Boulder Pride

Was hired to perform magic at Boulder Pride’s outdoor festival on the Pearl Street Mall in Boulder, CO. As there was no stage or seating, it proved to be a great opportunity to work on my busking (street performing) skills.

In my opinion, street performing demands the most of any performer. It is necessary, but by no means sufficient, to be technically proficient. On the streets, it is truly the case that you must be able to handle your props without giving them a second thought, because all of your attention must be devoted to managing the audience.

When you start to build a crowd, you need to be ever alert. A group of people will be walking by and you may only have one second to engage them and ask them to stop. If you miss the window, they’ll make up their minds to continue walking and the opportunity will be lost. So you cannot afford to be thinking about your props or your secret maneuvers.

Often, people will stop, but will be hesitant to commit to watching your performance. They’ll stand a safe distance away while they decide whether or not to stick around. You’ll want to encourage them to move in closer where they can see better, but you can’t rush them. Instead, acknowledge their presence with eye contact and a smile. Just let them know that you know they are there. A bit later, you might direct a remark or a joke to them. Or perhaps YOU might approach THEM to show them something.

Once you’ve made them feel like they are invested in the show and they are a part of the show, you can make a direct request to move in closer.

Because magicians who work from the stage don’t have to build their own audience from scratch, they often overlook the little things that need to be done to coax an audience to stop and watch. It is an art which I have by no means mastered. But one which has paid great dividends in whatever performing environment I find myself.