Saw this book "Everything About Street Magic" in bookstore. Browsed through the book out of curiosity and realized that the author did REALLY think that "street magic" is actually a genre of magic... as with card magic or coin magic, (at least it was implied in his words) when most of us know that it is really close-up magic.

So it dawned on me that if a card magician changes one card to another, does a street magician changes one street to another? Eg: Changing AMK ave 1 to Toa Payoh Lorong 7? Or if a coin magician vanishes and reproduces a coin, does a street magician vanishes a street (eg AMK Ave 1 again) into thin air and reproduces it from his eh... nostrils?

I was reminded of this little confusion over the term "street magic" when I read Nique Tan's "Working the Crowd" where he had a chapter devoted to this subject. Somehow, this litle issue resurfaced again when I was asked by a somebody not too long ago whether do I perform "street magic"? I replied no, I can't palm a street.... :P (ok, quite lame I know..)

I don't want to pretend that I know about the difference right from the start. I used to think that street magic is the opposite of stage magic, any magic that is performed off-stage must be street. It's only after some time and education that I'm able to distinguish the differences between stage, parlour and close-up. (or so-called street magic)

Now I cringed when young boys told me they are "street magicians" when they just bought some gimmicks from magic shops or "How to do Street Magic" by E. Ironically, most of the effects from that video is not performed on street, I should know, it was my first magic video.

"Street Magic" is actually the name of the TV special by David Blaine but somehow that name sticks. Just like "walkman" was actually the name of the model of Sony's portable cassette player but it beacame THE term for that gadget....hmm... does anyone still remember that? :P

Why ... Street Magic Doesn't Exist .. remember ? ;)

But we have to admit, if it wasn't for David Blaine started doing magic on streets, the hype would have long gone :mellow: (i think so :P)

Magic to me was big illusions and rabbits out of magicians' hat. Until David Blaine came along...

Yea, magic will not have received such high popularity if it wasn't for 'street magic'

There sure is lots of magicians all around the worlds, whose skills are very very good.

But only 3 names that can make the world look at 'magic' again

- Harry Houdini
- David Copperfield
- David Blaine

Those 3 are the one that bring 'magic' to be recognized again by the world, each in their own era :)

I believe street magic doesn't exist, (If you called stage magician, you don't vanish a stage and appear a stage) Ha ha.. But like you said, its like walkman, the term is generally used by people and people assume that this term exists. But in realistic, walkman doesn't represent anything, its a name for a device that Sony invented and produce, same go to some mobile phone names.

Street magic in short is like close up magic done in a street setting. Ya Thats what I always define it. Unless we walk on the street, then suddenly vanish, then appear on the other side of the street, now maybe thats something interesting. :)

personally i think you'd be really famous if you could really change AMK ave 1 to Toa Payoh Lorong 7. wonder if someone should try coming up with that, changing the name of the street sign. the police might put you in jail for that!

but on a more serious note i don't really think the name itself is very important; would being called a street magician or close-up magician change the type of magic you do? when the labels are removed, what remains can be rather similar.

For laypeople in general, Street Magic is the closest thing to real magic (No weird and fancy looking gimmicks and boxes) and the street is the stage.

For Magicians, Street Magic is just close up magic. To me it is close up magic + TV magic.

For some magic companies, Street Magic is a useful term for marketing their magic products to young unsuspecting newbie magicians who want to look "as cool as David Blaine". Like what Axl pointed out, majority of the effects cannot even be performed on the streets.