Joe Rindfleisch's ULTIMATE JUMP/ B.A.R. / & WHAT NOT from his DVD Extreme Rubber Band Magic

What The Audience Sees:

'This week Django made an elastic band jump off two of his fingers onto his other two. Then he "showed" us how he did it by breaking the band but then he made it whole again! We asked to see it again and he broke a band in two and then tied it together to make it complete. We all groaned but then he told us to watch and the knot came off and the band was absolutely complete!'

How It Went:

This weeks Magic Friday went really well. I'm a big fan of rubber bands because they are so easily and readily examinable. People sometimes don't trust cards but they can't argue with a rubber band- there's simply nothing to hide.

I started off by making the band jump from my two fingers and thumb onto my other two fingers. This got some good reactions but nothing crazy. I then 'demonstrated' how I did it and performed B.A.R. ( Broken And Restored Rubberband). It took me a solid week of practicing this to make it completely perfect and it paid off. Believe it or not, I started to develop a rubber band blister, but it is more than worth it- it's fantastic. People would then really start to light up at this point and ask to see it again. I would perform What Not and simply floor them. Magic at it's finest.

Best Lines:

In one office, after I did B.A.R., a spectator took the elastic from me and pulled out a Swiss Army Knife. (For those of you who don't know 'What Not', it can start from what looks like a rubber band that's been cut and retied...

Never in my life have I prayed so hard, so fast. Please cut it, Please cut it, Please cut it.

Spectator:

'Let's see you restore it this time!'

Other Spectators:

'Ah, be nice...'

Me:

In my head, "SHUT UP! Let him cut it! Please cut it..."

Spectator:

'SNIP!'- the most beautiful sound in the world.

Me:

"Wow, that's going to be tough. Let me have it and...(I tie it)...Voila!"

Spectator:

'Ah, you just tied it!'

Me:

I put it on my wrist and switch it for my What Not band.

"Oh, well what happens if I take the bits of the knot off..."

It's completely restored.

Spectator:

Dead silence. I mean nothing. I think you could hear the clock tick. Perfect. The greatest thing I heard all day. Complete and Total Shock.

Angry Bob Rating:

I have a co-worker (Bob) whose uncle was a magician and thereby has a good working knowledge of how magic works. He's pretty grumpy but likes Magic Friday's because he can tell me how he figured out how the effect is done...

Overall 4/5. He had an idea that the bands are being manipulated in some way but he doesn't know how.

My Rating:

3/5, 4.5/5, 4.5/5 respectively. I ended up dropping the Ultimate Jump later in the day. It didn't seem to add too much to the other two effects. It's a good effect but it can't compare with the other two combined (IMO).

The Django Tip:

The inherent problem with a lot of rubber band magic is the pulling and stretching required to lead into some effects. Don't telegraph that you're going to do a rubber band trick until you are in ready position. Ask them what they think of the party so far or what they're doing this weekend while you're getting into position.

Closing Thoughts:

Joe has a killer DVD on his hands. I was actually having Analysis Paralysis and couldn't decide where to start, there are so many effects. But pick a couple a day, here and there, and you'll find Something that will fit your style. Great Work Joe!

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND EVERYONE!

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