Title: Cardio
Creator: Liam Montier
Publisher: BBM
MSRP: $ 22
Skill Level: Intermediate
Type of effect: 7 card tricks
Manufacturer's Write Up: Cardio is something of a 'concept album' - card tricks that are efficient, with a clear end picture, and all using nothing more than a regular deck of cards. No gaffs, gimmicks or shenanigans. Just grab any deck and you're ready to go.
Each of the seven tricks featured is a real 'do-er'. You'll be desperate to get out and fry people with these routines. In Liam Montier's inimitable style, they use simple, clear methods (well within the reach of most card handlers), and are super fun to perform.
What's in the box? DVD only
Key points: These are not the “self-working” tricks that you are used to.
How are the production values: Bare bones DVD, just Liam and the camera man in the BBM magic library. No live performances, no spectators, just Liam and a deck of cards. It’s still well produced and everything you’d expect from BBM.
Is it well taught:
Back Hand Slap - The classic 'Slap' revelation updated and refreshed, as you sneak a spectator's card into their own hand... and then change all their other cards into a royal flush! The idea here was to revitalize something that lots of magicians know and learn early on (the slap revelation) and turbo-charge it, making it a full routine. One simple move set's it all up be-fore your spectator even knows you've started!
Twisted - This starts off with a 'Twisting The Aces' handling that I'm very proud of - there's no displacements or discrepan-cies, and all four turn over clean as a whistle. Then suddenly, the Aces reveal two chosen cards in a VERY unexpected way! It's a more technical routine than some of the others, but the moves are very well covered and justified, so it's a great one to learn to give you confidence with some essential but more challenging moves.
Reality Burp - In terms of sheer effect, this is hard to beat. There's so many changes that happen (a packet of cards ALL change into a selection, and then into a second selection, and then... to KINGS!!!). Then there's a LOVELY moment where they think the two cards under the card box are going to be the selections, but there's ANOTHER back-fire transposition. It's like card-karate!
The Hof - I've experimented with many handlings of the classic 'Hofzinser Ace Trick', but this is the solution I love the most. Framed as a packet trick, it combines simple ideas from Jack Parker and Roy Walton to make a very surprising revelation and transposition. It also makes a perfect trick to do once you have produced four Aces, so you can easily routine this into a set or act.
The Other Thing - This one I've worked on a lot over the years, and I love it! You take a borrowed shuffled deck, and show the four kings spread throughout the deck. Those same Kings immediately appear EVERYWHERE! One you pluck from your pocket, one from the table, one is under the card box and one INSIDE the card case! All with NO PREPARATION AND SIMPLE MOVES! Learn it and I bet you WILL perform it.
Swing of Things - This easy routine employs a necklace as a pendulum and can be played any way you want... serious magic... slightly hippyish weirdness... or lightly (with the TERRIBLE joke I tip!!). Don't overlook it because it doesn't use much technique - the impact and clarity of the end picture really hits hard.
Pop Hoff - A really unusual Hofzinser's Ace variation with a startling visual production and then a kind of reverse Blind Lem-on Aces, where the Aces in your hand suddenly fuse together to make the selection! It's clean, quick and efficient. You will get a lot of fun out of this one!
Difficulty / Skill level required: These tricks go from “easy” to “knuckle busting:”
Overall score: let's toss out the traditional score of 1-10 and make this something that we all can appreciate and understand.
__X___ Very Satisfied
_____ Somewhat Satisfied
_____ Neither Satisfied or Dissatisfied
_____ Somewhat Dissatisfied
_____ Very Dissatisfied
_____ No Opinion
My thoughts Liam Montier always put out great material and Cardio is no exception. 7 killer tricks that give you a solid work out that is sure to please both audience and performer
+ Hey do you want to see my full review with even more of my opinions and ideas? Visit this link for my video review:
Creator: Liam Montier
Publisher: BBM
MSRP: $ 22
Skill Level: Intermediate
Type of effect: 7 card tricks
Manufacturer's Write Up: Cardio is something of a 'concept album' - card tricks that are efficient, with a clear end picture, and all using nothing more than a regular deck of cards. No gaffs, gimmicks or shenanigans. Just grab any deck and you're ready to go.
Each of the seven tricks featured is a real 'do-er'. You'll be desperate to get out and fry people with these routines. In Liam Montier's inimitable style, they use simple, clear methods (well within the reach of most card handlers), and are super fun to perform.
What's in the box? DVD only
Key points: These are not the “self-working” tricks that you are used to.
How are the production values: Bare bones DVD, just Liam and the camera man in the BBM magic library. No live performances, no spectators, just Liam and a deck of cards. It’s still well produced and everything you’d expect from BBM.
Is it well taught:
Back Hand Slap - The classic 'Slap' revelation updated and refreshed, as you sneak a spectator's card into their own hand... and then change all their other cards into a royal flush! The idea here was to revitalize something that lots of magicians know and learn early on (the slap revelation) and turbo-charge it, making it a full routine. One simple move set's it all up be-fore your spectator even knows you've started!
Twisted - This starts off with a 'Twisting The Aces' handling that I'm very proud of - there's no displacements or discrepan-cies, and all four turn over clean as a whistle. Then suddenly, the Aces reveal two chosen cards in a VERY unexpected way! It's a more technical routine than some of the others, but the moves are very well covered and justified, so it's a great one to learn to give you confidence with some essential but more challenging moves.
Reality Burp - In terms of sheer effect, this is hard to beat. There's so many changes that happen (a packet of cards ALL change into a selection, and then into a second selection, and then... to KINGS!!!). Then there's a LOVELY moment where they think the two cards under the card box are going to be the selections, but there's ANOTHER back-fire transposition. It's like card-karate!
The Hof - I've experimented with many handlings of the classic 'Hofzinser Ace Trick', but this is the solution I love the most. Framed as a packet trick, it combines simple ideas from Jack Parker and Roy Walton to make a very surprising revelation and transposition. It also makes a perfect trick to do once you have produced four Aces, so you can easily routine this into a set or act.
The Other Thing - This one I've worked on a lot over the years, and I love it! You take a borrowed shuffled deck, and show the four kings spread throughout the deck. Those same Kings immediately appear EVERYWHERE! One you pluck from your pocket, one from the table, one is under the card box and one INSIDE the card case! All with NO PREPARATION AND SIMPLE MOVES! Learn it and I bet you WILL perform it.
Swing of Things - This easy routine employs a necklace as a pendulum and can be played any way you want... serious magic... slightly hippyish weirdness... or lightly (with the TERRIBLE joke I tip!!). Don't overlook it because it doesn't use much technique - the impact and clarity of the end picture really hits hard.
Pop Hoff - A really unusual Hofzinser's Ace variation with a startling visual production and then a kind of reverse Blind Lem-on Aces, where the Aces in your hand suddenly fuse together to make the selection! It's clean, quick and efficient. You will get a lot of fun out of this one!
Difficulty / Skill level required: These tricks go from “easy” to “knuckle busting:”
Overall score: let's toss out the traditional score of 1-10 and make this something that we all can appreciate and understand.
__X___ Very Satisfied
_____ Somewhat Satisfied
_____ Neither Satisfied or Dissatisfied
_____ Somewhat Dissatisfied
_____ Very Dissatisfied
_____ No Opinion
My thoughts Liam Montier always put out great material and Cardio is no exception. 7 killer tricks that give you a solid work out that is sure to please both audience and performer
+ Hey do you want to see my full review with even more of my opinions and ideas? Visit this link for my video review: