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Looking for advice on a psychic routine

Do you know any routines using a stacked deck? You can really kill with nothing more than a stacked deck and a semi-convincing false shuffle.
 
A very minor point Senex, but I think you mean "Beltane", not Beltran :)

FWIW, I've been studying cold reading casually for over a year now, and wouldn't feel confident even trying it on a friend, let alone in public (even a credulous, pagan public!). From what I've read, the only way to break this is to leap right in and start getting experience of what works for you. But CR is so free-form, you might be better off doing something more out-of-a-box a la the Banachek tricks you mention.
 
Big Les said:
A very minor point Senex, but I think you mean "Beltane", not Beltran :)

FWIW, I've been studying cold reading casually for over a year now, and wouldn't feel confident even trying it on a friend, let alone in public (even a credulous, pagan public!). From what I've read, the only way to break this is to leap right in and start getting experience of what works for you. But CR is so free-form, you might be better off doing something more out-of-a-box a la the Banachek tricks you mention.
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Aah, I'd love more info on cold reading and it's techniques. I've come up with a few of my own, but any other resources you can point me to...
 
Ian Rowlands - Full Facts Book of Cold Reading
Herb Dewey - Red Hot Cold Readings
Bob Cassidy - The Real Work Of Cold Reading
Angelo Stagnaro - Something From Nothing
Robert Nelson - The Art Of Cold Reading & Answers To Questions
Kenton Knepper - Wonder Readings/Wonder Words
& Richard Webster has a range of "psychic" themed how-to books.

Ian Rowland's probably best for theory. Kenton Knepper & Richard Webster have good systems moving away from just standard scripts.
 
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You mentioned being able to bend silverware. Do that on stage. Banacheck does.

Do you do any memorized deck work?
Card calling is an excellent routine. Osterlind has it on a dvd.

1st effect get a boon writer from a magic shop. Hold up a piece of paper, ask someone to name a # from 1 to 10. THey name 7. You ask them why? while they answer you use the boon writer to put 7 on the piece of paper. Seems like you did nothing. When they are finished speaking turn the paper over and show 7.
 
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firecoins said:
1st effect get a boon writer from a magic shop.
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Boon writer is a name for a kind of swami gimmick. It goes by other names as well. Here's one for sale on Ellusionist. As firecoins says, you can do minor miracles with it.

Stacked deck tricks are great. Most magicians are familiar with the "Eight kings" stack and the "Si Stebbins" stack, but there are dozens of systems. A basic theme is that the spectator picks a card and you don't see what card he selected--you really don't--but you do see the card that was next to the one he selected, and you know what card came before (or after) that one in the stack.

Annemann (I think) took this one step further. You don't see the card the spectator picked, and you don't see the one next to it, either. But you see the one that is two cards away.
 
Big Les said:
A very minor point Senex, but I think you mean "Beltane", not Beltran :)

FWIW, I've been studying cold reading casually for over a year now, and wouldn't feel confident even trying it on a friend, let alone in public (even a credulous, pagan public!). From what I've read, the only way to break this is to leap right in and start getting experience of what works for you. But CR is so free-form, you might be better off doing something more out-of-a-box a la the Banachek tricks you mention.
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Hehehe...You were a little off yourself regarding how these rascals spell their celebration. They spell it "Beltaine." I'm ashamed I didn't remember their spelliing considering I'm thinking about being there but it helps that I was corrected by someone who also spelled it incorrectly himself ;) Don't claim you are British or Australian and have eccentric spelling (that's no excuse in god's country).

I've decided to perform in a field without a microphone in order to make sure I'm not performing for many people with high expectations. I am blessed with a loud voice. I won't be blessed with an elevated platform.
Big Les
You are preaching to the choir when you say cold reading should be excluded from a novice. I don't have the balls to do a cold reading in public. Hell. a warm reading is out of the question -- I'll do the "hot" reading when I have an index card they wrote in front of me.
Brown - firecoins
I'm planning on using a pencil to perform a fine Banachek illusion. I'm going inexpensive. I believe my silverware bending is only good for close-up.
 
you can present small effects on stage in front of large groups. Its in the staging. Even Uri Geller did this on stage.
 
firecoins said:
you can present small effects on stage in front of large groups. Its in the staging. Even Uri Geller did this on stage.
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I guess you mean the silverware. I've investigated the grease marker boon writer and believe my crowd may too large to read that writing from the back and having a spectator read out loud the the light pencil may be as effective (but the truth is I'm close to panicked and no longer am sure of anything). Bending silverware on stage takes way more balls than I have. Uri is an ******* that has taken money from people for private readings, but that SOB is pretty smooth at bending silverware. I'm not that smooth.

I suspect this crowd can go either way -- they may want me to succeed, or they may want to torch me at the end. I've lost faith in a number of effects I wanted to try. Imitating Banachek effects is what fear can do to an inexperienced performer. I recommend his videos at this point; I'll have a very informed opinion about trusting his effects within the month.
 
Important things to bear in mind:

This is not a group of people known for skeptiscism, like most crowds they'll be happy to go along with the magician. I'm considering doing a mentalism routine for the NZ Skeptics Conference later this year. I'm a little nervous about that.

Tricks that you think are too easy and really lame usually turn out the be the best effects. Throw in as much self-working easy stuff as you can - do it at the beginning and include a joky throw away effect. By the time you get to the 'hard' stuff you'll realise that the audience is on your side and you'll be more relaxed and confident.
 
Senex said:
Hehehe...You were a little off yourself regarding how these rascals spell their celebration. They spell it "Beltaine." I'm ashamed I didn't remember their spelliing considering I'm thinking about being there but it helps that I was corrected by someone who also spelled it incorrectly himself ;) Don't claim you are British or Australian and have eccentric spelling (that's no excuse in god's country).
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I think you'll find that both spellings are equally valid, and in fact that "Beltane" is the one in greater usage.

Sorry to come off as an arse (twice now). I mainly corrected you because of the Robert Beltran thing, which amused. Best of luck with your event.
 
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