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Hernan Regular user San Francisco 126 Posts |
... but I am curious how it turned out letting Gazzo sleep on your couch?
Did he drink all your beer and steal your girlfriend? Did you learn anything is reall what I want to know. |
Kozmo V.I.P. 5473 Posts |
Gazzo doesn't drink.....but lock up your wife.....
koz |
JamesinLA Inner circle Los Angeles 3400 Posts |
Gazzo the man is not Gazzo the character in the street act. Though both are fun to be with and share some things in common.
I watched Gaz perform all week at the castle and then watched him do a couple street shows and it was a great education. One show was better than the other. The audience loves him. On a personal level, here's an example of the kind of friendship he inspires: three busker friends drove all the way from Canada to LA to spend a few days with him. One of them, you guys with the Cellini video may recognize: the escape artist, "Byron from England." They are all great guys and it was fun hanging out with them. Also got to see Byron do a show, which was also great fun. He's a pro. Also, paling around with Gazzo is like being with magic royality. All the doors open up and you are welcomed into all the back offices to BS. All in all, a great experience and I've made a friend. Jim
Oh, my friend we're older but no wiser, for in our hearts the dreams are still the same...
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Hernan Regular user San Francisco 126 Posts |
How did Gazzo affect your present routine and did you learn any thing you want to share with us?
I don't want secret routines (yes I do!) just stuff that will effect you and your audience. Thanks for the insight and glimpse into the lifestyle of a modern master. I am in a back water town. I never get to the big city to see you luminaries. I am starving for info. (And dirt. lotsa dirt) |
Kozmo V.I.P. 5473 Posts |
The big thing you will learn from gazzo is that magic is not the most important thing.....making them react to you is....using humor..gazzo is insulting to nearly everyone in the audience...with gazzo its what is this guy going to say next....they never leave...they don't walk away from gazzo...because he affects them in a way that they cant resist....its his humor not his magic....he doesn't do much magic...he insults people for 30 minutes before he does any magic....then he does the cups...kills them and collects...he builds big crowds...BIG...and gets big hats...hes a master....
but its how he builds his audience...watch his pace...he takes his own sweet time doing anything..if they want to leave he doesn't care because hes gonna get 5 times as many by taking his time....he has this way that makes him appealing to his audience while hes insulting you..."hey ladys come over and watch....baptists!....hey bringing your bibles we'll look for loop holes"....now that's offensive to many...but us sickies think its really funny...the delivery...gazzo is one of the best street performers in the world...no magi other than nick nichololas competes with this guy....no one when it comes to buildong and collecting...no one...not cellini, not dante, not doug conn, not me....no one...hes the best....no one...NO ONE!....hes a great performer....he might be a great magician but you will never know it by his show....hes great with the cups...dont get me wrong....but his show is not about magic at all.... so looking for secret routines that you can take from him...there aren't any.....you can steal his lines..but don't plan on getting away with them... and then theres other issues....1000 people can love you but if one complains to the right person...a person of power you will be gone...this has happened to gazzo...his stuff is his stuff and it sometimes gets him in some trouble...so don't limit yourself by doing this....i saw gazzo a few years ago and took a few of his bits with his permission and got kicked out of a great place to perform....and it SUCKED!...it was my own fault... I love gazzo...talked to him yesterday...hes a friend and I'm honored to know him and cellini..the 2 masters of the streets that are out there...but I think its wise to leave gazzos stuff alone..... koz |
BroDavid Inner circle America’s North Coast, Ohio 3176 Posts |
Tedb made a great point here that applies to all magicians and perfromers of all sorts.... Be who you are! If you aren't Gazzo, you will never be Gazzo. If you aren't Sir Lawrence Olivier, then you will never be Sir Lawrawence Olivier!
Your performing character must be you! It must fit like a glove, and be owned by you. You cant rent a personna and have it work. You cant borrow an attitude and have it play. Ole Blue eyes sang it. "I gotta be me..... " and if you are going to do it with any degree of success, then you gotta be YOU! Your personna has wrap around you like wet suit on a washboard! It has to fit!! The real trick is shaping that personna around the hidden or unnoticed traits that let people like you, be amused by you, amazed by you, and relate to you. It doesn't happen overnight. But it can be developed, with practice, and self-critical analysis. None of will ever be Gazzo, and for now he is the Best! But someday there will be another who will come along and make his/her mark on the street. And you can be sure that it won't be a Gazzo clone! It will be someone else with a unique style, or patter, or act, or something that no one else can copy.... BroDavid
If you stand for nothing, you will fall for anything.
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Hernan Regular user San Francisco 126 Posts |
Oops I didn't mean for my request
to sound like I want his secret routines. I bought _all_ of them on EBAY last week for 9.95 british pounds. It was just a joke. I mean, well, I really wanted to hear how the visit impacted JamesinLA. I thought I made that clear. All this hero worship is making me want to shower. Hey Koz,or should I call you Ted til you know me better? How would you answer the same question. Do you pace your shows to draw a crowd? Do you call out to invisible people outside the circle?. How has the 'best magi' impacted your show? I figured to get the Gazzo knowledge flitered through a mere mortal, like you or James. And then have something I could use. If you want to call that stealing than I will back you up and stick to your story. I have a second question for you about another personal hero. When Cellini breaks the circle of the audience how does this impact them-do they walk away? Or reform in a new circle. I cant word the proper question cause I am really intrigued by this. My feet are glued to the ground. (When they aren't shaking). It seems like such a simple solution to the angle problem. Is this common for the average busker? Thanks Ted! |
Kozmo V.I.P. 5473 Posts |
Hernan,
me a mere mortal... I really didn't think you were talking about stealing anything from gazzo,,,,i just thought it would give me an opportunity to ramble on about little or nothing which I'm very good at it... how gazzo has affected me....do I pace my shows...depends on what kind of show I'm doing...sidewalk or circle...sidewalk I take what I can get...do them at a fast pace but try to be entertaining, but mostly magic....circle...i take more time...to build...try to make them laugh a little more...so it depends...but I don't really try to get 300 people...i make more money per person with a more intimate show...i see the $20 then more than say $2...see what I'm saying...pace is always a problem for me...i tend to go a little fast but always I'm working on this.....i've learned pace from everyone I have ever seen that's good...and from just doing a million shows which it often feels like I have done... the thing that gazzo said to me once that has stuck in my mind....less is more or less is best....he does very little magic and I think that the guys who make the most do less magic and more making friends with the audience...however it is that you might do that...by comedy or just being a nice guy.... cellinis show is all about magic....and I would say his hats are likely less than say gazzos would be...but his show doesn't change and last for about 15 minutes...so he can do 3 for everyone of gazzos...say gazzio gets $100 a hat and cellini gets say $35...it ends up about the same...but cellini has to put more energy in I think... cellini, breaking the circle...well no one is going to walk because you break the circle...because generally at that point...see there is a circle so there is an audience and some commitment from that audience that no one is likely to walk...all cellini does is step back and make the circle bigger ...thats how he creates the angle...you can do that with your body by walking or by moving your table ( there is a small lesson on this in the art of street performing part 2) that's usually how one might do this....you ar really right...the circle is spread out a little and reformed....by moving your body or table back you can open space for a bigger audience....i hope I have explained this well.... hernan....dont be nervous...who cares?....if you screw it up they will just walk away...just go out and do it and you will learn a lot...okyou can always just start another show... I can tell you this.....it takes courage to walk out there and anyone who has the balls to do it gets my respect...its not easy...but its challenging and very rewarding when you figure the thing out.... hernan, who says I'm a mere mortal by the way... :) koz |
Tom Frank V.I.P. industrial Strength Magic 493 Posts |
I'm with you Koz! Work that Magic Mojo!
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Pete Biro 1933 - 2018 18558 Posts |
I've been performing off and on since the 1950s and I have never had the guts to work the streets... I commend those that can.
Ooops, I take that back... I did ONCE at Disneyland (but it wansn't working for tips).
STAY TOONED... @ www.pete-biro.com
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BroDavid Inner circle America’s North Coast, Ohio 3176 Posts |
And I did not think that you were asking for secrets either Hernan. My post was also somewhat a rant as was koz's but in a slighlty different direction.
I hate it when I see a "wannabe" trying to take an act right out of someone else's performance without having the least idea of the motivation for the words or the actions involved. On the other hand, I love it when someone takes a concept and reshapes it around themselves to make it uniquely theirs! That is creativity.! But that is also just my opinion. And I really wasn't intending to direct my comment to you Hernan. If it felt that way, I apologize. BroDavid
If you stand for nothing, you will fall for anything.
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Kozmo V.I.P. 5473 Posts |
Tom...good to see your face...hey tom, give me a reason to come to seattle this year and I'm there....let me know if I cna stand up to the competition ...i hope things are going well for you dude
koz |
Doug Conn Loyal user 212 Posts |
Ted,
Sean/Dante said the Bumpershoot (sp?) festival was VERY good to him... Tom, When is that festival? Ted & Tom, I know you guys would have a blast 'jamming' together. you should make it up there ted. |
Kozmo V.I.P. 5473 Posts |
Tom and I are old friends.....thats why I would like to go out there
koz |
Doug Conn Loyal user 212 Posts |
Ah... right... I forgot you mentioned that you met Tom (back when they kicked you out of Kentucky for "doing Gazzo bits"
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Tom Frank V.I.P. industrial Strength Magic 493 Posts |
Ted, there is NO competition!!! This town is wide open. I would try and do more busking, but my shop keeps me pretty busy. Shawn Greer was here in the spring. We worked together trading on and off at the same pitch. Loads of FUN.
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Kozmo V.I.P. 5473 Posts |
Tom, good to hear from you.....i will look for some airfair in the spring cheap and see if I cant make it out there.....let me know about permits....the new show is killin them....
and yes doug....thats what I'm saying...you cant do gazzo and have places to work...a lesson learned....thpse ***s kicked me out and wont let me back...and its a good summer....weekend pitch....always made good money....so there ya have it...no more gazzo for me....i'm bad enough as it is!.. doug, will see you tomorrow or on the weekend...stop by and see me...i will buy you dinner!...or lunch...or ice cream...or benets...whatever... tom, how was sean...hes really good I hear...one of cellini's good friends.. koz |
vernon Special user Scotland 559 Posts |
Well I managed to see, speak to and enjoy a late night meal(of sorts) with Gazzo and some other late night hounds...James Jordan et al... I knew I was in the presence of quality and experience.As you would expect,he is a very giving and down to earth geezer, If I learned one thing,apart from his stuff is the best and he is everything an entertainer should be,the one thing I felt is inspiration, and not to be awed in our peers presence. Me Id hate it if folks couldn't relax around me, (not that that's the case...).Anyway...hats off to him and the valuable lessons learned.
Vernon |
JamesinLA Inner circle Los Angeles 3400 Posts |
Vernon,
Are you still in town? I was hoping to meet you while Gaz was here. Let me know. Jim
Oh, my friend we're older but no wiser, for in our hearts the dreams are still the same...
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