If you are a fan of illusion and magic, then you probably have heard the name Criss Angel. He has been wowing audiences for decades and has been learning and perfecting his craft since he was a child. His hard work and dedication has earned him status many awards and titles. He was crowned Magician of the Year 2001, 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2008 Magician of the Decade in 2009, and Magician of the Decade in 2010 by International Magician Society’s Magician. If I wasn’t convinced of his talent before, his live performance at Criss Angel: RAW solidified my belief in his mastery of the art of illusion.
I was first introduced to Criss Angel when his demonstrations began to be televised on TV. I recall is fish hook demonstration and his 24 hours in a water tank. Then his TV series Mindfreak debuted in 2005 and his illusions could be seen on a regular basis. There are many memories I have watching him as a teen and young adult. I remember thinking how incredible it would be to see him perform live.
I got to do just that, this past weekend, Sept 14th, 2019. It was a late birthday gift from my sister to me. We made the hour and a half drive to Salamanca since we could not make the Buffalo show earlier in the summer. Nothing prepared me for seeing Criss’ magic in person. Criss performed many illusions he first showed on his series Mindfreak, however, seeing them performed in front of you in person, is a totally different experience. His persona and flawless work of the crowd and keeping us enthralled was magic in it’s own right. He is also very funny and I was not expecting to laugh so much during a magic show.
I say magic show, but this was absolutely more than that. It was performance art, comedy, magic, illusion, and heartfelt showmanship all at once. Criss Angel is an impeccable magician and illusionist and I was left speechless and amazed at what he was able to do; including predicting a dollar bill serial number an audience member would have in her pocket. I do not think I will ever figure that one out.
Unlike many others, I don’t want to know how the magic is done and how Angel pulls off his illusions. This is one time I am not going to fear the unknown. He has worked his whole life to his work and he has really perfected his art.
The show also featured performer Mike Hammer who performed short sets while Criss took breaks between performances. I had never heard of him before, admittedly, but was very pleasantly surprised at how entertained I was by him. I think he was a good fit to coincide with Criss Angel’s show.
I loved the involvement of the audience by both Angel and Hammer. It adds something a little special when the fans can be involved in the show they came to attend. One of my favorite moments was when Criss asked a woman he brought on stage to visualize her fear appearing in her purse and when he asked her what it was, she replied “money.” Criss cracked up, he genuinely was not expecting that answer and stated it was the first time someone replied with that.
It was truly and amazing night and I am so lucky to have experienced this show. If you have a chance, go see Criss Angel RAW on the road. His next RAW show is Tuesday, December 10, 2019 at the Smart Financial Centre in Sugar Land, TX. Or you can catch Criss in Las Vegas at Planet Hollywood for MINDFREAK LIVE.
Note: I usually like to accompany my articles with photos from the event, however, this event was a no camera/cell phone event. Which I would not have wanted to change. It was the type of event I would not want to be distracted at. I actually wish more events had this policy. It is easy to get lost in the documentation, rather than experiencing what is in front of you.