The Power of Illusion
Aaron Davies and Luke Brady
by Chris Fanning August 18, 2003

Aaron Davies and Luke Brady frequently tote their magic to bars where they amaze by setting things aflame, making objects float and performing a variety of awe-inspiring tricks. They'll perform at ASU on Thursday, August 21. Recently they sat down with College Times and talked about their love of magic and the world of illusion.

College Times: What got you into magic?

Aaron Davies: I've been doing magic since I was a kid. A friend in school showed me a trick and I repeated the trick. And once you see that reaction you get from someone it kind of sparks an interest. Then when you do the trick for your family and you get that response again it really becomes addicting.
Luke Brady: I got my first few tricks in fifth or sixth grade with a neighbor of mine. We went in on it and bought some videotapes because it was cheaper that way and then I was on and off through high school. When I got into college I actually got back into it and I've been doing it a few nights a week for the past year.

CT: How's it working out for you then?

Luke: It's fun! It's definitely entertaining for us as well as the audience. You get to see different reactions. You can do the same tricks for people who are students, adults, children or homeless people. You get the same kind of reaction so it's really like a universal art.

CT: Do you guy get paid for this? Do bars commission you or anything?

Aaron: Some bars. We're trying to spark the business end of it a little more, but we've both done private parties and some corporate events. It's not a sole financial income, but it would be nice if it was our only job.

CT: Where would you put yourself in the magic spectrum? Are you the fourth best magician in this area or the best magician in the Southwest or what?

Aaron: I would think that we're probably one of the two best close-up magicians walking around the state of Arizona. We've both been doing it a long time and we're both members of the society of American magicians.

CT: There's actually a society?

Aaron: Yeah, they meet once a month. We normally only go if there is a performer we're interested in. There are actually a couple of groups. One of them I performed at and I did a trick where I float a cigarette. It's pretty convincing. It's probably the most visual trick I do. I've never met anyone else who does that trick. There are a few tricks that we do that are specific (to us) and nobody else does.

CT: Is your magic set up for bars?

Aaron: As far as in context?

CT: Yeah.

Aaron: There are certain tricks that you can do onstage that will draw the attention of a large group. I've done magic for like 30 people, but it's just more personable when you can do magic for small crowds. It's a little harder to dispute something that you see right in front of your face. I do a lot of tricks with coins and cards and it's harder to get people into it.
Luke: I think the biggest show I did was like 45 people and I walked out into the audience for most of my tricks because I did stuff with coins and rubber bands that was hard to see from far away and so many of the people were older. To get into the audience is the main reason that we like the smaller venues.

CT: What are the perks of being a magician?

Luke: Some of the places we go to like Casey Moore's, Fat Tuesday's, The Cue Club; we have a lot of cards on the ceiling at some of them.

CT: How did they get up there?

Luke: It's just an illusion that we do. When people see the cards up there they question how they got up there.
Aaron: It doesn't take long to get a name for yourself if you go to the same bars a couple times.

CT: Have you ever gotten laid because of magic?

Aaron: That's the number one thing that people say.
Luke: They ask it all the time.
Aaron: I really don't like to do it for girls more than guys. I just don't want people to think that you're trying to pick them up. I'd rather do it for some old guy who would appreciate it than for a group of girls who don't appreciate it. We do it more for the love of magic.
Luke: It's interesting to just have someone come up to you and say "Hey magic man, do a trick." We're probably the only guys who carry a deck of cards around with them.

CT: Do you really carry cards with you?

Luke: Yeah, I usually have two or three (decks). I was doing street magic once and I dropped my cards in a puddle and I didn't want to use them when they were all gross. So I always try to carry a spare on me. It's weird because if I go out without my magic stuff, I feel uncomfortable.

If You Go: Davies and Brady perform regularly at night at bars throughout Tempe, including Casey Moore's, Mill Cue Club and Fat Tuesday's. Look for cards on the ceiling.

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