Trick or street?

Damien O'Brien does both

Think magician and you’re probably picturing a man dressed like a penguin brandishing a magic wand to the command of ‘Abracadabra’. Think again. With his urban look and ability to spellbind the most cynical of sceptics, 24-year-old Damien O’Brien is heading up the UK’s new generation of magician. Damien performs his unique brand of street magic at some of the most prestigious events in the world and has already earned a huge celebrity fan base. Xcel’s Emily Crane caught up with the South London lad to learn more about this curious career and find out why he leaves his white rabbit at home.

You call yourself a close up magician. What does that mean?

Close up is when magic is done right in front of you. It’s more personal, especially if you use someone’s coin or their watch, they never forget it. I love the way you can hold an audience and make them do what you want them to do. Their reactions are incredible.

Does your audience’s reaction drive you or the challenge of making the impossible, possible?

It’s a bit of both really. I love a challenge but you can’t beat seeing people’s faces when you’ve done a trick. Some freak out, some stay quite calm, it’s really mixed. With magic you’re only limited by your imagination and how well you can create what you want to do. I'm still creating and I'll keep creating. That’s just magic.

So, how do you think up new tricks?

There’s loads of ways. Sometimes I'll sit there and think of the most impossible thing there is and try to make it happen. I'd say about 80% of the time it doesn’t work! Or I'll see a trick from a DVD and change little bits of it to make it my own kind of trick. I also meet up with a couple of magicians a week where we go over new tricks and kind of trade off each other.

You don’t look like a traditional magician. Do you have a white rabbit?

YeahI do actually but I never bring it out to gigs. I think my girlfriend would kill me! I’ve grown up around an urban kind of scene anyway so I was always wearing a baseball cap, jeans and trainers and that. That’s just the way I’m comfortable. I also wanted to make sure I stood out from other magicians as well.

How did you get into magic?

I was shown my first trick when I was 13 by a friend and it just went from there really. I started off doing small gigs in bars and for birthdays. But my big break came when I found a private party in the West End and managed to blag my way past the doorman into the VIP area. I got to perform in front of all these celebrities and promoters. The next thing I knew was they were asking me to perform week after week. From there I was booked to perform at the Brit Awards and then I was performing at the MOBOS, it was crazy, it just blew up!

Which celebs have you performed for?

50 Cent, the Beckhams, Nelly, Akon, Ciara, the England Football Team, Flo Rida, Mario, the cast of Adulthood , Taio Cruz, Rev Run, Craig David, Tinchy Stryder, Kano, Estelle, Kelly Rowland , Rihanna, Chris Brown, Sean Paul, Bennie Man, the cast of Eastenders and Hollyoaks, Ironik, Danielle Lloyd, the Saturdays, the Prince of Dubai…the list goes on.

Wow, that’s a lot. Who did you mess up the most?

Urm, it’s either Akon or Nelly. I did a trick with Akon where I took a card out and he squeezed my arm until the card actually started appearing on my arm like a bruise. He was so freaked out. With Nelly I kept making the same coins appear even though I was putting them in my pocket without him seeing. I’ve done a few tricks for him since and he always checks his pockets for his credit cards afterwards.

What are you up to at the moment?

I’m experimenting with mind control and subliminal suggestion, making people think of things. I’m also learning hypnosis too. I’ve been watching my mates do it. They had a guy on the floor believing his hand was stuck to his face. He was on his knees crying with laughter because he couldn’t take his hand off his face!

What else does the future hold?

I’ve got a DVD later this year called ‘Beyond Belief’ as well as loads of events coming up. It’s a bit crazy at the moment but something I’d like to try is starting my own talent agency that would take on anyone who’s got a talent, whether that’s DJ-ing, singing, magic, whatever and help people get bookings with the connections I’ve made. It would be good to maybe give them that chance that I didn’t get.

What advice would you give someone in your talent agency?

If they wanted to know how to market themselves then I could show them what they can do online like making sure you’ve got a Myspace or a Facebook group. Marketing yourself online is huge. Also, do a few things for free. Approach nightclubs or anywhere where they put on your kind of performance.

You’ve achieved so much already. What do you put your success down to?

I never listened too much to what people would tell me, apart from my mum. Magic really gave me something to focus on. I’d sit down and practice magic instead of doing nothing with my life. Where I grew up lots of people were getting into trouble, fighting and stealing cars and that. I used to be stupid and get into a bit of trouble, nothing too extreme but I wasn’t the best behaved either, you know. Magic helped me develop and gave me ambition. Now I look back and think I would have been lost if I didn't find magic.

Did you ever think you’d be where you are now when you started out?

A big part of me thought yes, I’m gonna make sure I get there. However, there were times when I had no bookings and no money but I kept going and pushed through it. I think that if anyone wants it bad enough they can get there. Just don’t let anyone say you can’t. So many people said to me I won’t get anywhere doing magic but if I’d listened to them I wouldn’t be where I am now.

What’s the most impressive trick you’ve ever done?

The most impressive one is where I get an empty can of coke and start shaking it. All these dents start appearing and go smooth again. Then I just rub top and the can becomes sealed and filled with coke.

What?

That one’s going to be on the DVD.

Are you going to tell me how you do it?

Nope.

Would you ever let on your magician’s secrets?

The only time I would is if somebody was 100% inspired and wanted to get into magic. I’d teach them a couple of the easy ones and wait for them to pick it up. I wouldn’t just give it away!

Show me a trick then.

Ok, think of any card.

Got one.

Try and think of something not too obvious, something that I wouldn’t think of. Got it?

Can I keep my original card?

Yeah, you can. Imagine a deck of cards spread out face up so you can see them. I’m taking your card and I’m turning it face down so no one can look at it and I’m putting all the cards back together.

Imaginary cards at this point.

Ok, I’ll take the cards now. Just going into my bag here and I’ll get them out but they won’t be invisible.

Reaches into his bag.

You’ve genuinely just thought of one card?

Yeah.

There’s no way I could have figured out what card you’ve just thought of?

No.

I can’t even hide any cards.

Shows me he is evidently wearing a t-shirt and therefore can’t hide any cards up his sleeves. A pack of cards appear.

In here there is one card turned over. What was the card you thought of, just so you can’t lie to me later?

6 of Clubs

Removes cards from the packet, I watch closely to see if there’s any sleight of hand going on. Nothing.

Just going through…

Fans the cards face up.

There’s only one that’s turned over in this entire pack. Have a look. Pick it up.

I pick it out, and of course, it’s the 6 of Clubs. I laugh hysterically.

How did you do that?

Very well.

 

Check out Damien’s magic at:

www.myspace.com/damiensmagic
www.damienobrien.com/