Sandy's Reaction

After the gig, I did Clear Mind Sky to a lady named Sandy (my mom's name) last night who was trying to let go of someone who was close to her. I don't do this effect for everyone, because it isn't for everyone. The people who are supposed to feel it will feel it, and share what they've felt with others. This was her reaction:

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I feel positive changes in the air. I can't believe what you did last night with that card and what I yelled inside my head. Have you ever felt there was a mission or a purpose something you had to do, but wasn't sure what it is? That is what it is like with this man Gary. He is coming over tonight. Funny, I can pick up on other people, but not myself. I know you are special, I can feel it...I felt it the moment I laid eyes on you. I do know this, you are on the right path, you have a special quality......your spirit is wonderful, however too many people tune their Spirits out. They will not listen to their hearts. You must find a way to reach them. I can help in some way. I am not sure what it is yet, but we will figure it out.

Don't change!

With Love,

Sandy

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For every one hundred rounds of applauses, WTFs, and dollars thrown into the hat, every now and then I stumble upon a gem of a reaction that tells me what I am doing is worth more than I know. Magic is a great language. I am honored to speak it and deliver what needs to be heard, seen, and felt.

-antidote

Jadu Jedi

The purpose of what we do is to spread a feeling that know other art form can articulate. It is a smile that cracks deeper than delight. If it's a laugh, it's a wonderful mix of being terrified and awe-struck, like standing before your first love, and willing to submit every bit of yourself to the gravity of that moment. It's a way of opening your eyes to the expanse of what you don't know, and absorbing it for the first time, like the light from suns you've never seen. The Hindus called it Jadu; like jade, or something precious. It's a string of curse words spoken spontaneously- the WTFs, NFWs, and OMFGs- as if running to God himself and asking Him to shake off the spell the magician has cast over you. It's frightening and funny, like discovering a spider on your back. The reactions of magic crack open and crumble even the finest of minds. It's distinct, instantaneous, and pushes buttons no other art form can touch. It caves you in like a sinkhole into your psyche. When done right, magic moves its audience, as fast as a free fall. There is no trickery or secrets around the reactions we spread. Magicians everywhere are united in that purpose, like the Knights Templar, or Jedi of Jadu. We are few and far between, so seek us out: we are bringers of a feeling found no where else.

-antidote

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Also, random props for this inspiration goes out to our magi crew counterpart in the Philippines, a troupe of doper than dope magicians called the Magic Window. They are essentially spreading what we spread, the raw, organic way we do it, on the other side of the planet. For more info on the Philippines' Magic Window crew, check out http://www.facebook.com/themagicwindowcebu

The Magic Window of Cebu City, Philippines

Alakaspam

Egos as aside as possible, I take pride in saying that my man Remy Connor aka Sam has slayed me once again with his performing superiority. Right after suffering from a major car accident, I visited him to see that he was okay. He was cheerful and positive as ever, and I was glad to see him there in his apartment playing videogames and laughing, instead of in a hospital bed with a neck brace on. He would have still been laughing and being cheerful even if he was there in a hospital bed, and find a way to say "awesome" despite the non-awesome things a car crash can bring.

Here is a video I randomly ran into of him performing at a gig we did on Las Olas. This was actually the last time I performed alongside him since his car accident...

And so I the antidote am reminded of my former rival, the smoke-breathing serpent mage who manages to stand head and shoulders above the rest of the House in performing prowess. Sam is bar-none one of the best performers I know, and I delightfully envy the dynamics, grace, and potency of the way he delivers his magic to the minds of his spectators. He is alive, and well. He is not dead. He may be working less in magic these days, and sitting in an apartment playing videogames despite his physical injuries. He is still saying "awesome" even when life is telling him your car is totaled. I am so glad this isn't a eulogy. I feel like it is quite the opposite. My rival lives. He is still the insanely powerful magician I remembered him as when Mark and I met him at a magic convention many years ago. This lady who took the video could have posted Mark's set, or my set. She posted Sam's set. Sam slayed us. I am honored.

-antidote

New Promo Trailer

So here it is

We tried capturing the reactions more, which any good spectator or aficionado of magic knows that's where the art is. Enjoy!

-antidote

A Better Canvas

So here I sit, at the edge of another show's end. My feet dangle and kick lazily at the end of the stage, with no one left in the room to watch. The spotlight flickers above me, and debris of popcorn and half-drunk drink cups lightly litter the aisles. I love this part of the show!

I love the feeling of doing a captive show, and at the end, celebrating with myself for completing another mission. The feeling right after a show ends is kind of like that Friday feeling for you office mongers, or that first day of summer break. I chills at the edge of my shows, and pour myself a glass of wine to unwind after the dust settles.

I think I made a tremendous step forward in the goal of self-expression through the art of magic at this last event. I just need my own venue. It's so hard to say what you want to say, and paint what you want to paint if your on a moving train or in a noisy bar. The venues available to most working magicians today are less than suitable canvases for expressing ones-self, and spreading the energy you wish to spread. I'm grateful for every night I'm able to call a venue my own and turn it into my canvas for an hour. It's like, a studio with nice lighting and quiet space and an entire blank wall to work on if you're a graffiti artist, as opposed to infiltrating a subway tunnel at night and throwing down a bomb really quick before you have to dip. That's how strolling and even busking is: get in, throw down your bomb, and be out. It's kind of limited in what you can do.

It takes less energy to do those short, 5-15 min burst shows, but it's always nice coming back to a full show for a captive audience for a solid hour, who pay to come and see you. I'm just meditating at the edge of the stage these things. I'm excited to bring my show to another venue soon. I hope you can see it. It's pretty different from what you're used to seeing magicians do.

-antidote

Chopping Bamboo

So, as the mighty founder of the rogue mage dojo the House of Flying Cards, commanding armies of magicians at my disposal like Gengis Kahn to conquer crowds wherever we go, I secretly freelance at a 9-5 desk job every now and then. It's great! It's so laid back. I pick up the phone and ask people if they would like free movie tickets, as opposed to picking up the phone and convincing people to book our shows. I sit peacefully in an air-conditioned cubicle surrounded by movie posters, as opposed to standing under the hot sun in front of groups of strangers waiting to be impressed. It's low-intensity, and stable. I have tasted this world. It's humbling, and there's peace in low-brainpower tasks such as shipping boxes of movie posters and stuffing envelopes. I once read that a Buddhist monk from the Ching Dynasty fled the bustle of the imperial city to retire in the mountains, and chop bamboo. He achieved enlightenment this way. It's a change of pace, the 9-5, but the more I do it, the more energy I store up energy for my next run on the performance grind. I love the way things balance out: low-intensity office hours and high-intensity gig runs. I can appreciate the balance both bring to my being!

-antidote

Ego

A good friend and mentor of mine Alex Geiser has had a profound impact on how I approach this art. He also does a gangster coin matrix that is too hardcore to compete with or comprehend how hardcore it hits you in the brain. Anyway, out of all art forms, magic has the potential to inflate your ego more-so than music, painting, and the like, because you get instant props! Like the response is right away. People will tend to worship you if you did what your supposed to do correctly. This is bad. Ego is bad. Let it go like sand.

-antidote

"The root of this behavior lies in the ego. A lot of people think they understand ego because they are aware of the definition of the word. The one’s who are cocky may be that way because of ignorance. We are magicians, we are supposed to be people’s people. If wer’e not, how can people like your magic if they don’t like you? Or better yet… how can you make people dream if their too busy thinking you are a douche? To fully understand, you also have to be aware of how you are percieved. And that’s why you should be the respectful gentleman. The main lesson of this topic is, ‘ Let go of the ego’. Your knowledge will increase because you should understand that everyone has something to bring to the table."

- Alex Geiser on the Ego

for more info on the gangster hardcore magic of Alex Geiser go to http://www.myfavoritemagician.com