Back in Canada I have a wonderful close-up magic case that Tony Eng had custom made the same as his. I love it and do wish I did bring it with me to Japan. I will probably bring it back to Japan the next time I go home to visit. So what do I use now as a close-up case? Well I am going to talk about my current close-up case and why I like it.

One thing I hate is bulgy pockets filled with magic props. It makes you look bad. I have seen this many times, magician than pack their pockets so full it makes their suit look so bad. There are good pocket management systems than control this but I prefer to have a small close-up case with me for props that are a bit too big to fit in my pockets or that don’t really need to be placed in my pockets. The system I use here in Japan is a combination of some poekt use for a few effects with coins, and cards and the rest goes in my close-up case and Josh Jay’s Pro Carrier. The close-up case I use here in Japan is in the picture in this blog. It is a small make-up case that doesn’t look like a make-up case. Card decks fit perfectly in it. It also has a folder type pocket in the back for packet cards and it easily allows me to hold and carry the props I use that don’t fit in my pockets. It also has a mirror so I can check myself  last minute to make sure my hair etc. is ok before I begin (trust me this is useful). Now I don’t always carry this with me to each table when I am table hopping. If the tables have room I do bring it. Sometimes if there is an empty chair at a table I will sit it on the table. On those occasions where there is no room for it. I make a space as my home base out of view of the people and set it there, and then I take just the props I will use at the next table or I will put some items in the Pro Carrier. The Pro Carrier has a belt loop to wear on your belt , however this creates an ugly bulge for me so I just carry it and it is small enough to place on any table. I have crated my close-up routines to that I can use the props from these two cases so thing do no look awkward. Other suggestions and things I use all my coins routines are set in small coins cases so that coins don’t get lost lose in my pockets, I also place other smaller items in small coins cases so that they are easy to get without any fiddling.

I have thought very carefully on how to utilize my props and cases so that one my suits looks good and is not filled with props and that the system for getting props from my cases is not strange and unusual. So my advice is to think careful about what kind of close-up case or props management system you use so that your show looks clean and professional.

Aaron