Magic and Mahem in Austin
This has been a very busy time. I will work harder to share about that here more often. In the mean time... I'll share something fun.
This weekend I'm going to participate in one of my favorite behind-the-scenes events for magicians. It's the Austin Magic Auction. Magicians accumulate many things throughout their careers. There are weird magiciany gadgets and apparatus as well as books, videos and a wealth of curiosities. Once a year, magicians gather in Austin, TX to trade "old lamps for new." (Points go to people who can identify that reference.)
I am not selling anything this year... though I have a number of things that are ready to be discovered by a new owner. I will probably buy a few things... because I just can't help it. However, I will be acting in my favorite role as On-Stage Assistant to the Auctioneer. As assistant my job will be to help stage everything so the auctioneer can handle them smoothly and get them sold. This requires me to touch every single item that comes to the stage. As a bonus I sometimes am asked to "go figure out what this is so we can sell it." This provides opportunities for a real look at something and an exercise in my decades of accumulated magic knowledge.
As assistant I've had a chance to see many different styles and levels of quality in the objects that magicians own. I've learned a lot about what is valuable and what is knock-off junk. It's made me a little pickier as a purchaser because I've learned to appreciate the craftsmanship and other elements beyond the mere "secret" of how a magic trick works.
I suppose in some ways this has also shaped how I approach what I do as a performer. I work to not be a cheap "knock-off" in the entertainment world, but to embrace the things that make me unique. [I'm not like the other magicians!] :o) Taking the extra time to craft something that is just right is better than anything that's just duct-taped together at the last minute. I work to build an atmosphere for our projects of good quality at a reasonable price-- not just being the cheapest show around. I believe people appreciate that.
So I'm off to get organized and tomorrow I'll be completely inundated with everything magical. Perhaps I'll share a little bit when I return. I hope you'll join me.
This weekend I'm going to participate in one of my favorite behind-the-scenes events for magicians. It's the Austin Magic Auction. Magicians accumulate many things throughout their careers. There are weird magiciany gadgets and apparatus as well as books, videos and a wealth of curiosities. Once a year, magicians gather in Austin, TX to trade "old lamps for new." (Points go to people who can identify that reference.)
I am not selling anything this year... though I have a number of things that are ready to be discovered by a new owner. I will probably buy a few things... because I just can't help it. However, I will be acting in my favorite role as On-Stage Assistant to the Auctioneer. As assistant my job will be to help stage everything so the auctioneer can handle them smoothly and get them sold. This requires me to touch every single item that comes to the stage. As a bonus I sometimes am asked to "go figure out what this is so we can sell it." This provides opportunities for a real look at something and an exercise in my decades of accumulated magic knowledge.
As assistant I've had a chance to see many different styles and levels of quality in the objects that magicians own. I've learned a lot about what is valuable and what is knock-off junk. It's made me a little pickier as a purchaser because I've learned to appreciate the craftsmanship and other elements beyond the mere "secret" of how a magic trick works.
I suppose in some ways this has also shaped how I approach what I do as a performer. I work to not be a cheap "knock-off" in the entertainment world, but to embrace the things that make me unique. [I'm not like the other magicians!] :o) Taking the extra time to craft something that is just right is better than anything that's just duct-taped together at the last minute. I work to build an atmosphere for our projects of good quality at a reasonable price-- not just being the cheapest show around. I believe people appreciate that.
So I'm off to get organized and tomorrow I'll be completely inundated with everything magical. Perhaps I'll share a little bit when I return. I hope you'll join me.
posted by Chris Walden at
1:48 PM
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