Noticed something during a walk around gig yesterday.
It was for a senior (big kids) event sponsored by a ladies civic club.

Though I included the usual schtick, tricks and puppets, I was listening and letting people share their memories of holidays. Many brought up things like seeing a ventriloquist on a cruise or even the old Ed Sullivan show. Some shared about last years event. The slower pace was nice.

Be safe, well and as they say..remember you have 2 ears and 1 mouth.

Harris
still 2 old to know it all

As silly as this may sound to some, magic is not about the tricks / illusions... It is all about the experience! ( in this case, the memories!)...

Not silly at all. I teach all of my students that the magic doesn't happen in your hands with the trick but in the MINDS OF YOUR AUDIENCE!

The hard, cold reality is that sometimes we're most entertaining when we're actually not doing anything but paying attention to our audience.

This is especially true when doing walk around types of events.

I've found that when I let people talk about themselves, while keeping my own mouth shut, people have a wonderful time and they think you are a wizard of conversational abilities.

Thanks for sharing this insight.

--Jack

Looks like I am preaching/teaching to the choir.

Thanks for all your wise insights.


Harris
owner of 2 ears, one mouth..
...

yes but he likes to talk so much, that he became a ventriloquist, said Nigel the puppet that rocks and talks

Keep preaching & teaching it.

Every time you post I learn something.

Beano

Thanks for the kind words.

I think I have mentioned it before, but I like your avatar and inclusion of music with your gigs. As a harmonica player I can dig it.

I remember doing a Juneteenth celebration awhile back. A man came up after a blues harmonica bit with a puppet and said...lose the puppet.
So far I have kept the puppets/marionettes close by.


After a 15 second commercial you can see the puppets earn their keep at a 2009 Christmas gig.

http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=7WDDPWNX

Apologies for the announcement about our Savior done as a world wide wrestler announcer...(a Bill Boley influenced bit)..Nigel sometimes even surprises me.

Harris

Yes listening is a good thing, people like bonding

Completely agree! When I was new to peforming back in the 90's I really needed to rush to the trick. About 1995 I had a realization: the time passed much more pleasantly when I took time to meet the people I was performing for. They had a better time...and so did I. I wasn't in the role of someone there to trick them...rather someone there to entertain them and share magic with them.

I've never looked back.

Great topic.

David