Magic Review: The Real Secrets of Magic DVD by David Stone

I first saw David Stone perform live at a convention in North Carolina a few years back. His lecture was one of the best I had ever seen. It wasn't because of the effects he taught but because of the structure of the entire performance. It was more than just the show and tell format you are used to seeing by most lecturers; it was an act!

David has newer material on the market than the DVD I'm about to review, but this was the first of his that I purchased. I recommend you do the same. Watch the video below for my full review, and let me know your thoughts. Also, if you like what you see, please consider signing up for my free email newsletter on the right of this page.



I forgot to mention in the review that Jean-Luc Bertrand was the director of this DVD. If you haven't seen his award winning short film, The Real Secrets of Magic, check it out below. Luckily, it is also included on the DVD.



David Stone's Real Secrets of Magic DVD is available here.

Tribute to JC Wagner

JC Wagner was one of my favorite personalities in magic. I never had the pleasure of meeting him, but I have enjoyed seeing him perform on DVD. He had a kind, unassuming performing character that was immediately likable. On top of all that, he had tremendous chops and a creative mind. He will be missed.

To pay tribute to Mr. Wagner, I'm posting this video of one of my favorite effects of his. The routine is called "Factory Misprints."

Magic Review: Reinventing the Real by Tyler Wilson

Who says magic books are dead? I've already talked about how much I enjoyed John Guastaferro's newest book. Now we're looking at a new release from Tyler Wilson. Check out what I have to say about Reinventing the Real in the video below.

This book is available from the Cherry Villain website.

If you like these reviews, please follow me on Twitter and Facebook and sign up for my magic email newsletter. Links to all of those accounts are located to the right of this page.  Also, if you would like me to review a product, please contact me at caleb@calebwiles.com.

Tricks in your Wallet

When you're out and about with friends or family, someone will inevitably ask you to show them a trick. While there are tons of impromptu routines in the magic literature, I like to make sure I'm always prepared by stashing away a few cards in my wallet for just this situation.

The first trick I'm always prepared to perform is Max Maven's "B'Wave." This modern classic should be in the repertoire of every magician. It packs small, plays big, and is completely impossible. I'll never forget the first time I saw the routine performed by Eugene Burger. It completely blew me away. Simple, yet powerful. What more could you ask for?

The second routine I carry is an ungaffed version of Marin Lewis' "Sidewalk Shuffle." The idea has been attributed to many performers including Michael Ammar, Louis Falanga, and John Luka. Antony Gerard is often unnamed even though he independently devised the routine before the other published versions. Again, the effect is simple, easy to follow, and delivers a huge impact.

So what tricks are you always prepared to perform?
 

The Poker Face Card Trick by Indianapolis Magician Caleb Wiles

Hey guys, here's another quick performance video taken from an impromptu performance for a few friends of mine. Many of you will recognize this as the classic Biddle Trick, which has to be one of my favorite routines in magic. I do the "move" a little differently than usual thanks to Jon Armstrong's DVD's where he teaches a little addition to the standard steal that makes the routine play much bigger. He's got tons of other great stuff on the DVD set as well. Check it out at www.VanishingIncMagic.com.

Also, check out John Guastaffero's book One Degree for another take on the Biddle Trick.

Steve Beam's Semi-Automatic Card Tricks Vol. 8

Without a doubt, Steve Beam is one of my favorite all-around magicians. He's a tremendous performer, extremely creative, and an amazing author. I was so excited to find his latest release, Semi-Automatic Card Tricks Vol. 8, at my front door this morning. I'll definitely be diving into the book this weekend.

Earlier this week I posted about hidden gems in magic. If you like searching for these items, the Semi-Auto books are a gold mine. Most of the stuff I use to fool magicians can be found in the series. In fact, I've contributed one of my own original magician foolers to this volume. The routine is called "Armchair Mind Reading." I also submitted an idea for Steve's Killer Count called "Curiously Counted." Check them both out and let me know what you think.

If you're on the fence about purchasing, listen to what a few others have to say about the book.

"Ever since I was a kid, I've been a fan of Steve Beam's. He's one of the smartest magicians in the world. Period. Primarily because his brain gets more sunlight than most." - Aaron Fisher, author of The Paper Engine

"Steve Beam is an incredible entertainer and I encourage you to buy all of his books! I did!" - Bill Malone, the CEO of Comedy Magic

"Steve Beam is one of my favorite writers, creators, and performers in magic and the only card magician I can watch for an hour and never look at my watch! The material Steve puts in his books is pure gold. There are more modern and original ideas for presentation than any series out there. Makes me think you should step away from this material completely!" - Bob Sheets, Good Magician and Funny Guy

"The Semi-Automatic Card Tricks series is a must read. Then, when you see Steve do the material, it's a must re-read." - David Solomon, author of The Wisdom of Solomon

"Steve not only possesses serious chops, he's also a noted writer, humorist, and prominent lecturer. If that's not enough, Steve is also the author of the Semi-Automatic Card Tricks series - one of the finest, cutting-edge, compilations of card magic on the planet. This highly successful series is chocked full of superb, practical material, and is a must read for anyone who loves the pasteboards." - Tom Gagnon, author of Cards Across the Table 

To purchase Semi-Automatic Card Tricks Vol. 8, head over to Steve's website.

Magic Review: One Degree by John Guastaferro

In college, I used to write reviews of magic products for fun. I haven't done it in awhile, but a book I just finished recently sparked my interest in the idea again. Inspiration struck and I decided to film a video review. We'll see how people like it and maybe I'll film a few more of these things. At any rate, here's my review for John Guastaferro's new book One Degree.



For more of John's products, make sure to visit his website.

Hidden Magic Gem #1

What's the old saying? If you want to keep something hidden, put it in print. I think there's some definite truth to that statement. After all, there are SO many things being published every week in the world of magic; who could ever keep up? Well, that's where this blog comes in. Every once in awhile I will share a hidden magic gem buried away in a book that you may well have laying around at home. Of course, I'm just trying to get the ball rolling. If you come across a hidden gem in your own studies, I would love to hear about it.

The first one comes from Jack Parker's e-book Set to Kill. The trick is called "Buried Alive." The routine has a feel similar to Ryan Swigert's Kickback but without the use of gaffed cards. A video performance may be seen below.

Unfortunately, Jack's e-books are no longer available. However, his hardcover book 52 Memories is full of great material.

Performing "Reswindled" - Paul Harris' favorite version of "Reset"

This footage was taken from the Rainmakers Young Entrepreneurs event at Indy's Urban Element. The routine I perform is my own version of "Reset" that I call "Reswindled." Paul Harris and Allan Ackerman were the original creators of "Reset" and both now perform my version. The effect is explained in my book High Spots. It also appeared in Paul Harris' True Astonishment DVD set.