April, 2012 Issue

Daniel Martin

Daniel Martin is an anomaly. He attacks magic with an exuberance that is rarely seen by magicians a such a young age and his audiences not only appreciate this personal twist but the revel in it. It is not unusual that a magician would start his adventure into the trade at a very young age but for Daniel, not only was he talented but it cause somewhat of a problem for his fans...or should we say victims.

"When I was eight years old, I got a lot of attention and some trouble, because I would pickpocket people." So his grandparents decided to put his new found skills to better use and bought young Dan a magic kit.

From the time he was twelve, Daniel became a wiz at performing, always looking for new ways to intrigue his audience. "By the time I was in high school, I was performing at bars, clubs, parks and special events in Chicago. I learned that it was not about the skill I had as a magician but how they reacted to the experience."

Every young performer dreams of modeling their success after one legend or another. For Daniel it was David Copperfield. "There is just no better example of awesome showmanship and talent that will blow an audience out of the water than Copperfield." But Dan quickly realized that his performance was better when he was himself not someone he tried to emulate. What you get to see now in Daniel's show is pretty much all Daniel. "My show is all about the connection with the audience. When people see my show today, it is a little bit crazy and a little bit intense but in a good way and it reflects back on comedians that made me laugh when I was growing up...Martin Short, Steve Martin, Robin Williams."

Daniel's artist report cards over the last couple of years have been very impressive. What makes him so popular? "There are a lot of big egos and personalities in the entertainment industry. We are in the worst economy in decades and I get to fly around the country doing tricks and telling jokes. For me, it doesn't get any better than this and I am truly appreciative of my audiences. They could have anyone up on that stage and they have chosen me."

If one word describes Dan, it is "relatable" in the campus market. "I learned in the early days of performing in Chicago that the audiences I went after weren't there to see me at all. They were out on the town to have a good time. I had to make what I did worth their attention. I understand and appreciate college students and I am blessed that I have the knack to get their attention. The shows I do have to be about the audience. Otherwise I am just another guy doing tricks and telling jokes."

Daniel changes up his show every year so it remains fresh, but some of the tricks he develops take several years to tweak so they can be audience ready.

"I have a rather long 13-minute trick that I will introduce in the fall where I make an audience member completely disappear before the eyes of the audience with no boxes or props whatsoever. We have been doing a little bit of testing this spring to be sure the trick will be ready. I think it is important to deliver events that with wow the audience and keep them guessing."

"I tape the audio of every show, so that when I am on the plane to the next show, I am reviewing the audio. I can judge the reactions to a joke here and the trick there. The audio is even more relevant than the video because I can hear the excitement or laughter and the gasps at a trick and understand what worked for that audience. When I return to that campus, I have a feel for what kind of material to put in a show for them."

If you want to experience Daniel Martin for your campus, contact Chris Schuler at 773-481-2600 or email him at chris@bass-schuler.com