I haven't included this in my act

[Vick]

Turn your sound up

http://home.comcast.net/~berkleyjl/thehornguy.wmv

[Steady]

MTV award night?

[Trev]

He makes it look so easy... I thought his rendition of Vivaldi was brilliant

[Dravyk]

And it's a good aerobics workout too!

[Nickatilynx]

Vick!!!

Need a two min phone chat with you if you are around

[JoesHO]

I would love to see one of your acts, Vick. do you only do the east coast? you are in Maryland right?

[Vick]

he he he

Well obviously that's not me in the video. I couldn't carry a tune with a bucket


Things are happening for us here, we auditioned our new illusion act at the Baltimore Harborplace Amphitheater this past Saturday
If we pass the audition (will know Thursday) we'll be booked to play there regularly over the summer, lots of tourists and a few locals
Hopefully with that exposure we'll pick up even bigger shows and enough gigs to carry us through the winter as well.

We're had 15 minutes for the audition including set up and break down

We closed with the Houdini bit, Metamorphosis. I get bound with chain, then tied into a mailbag, then locked into a trunk. Chrissy gets on top of the trunk, raises a curtain around it, then drops the curtain and there I am unbound on top of the trunk, When the trunk is unlocked she is in the tied mailbag, bound in the same chains

We opened with Chrissy on stilts and did some gag bits which included her pouring water on my head from an empty pitcher (that's what I got for demanding water form a wench), me pulling a 8 foot straw out of my pocket and a few other quick gag bits


Nick, I ICQ'ed (yeah miracles happen). I'll be home until about 6 EST and then not sure
Look forward to speaking with you soon

Chrissy wants me to take her to see Sin City but I'm trying to pull the I'm too tired to seat in a movie seat for 2 hours
(ok I'm holding out to see what I can get in return)


Yes Joe, we are in Maryland. I really want to move to New Orleans but can't leave my son here

From what I'm hearing Royal Street in the French Quarter may be opened soon during the daytime to car traffic thereby eliminating one of the prime street performing spots
Most performers have been moved from Jackson Square already and it's mostly Tarot Card readers by St. Louis Cathedral (front of Jackson Square)
No one is allowed to work the sides of Jackson Square unless it's some sort of artist with a certain permit (we were there in January)

An illusionist

Timing and skill combined at the highest level.

[Vick]

Originally posted by Carded@Apr 18 2005, 04:49 PM
An illusionist

Timing and skill combined at the highest level.

Much Thanks Carded


Really it's more personality than anything. I swear I embody the Pulp Fiction quote
"Personality goes a long way"

some slights are challenging but most things are fairly easy

and really the magic is in the audience, without an audience there is no magic
Just a guy doing goofy stuff

Think about a comedian telling jokes in the mirror. Where's the funny?

It really is all about the audience

That's why I get such a big laugh out of performers going on about how great they are or how tough their work is (especially guys who hang out in magic shops spouting bull and only really perform for their magic club or their family)
It's not shit until it goes over with a crowd

When you get the wow's (how did you do that - which is usually a compliment in disguise), people have fun and enjoy themselves. When someone is transformed or taken away from the things that grind their ass on a daily basis, when a disabled child smiles a grin big enough to split their head .....

.... that's where the magic is

[cj]

Vick, good luck with the addition - i've been awaiting news of your first break and knew it was coming soon ...

had a really vague dream the other night but you were in there on stage with cirque as the dude who rides a unicycle around and entertains the crowd between the acts. maybe a sign ;-)

can't wait to experience one of your shows - knowing your love of fun i know i'll be entertained

[Vick]

Thanks CJ

Good news is I have paid shows almost every weekend but this could be a big/good break for us and a lot more exposure

Funny thing about your dream is Chrissy has been working on learning to ride a unicycle, I've tried a few times and let's just say unicycles are very um .... not testicle friendly

not that anyone asked but this is Chrissy,
It's not a great picture, we were a little inebriated and I started playing with a camera for the first time in years



Another funny thing, you mention Cirque
Varekai will be here next month and we've already got tickets for opening weekend

[cj]

I just finished reading celestine prophecy so i'm watching closely for those co-incidences

chrissy is a very attractive girl - great photogenic face ... you should get back into taking some pics, if only to do your promotional artwork and posters for your gigs etc.

re cirque, quidam was here last year and I went in about october or november ... it was the best one i've seen in a big top - moving stage etc which was pretty amazing in a portable tent.

I expect a personal invitation on your opening night of your guest appearance in cirque!!!

It shows that your art is a huge passion and the feed back from the crowd seems to be the payday for you.

Chrissy is very, very attractive indeed and if that’s the standard to photo you take when drinking, I would love to see some that you've taken sober lol.

Good luck and I hope this will be the break you've been waiting for

[nlphoto]

Definitely keep in that direction Vick... one of the BEST stand-up comedians I have
ever seen is Harry Anderson... excellent mix of stand-up and magic

[Vick]

Well we got the letter yesterday regarding our audition last Saturday and

..... we didn't make it

They were very nice to us and have invited us back for next years auditions (whoop de do)

I personally accept 100% responsibility for us not being chosen
I was a little tight and not as personable as normal in our opening (which I have no excuse for after having performed hundreds of times for ten of thousands of spectators)

We tried to cram an illusions show into a 15 minute slot (the 15 minutes included set up and break down) so we had about 10 minutes to actually work. First 3 minutes were humor stuff to get the crowd on our side then we went into Metamorphosis which can be challenging to do in just 7 minutes

It was Chrissy's first time out in front of a crowd that size and she held up pretty well. Our characters need more development as I play the "bad" guy a little too hard to her impish assistant that gets over on me

We connected with the audience ok to good, but there may be a little negative feel towards me because I play the bad guy a little to hard to an 8 foot tall imp assistant

We did have a minor tech glitch, Chrissy hit the curtain on her way down during Metamorphosis but it didn't change the illusion one bit and no one but a professional would have noticed. Also we used our own wireless mics but their PA had a little feedback once or twice but that's to be expected

It is to be a family oriented show due to location but I have to slip in a few jokes like when being chained by a spectator I say "these chains aren't like the ones you have at home, are they?"

Overall I have to chalk it up to a good learning experience (however painful I may find that). Of course I wish I had it to do over again. Have to admit it's the first audition in my life I didn't get

Still fairly booked up for the summer but this was a big opportunity with a lot of exposure

I'm pretty bummed out about it to be honest. Was fairly sure we'd get it, but not to the point of being cocky

We are considering doing some free benefit shows at local children's hospitals to get me out of my funk. Maybe do some free shows for children's libraries over the summer as well to get the smiles going again

Still I'm bummed, sad and disappointed

and that's Show Business, guess it's time to dust myself off, pick it back up and go out again

[Vick]

Originally posted by Carded@Apr 19 2005, 05:15 AM
It shows that your art is a huge passion and the feed back from the crowd seems to be the payday for you.

Chrissy is very, very attractive indeed and if that’s the standard to photo you take when drinking, I would love to see some that you've taken sober lol.

Good luck and I hope this will be the break you've been waiting for

Thanks again Carded!

[Vick]

Originally posted by nlphoto@Apr 19 2005, 05:49 AM
Definitely keep in that direction Vick... one of the BEST stand-up comedians I have
ever seen is Harry Anderson... excellent mix of stand-up and magic

Thanks NL

I'm a big Harry Anderson fan myself
I occasionally do his needle through arm bit (he did it on SNL about 15 years ago)

Also Harry Anderson has opened a magic/sideshow shop in the French Quarter and is scheduled to sometime open a restaurant to be called "Oswald's" in the French Quarter which will feature illusion entertainment

Harry started off doing con man bits in the French Quarter and has done a few books on con man games and such

[Vick]

Originally posted by cj@Apr 19 2005, 12:50 AM
chrissy is a very attractive girl - great photogenic face ... you should get back into taking some pics, if only to do your promotional artwork and posters for your gigs etc.

I expect a personal invitation on your opening night of your guest appearance in cirque!!!

Thanks again CJ

You're on the guest list if it ever happens, which I doubt it will
But Where ever we may play or tour you'll always be on the guest list

[Trev]

I'm sorry to hear you didn't get it Vick

I had hopes that this was going to be the break you had been looking for.

[Vick]

Originally posted by Trev@Apr 23 2005, 01:55 PM
I'm sorry to hear you didn't get it Vick

I had hopes that this was going to be the break you had been looking for.

Thanks Trev

We'll find it somewhere else


Edited to add- on the good news side a local comedy club contacted me last night and has asked me back, I did a bit there a few months back. It's not headlining but the middle spot

[Trev]

Originally posted by Vick+Apr 23 2005, 07:57 PM-->