Random I-Tunes Song of The Moment: Cover Me by Candlebox

The Essentials In Magic Series:

For Less than $10 bucks you get an incredible deal. This series of DVDs is one of the best "bangs for your buck" in magic today.

First of All, you get Daryl . . . one of the best teachers in magic. He's fun to watch and he makes learning whatever he teaches very easy.

Here's how I look at it . . . if it only cost me $10 bucks to learn how to perform CPR on a gnat and Daryl's teaching . . . I'm buyin'.

The Sponge Balls:

Let me get one minor "negative" out of the first. The opening scene is a shot of Daryl standing in front of a table full of tons of different sponge things . . . bananas, mushrooms, etc. I think I even saw the unforgettable sponge ding dong there. I hope not. Anyway, the complaint is that the DVD never discusses the other varieties of sponges. I felt that it would have been a good thing to discuss some of the various sponge props and the pros and cons, etc. of using different ones. Daryl very briefly touches on this, but never really discusses it in any depth.

If you've been watching this series of DVDs, you might recognize that much of it "speaking to" the beginner. However, you'll also notice that even expert masters can glean a few tips as well. This particular one (sponge balls) was much more heavily geared toward the newbie. However, that said, there were still a few lovely gems and tips that I found very useful and think even the experts would find valuable. One example is the old classic Martin Gardner 10 count sponge ball transposition. It's beautiful and very deceptive, but it requires a table.

Well, not anymore. Daryl reminds us of a clever method taking advantage of all the benefits of the 10 count transpo without the need for a table. This tip alone (if you don't already know it) is worth considering this DVD. The DVD covers multiple vanishes, multiple productions, basic routine structuring, multiple transpositions, some basic history, tons of tips, pointers, ideas, and much more. Daryl has culled information from throughout the history of magic to bring together a darn near exhaustive list of beginner "stuff" and an excellent whetting of the advanced appetite as well.

As if that weren't enough, some Slydini secrets were slipped into the mix as well as some excellent general magic tips for the beginner. I felt a sense of nostalgia as Daryl showed pictures from magic books from my early childhood. For a few brief seconds, I truly felt like a kid being exposed to magic for the first time again. It was beautiful. Both this DVD and the Linking Rings DVD from this series had this effect on me.

Long story short, I highly recommend this for just about anyone. Ok, fine, Lance Burton probably won't gain much from this (unless he doesn't know that sans table version of the 10 count transpo).

Final Verdict:
4.5 Stars with a Stone Status of GEM!