I've always had a hankering to do a 4 -ring version on the street.

Before I start learning a routine, does anyone have any experience of performing this on the street? If anyone were to ask ME that question, my response would be "Should be ok - plenty of opportunity to get a kid up to help out - plenty of scope for amusement, it's highly visual, clashing rings sounds good, - I don't see any problems in performance. Just make sure you have a shelf or similar to conceal the rings when you're building the pitch with starter stuff"

Maybe I'm missing something else - so, looking for anything I'm "missing".

I have a fair bit of experience of street work, but, as I said, - looking for any snags or drawbacks.

Thanks, all.!

ps - Initially, I mistakenly posted this on "Close Up" - but, don't suppose it matters.

Whit "Pop" Haydn's 4 ring routine was originally developed for street work. It assumes you've already built your edge, since it starts from the very beginning with an audience volunteer, but you could probably do some noisy, clangy, solo work to gather folks around you first. Like all his stuff, it's a great routine.

And as with so many of his routines, it's available for download. I've got it and it's super well thought out, audience tested, and well taught. Pop Haydn's Four Ring Routine Downloadable Video ($15)

I did a version of Aldo Colombini's 3 rings and a rope routine on the street for several years.

It was my go-to trick to perform while building a crowd.

Other published street ring routines:
Capehart
Salazar
Odin

Routins from Pop or Capehart are great for street. You're right that rings are flashy and can help build crowd.

From Pop's material, he talks about having right size rings...want them big enough for size of crowd you work. And avoid chrome plated rings. Pop tells a story about the plating starting to flake off and volunteer cutting finger.

I picked up set of 12" steel rings on sale a while back. Pulled the 4 needed. Widened the key a a bit and they work great. They're durable and take a beating. The welding on them is not the cleanest, and they don't have as clear "ring" when using them, but they were great value.

I love the 'effect', and the 'method' of the Rings...linking and unlinking....🤔

But I've always found 'Linking Rings', to look like a 'set of Magicians trick rings'. Hokey

A few years ago I thought up a 'reason', an alternative and a Routine for Dynamike, We talked a bit about it. He liked it but never did it.

The idea was:

"In my neighborhood, the folks drive pretty reckless! It's kinda OBVIOUS,..why?

I mean, in some parts of Detroit, they steal Hook Ornaments. In other parts they steal your Tires. In MY part of Detroit they steal steering wheels. So the idea was with 3 Steering Wheels. It coulda been funny, at least in my mind.

The 'Rings' would not have been chrome plated and it would have been original.

Rings on the Street?
Pop's is entertaining and Chris Capehardt's is in the face. But I am still personally mulling it thru MY mind.
"What is my angle?" I don't have it yet.

Wish you all a nice one.

Life's good,..
gallagher

Imgic: how can you tell the difference between chrome plated and stainless steel?

Gallagher:
The Genii of Jan 2001 has an interview with Max Maven about the "future" of magic.
Maven also discusses the 'meaning' of cups and balls, and linking rings.
You may want to check it out.

Hey RiffRaff(!),thanks for the Tipp!

I would but I can't. Genii's a bit out of my range and I never found 'the time
or the 'extra $36.

Could you maybe sent me a 'copy' of the Article? I'd really appreciate it!

gallagherd

Here's Columbini on YouTube performing his Three Ring Concerto. Don't love the music choice for the piece myself, but the routine is sweet.

And here's a link to his instructional download Three Ring Concerto MP4 Download ($10) from Chris Washuber's Lybrary site.

Jerry Salazar's style was never my cup of tea, but he was a worker. He always looked GREAT, knew what it took to work the street and his ring routine (a 3 ring routine) was solid and street tested. It's hard to find, but Amazon looks like they've got some used copies here Three Ring Routine: A Presentation of Jerry Salazar going for about twenty bucks.

That interview is covered by copyright. Asking for a free copy (to save all of $36) would be a minor theft, ordinarily.

Thanks for mentioning my good friend Jerry Salazar.

His pamphlet is well worth hunting down if you can find it.

Gaddy:
I remember seeing a short documentary about him a while back.
Is he still performing?

I don't know how much performing is going on in San Francisco right now given the circumstances. But he will no doubt be out there the moment he was able to. The dude is a machine.

Rings are great on the street.

They are entertaining , if you are.
They defy all logic when done well.
You can hand one out.
You can use a spectator.
They make noise.
Visually awesome if you know what you're doing.
Isn't the crash link one of the most magical things in the world? Yes, it is.

i've used capehart's routine on the street
i've used cellini's 2 ring routine on the street
I've used the ninja-ish routine on the street after switching to larger rings and modifying the routine to suit the larger rings and removing all table stuff.

if you truly love a rings routine, it will show.

I remember some biker dude watching me do the rings with a scowl on his face while his wife was watching and enjoying.
After I was done he came up to me by himself afterwards, alone, and said.. 'that was pretty awesome'.

The rings are great. Do them when you finally know they are. If you're not sure... you're probably not ready to do the rings on the street.


it's not the rings. It's you!


Do them when you're good enough and confident enough.

Bring them to life.

Here's the short documentary on Jerry from YouTube. Mr. Magic - Life of Jerry Salazar. About 25 minutes. Well worth watching.

Thanks for the welcome gallagher! Yes a performer (of the oddest variety*), but haven't done magic for real audiences in a long time. I've been lurking here for a few years, w/o any reason to get my 50 posts in because the last thing I need is to be distracted with more methods and technique -- all I really need is to refine my routines/jokes/character and then several hours of flight time on the street. Lately though, there were one or two things (mostly marketplace, not secrets) I thought I could use so I'm chiming in more. I'm hoping to get back on the street w/some doorway and half circle shows as pandemic restrictions ease to get my chops back.

*If you ever saw that early Coke & Mentos viral video w/two guys in lab coats in the woods, setting off 100+ Coke/Mentos geysers -- I'm the tall, bald guy on the left. Ever since that went viral we've been doing live versions of that for outdoor festivals, including lots of Maker Faires. Sure hoping those come back! Those shows are a blast to do. (In more ways than one!) Meanwhile I'm working on getting back to some street/festival magic.