I almost messed up a personal effect of mine but it ended up working out. I ended up using an improv fixit. Also, what happend?

P.S. I bet this even happens to the best of us.

I once screwed up "open travellers". Haven't performed it anymore because I realised I had to practise more to do justice to this effects. It has now been 6 months and still working on it. Getting there though

I have messed up (some slightly, some more) just about every single routine I've performed, funny enough...

Check out some of what Steven Youell has written (and others of course) on "being prepared" in every magic routine you do....

With enough preparation, any mistake you make should come easily because of planning and experience... You should have an "out" for anything, or at least be able to cover with something even more amazing should something seriously go wrong... in any case, don't fear it, because if you fear it you will shut down and can't react!

I have performed for years Dingle's twist, and never really had a problem with it until I was doing a shoot for TV...LOL I did mess up the sequence but it turned out o.k. as I did a quick fix. Kind of funny story not relating to cards, I use to do a dove act and one time I produced a dead bird (not the funny part). The bird had a stroke prior to the production(so the vet said) Anyway for a act like that preparation is the key, For 3 years I had a cover up for that if it were to ever happen. My cover up was to topit the sick bird, and steal a rubber bird under the silk....as I was doing the throwing motion. Well for a long time I never had to do it except that night. I am glad I was I prepared. So even if we don't mess up a lot you just never know it might be a week or like in my case 3 years...before you need that out.

tpdmagic

Steven Youell, being prepared?

A.

I will never forget the time I was floating a rose live on stage in front of 2000 people when "PING", the thread broke and the rose fell to the floor. I just turned and smiled with a small bow and the audience thought I meant to do it. I ALWAYS keep a deck of cards in my back pocket when I am doing anything to music. I fill the time left I did an impromptu card production routine. What was funny was that I still had a hoop around my neck that I had not used so I held it out, reached through it, and produced the final fan. A magician friend of mine was killing himself in the second row.

But man was I ever glad to have those cards...

I dropped a hand dye tube once. Looked up to ceiling and said, "What was that that fell?" Picked up the tube, pretended to put it into other hand, vanished it, then went right on with the color changing silk.

Another time finishing the guillotine we couldn't get it open. Had to lift it up and carry it -- with the spectator still in it -- offstage where the crew finally got him out.

It did get great laughs, tho...

These are excellent stories! I'm hoping to hear more... Please, you experienced performers, keep sharing! (And thanks for sharing )

I did the invisible deck once and realized I pulled the cards out the wrong way. (I needed the even side but pulled out the odd side). I put the cards back in and told them I forgot to "shuffle the cards". I just shook them up and down while in the case. And when I pulled them back out, it is a different face card proving the cards are "mixed"; and the "shuffle" made their card turn over. It was a good save and the "shuffling" made it more amazing.

Miguel Rangel

Nerves, sweaty or dry hands and a failing memory has gotten the best of me more than once.

Lol never ever mess up a double lift because they will say for every following effect that you do.. "ah he had two card there" lol

I mess up my card tricks all the time!!!

That is not something to take pride in... It happens to me every once in a while and it hurts my feelings so bad I wont show that trick again for weeks...

I mess up a lot, probally a few times during every show; however 99% of the time the audience never knows.
It's all about taking a mistake and just running with it.

Here's a recent one - doing card on ceiling, tossed up the pack, "smack" it hit the ceiling, but the card didn't stick (hanging tiles), so I pick up the pack (good thing the elastic was still on tight) and asked the guy to concentrate on his card, I ended up just sticking it to my back and turning around to show the card "magically" there.

Music to my ears.
I'm glad to hear you care Tielie.
Thanks for sharing!!!

Frank

Who hasn't? If not, they'd be lying.
<<<<KRaZy4kardz>>>>

No offense, but if you're doing a show, you should mess up very rarely. I wouldn't think about doing a show until my material was 99% (100 is impossible).

I guess you're right.
That's why I never work with Tigers.


A.

I consider messing up , forgetting A phase, leaving out a joke , have someone do something unexpected(like shuffle the cards) you'd be lying to say you never mess up, it's all how you handle it. Oh ya - I make a living doing magic, last year I did over 350 shows. After 17 years I just know how to hide a slip up.

While doing a kid's birthday party at my rich Uncle's house, the following happened; performing an old trick called "In The News" (newspaper and water), I began to pour the water into the rolled up paper. My sister, who used to be my assistant for years, on this night was just a spectator. Anyway, as I began to pour the water, she jumped up and said, "Wait a minute!" To my surprise, she ran to the kitchen and came out with a large bowl, which she positioned directly under the paper. Holding the bowl, she looked at everyone and said, "I've seen my brother do this trick hundreds of times, and I don't want him to spill any water on Uncle Fred's expensive new Persian rug (she likes to show-off in front of family. They all laughed) So I continued to pour the water into the paper. Just before I unrolled the paper to show the water had vanished, she removed the bowl and stepped aside, again giving me the center of attention (...and knowing that this trick never fails.) After showing each of the 4 pages dry, I then folded the paper into quarters and began waiving the paper in the air, as I pattered, "... you see, the water has vanished from the paper but is actually hanging in the air in tiny molecules. If I waive this paper, I'll try to collect those molecules..." At this point (for the first time ever) a glob of water flew out the top corner of the paper and landed on the hardwood floor, just 6 inches from the Persian rug I was standing on. Everyone exploded into laughter as I stood there frozen... As my sister ran to get the paper towels, I picked up the glass and finished pouring the rest of the water into the glass (laughter continues) As I sat the glass on my side table, I looked down at my sister (profusely drying the water on the floor)... then looked up to the audience and calmly said, "I guess there was more water in the air than I thought!" (Laughter re-ignites... good time was had by all... at my expense.) Whew!!!

Dave