
I ask to borrow a dollar bill (or whatever bill the spec. has on them) and produce
a couple of $ .50 cent pieces/or Susan B. Anthony coins/from within the folded bill.
If the spec. has their child, children, with them, they get to keep the coins.
Hey, what's a couple of dollars!
(OK, If the spec. is a nice individual, they can keep 'em, also)

Warmest regards,

Sixten

A great opener for me, impromptu and otherwise, has been a one coin routine (coin flurry effect) the coin appears, vanishes, reappears etc. the possibilities and variations are endless. It captures attention immediately and shows your sleight-of-hand skills right from the start, it requires nothing from the spectators other than a moment of their attention. You usually have a fairly captive audience after this opener.

I use a fast pace silk act set to music for my opener. It gets the audience going and I earn the right to been seen and heard. I think that it sets the mind set of he audience that they are going to see some good magic at this show.

I did a little strolling magic at a Magic Night Festival in Covina, CA this week and I experimented with a few things and found that with older more mature people, sponge balls as an opener worked fine, and then I went on to do some other magic with coins and such. But for younger children, to do magic in their hands and then try to perform some other magic that is not in their hands, I heard a lot of "Do the one in my hands again." or "Now do it my hands." or "Do you still have the red balls, can you do the magic in my hands."

The sponge balls, because the magic is in the spectator's hands, is more powerful than I thought.

And Jay Sankey has a really nice "Sponge Ball" routine with a cocktail napkin on Anytime Anywhere.

I did try GJ3FLY (Gary Jones' handling of 3 Fly from Flying Tonight) as an opener on some people and their jaws hit the floor...I received great reactions from this (although it isn't completely impromptu For that I usually do...Lee Asher's three stylin' with Kennedy's or Chris Kenner's Menage et Trios.)

Most of the time my impromptu opener is a one coin sequence I derived from Homer Liwag's Cointwo

-Vinny

My mistake Joshua Jay had the cocktail napkin "sponge ball-esque" effect...Jay Sankey's Anytime Anywhere has a similar effect, but with a dollar bill.

Sorry about that.

-Vinny

Hi,

I have found that doing a few simple card flourishes work well. This is highly visible, and lets the people around you know that something is about to happen. A few fans, "S" fan, one handed cuts. . .you get the picture. . . followed by a strictly visual opener (I like an effect called Interlude) followed by what ever you want to do.

Dan

In pure close up, I'd do John Carney's Logical Bill Trick which is a bill switch after I've pulled out four silver coins (insteadof three) from it. The bill switched in is a one billion dollar bill. I use it as introduction leaning to the floor and asking them if this 20 dollar bill is theirs? Whatever the reply I start performing the Logical Bill trick which brings in the four silver coins -that I need for the Coins To The Spectator's Hand coming next- and they end up with the "one billion dollar" bill as a souvenir (following Michael Ammar's recommendation in Making Magic Memorable). Sometimes I ask to have briefly the bill back and do a mismade "one billion dollar" bill routine (before using the coins). Then I leave them with the mismade bill telling them that they should try and put it straight when they get home, not easy but possible (a nice plug to get later bookings).

In cards: either my variant of Al Leech's Red Hot Mamma with a signed card which back changes color or Derek Dingle's Too Many Cards

I like opening a walk around set with Jay Sankey's Holey Moley or a paddle type effect or a coin effect.

Hot Leads from Jim Pace. It makes a great impact to start, plus you give away your business card.

I like the idea of the Hot Leads, I had forgotten about that trick.

In an impromptu situation it would be a variation of 'Coin To Key' followed by Wilson's 'Florida Keys'. Wilson's 'Recap' is also nice if you have a pen.

Don't overlook 'Much From Little' out of Bobo.

I've found a good 2 Card Monte works wonders for people. I've done it for kids 8-10 as well as 20's-30's and older people as well, and it gets great reactions from all around

Here's a list of opener's I use, in no particular order...

1.) Identity (Richard Sanders)
2.) One coin routine w/ jumbo coin ending (my own routine)
3.) Electric Hot Leads (Jim Pace)
4.) Coin & Silk bit with bottle production (David Stone)
5.) Flash Deck Appearance / Tattoo You (David Stone & John Bannon)
6.) Fire Coins / Coins to Glass (Chad Long & Myself)

Obviously, I don't use all of these in one night. I'll typically pick 2 and switch between the 2 one night. Than pick a different two for another night. Also, you should check out Jim Pace's Restaurant Handbook. It is full of everything you need to know about restaurant magic, plus some excellent openers, middles, and closers.

I agree with Bagwiz's criteria for openers. I'd suggest something involving fire. Like Kostya's "warning."