Reviews of products by Brian T. Lees
6 ★★★★★ reviews
6 ★★★★★ reviews
1 ★★★★★ reviews
Abraca-Poof December 2017
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Brad Smithart (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Wednesday 02 April, 2025)
The article "Do As I Do - Not As I Say" makes the intriguing argument that the real offense in copying another magician's presentation is not primarily in the physical actions (which in some ways is limited by the effects) but by stealing the patter.
This issue also contains an interesting article about humility and taking criticism.
Abraca-Poof December 2016
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Brad Smithart (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Wednesday 02 April, 2025)
Since this is a December issue, it focuses primarily on wrapping up the year and beginning a new one. In addition to the standard articles about organization and planning, this issue includes a fun gag by Aldo Colombini, the "Failed Card Trick."
Abraca-Poof August 2018
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Brad Smithart (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Thursday 30 January, 2025)
Another collection of useful hints for the working magician. There's nothing really exciting in this issue, but Brian deals with OCR scanning magic magazines, etc., keeping props in good shape, and making use of the local library for magic learning, among others.
Abraca-Poof April 2019
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Brad Smithart (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Monday 30 December, 2024)
My favorite article in this issue is on the use of sponsors to fund your magic shows. Although I've been involved in working with sponsors for multiple non-profits, I've never thought about applying the same approach to magic. The other articles were interesting as well.
Abraca-Poof April 2018
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Brad Smithart (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Monday 30 December, 2024)
As usual, the author provides useful, real-life advice for working magicians. Most of the articles in this issue center around building or destroying your reputation.
Abraca-Poof August 2017
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Brad Smithart (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Saturday 14 December, 2024)
The author discusses three types of magician personalities he has encountered.
He also includes tips for building a backdrop, instructions for making a rip-open change bag, as well as other useful articles.
Abraca-Poof August 2016
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Brad Smithart (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Saturday 14 December, 2024)
This issue contains an interesting article on magicians who "steal" bookings by undercutting the prices of other magicians.
It also provides advice on marketing your services as an investment, on non-verbal communication, and on the rewards of planting seeds of kindness.
Abraca-Poof April 2017
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Brad Smithart (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Saturday 14 December, 2024)
This issue contains another article on invoicing for charity shows.
It also includes an entertaining article on music licensing, among others.
Abraca-Poof November 2016
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Brad Smithart (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Wednesday 11 December, 2024)
This issue contains another nice collection of mostly business-oriented advice. The article on invoicing for donated performances was particularly interesting.
Abraca-Poof October 2016
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Brad Smithart (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Wednesday 11 December, 2024)
This issue is jam-packed with useful information. I particularly like the short routine called "Bar Code."
The running theme through most of the articles is on elements that separate professional magicians from amateurs.
Abraca-Poof February 2020
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Brad Smithart (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Sunday 08 December, 2024)
This issue of Abraca-Poof contains articles on marketing and reputation, as well as taking care of magic props. There is nothing startling or new, but it provides good reminders for things that we might be tempted to forget -- things that can separate amateurs from professionals.
Definitely worth a read.
Abraca-Poof August 2020
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Brad Smithart (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Saturday 07 December, 2024)
In this issue, Brian provides some tips for pre-/post-show sales of small tricks.
Curiously enough, he also revisits some topics from older issues, including recovering from performance mistake, and backing up information (including patter) for tricks that might not be frequently performed.
The primary tip from the article on patter is: do not underestimate the patter that often comes with purchased tricks, as they are occasionally unexpected gold mines.
Abraca-Poof August 2019
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Brad Smithart (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Saturday 07 December, 2024)
My favorite article from this issue is on recovering from mistakes during a performance. It included some good tips and one-liners.
Another good article was on the role of assistants in magic.
Abraca-Poof April 2020
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Brad Smithart (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Saturday 07 December, 2024)
My favorite articles in this issue were on:
"Backing up" your magic so that you can revisit how to do tricks you might not have done for a while.
The necessity (and possibilities) of performing magic while working within your physical limitations.
Sponsored Shows
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by V D (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Thursday 21 October, 2021)
Unfortunately this must have been one of the most disappointing downloads for me, ever. Poorly written, wordy, repetitive, and outdated. The premise - a discussion on the sponsorship for the shows - is barely touched upon. You do learn how to hang flyers to the billboard, how to write a scheduled date into your calendar, and other items that have little to do with what you want to learn from this book. Lots of filler. The information that does concern sponsoring of shows could have been written in maximum one paragraph, no more.
I also didn't appreciate the fact that the book description makes reference to the pandemic, with the obvious implication that the information provided is the most up-to-date. It's not at all. There is no mention of the internet at all as if it did not exist. The sponsoring party will sponsor your magic because that's a cheaper alternative to paying for a TV ad, and that's true. But what about other means for companies to market their products? For example, SOCIAL MEDIA?!? No mention of it at all. It really felt to me that the booklet was written 20-30 years ago, with a few "modern" words squeezed in last minute - such as "pandemic", "YouTube", "mobile phone".
Heavily overpriced in my opinion.
Oops. Now What?
Overall customer rating: ★★★★★reviewed by Devin Knight (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Monday 28 November, 2016)
Vital information that should be read by any magician who does public shows. S**t happens and this shows you how to deal with it.