AGT 8: The Final-Collins Key

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This year, all six finalists gave two performances, A "Repeat" performance, and a final new performance. For the sake of convenience, We will cover the "Repeat" and final performance separately, and follow each with an outline of the judges comments and the competition.

THE REPEAT PERFORMANCE

What Did Collins Key Do?

Being a magician, Collins chose not to openly repeat any of his previous tricks  Instead, he chose to "Go Full circle" and do the close-up magic that got him into the Live Shows in the first place. This time, he did a card trick utilising the two female judges, Heidi and Mel B. He had the two judges each sign a chosen card, and lined them up together. He then got them to put the two cards between their teeth (Heidi's was biting down on one end of the pair, and Mel B on the other). After some banter about this arrangement, Collins "Melted" the two cards together whilst they were still held between the judges' teeth. The two cards became one, with the signed face of  Heidi's card on one side, and the signed face of Mel B's card on the other. It wasn't one of Collins' best performances, but it was better then his previous two. The trick itself was possibly the most creative trick Collins has done to date, and it was simple enough to be performed without running too far over the time limit. Unfortunately, there was a little too much of the annoying banter from the judges (mostly revolving around the prospect of Heidi and Mel B being within a few centimetres from kissing each other) that marred Collins' Top 12 performance, and he stumbled at a couple of points, in particular when he paused to line up the two cards.Furthermore, from a technical perspective, it was a fairly simple trick, relying on a number of common card sleights. However, the judges were full of praise. Howard noted his lack of experience, but felt that he did a good job. Mel B called it his best performance to date, and Howie and Heidi were as impressed with Collins as ever.

What was the competition like?

The other five competitors all gave  "Repeat"  performances that showcased their strengths. Jimmy Rose chose to give another performance of his self-penned song "Coal Keeps the Lights On". Kenchini Ebina added lasers to the Matrix-themed routine he performed in his audition, whilst Cami Bradley repeated the performance of Cher's "Believe" that turned her from another generic female singer into this year's Dark Horse. Forte did a powerful version of "The Prayer", which they previously sang in the Vegas rounds, and Taylor Williamson added special effects to his semifinal routine, after a number of comments poking fun at the fact he had to repeat material.

The Final Performance

What Did Collins Key Do?

For his Final performance, Collins went back to the on-line theme of his first Live Performance, and the Audience participation of his Semi Final performance. For this trick, Collins had 26 audience members come on stage, each holding a piece of paper with a random Hashtag written on it. He then  got Howie, Heidi and Mel B to each choose a photo each from a set of photos of the volunteers holding their chosen hashtags (Taken when they arrived in the theatre). When they had each chosen a photo, Colins played a video of a prediction he had made the previous day, which predicted both the volunteers (Who were identified by the clothes they wore) and the Hashtags they were holding up. As the grand finale, he revealed that all the sheets of paper had a different letter on their back, and the letters on the back of the sheets held by the volunteers spelt out his surname.  It was probably Collins' best performance to date. The delivery was slick and energetic. Collins kept it short, but managed to address (if not completely disprove) the allegations that he was using actors. The multiple reveals added to the trick instead of complicating it, and the trick was original and spectacular. The judges loved the performance. Mel B and Heidi gave it a standing ovation, and Howard and Howie praised the clarity and coherence of the trick.

What was the competition like?

Overall, the second round of performances wasn't as good as the first. Cami Bradley turned the Beatles' "I Want To Hold Your Hand" into a power ballad. Jimmy Rose played it safe with a cover of a Garth Brooks song. Taylor Williamson did a routine about his love life, with a central joke (About Heidi leaving her lederhosen in his room) ripped off from Series 4 finalist Grandma Lee. Kenchini Ebina incorporated a large number of characters (All played by himself, as usual) in a precision dance routine similar to those of Mitsi Dance School from earlier in the series, but wasted too much time establishing the characters. Finally, Forte sang "Caruso" , their voices as powerful as ever.

Verdict

In my opinion, Collins managed to prove that he deserved to be in the final. He listened to the criticism of the judges and viewers, and delivered two energetic and creative performances. His chances  of winning are moderate. He has the obsessive support of his teen fanbase, but acts like Taylor Williamson and Kenchini Ebina seem to be more popular. Furthermore, Collins' inexperience has probably turned off a lot of viewers. However, his successes have probably inspired a large number of fans to take up magic as a hobby- Hopefully, we shall see some of them follow in his footsteps next year.

AGT Grand Final - The Preview

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Americas Got Talent has reached the Grand Final. Six acts are left, and one of them is the teen magician Colins Key. Despite struggling with nerves, time constraints, skeptics and uncooperative volunteers, Colins has became the first magician since David and Dania in Series 1 to make the grand final (But Michael Grasso from series 5 and Landon Swank from Series 6 would have made the final if there were 6 finalists in those seasons instead of four). He is one performance away from the million dollar prize and show in Las Vegas, but can he deliver?

What does Colins have to do?

In his Top 12 performance, Colins responded to the criticism he had received in the Semifinals by performing a simpler trick with a cleaner delivery. Unfortunately, his performance went over the time limit again, due to the Howie Mandel and Heidi Klum's inability to read the time of the former's watch at the climax of the trick. Volunteers are integral to the close-up magic and mentalism that Colins specialises in, therefore the best advice for him is to use more reliable ones. Furthermore, many viewers believed that his last trick was too easy to figure out, due to its familiarity, and Colins took several short cuts (For example, using only three bags, and not numbering any of them) which made the problem worse. Colins has to figure out how to keep the length of his performance down without compromising on quality.

Apart from those two worries, the advice for Colins is the same as ever. He needs to maintain the vocal support he gets on Twitter, but also win over undecided voters, who will probably include a large number of skeptics. He needs to up his game, but avoid making things too complex, as he did in the semifinals. To put it simply, Colins has to give a completely professional performance, as he needs to convince viewers that he can rub shoulders with the greats of magic in Vegas.


What is the Competition like?

The five acts that stand between Colins and the million dollar prize are:

• Kenchini Ebina - Kenchini Ebina is creative, unique, and above all, a brilliant dancer. Many viewers hope that he will win, but safer, blander acts tend to triumph on AGT. Can Kenchini break the trend?
• Cami Bradley - Only shown briefly during the early rounds, Cami Bradley emerged as a serious contender during the live shows, and has kept up the momentum with soulful spins on a wide range of classic songs. She looks like a Dark Horse, but appears to lack the obsessive fanbase of her rivals. Can she convince viewers to rally behind her?
• Forte - Operatic trio Forte are the strongest singing act still in the competition, and are unique enough to avoid criticism from viewers who don't want to see another singer win . But can they beat rivals who have more vocal support?
• Taylor Williamson - There is no doubt that Taylor Williamson is a naturally gifted comedian, but I personally don't find his material very funny. That said, his performance in the Top 12 was his best to date.Taylor has the support of the so-called "Taylords" on Twitter, but he is up against two acts (Cami Bradley and Jimmy Rose) who finished above him in his heat. Can he surpass them this time around?
• Jimmy Rose - He's from Kentucky, he plays the guitar, and he has a decent level of talent. That alone could be enough to secure Jimmy Rose victory. Voters from the south are fanatical in their support of country singers, but equally, viewers from the rest of America  are sick of seeing them win constantly on shows like The Voice and American Idol . (Another Country singer, Kevin Skinner, won Series 4 of AGT) Will the widespread opposition to Jimmy cost him?

Predictions

Colins Key is going into the final as an outsider, and his last performance is absolutely critical. If he can correct his previous mistakes and deliver a confident, streamlined performance, then he could win. If not, then even the support of the "Keypers" won't help him.

AGT 8; The Final 12 - Colins Key

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How Did Colins Key Do?

For his Top 12 trick, Colins Key did a spike-in-cup type mentalism effect. For it, he borrowed Nick Cannon's $250,000 watch, and put it in one of three paper bags. He put cheap watches in the other two, and shuffled the bags, inviting the female judges to pick one each. He then took a hammer to the two chosen bags, destroying the watches inside. Meanwhile, he had Howie Mandel set his watch to a random time. He then revealed that Nick's watch was inside the remaining bag, completely unharmed and set to the chosen time. All things considered, It was better then his last performance, but sadly, not by much. The trick was easy to follow, and Colins himself didn't make any major errors. However, he relied too much on an uncooperative audience (again). At the point when Howie was supposed to read the time on his watch (To the nearest minute), he was unable to, and it was a while before Mel B read the time off correctly. This resulted in Colins going over the 90-second time limit for the second consecutive performance. Howard Stern correctly stated that he needed to "speed things up". This claim was highlighted by the fact that Howie and Heidi were unable to give their verdicts due to time constraints (but it is likely that they would have been all praise). Colins Keys performance was inferior to the final performances of Michael Grasso and Landon Swank, the last two magicians to make it this far, but this time, there are more spots in the final (6 instead of 4) and a less competitive lineup, which is good for Colins.




What are his Chances?

Due to his online fanbase and weak competition, Colins has a moderate chance of making it through to the grand final, but, unless he ups his game drastically, he has no chance of winning.

Americas Got Talent 8: The Finals- Colins Key

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Americas Got Talent is entering its final stages, and twelve acts remain in the competition. One of them is the Magician Colins Key. But can he make it to next week's grand final?


Is Colins a favorite?

Colins Key is the third magic act in four years to make the final stages, after Michael Grasso from Series 5 and Landon Swank from Series 6 (Though it is likely that Eric Dittelman would have made the final stages last year if ten acts had gone through and not six). He is just as good, if not better then his predecessors, and has some key advantages over them. The first of these is his status as a teen idol, the "Justin Bieber of magic" as he puts it. This has attracted a large and vocal (Mostly female) fan base, referred to as "Keypers" on the internet. It is thanks to these "Keypers" that Colins made it through after his sub-par semifinal performance. Vocal fanbases are key to an acts success - That is why more safer and inferior acts (Such as Kevin Skinner  or Olate Dogs) tend to beat more exciting and creative acts (Such as Recycled Percussion and William Close). Colins can be considered as both a safe bet and an exciting act. He has the charisma and creativity that casual viewers of AGT love, but, on the other hand, he has the unwavering support that really matters..

What Does Colins need to do?

As mentioned earlier, Colins' semifinal performance was a disappointment. His performance was too elaborate, and a number of viewers accused him of "Staging" the trick by using an actress as the randomly chosen volunteer on stage. In fact, Colins may already be aware of this. After Nick Cannon announced that he had made it through, Colins revealed that the volunteer already had a boyfriend. This possibly indicated that Colins knew that many audience members were suspicious of the fact that he managed to get a young, beautiful woman as his guest, and wanted to show that she wan't the "perfect" choice many skeptics suggested she was. More to the point, Colins later claimed on Twitter that he had expected to go home. Given the fact that most viewers knew he would go through due to the poor quality of the competition, Colins lack of confidence on the night shows that he wasn't proud of his performance. But how can he make things better?

Given that his tricks have increased in scale from the street magic of his audition to a semifinal performance that utilized the entire audience at Radio City Music Hall., it is possible that Colins will try and get the audience at home involved in his next trick. On paper, this is a great idea, but tricks done for an audience of millions can be very tricky to pull off. A smart bet would be to do a street magic trick utilizing viewer participation (The best of both worlds). If the trick is executed cleanly and flawlessly, it will be a hit.

Colins' second problem is his lack of experience on the big stage. In his past performances, he has struggled to control his audience. In the Live Heats, he confused Heidi Klum with his vague directions, and in the Semi Finals, he wasted time trying to find the volunteer in the audience. He cannot afford to let his nerves take him over again, even momentarily.


What is the competition like?

This year, the final twelve are very strong indeed. However, some acts are stronger then others . The twelve, Colins included, can be divided into three categories: The Favorites, the Dark Horses, and the Outsiders.

The Favorites

• Forte
• Jimmy Rose 
• Kenchini Ebina 

The Dark Horses

• Cami Bradley
• Colins Key
• The KriStef Brothers
• Taylor Williamson

The Outsiders

• Branden James
• The Chicago Boyz
• Catapult Entertainment
• D'Angelo and Amanda
• Innovative Force

What are Colins' chances?

If Colins' performance is a success, then he has a good chance of making it through. He is something of a dark horse, and has the talent, creativity and support needed to be able to upset the favorites.

AGT 8 Semifinal 2- Leon Etienne and Romy Low

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How Did Leon & Romy Do?

Leon & Romy needed to do something incredible to prove themselves to the viewers, and sadly they didn't. In a bid to compensate for the slow nature of their performance in the third heat, they went into overdrive, and did five (Or seven if you count the final trick as three separate ones) tricks in the 90-second time limit. Which would have been brilliant if those tricks hadn't been seen before on the AGT stage. The tricks were:

1. The "Bowl-O-Rama" where Leon made a bowling ball appear from a sketchpad. Previously done by Nathan Burton in series 1
2. A trick where Leon made Romy appear from a cage. Hawley Magic did this in their audition last year.
3. A Quick-Change. David and Dania's speciality.
4. A trick where Leon & Romy made two girls appear from a shadow box (Which was hinged so people could see inside). Seth Grabel used a similar prop in his Vegas performance in Series 6.
5. Leon & Romy finished with a three-part trick. Romy got into a box with a compressible interior and Leon compressed the interior and showed that Romy had vanished. He then opened the interior to reveal another woman in the box, then turned to show that Romy had appeared on the balcony. Murray Sawchuck did the same basic routine (Or at least the simplified version) in his audition for series 5. Leon & Romy did a more elaborate version of the trick, but Murray's presentation was more unique and interesting. 

There's a reason most of the above tricks have been seen at the auditions. They are cheap and generic, impressive enough to get three "Yeses", but not impressive enough to actually wow an audience. Magicians have to do something creative and spectacular in the semi-final stage, especially if they are a "Wildcard" who doesn't deserve to be there. Hans Klok and JC Sum, the masters of Quick-fire magic, can get away with using derivative illusions because they have a some unique and inventive ones among the collection, and because they are more unique in their presentation and better performers. The only thing about Leon & Romy's performance that I really enjoyed was the music (An instrumental of Lenny Kravitz's "Are You Gonna Go My Way"). In fact, I preferred their previous performance- It was much more creative and unusual, as a magician on AGT should be.

However, the judges were generally full of praise, with only Howard noting the familiarity of the tricks. Howie said that Leon & Romy were the best of the wildcards (They were, albeit by default, due to the poor quality of the other three), which led to him and Howard kissing. Come next week, that is going to be the only thing that viewers will remember about this performance.

What was the competition like?

If last week's semifinal was a disappointment, this week, the competitors, for the most part, exceeded expectations. The only one that was a real disappointment was Timber Brown, whose rope-and-water themed routine was messy and confusing. D'Angelo and Amanda did a moody and exciting routine, but might be overshadowed by their opponents. John Wing did an amusing and truthful Stand-up routine about marriage. The two country singers, Marty Brown and Jimmy Rose, delivered solid and emotional, if generic, performances. It's hard to pick a winner out of the two, but Jimmy seems to be more popular. The KriStef Brothers emphasized the comedy, but the two big stunts they did were spectacular. Branden James chose a curious song choice ("Alone" by Heart) but sang it very well. The American Military Spouses Choir were pleasant to listen to, but a bit boring. Anna Christine and The Chicago Boyz were the most improved acts of the night. The former sang a powerful version of the Rolling Stones song "Wild Horses", and the latter did some unique and impressive stunts with their Jump ropes. For the second time in a row, however, Kenchini Ebina stole the show, engaging in a dance-off against his reflection (It's much, much cooler than it sounds).

What are Leon & Romy's Chances of going through?

With their mediocre performance and far superior opposition, Leon & Romy's chances of going through are very small. The praise of the judges and the large number of places could work in their favor, but I have a feeling that Colins Key will be the only performer representing magic in the top 12.

Americas Got Talent 8- Leon Etienne & Romy Low are Wildcards

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On Americas Got Talent's results show last week, there was good news for magic fans all over America First of all, Colins Key made it automatically through to the top 12, surpassing such fan favorites as Catapult Entertainment, Dave Fenley and Johnathan Allen in the vote. This was followed by a major revelation from Howard Stern. This year, each judge got to pick a previously eliminated act to compete in the semifinals, and Howard chose illusionists Leon Etienne & Romy Low.

Was This a Good Choice?

Don't get me wrong, Leon & Romy are a very good magic act, and I'm happy to see them in the semifinals. But the fact is that their previous performance was a disappointment, and there are a large number of acts that should have been chosen instead (Such as Ciana Pelekai, American Hitmen and Hype). The fact that Leon & Romy were put through in spite of their failure has left a negative taste in the mouth for a number of viewers, who have probably written them off as a waste of space. However, Leon & Romy have one major advantage- Unlike this year's other wildcard acts (Tone the Chiefrocca, Red Panda and Duo Resonance), who were notable for their lack of range, they have the capacity to bounce back and improve heavily on their previous performances.  However, unless they do something truly amazing, they are unlikely to emulate AGT's two great Wild Card magicians, Michael Grasso and Landon Swank, and turn from seat fillers into serious favorites.


What Should Leon & Romy Do?

Leon & Romy's trick in the Third Live Show, shown above, was a version of Lance Burton's classic "Backstage" illusion. It was actually pretty good if you were watching closely. To explain it without the "Showing you from behind" patter, Leon walked from the box to the table, then vanished from beneath the table to reappear inside the box. The main problem was the fact that "Backstage" is a fairly slow routine, in the sense that it is not clear what the surprise is supposed to be until the very end. AGT's audience demands instant gratification- They want to have an idea of what is happening from the beginning, and don't want a protracted build-up. For that reason, Leon & Romy should try and keep their Semifinal performance as simple as possible. Whilst Colins Key got away with doing an over-elaborate trick last week, Leon & Romy can't afford to make that mistake again due to their lack of exposure, smaller fan base and their status as a wild card.

The two other things that Leon & Romy need to do have been mentioned in earlier posts. They need to do something that the majority of AGT's audience hasn't seen before, and they need to do something spectacular. Colins Key has raised the bar incredibly high, and Leon & Romy will need to give it everything they've got if they want to join him in the next round.

What is the competition like?

Last week, Colins Key benefited immensely from the below-par performances of many of his rivals. This week, however, the standard appears to be very high. Leon & Romy will be facing:

1. The KriStef Brothers- It's still uncertain whether or not The KriStef Brothers will be able to perform, due to the neck injury that kept them out of last week's show. That said, If they do perform, I can't wait to see them. They are great acrobats and very amusing. Their main problem is the fact that they will be up against two other excellent acrobatics acts, who we will get to later.
2. Branden James - Branden James is a very good opera singer, but the very similar Johnathan Allen failed to make it through last week. Granted, Johnathan was up against the superior Forte, but it could be a sign that voters are tiring of opera singers, or rallying behind Forte.
3. Anna Christine - Anna Christine is a very talented and mature singer for her age, but she scraped through the last round by the narrowest of margins after a weak performance. Furthermore, the prize for winning, a show at Las Vegas, is too big for a ten-year-old, so viewers will not vote for her unless she does something Spectacular.
4. Marty Brown - Marty Brown shouldn't be here. His previous performance was a disaster, and the fact that he went through despite it upset a large number of viewers. If he gives another performance like that, his legion of fans may desert him. But even if he gives a good performance, he has hostile viewers and an immediate rival to contend with
5. The American Military Spouses Choir - The AMSC are decent singers, but the main reason they have advanced this far is due to support for their cause. They need to give a knockout performance to prove that they deserve to go further in the competition.
6. Kenchini Ebina - Two weeks ago, Kenchini Ebina was unquestionably the favorite to win, until he was upstaged by Catapult Entertainment. However, last week, Catapult Entertainment disappointed and barely made it through as a judges choice. This means that Kenchini is in a good position to reclaim his status as the act to beat, but he needs to give a performance even better then his last one- certainly a tricky task.
7. The Chicago Boyz - The Chicago Boyz are exciting and energetic, but they are the weakest of the three acrobatics acts performing this week, and the fact that they lost a member to injury leaves them at a further disadvantage.
8. Jimmy Rose- Marty Brown's aforementioned rival, Jimmy Rose is another Kentucky-based country singer. He is probably more talented overall and unlike Marty, earned his place in the semifinals, but Marty has more experience and an obsessive fan base gained from years of performing. Which of the two makes it through depends on the quality of their performance on the night.
9. Timber Brown -Aerialist Timber Brown is energetic, strong and graceful- everything a performer of his kind should be. Unfortunately, he is up against a number of safer, more appealing acts. There is a real risk that he will become this year's Donovan and Rebecca- A brilliant acrobat who doesn't get the support he deserves from AGT's voters.
10. D'Angelo and Amanda - Child Dance acts have always fared well on AGT, and D'Angelo and Amanda are likely to continue that trend. D'Angelo is a former member of The Untouchables, one of last year's finalists, and he and Amanda have been performing together for years. Their previous performance was undeniably impressive, but can they keep the momentum up?
11. John Wing - In contrast to Taylor Williamson's awkward personality and un-PC material, John Wing is a safer, more old-fashioned type of stand-up comedian. I personally prefer him to Taylor, but I worry that voters will find him boring by comparison.

Predictions

Leon & Romy's chances of making it through are very slim. As mentioned earlier, many viewers probably resent the fact that they were chosen as wildcards ahead of more deserving acts. Their opponents are very strong (And include three acts from Leon & Romy's heat) , and a better magician, Colins Key, has aleady got through. Leon & Romy need to do something amazing if the want to beat the odds and get through, and the more likely scenario is that they will redeem themselves, but not enough to get though.

Americas Got Talent 8 Semifinals- Colins Key

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Of the four magic acts to make it into the live shows this year, close-up magician Colins Key was the only one to make the Semifinals. But did he continue to impress?

How Did Colins Key Do?

Colins Key did another mentalism trick, utilising the whole audience this time. First, he had them tweet the name of a New York location, then he asked a woman chosen from the audience to come down onto the stage. Before she arrived on stage, Colins had the judges choose Fashion items at random by drawing a ball out of a bag. Howie chose a hairstyle, Mel B chose a dress, Heidi chose shoes, and Howard chose a miscellaneous item (A "Wildcard") . The woman finally came down onto the stage, and Colins revealed that the clothes she was wearing matched those chosen by the judges (The "Wildcard"  chosen by Howard, Polka Dots, were on the Woman's iPhone). He then finished by revealing the location chosen by the audience (Central Park) correctly predicted on his arm. As the above description indicates, it was a pretty elaborate trick. However, there were two big problems. The first of these was pacing. As Leon Etienne and Romy Low found out to their cost a few weeks ago, A magician must not lose the attention of the audience. Colins struggled to keep the audience under control, and took too long to get to the point. The second, equally major, problem is apparent from a quick look at the "Comments" section of the video of the performance on Youtube. A large number of viewers believe that the trick was "fake" and that the girl was an actor. Colins did prove some theories wrong (The balls in the bags were all different), but failed to completely invalidate most of the Skeptic's claims. This will likely cost Colins a lot of votes. In short, his trick was actually very strong, but Colins' lacked the polish and showmanship needed to amaze the viewers and silence the critics. It was not his best performance.

What Did the Judges Say?

As usual, Howie and Heidi were highly positive, with Heidi in particular praising the use of the audience. Mel B was also impressed, but noted that she was torn between believing in the magic and trying to figure it out. Howard, however, was critical, saying that Colins squeezed too much into a small time frame. Personally, I think that Howard has a point. Colins would have been better off removing the choice of location and the red slips that helped him choose a woman in the audience, using the extra time to make the trick more convincing.

What was the Competition like?

On paper, the first semifinal looked highly competitive, but turned out to be a disappointment. One act can be ruled out instantly though- Tone The Chiefrocca sang "B-Double-O-T-Y" again and proved to be a total and utter waste of a wildcard spot. Red Panda, drafted in during the morning as a last-minute replacement for the KriStef Brothers, did OK with her rice bowl juggling act, especially with the little time she was given, but she made mistakes. Balancing Duo Duo Resonance had some good tricks, but they are a little boring. Innovative Force, another acrobatics act, lack the edge needed to compete. I personally found Angela Hoover very funny, but she doesn't seem like she can go much further. Taylor Williamson seems to be more popular, but I dislike his blend of awkwardness and blue humour. Catapult  Entertainment, a Silhouette performance act, are excellent, but their underwater-themed performance was not their best. The singers have a better chance of getting through: Dave Fenley had an unusual song choice ("Say You'll be There" by the Spice Girls), but did a decent job. Cami Bradley has a nice voice, but is a bit bland. Johnathan Allen has talent, but was probably overshadowed by his rivals Forte, another act who performed below capacity. Only two acts (Taylor and Forte) received complete and unconditional praise from all four judges.

What are Colins' Chances?

Fortunately for Colins (And also many of the other competitors), Six acts are going through. Colins wasn't at his best, but, due to his large teen fanbase and the weak opposition, he has a good chance of making it to at least the judge's vote by default.

Americas Got Talent 8-Live Show 3: Leon Etienne and Romy Low

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How Did Leon and Romy Do?

       

Leon Etienne and Romy Low disappointed with their live performance. Contrary to the rumours on Twitter,  there were no sharks in sight  (Leon and Romy probably lacked the time and money to bring one in), and instead we got a less spectacular trick. Leon and Romy performed the "Backstage" illusion, a classic Lance Burton trick. Leon got into a box which had a large number of canes inserted into it. The twist here was that we saw the trick from behind. That meant that we saw Leon get out of the box through a trap door as the first canes were put through the box, and secretly climb under a covered table. However, by the time all the canes had been removed, Leon was back in the box, and AGT host Nick Cannon had appeared under the table. "Backstage" is a great trick, but it was confusing for both the AGT judges and the viewers at home. One problem was that Leon and Romy used a moniter to show the audience and judges appearing to watch the trick from "The Front". This was a problem, as it was not certain whether we were seeing the same things as the audience and judges were. Furthermore, because this was a performance dependant almost entirely on the twist at the end, the build-up felt too slow. Pacing issues have ruined a number of magicians on AGT before (Such as Brett Daniels from Series 6 and Rudy Coby from Series 7), and Leon and Romy lacked the showmanship to make up for this, despite the modern clothing and upbeat music.

In fact, Leon and Romy were the only act of the night to gain an X, from Howard. He said that the performance bored him and criticised the delivery. Mel B shared his opinion, claiming that the only reason she didn't buzz too was because she enjoyed the final reveal. Howie and Heidi, however, found the trick creative and suprising.  Both arguments are valid, but at the end of the day, Leon and Romy needed to give a knockout performance if they wanted to get through, and they didn't.

What was the competition like?

The third live show was just as competitive as I anticipated, with six or seven acts deserving a place in the next round. Apart from Leon and Romy, only a couple of performers failed to impress. They were: Dog act Kelsey and Bailey, whose tricks were generic and unexciting, and Dave "The Cobra Kid" Weathers, who brought a 15-foot Cobra on stage but did little with it. AeroSphere added more movement to their act, but it was too short and unfocused, whilst Brandon and Savannah did another cover, and were good but not exceptional. This leaves us with the seven top contenders, who would have easily made it through if they had performed on the last two live shows. Mitisi Dance School were precise and unique, but focused on precision rather than excitement. Chicago Boyz made a few mistakes, but overall, their routine was excellent. Jim Meskimen united his improvised impressions under a common theme and did a very good job. Deanna DellaCioppa gave a very strong performance, as did Johnathan Allen, but the two singers could be overshadowed by their more unique opposition. Meanwhile, American Military Spouses Choir are polarising among AGT viewers, but have an obsessive fan base, which, as we saw with Marty Brown last week, can be all that really matters.
Best of all, however, was Kenchini Ebina, who was singled out as a potential winner by Howie for his exciting and creative video game-themed dance routine.

What are Leon and Romy's chances?

Due to their weak performance and their many superior rivals, Leon and Romy's chances essentially amount to almost Zero. They could come back as a wildcard, but otherwise, they're already out.

Americas Got Talent 8; Live Show 3 preview-Leon Etienne and Romy Low

,FOR BRITISH VIEWERS, THIS ARTICLE MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS

Americas Got Talent is halfway through the first round, and already magician Colins Key has made it into the semi finals. Can Leon Etienne and Romy Low join them?

What should Leon and Romy do?

Over the eight seasons AGT has been on the air, dozens of magic acts have failed because they forgot to heed a simple rule; All the showmanship in the world won't help you if you do a trick we've all seen before. As I noted in an earlier post, Scott Alexander did one of the most lavish tricks ever seen on AGT in Series 6 (Vanishing an entire gospel choir and making them reappear on the balcony), but finished behind an act who had gained 2 X's. Viewers were too familiar with the method behind his trick to be impressed. Leon and Romy have a similar problem- The tricks they used to make it this far have been generic in nature. For their live performance, Leon and Romy need to come up with, and perform, a trick most viewers haven't seen before. I accept that most magicians on AGT have budget constraints, but all you need to succeed is a little creativity. In the same year that Scott Alexander failed so spectacularly, Landon Swank became AGT's most successful magician to date. He constructed all his props at home, but the tricks he did with them were creative and exciting. Leon and Romy (As well as all future magicians on AGT) should keep this in mind when planning and preparing for a performance.

On Twitter, Leon has implied that his performance could be themed around "Shark week" . This certainly sounds promising, but can Leon make a truly amazing illusion from this creative theme?

What is the Competition Like?

Last week, the quality of the acts was so low that annoying "one-hit wonder" Tone the Chiefrocca made the judges choice. This week, however, looks far more competitive. At least seven acts look like serious contenders, and the others are also good:

• American Military Spouses Choir - Viewers tend to be very supportive of acts connected to the military, but American Military Spouses Choir may be seen as bland, despite their talent.  Their live performance is absolutely critical.
• AeroSphere - AGT was created to showcase acts like Areosphere, an act centred around a performer doing acrobatics tethered to a giant balloon. It's certainly impressive, but it is limited in range. Furthermore, the novelty of the act could wear off very quickly.
• Brandon and Savannah - Brandon and Savannah owe their place in the live shows to the judges bias towards bands. In Vegas Week, they chose to sing a cover instead of the original song that got them through the auditions. They got through, whilst Paul Thomas Mitchell, a more talented singer and songwriter who compromised his niche in the same way, was eliminated. Don't get me wrong, Brandon and Savannah are talented, and I have no objection towards them, But they are caught between a rock and a hard place. Should they do an original song and limit their appeal, or do a cover and lose their edge?
• Chicago Boyz - An acrobatics group specialising in jump rope, Chicago Boyz certainly have talent and appeal, but how can they up their game?
• Dave "The Cobra Kid" Weathers- Snake handling is very dangerous and impressive, but as an act, it is limited. Dave "The Cobra Kid" Weathers is the first snake handler on AGT to make the live shows. He has personality and some unique tricks, but can he convince an audience that has rarely voted for danger acts?
• Deanna DellaCioppa - Deanna DellaCioppa is a great singer, but critics will likely feel that they have seen others like her before. she needs to pulls off a spectacular performance if she is to win them over.
• Jim Meskimen- This year, there has been a lot of controversy surrounding the fact that several acts (in particular Marty Brown and Forte) have had professional careers in the past. For that reason, impressionist Jim Meskimen could be in trouble. Meskimen has easily the most prolific career of anyone in AGT's live shows this year,  having appeared on TV shows such as Fresh Prince of Bel Air and Friends and lent his voice to a number of animated shows and video games. He is a very talented impressionist, but his audition was great because of his energy and accuracy, and there was little to it beyond the impressions themselves. Can Meskimen turn his talent into an act?
• Johnathan Allen- Johnathan Allen is a talented opera singer, but he has one problem outside his control. His immediate rival, Branden James, is already through to the Semifinals. Many viewers are sick of the opera singers, or rooting for Branden. To win them over, Johnathan will need to give the performance of a lifetime.
• Kelsey and Bailey- Olate Dogs were controversial winners last year, so it's odd that we should see another dog act this year.  Kelsey and Bailey are above average, but they won't be able to top Olate Dogs, and viewers are already sick of dog acts.
• Kenchini Ebina - Since Series 4, there has been one solo dancer every year that has wowed America. Kenchini Ebina looks set to follow that trend. Of his predesessors, Kenchini is most similar to Haspop from Series 5, due to his use of mime and his creative routines. But he needs to keep up the momentum in order to get further than all the acts of his type before him.
• Mitisi School of Dance- A Chinese Folk-dance act, Mitisi School of Dance are precise and unique, but their appeal is limited, especially against more energetic rivals.

What are Leon and Romy's Chances?

Leon Etienne and Romy Low have a small chance of making it through, but it largely depends on how good their trick is. If it is great, then they could be right up there with the favourites. But in such a tough heat, their best may not be enough.

Americas Got Talent 8- Three magicians compete

FOR BRITISH VIEWERS, THIS ARTICLE MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS.

This year, a record three magic acts competed in the first live show. They were: Colins Key, Special Head and Alexanderia the Great. But how did they fare?

What Did Special Head Do?

In his intro video, Special Head promised that he would "Physically alter the matter of [his] body". Based on this claim, I assumed his performance would incorporate some sort of transformation. What we got instead was a modified version of his audition, albeit with a few twists. As in his audition, Special Head levitated into the air in a lotus posture (Although he didn't use a stick to support his body this time) whilst throat singing. He then vanished in a puff of smoke, reappearing on the roof of Radio City Music Hall. I was disappointed by the performance, as I would have liked to see him do something different. Furthermore, the trick was not executed perfectly- We can briefly see his head after he "Disappears". In short, Special Head failed to shake off his image as a novelty act, and gave easily the weakest of his three performances.

What Did Colins Key Do?

As I hoped, Colins Key came up with a trick that "Played big", but stayed within his comfort zone. For it, he had each of the judges tweet a word or name on AGT's Twitter account. Howie Mandel was asked to choose an activity, Mel B was asked to name a city, Heidi Klum was asked to name a celebrity who wasn't  present in the room, and Howard Stern was asked to choose a body part. After the judges had tweeted their selections, Colins took down a box that had been hanging in view of the audience throughout and opened it, revealing a scroll. This scroll outlined a dream which incorporated all the chosen elements. As with his previous performances, Colins updated a popular old trick, and did so in a creative and original way. In his intro video, Colins stated that he wanted to be the first magician to win AGT. If he keeps up the momentum, he might just fulfill that aim.

What Did Alexanderia The Great Do?

                                           
In her intro video, Alexanderia the Great claimed that "Houdini himself" would not have attempted the escape she was about to do. Unfortunately, she failed to surpass the master of escapology. For her performance, Alexanderia was placed in a straitjacket, bound in chain, and locked inside a tank of water, getting out of the tank after seventy seconds. However, her escape seemed to be far too easy. She was out of the chains within twenty seconds, and didn't take very long to get out of the straitjacket either. I think that the escape was difficult, but it didn't appear that way on screen, which is why Alexanderia's husband did a running commentary throughout,. Spencer Horsman did a similar escape in Vegas last year, and his was far more exciting and professional. I don't think that Alexanderia had done enough to win over AGT's viewers.


What was the Competition Like?

Out of all the nine other acts, only two received unreserved praise from all four judges. The two standouts were The KriStef Brothers, whose comedy balancing was silly but surprisingly graceful, and Branden James, who sang "You Raise Me Up" with the power of someone twice his age. Hype are good dancers, but failed to up their game enough.   American Hitmen were very good, but younger viewers may struggle to appreciate  them and vote for flashier acts instead. Anna Christine has a great voice, but made a number of mistakes. Four acts are guaranteed to be going home: Fresh Faces were bland and forgettable. TellAVision were more creative, but they were technically weak, and their routine lacked energy. Kevin Downey Jr. was too vulgar and annoying for my tastes, and Aaralyn and Izzy did a death metal song about stepping in dog poo. Yes, really.

What are their chances?

Special Head's chances of making it through are very slim. He has talent, but his Live performance was a disappointment, and his act is too quirky to gain votes.

Colins Key has an incredibly high chance of making the next round. Most viewers regard him as one of the star performers of the night, and the weak competition makes it even easier for him.

Alexanderia the Great has little chance of getting through. Spenser Horsman didn't make it out of the first round last year, and he was easily better than Alexanderia.

Americas Got Talent 8 - The First Live Show- Preview

FOR BRITISH VIEWERS, THIS ARTICLE MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS

The Americas Got Talent live shows are about to begin in New York's iconic Radio City Music Hall, and the first live show includes not one, not two, but three magic acts: Alexanderia the Great, Colins Key and Special Head.

What should Alexanderia do?

The comments I made about Spenser Horsman last year also apply to Alexanderia the Great. As Spencer did in his audition, Vegas performance and Wild Card performance (but not his quarterfinal performance), Alexanderia should assure the audience that her feats are for real. Furthermore, she should come up with an original and exciting escape-There are only so many times she can escape from a pool (or tank) of water before viewers get bored. Finally, she needs to up her game and come up with more elaborate escapes and more memorable traps for her to escape from.

What should Special Head Do?

                                          


Special Head's selling point is his novelty value (Which is why he wasn't sorted among the rest of the magicians in Vegas). How many magicians have incorporated throat singing and Far Eastern spirituality into their act before? However, this novelty value will also turn off viewers who will not see him as a serious contender. Special Head should aim to emphasise his unique nature, but make himself accessible to viewers. He should also play on the unpredictablity that made his audition great, but he should also get to the point a lot sooner (He cannot afford to get an X, even if the judges take it back). To put it simply, Special Head is caught between a number of extremes, and has to strike a balance between them to succeed.

What Should Colin's Key Do?

Colins Key, like Special Head, is caught in a dilemma. Should he up the scale of  his tricks for the live shows and risk compromising his niche, or should he stick to close-up and alienate the thousands of people in at the back of the Radio City Music Hall? Colins' best bet is to come up with a close-up trick that is so good that it "plays big" and wows everyone in the audience. However, Colins has one advantage. The majority of the audience will be watching him on TV, and are more likely to appreciate his tricks because of the focus of the cameras. Even with that in mind, Colins still needs to come up with something spectacular, as it can be very hard for magic acts to impress the viewers, especially if their tricks are too familiar.

The Competition

This looks like a very competitive heat. Of the other nine acts, four are serious contenders, and most of the other acts are also talented. Unless a large number of the acts flop, shock eliminations are inevitable.

1. Anna Christine- A 10- year old singer with a brilliant voice, Anna Christine is likely to get very far in the competition, but, because of her age, viewers may be reluctant to vote for her. However, that will not really be an issue until later on in the competition
2. Branden James- Branden is undoubtedly talented, but there are a number of very similar opera singers in the live shows, including Johnathan Allen and Forte, both of whom are probably better and have more enthusiastic support.
3. Hype- Hype are aiming to be the first dance act to win Americas Got Talent, and certainly have the talent and creativity needed to do so. However, they may struggle to up their game as the competition progresses.
4. American Hitmen- A rock group made up of former marines, American Hitmen are another highly talented act, but may struggle to stand out against their flashier and more original rivals unless they put on a brilliant performance. However, the judges, particularly Howard Stern, have been very vocal in their support of the group, which will give them an advantage, particularly if the require the judges vote to move on .
5. KriStef Brothers- The KriStef Brothers mix of hand balancing and comedy is entertaining and unique, but acrobatics acts have never done as well as they deserve to on AGT. Unless they convince the judges and viewers that they are serious contenders, the KriStef Brothers will be going home.
6. Fresh Faces- Out of all the acts in the first heat, child dance troupe Fresh Faces have recieved probably the least exposure so far. Their live performance is absolutely critical, but in such a competitive heat, their best might not be enough.
7. TellAvision- A Dance Troupe who use flat screen moniters to tell stories, TellAvision have a strong gimmick, but lack the talent needed to elevate their act to the standards required in this heat.
8. Kevin Downey Jr. - It's strange that Kevin was passed through automatically whilst better comedians such as Taylor Williamson and John Wing had to compete for their place in the live shows. Kevin's material was mildly amusing, but the main problem with his performance was his hyperactive manner. Kevin's frequent twitches and shrieks before and after he told his jokes  probably put a lot of viewers off him. Furthermore, his lack of screen time wil prevent viewers from getting to know him, which will damage his chances of increasing his fan base.
9. Aaralyn and Izzy- The least talented and least popular act in the heat, Aaralyn and Izzy were included in the top 60 solely for novelty value.Seeing two kids "performing" death metal (Aaralyn screams and Izzy Drums) is mildly amusing the first time, but once is enough, and Aaralyn and Izzy should not have advanced over the numerous better acts in Las Vegas. 

Predictions

I hate to admit it, but Alexanderia the Great's chances of advancing are pretty slim. Last year, Spencer Horsman failed to make it through a weak Wild Card round despite a faultless performance. Unless she does a one-in-a-million performance, she won't be able to better Horsman's results.

Special Head's chances of advancing aren't much better. He probably won't be able to top the shock value of this audition, his tricks are not as impressive as his rivals, and he seems like a goofy novelty.

Colins Key has the best chance of advancing, but it all hinges on his performance. If he performs an amazing trick, he will probably make it through. If he flops, however, he may lose a substantial amount of support.

One thing is for sure, we should expect to see at least one of these magicians in the Wild Card round, and hopefully, we will see at least one in the Semi Finals.

Americas Got Talent 8 - Vegas Week

FOR BRITISH VIEWERS, THIS ARTICLE MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS.

This year, a record 60 Acts passed through Vegas Week and into the Live shows (There are no Youtube heats this year). Among the acts competing for those spots in the live shows (Now held in New York's iconic Radio City Music Hall) were a large number of magicians. How did they fare?

Automatic Decision.

This year, the judges put through half of the top 60 automatically, without waiting for another performance. One of these acts was Alexanderia the Great, the female escapologist. I'm pleased she got to bypass Vegas week and can't wait to see what she will do in the live shows.

Magic Category

Due to the fact that a large number of acts were advanced (And sometimes eliminated) automatically, there was no need to split the remaining acts into "Judges Favorites"  and "Standbys" as in previous series. Therefore, all the magicians competed in one group (Except for one who we will get to later).

R.J Cantu, whose audition was not televised, went first, and performed a standard levitation trick. It was only notable for the poor lighting, which presumably hid the method. I would have liked to have seen a more creative and original performance.

Naathan Phan was next, and performed a set of tricks which were mostly unseen, culminating in him making a bird cage with four birds inside vanish. The final trick was not executed perfectly (We can see a moving feather poking out of the table as he makes the cage vanish). Furthermore, his story line (about him hosting a cooking show) had promise, but the joke we saw, about not being able to use Samuel L. Jackson as a guest, was too vague to work. In short, it was a disappointment, and Phan didn't get a second trick in which to redeem himself.

After two underwhelming performances, it was time for a magician to knock it out of the park, and that magician was Colins Key. He used judge Howie Mandel's autobiography for his trick. Having the judges choose a page from it and memorize the first word on it, he made the page vanish from the book and appear in a sealed envelope, with the memorized word written across it. It's not difficult to figure out how he did it, but the presentation was great, and he made the trick seem unique and original.

Following Key's performance, there was a battle between two conventional illusionists- Ariann Black and Leon Etienne (Whose assistant, Romy Low, was credited as an official partner). Ariann went first, and performed a version of the Interlude illusion, where an assistant passed through her body. I was rooting for Ariann, but she botched her delivery and confused the judges. It was a pity, as I would have loved to have seen a female magician make the live shows.

Leon Etienne was the last magician in the category to perform.He did a trick in which he levitated Romy from the top of a metal pole. He then removed one of the two supports beneath the platform on which he did the trick, making the levitation seem even more impossible. It's a very old trick (In the film "Hugo", this is one of the tricks George Melies performed before he became a filmmaker) , but I liked Etienne's modern presentation.

Variety Category

The most unusual magician passed by the judges, Special Head was sorted into the variety category with other novelty acts, and was easily the best of them. He performed a trick in which he appeared to bend his body over backwards with out falling on the row of candles beneath him. While it is possible to doubt whether or not it was really a magic trick (Did he do it for real or did he lock himself into place?), it was still a very impressive feat.

So who advanced?

Four magicians have made the live shows this year. They are.

1. Alexanderia The Great
2. Colins Key
3. Leon Etienne (And Romy Low)
4. Special Head

Americas Got Talent 8- This Year's Magicians

FOR BRITISH VIEWERS, THIS ARTICLE MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS.

With two new judges (Heidi Klum and Mel B replacing Sharon Osbourne), Americas Got Talent has returned for an eighth season. After Olate Dogs' surprise win last year, this series has been dominated by unusual and unconventional talent. The focus on the unusual extends to the magic acts. Of the five shown passing the auditions, only one was a conventional illusionist. Other magic acts may have passed through the auditions as well, but none of the Magic Acts introduced in Vegas  during previous seasons has made the Live Shows, so the five shown below have the best chance of making the live shows. They are, listed in order of appearance.

1. Special Head

Out of all this years magic acts, Special Head was the most surprising. After a terrible start, which consisted of him sitting down on the floor and "Throat Singing" (A strange variety of singing that always gets rejected at the auditions) . Then he levitated into the air, with one hand propped up on a stick, and the rest of his body, still in a sitting lotus posture, horizontal to the top of the stick. It was an impressive, if not completely original trick, but Special Head will be under a lot of pressure to top it. Furthermore, with audiences now knowing what to expect of him, he may lose the surprise value that made his audition so memorable.

2. Collins Key

In the past, close-up magic has never impressed on Americas Got Talent. In series 5, eventual finalist Michael Grasso was initially rejected at Vegas for performing sleight of hand tricks there. But it is a lot harder to figure out then grand illusions, and can be just as, if not more, impressive when performed by a magician like David Blaine or Dynamo. Key's trick, to make a dollar bill vanish and reappear in a sealed bag of popcorn, was very good indeed, but if he wants to compete with the rest, he has to rival the greats of close-up magic with a trick that is both original and amazing.

3.. Alexanderia The Great

Like Spencer Horsman from last year, Alexanderia the Great is an escapologist rather than a magician, but, given that the most famous magician ever is Houdini, best remembered for his escapology, she will be counted among the magicians as Spencer was. Whilst Spencer sold himself on his youth, Alexanderia is a middle-aged mother and wife. That could make her relateable and appealing (Personality counts as much as talent on this show) and give her an edge, but danger acts have never fared as well as they deserved to. Spencer missed out on the Semifinals despite a faultless wildcard performance, and, although her audition was excellent, Alexanderia may fail to get far due to the fact that audiences are uncomfortable with acts who risk their life. (Last year, other dangerous acts such as Ben Blaque and Donovan and Rebecca failed to get as far as they should have, even though they were among the best acts of the season). For this reason, Alexanderia is under extra pressure, as her best might not be good enough.

4. Leon Etienne 

Leon Etienne, the only conventional illusionist whose audition was shown, was seen only in a montage. His main rivals all received far more screen time, putting them at an advantage. However, Etienne made a strong impression during his brief  appearance, performing a number of good, if unoriginal tricks, with flair and energy. To make it far, his tricks need to be more creative. In the series 6 live shows, Scott Alexander teleported an entire choir during his heat, but audiences were unimpressed with the generic nature of the trick, and he finished behind an act that had gained 2 X's. Bigger isn't always better, so Etienne will have to combine the spectacle that has helped him stand out with originality.

5. Nathan Phan

Nathan Phan, like Special Head, initially appeared to be an odd novelty in the vein of the rejected magicians who were shown immediately before him. Escaping from a straitjacket whilst singing Queen's "I Want to Break Free", he initially received 2 X's. Like Special Head, he eventually won the judges and viewers over, in this case with a creative "Sleight-of-mouth" trick performed unrehearsed on the spot. Phan has talent, but from here, there are no second chances. He has to do a clever and creative trick like the one that got him through, or he goes out. Furthermore, he has to up his game. His card trick was good, but it was a lot less impressive then the tricks performed by his rivals. Phan will have to upstage the likes of Colins Key if he wants to succeed.

These are the five magic acts that viewers were introduced to during the audition phase. Next week, we will reveal how they fared in Vegas.

Britains Got Talent- Semifinals

Sorry for my absence over the past few months, and my failure to follow through on my promise to post about Theo Dari's performance in the final of Incroyable Talent (He didn't win, however). But Got Talent season is starting again, and the final of Britain's Got Talent is about to air. Due to the success of David and Karen in Series 5 and Brynolf and Ljung in Series 6, more magicians then ever entered Britain's Got Talent this year, and three made the top 45- Aaron Crow, Stevie Pink and James More. But how did they do?

SEMIFINAL 1 - AARON CROW

Mentalist Aaron Crow was under pressure to up his game after his dangerous Samurai-themed audition routine (Above), and did so with his Semifinal performance.(Below) He used host Declan "Dec" Donnelly as a volunteer for his trick. He borrowed a ring from judge Amanda Holden, and put it inside an apple. He placed the apple on Dec's head, William-Tell Style, and stood on a revolving platform with a bow and arrow. He fired the arrow it went through the apple and hit a target, with the ring on the arrow. It was a trick I've seen before on The Magicians, but Aaron performed it well, even though the arrow was a centimeter or so off the bulls-eye, not that that really mattered. More problematic was Aaron's refusal to speak before or after the performance, which would have allowed him to be more accessible and appealing to the viewers at home. Furthermore, the risky nature of his act may have tuned off some viewers, and, as a result, Aaron lost out in the vote to safer and inferior acts such as Dance Act Youth Creation and Opera singers Richard and Adam .Like Series 4's Stevie Starr, another dangerous and unconventional magic act, Crow was talented, but too unconventional to reach the finals. He did well, however, and the judges liked him (Though Simon Cowell stated that he preferred his audition and was disappointed that Dec survived), and that's all that mattered.

SEMIFINAL 3- STEVIE PINK

I am not a fan of camp magic, as my disdain for Jeff  Hobson illustrates, but I thought Stevie Pink (real name  Steve Kovarez) had potential based on his audition (Above). How wrong I was. In his audition, Steve chose to let the trick speak for itself, and did a cheesy but effective spin on the levitation illusion. For his semifinal performance, however (Below), Steve put himself front and centre, and his performance was a disaster. The trick itself, which involved making a shirtless man on a motorbike appear in a pink Shadow box, was alright, but the patter was terrible, and the trick wasn't good enough to compensate. Steve also wasted time with a number of showgirls who contributed little but eye candy. Of the judges, only David Walliams, who loves all things camp, refrained from pressing his buzzer (Though Aleesha Dixon only did so after the performance) I think that Steve should have tried to incorporate more inventive illusions in his performance, and should have chosen not to use such irritating patter. It was sad to see a magic act flop so badly, as they almost always did on BGT before David and Karen's arrival, and whilst Stevie wasn't the worst magic act on Britain's Got Talent as Simon claimed, it is down there with the likes of Doctor Gore and the Deans of Magic. Steve only came up with the "Stevie Pink" persona months before his audition, and he should have scrapped it at the planning stage. Needless to say, he didn't get through.

SEMIFINAL 4-JAMES MORE

The last, and best, magician to perform in the semifinals was illusionist James More, previously seen on Penn and Teller: Fool Us. His audition version of the Impalement illusion (Above) was exciting and entertaining, if easier to figure out on repeat views then other versions of the trick. In the semifinal, however, James really upped his game with a version of the "Table of Death" (Below). He was chained to a table below a row of spikes, and the spikes were lit on fire and dropped on him. However, by the time the spikes dropped, James had vanished from the Table and reappeared behind the judges. Modern, exciting, engaging, it was everything a Britain's got Talent magician's performance should be. The judges were all praise, and Simon called James "The best magic act we've ever seen". Despite this, he didn't make the top 3, with the public voting for far blander acts like the singers Alex Keirl and Asanda. This means that there will be no magicians in the final of Britain's Got Talent this year, but, hopefully, a great magic act will make it next year.