A S.A.D NIGHT IN HAMBURG by Looch (Review)

Looch is one of a small minority of mentalists who specialize in close up walk around mentalism.  Having enjoyed his book and DVD set I was keen to see what his latest work has to offer.

Until a short while ago this e-book was only released to a small minority having been developed to support his lecture in Hamburg (hence the title).  Even without Looch by your side to talk you through the forty eight pages of this work I found it a very pleasant read and one which was concise enough for even a novice performer to understand.

It is very obvious that this material is the result of countless real world performances for paying audiences.  In short Looch has learned his craft the hard way and has documented his findings so that we can benefit from the fruits of his labour.

The main focal point of this work is to provide the reader with a working set template which will require very little pocket space and yet still play strong enough for the most challenging of audiences.  The cliché packs small and plays big is certainly very apt here and I'm happy to report that this work delivers on both these counts :)

Looch opens with a discussion on the use of business cards in mentalism.  This provides a lot of food for thought and his insights offer new avenues of thought that would never have even crossed my mind.  Topics here include how to hand out your business cards and how best to utilize them within performance.

Looch then details the select items (tools of the trade) that he carries upon his person for his walk around set.  His revelations pertaining to the use of Post-it notes (with a nod to Julian (Bev) Moore) and his application of said items is fantastic.  This routine is both fully illustrated and explained.

Any seasoned mentalist will agree that Mentalism by its very nature generally lacks the visual appeal that is so often found within its magic counterpart.  This becomes important when the performer wishes to engage a larger crowd or draw an interest from other tables/guests.  Looch offers some very practical methods and insights into how to make mentalism more visual and the techniques taught here are superb best of all these can easily be adapted to fit almost any routine you may be currently performing.

Next Looch discuses ideas for creating a working set which is flexible enough to be cut short due unforeseen events.  Once again Looch displays a knowledge that can only be learned from expierience, Looch even offers the reader a couple of example sets to help to clarify his point.

Next comes the meat of the material in which Looch walks us through one of his own personal sets.  These including full patter, presentation and methodology.  I can honestly say that this set contains some knockout material which includes:

• Two spectators correctly intuiting a two digit number that you have written down in advance.
• Reading the body language of several spectators to determine their names.
• Predicting various choices that your spectator will make ahead of time.
• Identifying and describing an unspoken memory that the spectator is concentrating on.
• A realistic method for revealing the name of a selected card.

Despite having already received great value for may money I was further thrilled to read Looch's thoughts on the "spectator as mind reader" plot, how to choose your spectators, layering your methods for maximum impact and how to deal with chance and coincidence within your routines.

The e-book finally closes with an idea that is so devious that it would even stump Sherlock Homes!

I'm sure you will have realized by now that I thoroughly enjoyed reading this work.  It very much encapsulates Looch's concept of creating mentalism which is both simple and direct (S.A.D) and offers the reader a wide variety of insights into tried and tested methods for the close up performer.

Do your self a favour and pick up a copy today from www.looch.co.uk/products (password: warhead).