Americas Got Talent 11 Live Shows - Week 3: Kadan Bart Rockett and Blake Vogt

(For British Viewers, the Following May Contain Spoilers)

(I've been very busy lately, so for the rest of the series, I am going to be providing my  posts after the results show. This means that they will all follow the format of my posts for the Judges Cuts rounds, with only the magicians' performances being analysed, and the results being revealed at the end of the article.)

The Third Americas Got Talent heat aired last week, with Twelve acts competing for the last seven spots in the Semifinals, which start this week. Two of the Twelve acts in the lineup were magic acts - 10 year-old Illusionist Kadan Bart Rockett and Close-Up Magician/Mentalist Blake Vogt.

How Did Kadan Bart Rockett Do?

The best thing about Kadan Bart Rockett has always been his ambition. We've never seen a Child magician on AGT before, and it's really impressive that Kadan chooses to specialise in the sort of Grand Illusions traditionally associated with Vegas headliners. For his Live Shows performance, Kadan took his focus on adult illusions one step further by performing an escapology-themed routine.

Kadan's sister, Brooklyn Rockett (now officially credited as Kadan's assistant) began the performance by providing the judges with four pairs of "regulation police" handcuffs. After checking these, the judges were instructed to lock the handcuffs around Kadan's wrists. Brooklyn took the keys to the handcuffs and placed them inside a toolbox on a table set up next to the Judges table. This toolbox was full of items which would be needed in case of an emergency, including a Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich. After this set-up, it was time for "Kadan's Great Escape" to fully begin.

"Kadan's Great Escape" involved him being placed inside a large shadowbox, with his handcuffed wrists being suspended over his head. The box was lit so that you could see a silhouette of Kadan as he struggled with his restraints, and Brooklyn then revealed a column of chainsaws were pointed towards the box. Brooklyn turned the chainsaws on, and then pulled a rope, causing the column of chainsaws to advance towards Kadan, who seemed unable to escape from his restraints. The lights inside the box went off just seconds before the chainsaws went through it, and the sheet covering the box was then ripped away to reveal that Kadan had vanished from it. A couple of moments later, the toolbox next to the Judges opened and Kadan emerged from inside it. He finished the routine by grabbing the sandwich inside the toolbox and taking a bite from it.

Although only 10 years old, Kadan already has many of the strengths and weaknesses associated with illusionists. The main problem with illusionists is that they generally rely on similar kinds of illusions (there are only so many ways you can make someone vanish from a box), and it is generally easier to figure out how their tricks are done. This means that they are more reliant on showmanship, and have to ensure that their routines seem unique and entertaining. Like the best illusionists, Kadan is really good at making his performances stand out. He is generally a very confident performer (even when he briefly struggled to make himself heard at the very beginning) and the music ("My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark" by Fall Out Boy) was used effectively, making the act seem more energetic. Even if the staging is a little bit amateurish (the "police handcuffs" used looked more like toy handcuffs) the "home-made" look and feel of Kadan's props emphasises how much effort he puts into setting up his illusions. I would also like to praise Brooklyn, who made her lines seem really funny as she showed the Judges the handcuffs and the toolbox. Overall, Kadan is not the best illusionist in this season of AGT, but he's probably the one I enjoy watching the most.

The judges all gave Kadan positive comments. Heidi praised the way he always provided "a surprise for us". Simon called him "A real-life Harry Potter". Howie praised the way Kadan managed to "step it up" and urged viewers to vote for him, whilst Mel B praised "the element of surprise" in his act. Given that Kadan performed early in a really competitive heat, it was a really pleasant surprise to find out that he had received enough votes to advance automatically to the Semifinals. I doubt that he will advance much further, given the high standards set by the other Semifinalists, but I look forward to seeing him once more.

How Did Blake Vogt Do?

As the only act in the Live Shows whose audition went untelevised, Blake Vogt was under considerable pressure to make a name for himself in the Live Shows. In his pre-performance intro, we found out a lot more about Blake. As a child, he found out he had 109 different allergies which left him housebound, and he turned to magic to cope with this. In addition to revealing this back-story, Blake promised that his Live Show performance would be a routine he had "created just for this show". This intro made me look forward to Blake's performance, but I personally found it a little disappointing.

Blake began his performance by getting a random audience member to choose his volunteer for him. After the volunteer was selected, Blake pointed to a box suspended in midair, and promised that, whilst other magicians would make doves appear, he would make any bird name appear. Blake then noted that there were over 9,000 species of birds, and asked the volunteer to name a bird of her choice. She chose a "Blue Jay", and Blake made an egg drop from the box, claiming that it was a Blue Jay egg, and he couldn't provide anything else due to his allergy to birds. Blake then went to the Judges Table, and gave the egg to Simon. He then gave a deck of cards to Howie, and asked him not to touch the deck until the end of the performance. Howie was then told to think of a deck, and choose to remove either the number cards or picture cards. After Howie removed the number cards, Blake asked Mel B to choose the face on the card - she decided it would be a Queen card. Finally, Heidi was asked to choose the suit of the card, and chose to select the Queen of Diamonds. After the Queen of Diamonds had been selected, Howie was asked to open the box of cards, but found out that it was empty, Blake explained that the judges would have expected something to appear in the box, but there was one place where "nobody expects the Queen of Diamonds to be"- the egg. Simon cracked the egg open to reveal that instead of a yolk, there was a folded-up card inside, and Blake opened this card up to reveal that it was the Queen of Diamonds - the Judges' Chosen card. However, Blake was not finished yet. He went back to the box on stage, still suspended in midair, and pulled a rope, causing the box to open up and reveal the bird name chosen at the start of the routine, "Blue Jay", written inside.

I believe that out of all the seven magicians who made it through to the Live Shows this year, Blake is probably one of the weakest. I liked the bird theme, and I find it really interesting that Blake made his allergies into a prominent part of the routine, but I still think he lacks showmanship. His nasal voice means that he sounds pretty annoying when he shouts, although I think that this routine was more suited to his energetic style than the more intimate one he provided at Judges Cuts. However, my biggest problem with Blake's Live Show performance was its generic nature. His tricks were hard to figure out, but his style of magic is no longer special. In the last few years, numerous magicians have performed Card tricks and Mentalism on AGT, so magic acts in these genres have to be truly unique in order to stand out, and I don't think that Blake's routines have been unique enough to impress me.

Nonetheless, this is just my opinion, and the judges were full of praise for Blake. Mel B said that she was "confused" by the routine, but in a good way. Heidi said that she had no idea how the trick was done. Simon admitted that he had previously considered Blake boring, but said that this routine had won him over, as Blake actually had "a great personality". Howie finished by praising Blake's backstory. As this was a very competitive heat, I didn't expect Blake to get through, but he earned enough votes to advance automatically. I wish Blake good luck and hope that he will win me over with his next performance.

Who Else Made It Through?

In addition to Kadan Bart Rockett and Blake Vogt, the following five acts made it through to the Semifinals. They were:

• Pop/Rock Singer Brian Justin Crum
• Family Country Trio Edgar
• Child Singer-Songwriter Grace VanderWaal
• Vocal Quartet Linkin' Bridge
• Drumming/Tap-Dancing Group Malevo

I wish them the best of luck in the Semifinals.

America's Got Talent 11 Live Shows - Week 2: The Clairvoyants, Steven Brundage and Sos & Victoria

(For British Viewers, the Following May Contain Spoilers)

With Americas Got Talent having recently returned from hiatus due to the 2016 Rio Olympics, now is a good time to look back at the Second Live Show, which was the last to air before the Olympics started earlier this month. My apologies for not providing a post on this episode sooner. As with my overview of the Judges Cuts First Live Show, I will reveal the results in this post.

The Second Live Show featured twelve more acts competing for a place in the Semifinals. This lineup included THREE magic acts - Mentalist Duo The Clairvoyants (Thommy & Amelie), Rubix Cube Magician Steven Brundage and Quick-Change Duo Sos & Victoria Petrosyan.

How Did The Clairvoyants Do?

The Clairvoyants impressed viewers in the Second Live Show with a performance themed around Jellybeans. These may seem like a strange item to centre a magic routine around, but then so is a Rubix Cube, and the use of mundane items in magic tricks can make an act seem even more unique and impressive. In this performance, The Clairvoyants managed to take their act in new directions whilst keeping everything which makes them stand out.

The Clairvoyants Live Show performance began with Amelie, who was standing in the middle of the stage, showing the audience a glimpse of a blackboard hidden beneath a red curtain, before it was hoisted into midair. Meanwhile, Thommy, who was standing in front of the Judges Table, showed the Judges a bowl of Jellybeans and talked about how he and Amelie regarded these as their favourite sweets "because they come in all flavours and colours". Thommy then instructed Simon to choose a Jellybean and give it to him. When Thommy ate the Jellybean, Amelie, who couldn't see which Jellybean he chose correctly guessed that Thommy ate a Purple Berry Jellybean. Thommy then asked Heidi to choose a Jellybean and eat it. Amelie correctly guessed that she had eaten a Pink Bubblegun Jellybean.

After this, Amelie and Thommy gave Mel B something different to do. She would take an ice-cream scoop, and use it to transfer some of the Jellybeans from the bowl into a glass. Meanwhile, Howie was asked to name his dream flavour of Jellybean, and he stated he would like a Spicy Chocolate Flavour. When Mel B had finished putting Jellybeans into the glass, she was asked to cover the glass with both her hands. Even though no-one knew exactly how many Jellybeans Mel B had transferred to the glass, Amelie guessed that there were 22 Jellybeans inside the glass. When all the Jellybeans in the glass were tipped in to a tray and counted, it was revealed that there had been exactly 22 Jellybeans inside. However, The Clairvoyants had not finished yet, as they revealed that they had not merely been reading the judges minds, they had been controlling their thoughts as well. They took down the blackboard, hidden behind the curtain for the entirety of the routine, and removed the curtain to reveal that they had correctly predicted all the decisions made by the judges during the routine before it had even started.

Overall, this was a very enjoyable routine. I liked the theme, and Thommy and Amelie have a strong stage presence. Their signature object-based brand of mentalism remains impressive, and the decision to incorporate more conventional mentalism, involving the correct prediction in full view throughout the routine, did not harm the act as it was performed very well. When Amelie showed a glimpse of the blackboard at the beginning of the routine, the part she showed remained unchanged even when the blackboard was fully revealed. This made the routine harder to figure out, and thus more impressive.

The Judges were full of praise for The Clairvoyants. Simon claimed that they were "aliens from another planet" and stated that their act was "more than magic". Howie called the act "amazing" and wondered if The Clairvoyants were able to influence the minds of viewers to get people to vote for them. Mel B said that the duo were "mesmerising" and she could watch them "time and time again". Given the quality of their performance, and the positive feedback they received from the judges, it was no surprise that The Clairvoyants received enough votes to make it through to the Semifinals. I have a feeling that they will provide another excellent performance in the Semifianls, but I'm not sure whether they will make it to the final.

How Did Steven Brundage Do?

Steven Brundage was one of two acts competing in this episode who had previously been eliminated, but was now being reinstated as a Wildcard (The other Wildcard was Dance Troupe FLIP, who made little impact and were eliminated). Steven's Pre-performance intro placed significant emphasis on the role of "People Power" in his return to the competition, and this highlighted the fact that he was under significant pressure to make his online fanbase proud and assert his status as a potential favourite to win the series.

Whilst Steven's performance at Judges Cuts emphasised his versatility by showing that he could use his signature Rubix Cube as part of a Card Trick, he chose to focus on providing increased levels of spectacle for his Live Shows performance. Steven's performance began with him showing Simon a giant Rubix Cube and asking him to hold it throughout the routine. He then gave Heidi a dice, which had the six colours of a Rubix Cube on its side instead of numbers, Heidi was asked to roll it, choose a colour and keep her choice secret. Mel B was asked to look at the dice as well, and name a different colour from the one chosen by Heidi. Mel B chose the colour Red, so Steven asked her to imagine the "Red Stickers" disappearing off a Rubix Cube. He then took out a Rubix Cube out of a paper bag, and showed that all nine of the Red Pieces were on the bottom of the cube, with none of them on the top or sides. Steven followed this by asking Heidi to think of her chosen colour (which was Blue). He then took a second Rubix Cube out of the Paper bag, and revealed that there were no pieces with the chosen colour on the top or sides, because all nine of the blue pieces were on the bottom.

After this, Steven went to Howie, who hadn't been used as a volunteer in the previous two performances. He showed Howie two Rubix Cubes, and asked him to choose one. Steven kept the other cube, and as Howie mixed his chosen cube, Steven mixed the other cube behind his back until Howie stopped. When Howie stopped, Steven took Howie's Cube, and revealed that both his cube and Howie's cube had been arranged into exactly identical configurations. If that wasn't enough, Steven took the Giant Rubix Cube which Simon had been holding the entire routine, and revealed that the arrangement on this cube exactly matched the other two.

Overall, Steven's Live Shows performance demonstrated both the strengths and flaws of his act. The tricks he performed were unique and very hard to figure out, He demonstrated an increased sense of showmanship, and he certainly deserves his place in the Live Shows. However, I'm not sure whether Steven's act can sustain the hour-long show which the winner of Americas Got Talent is expected to headline. His tricks have generally centred around changing the configuration of Rubix Cubes, or making them perfectly match a randomly-mixed cube. In order to respond to this issue, Steven needs to either do something unusual with his Rubix Cubes, as he did in the Judges Cuts, or make his act even more spectacular. However, I still enjoy watching him perform.

The judges all loved Steven's performance. Heidi called the act "fantastic". Simon took credit for reinstating Steven into the competition. Howie said Steven "blew me away", and Mel B called the act "astonishing". Due to the combination of his online fanbase, the quality of his performance, and the praise he received from the judges, it was no surprise that Steven received enough votes to automatically advance into the Semifinals. At the very least, he looks like a real Dark Horse in this competition

How Did Sos & Victoria Do?

Sos & Victoria Petrosyan were the last act of the evening to perform. This meant that they needed to provide a memorable climax to an episode full of high-quality acts. Unfortunately, their Live Show performance turned out to be a disappointment.

Sos & Victoria's Live Show performance began with Sos appearing from within a giant Grandfather Clock whilst wearing flaming gloves. He then made Victoria appear inside a mirror, before the duo began performing their signature Quick Changes. During the routine, Sos & Victoria performed a total of 13 Quick-Changes, with Victoria carrying out 12 of them. She performed Quick-Changes in front of a mirror, behind a wall of sparks and beneath a shower of Confetti. However, the highlight of the routine was when Victoria changed her costume five times in quick succession inside a small, curtain-covered booth.

Quick-Change routines are generally fun to watch, but Sos & Victoria's routine was ruined by poor presentation. I liked their use of uptempo pop music in their previous two performances, but I disliked the song choice for this routine - Meghan Trainor's bubblegum pop hit "Me Too". It was a little too annoying for my tastes, and distracted from the performance instead of enhancing it. In addition, the old-fashioned staging, with the giant mirror and Grandfather Clock on stage and the image of a clock in the background, clashed too much with the bright, modern theme suggested by the music and some of the costumes. This seemingly minor issue is actually pretty serious, as it demonstrates that Sos & Victoria did not put sufficient thought into their making their routine more memorable and impressive. However, the greatest problem with Sos & Victoria's routine was that they made a number of errors. During a couple of Quick-Changes late in the performance, it was possible to see how Victoria carried them out. Another particularly problematic moment occurred when Victoria tore off one of her dresses to reveal a smaller one underneath. I'm not sure whether it was deliberate or accidental, but it made it easier to figure out how the other Quick-Changes were performed, making the whole routine seem less impressive. Overall, Sos & Victoria's Live Show routine was the weakest performance by a magician in this season's Live Shows to date.

The Judges Comments towards Sos & Victoria were generally negative. Simon said that their act was "clever", but believed that Sos was "annoying" and added that "I should have liked it, but for some reason, I didn't". Heidi was the most complimentary towards the duo, praising the speed of the act, and the number of Quick-Changes Sos & Victoria performed. Mel B noted the mistakes in the performance, and claimed that Victoria wasn't smiling enough. Howie praised the manner in which the act blended magic and fashion, but felt that the clothing upstaged the performance. Ultimately, Sos & Victoria were voted out of the competition, ensuring that they became the first magic act since Season 8 to be eliminated in the first round of the Live Shows without qualifying for the Judges Choice. The fact Sos & Victoria gained so few votes, in spite of the fact they should have stood out as the last act to perform during the heat, demonstrates how much of a failure their Live Show performance was.

Who Else Made It Through?

In addition to The Clairvoyants and Steven Brundage, the following five acts made it through to the Semifinals. They were:

• Teenage Pop Singer Calysta Bevier
• Child Country Singer Kadie Lynn Roberson
• Jazz/Swing Singer Sal Valentinetti
• Teenage Contortionist/Acrobat Sofie Dossi
• Juggler Viktor Kee

I wish them all the best of luck in the Semifinals.

America's Got Talent 11 Live Shows - Week 1: Jon Dorenbos and Hara

(For British Viewers, the Following May Contain Spoilers)

(N.B: I've been on holiday the last couple of weeks, meaning that I wasn't able to review the first two Live Shows before the results were revealed. Instead of providing a prediction of the results and an assessment of the competitors as I normally do during the Live Shows, I'm going to reveal the results of the First Live Show in this post as I did when reviewing the Judges Cuts)

The Americas Got Talent Live Shows, which now take place in Holływood's prestigious Dolby Theatre, started last week. With the viewers now able to choose which acts would make it into the next round, it wouldn't be enough to merely gain the support of the judges. 

In the first Live Show, the twelve acts competing for a spot in the Semifinals included two magicians - Japanese Illusionist Hara and Close-Up Magician Jon Dorenbos. Only Seven of the acts competing in each Live Show would make it through to the Semifinals, so Hara and Jon Dorenbos had to provide impressive performances in order to win the votes of the viewers.

How Did Hara Do?

For his Live Shows performance, Hara returned to the Videomapping magic of his audition, where the illusions he performed matched up with images projected both in front of him and behind him. Performances utilising Videomapping are almost always beautiful to watch, but in addition to providing unique visuals, Hara used Videomapping to tell a story dedicated to his mother.

Hara's Live Shows routine began with a projection of five doves flying through the air. These doves collided in midair, and transformed into Hara, who floated to the ground and performed some dove tricks, similar to those which he provided in his audition. After this, a projection of Hara's mother appeared and gave him a briefcase. Hara then used projections to show him trying to walk through a forest in pouring rain, making a parasol appear during this sequence.

After Hara had done this, a projection of a dragon appeared, and Hara levitated into the air, appearing to ride on the dragon as it flew through the sky. During this especially impressive sequence, Hara performed some tricks in which he made lights appear at his fingertips, transforming them into projections of stars and fireworks. Hara then landed outside a place called "Harawood", where the projection of the dragon transformed into his mother who, in this instance was real (AND NOT a projection). Hara then finished his performance by opening the case he had been provided earlier. A projection of a flock of doves flew out, before Hara made a real dove appear in his hands.

Hara's Live Show routine demonstrated how excellent visuals and a strong story can make even the most basic magic seem exciting. A magician making lights appear in his hands is not particularly impressive on its own, but when these lights are transformed into stars and fireworks, it is wonderful to watch. All of Hara's visuals enhanced the magic and contributed to the story. This made Hara's performance seem memorable and exciting to watch, as all the best magic should be.

The Judges were full of praise for Hara's performance. Simon said that Hara's routine had "made" him due to the quality of magic. Howie, who gave Hara a standing ovation, praised the story told during the performance, as did Mel B. Heidi concluded by saying that Hara was "a man of many mysteries". In spite of this praise, Hara did not get enough votes to advance automatically, and had to face the Judges Choice at the end of the Results Show. Although Howie and Mel B voted to put Hara through, Simon and Heidi voted for Knife-Throwing Duo Deadly Games, and as Deadly Games received more votes from the public, they went through to the next round, eliminating Hara.

I can understand why Hara did not get enough votes, as he had to deal with tough competition, an early performance slot and a growing lack of interest in Videomapping acts (Sila Sveta, a dance duo utilising Videomapping technology, were also eliminated in this Live Show). However, I think that Hara deserved a Place in the Semifinals, as his act was totally unique, and it is easy to imagine him headlining a show in Las Vegas. Last year, the judges reinstated one act eliminated in the Live Shows as a Wild Card to ensure that there was an even number of acts in the Semi Finals. Hopefully, Hara could be chosen as that Wild Card this year.

How Did Jon Dorenbos Do?

After providing Card tricks in his previous two performance, Jon Dorenbos chose to perform a mentalism routine in the Live Shows. He began his performance by placing a glass bottle (which contained a mysterious Prediction written on a piece of paper ) on the Judges Table. Having used drawings in his Judges Cuts performance, Jon promised to "mix this up" by giving each of the four judges poster boards and marker pens, before telling them to draw an image of their choice on the poster boards without anyone else seeing. After this, the judges were told to turn their poster boards face down, and Mel B was asked to shuffle them until she had no idea of their order. Mel B then chose a poster board at random (still keeping it face down) and gave it to Jon. Jon looked at the picture on the poster board (a small heart) and correctly guessed that it had been drawn by Mel B. Mel B then gave Jon a second poster board. This one had a picture of a sweater on it, and Jon correctly guessed that Howie had drawn it. Jon then received the third poster board, which had a picture of a butterfly on it, and correctly guessed that this had been drawn by Heidi.

After correctly matching three images to the judges who drew them, Jon had one picture board left over - the one he had given to Simon. Therefore, Jon decided to do something a bit different for Simon. He told Simon to think of his chosen image, and whilst Simon did this, Jon drew something on the back of Heidi's used poster board. However, he appeared unable to predict the item which Simon had drawn. Simon's image was soon revealed - it was a very strange picture of a dog. After this, Jon pointed to the glass bottle he had placed on the Judges Table earlier, and revealed that it contained predictions of the judges drawings. The judges were asked to break the bottle inside a paper bag. Jon pulled an envelope out of the bag, revealing that this envelope contained the predictions he had made earlier. The envelope was opened to reveal that Jon had provided an accurate reproduction of Simon's drawing. However, there was more to come, as Jon revealed a "secret pocket" on the other side of the envelope. Jon told Simon to open the "secret pocket" and revealed that it contained correct predictions of the other three drawings, which Jon had matched to Heidi, Howie and Mel B earlier in the routine

Mentalism routines have become a common feature of AGT in recent years, because they can impress a large audience and are very hard to figure out. However, with so many magicians performing mentalism routines, it is getting harder to provide one which stands out. Fortunately, Jon Dorenbos' Live Show performance was a success. The best thing about Jon is his down-to-earth approach, and his simple props and casual style made his routine seem even more impressive. Jon used a couple of fakeouts, but these were amusing and fitted into the routine effectively. Jon's hesitation before deciding that Howie had drawn the sweater, and his initial failure to guess Simon's drawing made the climax of the routine all the more impressive. Overall, Jon Dorenbos provided an enjoyable performance. It's hard to compare him with Hara, as they have vastly different approaches, but I think that Jon Dorenbos probably provided the better performance.

All four judges gave Jon a standing ovation. Howie said he was "mesmerised" by the performance, and expressed confidence that Jon would get through to the next round. Mel B said she had no idea how Jon was able to predict her drawing. Heidi praised Jon's "super engaging" performance style and "solid" magic, and Simon said that Jon was "A real American Hero". Ultimately, during the results show, it was announced that Jon Dorenbos had received enough votes to gain an automatic place in the Semifinals, which he definitely deserved. To be honest, Jon would have probably got through even if his performance had been disappointing (His likeable personality and moving backstory ensure that he has a very strong fan base), but the quality of Jon's Live Show performance cements his status as one of the acts to beat in the Semifinals.

Who Else Made It Through?

In addition to Jon Dorenbos, the following six acts made it through to the Semifinals, which are due to start in September.

Knife-Throwing Duo Deadly Games

Teenage Jazz/Soul Singer Jayna Brown

Teenage Opera Singer Laura Bretan

Teenage Stand-Up Comedienne Lori Mae Hernandez

Pop Choir Musicality

Mime/Physical Comedian Tape Face

I wish all of them he best of luck in the Semifinals.

America's Got Talent 11 Judges Cuts - Episode 4: Sos & Victoria Petrosyan, The Amazing Armando and The Clairvoyants

(For British Viewers, the Following May Contain Spoilers)

The fourth and final episode of the Judges Cuts round aired last week. Louis Tomlinson, one of the members of boyband One Direction, was the episode's "Guest Judge", helping regular judges Howie, Mel B, Heidi and Simon choose which seven acts would make the Live Shows out the final group of 20. This set of competitors included Quick-Change Illusionists Sos & Victoria Petrosyan, Comedic Magician The Amazing Armando and Mentalist Duo The Clairvoyants.

How Did Sos & Victorian Petrosyan Do?

Sos & Victoria Petrosyan are the second magic act in AGT history to focus on Quick-Change magic, following David and Dania, whose audition went viral during the First Season. For their audition (above), Sos & Victoria marked themselves out from other Quick-Change acts through their use of upbeat pop music and their desicion to perform with clothes they had made themselves, ensuring that their magical costume changes did not only highlight their skills as magicians, but their abilities as costume designers. However, they needed to avoid the two flaws which ruined David and Dania's act - a reliance on repeating the same costume changes in every performance, and a refusal to listen to criticism.

Fortunately, in their Judges Cuts performance (below), Sos & Victoria avoided these two errors, but their efforts  to show off their range and please Simon (who had previously criticised Sos' dance moves during their audition) almost undermined their act. Sos & Victoria's Judges Cuts routine, set to OneRepublic's anthem "Love Runs Out", began with Sos making a box float into the air, before making Victoria appear from that box. Sos turned the box, and Victoria, upside down, before restoring it to its normal position. When Victoria re-emerged from the box, she was wearing a new costume. After this trick, Sos & Victoria performed a set of their signature costume changes, which included Sos transforming his black suit into a red one, and Victoria's costume changing whilst she stood in the middle of a circle of sparks. The routine finished with Sos changing Victoria's dress into a red one in a shower of confetti.

I personally liked Sos & Victoria's decision to mix things up a little bit. The illusion with the levitating box is a standard of magic (Landon Swank performed a particularly memorable version on Season 6 on AGT), but Sos & Victoria performed it quickly and effectively, and their desicion to use costume changes allowed them to transition perfectly from this trick to the quick-changes which define their act. Like Steven Brundage in Episode 2 of the Judges Cuts, Sos & Victoria managed to introduce another style of magic to their act whilst retaining their signature approach, both demonstrating their versatility and highlighting their unique features at the same time. The Quick-Changes were also performed well. Although there are only a certain number of ways you can conceal a costume change (most of which involve covering the performer with a large bag for a few seconds), only the final costume change felt like it had been recycled from the first audition. Overall, this was a strong second performance, and demonstrated that Sos & Victoria have the potential to ensure their act feels fresh and exciting over multiple performances.

The judges generally focused on praising the speed with which Sos & Victoria performed their costume changes. However, Simon was critical of the performance, pointing out that the duo did not provide enough costume changes compared to their audition. In spite of this, the judges went on to put Sos & Victoria through to the Live Shows at the end of the episode. Ultimately, Sos & Victoria deserved their place in the next round, but they really need to provide a spectacular performance, especially with so many magic acts already through to the live shows.

How Did The Amazing Armando Do?

With so many great magicians competing at the Judges Cuts this year, it was only inevitable that we'd get a couple of bad ones, but The Amazing Armando made even Cecile & Mighty seem impressive. The Amazing Armando's audition went untelevised, but his signature shtick (according to his website and Facebook page, neither of which provide much information) is to portray himself as a magician from a fictional third-world country. In the hands of a professional, this approach could generate intelligent and amusing comedy, but, judging from what little we saw of him, Armando relied on an overly exaggerated delivery, making the act seem a little creepy and detracting from the magic instead of enchancing it.

The best part of The Amzing Armando's Judges Cuts routine (Below) occurred at the beginning, when he tricked Mel B into joining him on stage as a volunteer. After that, things went downhill rapidly. Armando performed a comedic trick where he promised to use sleight of hand to make a Chicken Nugget vanish from a handkerchief in front of her eyes, but actually made it vanish by throwing it over her head. This can be an amusing effect when performed by the right magician, but merely seemed silly and annoying when Armando performed it. Simon and Howie gave Armando an X, with Louis pressing Mel B's buzzer for her. Armando finished his performance by making a small black bird appear from within the handkerchief. However, this trick proved another failure, as Mel B saw Armando performing the sleights which allowed him to make the bird appear. As soon as the performance ended, Heidi gave Armando a fourth X, officially eliminating him from the competition on the spot.

Overall, The Amazing Armando's performance was a complete mess, and probably the worst performance from a magician in this entire season of AGT. The tricks which formed the routine were too small and generic to be impressive. Furthermore, Armando performed them badly, with a very annoying delivery and a number of errors. Things got even worse for Armando after his performance, as the pet bird emptied it's bladder on stage whilst the Judges were providing their comments (Heidi, who said that the performance was inferior to Armando's audition, was the only judge shown giving proper feedback). It was an appropriately embarrassing conclusion to what had been a very poor performance.

How Did The Clairvoyants Do?

The Clairvoyants are not the first magicians on AGT to specialise in mentalism. last year, Oz Pearlman proved to be the most successful of the magicians in Season 10, finishing in third place, and Eric Dittelman from Season 7 also made great use of his apparent ability to read the judges minds. However, The Clairvoyants, a duo consisting of Austrian mentalists Thommy and Amelie, represent an old-fashioned but fascinating type of mentalism that seems totally unique to AGT. In their audition (above), The Clairvoyants performed a number of tricks in which a completely blindfolded Amelie correctly identified small items, such as a tube of lipstick, an iPhone, and a Bottle of Ear Drops, and revealed information about them (such as the brand of lipstick and the expiry date on the ear drops) which she could not have possibly seen even without a blindfold. The Clairvoyants had one of the best auditions from a magic act this season, but like Sos & Victoria, they needed to prove that their genre of magic could remain interesting once the novelty of their audition had worn off.

The Clairvoyants provided the last performance in the last episode of the Judges Cuts, and this meant that they were under pressure to bring the round to a memorable conclusion. Fortunately, they succeeded in doing this, as their Judges Cuts performance (below) allowed Amelie another opportunity to show off her unique abilities. Amelie was seated at the centre of the stage, some distance away from the Judges Table, where Thommy promised to "bring Las Vegas" to the Judges. Thommy gave Howie a dice, and asked him to roll it, then cover it. Even though Amelie was at the centre of the stage, and wouldn't have been able to read the number on the dice even if it wasn't covered, she correctly guessed that Howie had rolled the number "one". After this, Amelie put on a blindfold, which Louis had tested earlier, before Thommy gave the judges a deck of cards. He instructed Mel B to shuffle them and Louis to choose one. After Louis put his chosen card face-down in Thommy's had, Amelie was able to correctly reveal that Louis had chosen the Five of Hearts. For the final trick in the routine, Thommy promised to provide an even more impressive prediction. He asked Heidi to choose one banknote out of a set of bills provided by Simon. Thommy then pointed out that to correctly predict the serial number on that banknote would be "more impossible than winning a million in Vegas". However, Amelie was able to correctly guess all eight digits in the serial number, as well as the letter at the end of it. Overall, this was a solid performance. I liked the use of a theme to tie the routine together, and the manner in which the predictions became increasingly impressive. Furthermore, the mentalism performed by The Clairvoyants is always impressive to watch, and Amelie's often hesitant delivery makes her abilities stand out even more. However, The Clairvoyants Judges Cuts routine was probably less impressive than their audition, as the mentalism they performed felt a bit more conventional. Correctly guessing a chosen card, or the serial number on a banknote, doesn't feel as unique or spectacular as the mentalism they performed in their audition. In spite of this, The Clairvoyants performance in the Judges Cuts was still fun to watch, and they are probably one of the best magic acts in this season of AGT.

The judges had nothing but praise for The Clairvoyants. Heidi praised the "mysterious" experience they provided, Louis called their act "mindblowing", and both Simon and Howie claimed that they had "never seen anything like it". Therefore, it was no surprise when, at the end of the episode, the judges put The Clairvoyants through to the Live Shows. Hopefully, they'll provide even more incredible feats of mentalism in the next round. 

Which Acts Made It Through?

In addition to Sos & Victoria Petrosyan and The Clairvoyants, five other acts made it through Episode 4 of the Judges Cuts. They Were:

• Teenage Jazz/Soul Singer Jayna Brown
• Pop Choir Musicality
• Hip-Hop Dance Quintet Outlawz
• Acrobatics Duo ThroWings
• Juggler Viktor Kee

I Wish all of them the best of luck in the Live Shows.

P.S - With 28 acts making it through to the Live Shows via the Judges Cuts, and five acts gaining a spot in the Live Shows by earning a Golden Buzzer at the audition stage, three extra acts were needed to ensure that the Live Shows would feature 36 acts. One of the extra acts is Rubix Cube Magician Steven Brundage, eliminated the the Judges Cuts, but reinstated into the competition as a Wild Card act. I'm pleased to see Steven in the Live Shows, and he has gained a very passionate fanbase who should allow him to do very well in this competition.

Later this Week: The Live Shows begin, and we'll see how many of magic acts who made it through to the Live Shows can advance to the Semifinals. 

Americas Got Talent 11 - Judges Cuts Episode 3: Blake Vogt

(For British Viewers, The Following May Contain Spoilers)

The third episode of the Judges Cuts round of Americas Got Talent aired earlier this week. Actor and comedian George Lopez was the "Guest Judge", helping Howie, Heidi, Mel B and Simon choose seven more acts to make it through to the Live Shows

In this episode, Blake Vogt was the only magician competing for a place in the next round. This meant that he didn't have to be compared with any other magic acts, but he still had to provide an impressive performance in order to stand out.

How Did Blake Vogt Do?

Blake Vogt's audition went untelevised, which generally tends to be a bad sign. As a rule of thumb, if an act is introduced to us at the Judges Cuts stage, it usually implies that they are less interesting than other acts and thus not worth following. However, before Blake's Judges Cut's performance, they showed a brief clip of his audition, which featured him correctly revealing the allergies which affected Heidi and two audience members. This footage revealed that Blake was a creative magician, and proved that the people editing the Audition stages had made a mistake by not showing his performance.

For his Judges Cuts performance (Below), Blake switched from the mentalism of his audition to perform a close-up routine. He went to the judges table, and asked for two dollar bills of "widely different" value. George provided a $100 Bill and Howie provided a $1 Bill.  Blake then asked George and Howie to sign their bills, before instructing Mel B to tear off a corner of Howie's Bill. George was then asked to tear off a corner of his Bill, and the two torn corners were given to Blake. When Blake received the pieces, he put them in his mouth and appeared to swallow them. After this, Blake promised to do something "no-one has ever done before in the history of magic". Blake put the $100 Bill in his mouth, and revealed that the corner of the $1 Bill was now attached to the torn end. He then put the $1 Bill in his mouth and the corner of the $100 Bill appeared, attached to the torn end. Blake finished the performance by getting the judges to verify that the switched corners were firmly attached to their new bills. Overall, I enjoyed the performance, but did not find it spectacular. The trick was impressive, and I especially liked the way in which Blake used the judges. They tore off the corners themselves, and were holding the bills whilst Blake switched the torn corners. Their increased involvement made it harder to figure out how Blake carried out the central switch. However, I thought that Blake lacked showmanship, and I think that a softer, more relaxed style of presentation might have made the performance seem even more impressive. Ultimately, in spite of my issues with his performance style, Blake should be primarily judged based on the trick he performed, and that trick was excellent.

The judges gave Blake highly positive feedback. George claimed that the central trick was "unbelievable", Heidi praised the "original magic" which Blake provided, and Simon called the performance a "great, great second audition". At the end of the episode, the judges chose to put Blake into the Live Shows, making him the fourth magician to get through the Judges Cuts this year. Hopefully, he will be able to match, or even surpass, the high standards set by Jon Dorenbos, Hara and Kadan Bart Rockett.

Who Made It Through To The Live Shows?

In addition to Blake Vogt, six other acts made it through Episode 3 of the Judges Cuts. They were:

• Mother and Son Dance Duo Alla & Daniel Novikov
• Pop/Rock Singer Brian Justin Crum
• Jazz/Swing Singer Daniel Joyner
• Drumming/Tap Dancing Group Malevo
• Sideshow Performers Ryan Stock and AmberLynn
• Mime/Physical Comedian Tape Face

I wish all of them the best of luck in the Live Shows. 

Americas Got Talent 11 Judges Cuts - Episode 2: Kadan Bart Rockett, Cecile & Mighty and Steven Brundage

(For British Viewers, The Following May Contain Spoilers)

In the Second Episode of the Judges Cuts on Americas Got Talent, which aired last week, 20 more acts competed for seven places in the Live Shows. They had to impress the four regular judges and Country Singer Reba McEntire, who was the "Guest Judge" in this episode.

The 20 competitors included three magic acts: Child Illusionist Kadan Bart Rockett, Singer/Magician Duo Cecile & Mighty and Rubix Cube Magician Steven Brundage.

How Did Kadan Bart Rockett Do?

Child Acts have always been a defining feature of AGT, but they generally tend to be singers or dancers. However, Kadan Bart Rockett is the first Child Magician to appear on AGT in its 11-year history. Kadan is only 10 years old, but specialises in performing the elaborate and spectacular illusions associated with far older magicians. In his audition (Above), Kadan performed what was essentially a homemade version of David Copperfield's iconic Death Saw Illusion  He sawed his younger sister Brooklyn Rockett in half inside a cardboard box, then opened the box to show that both her upper body and legs were clearly visible and still moving.Though the the routine had a rather amateurish feel, it was still fun to watch, and I admired Kadan's ambition in performing such a spectacular trick.

However, Kadan's performance for Judges Cuts (Below) was even more elaborate. In a routine set to the B.O.B Song "Magic", Kadan began by laying a large suitcase on a table. He then opened it and took out a basic magicians costume consisting of a black cape, top hat and Groucho Glasses. Kadan then took a suitcase from the side of the stage, and used it as an impromptu step to climb on top of the table. When Kadan appeared on top of the table, he made not one, not two but SIX girls appear from the suitcase, one at a time. The girls then surrounded Kadan and ripped off his disguise to reveal that he had been replaced by Brooklyn, with Kadan reappearing beside the Judges Desk with an air horn.

It is fairly easy to figure out how this routine was done, but Kadan performed all the key moves smoothly and confidently. I especially liked the reveal of Brooklyn, particularly as Kadan had earlier said that she was "still recovering" from the audition. In spite of his youth, Kadan provided a routine which was impressive even by adult standards, and overall, I really enjoyed watching it.

The Judges all praised Kadan's performance. Mel B called it "very, very entertaining" and Heidi Klum praised Kadan's stage presence. At the end of the episode, the judges put Kadan through to the Live Shows. Kadan deserved his place in the Live Shows, and I hope that his next performance will be as spectacular as this one.

How Did Cecile & Mighty Do?

Cecile and Mighty are a duo consisting of singer Cecile and Magician/hand balancer Mighty. Their audition was untelevised, but it was implied that not all the judges liked it, as Cecile complained about the fact she "didn't get a vote from everybody". This meant that Cecile & Mighty had to provide a spectacular performance to stand out, but they instead turned out to be one of the worst acts in the episode.

Cecile & Mighty's Judges Cuts Performance (Below) consisted of Cecile singing "Holding Out For A Hero" whilst Mighty performed some basic magic tricks, such as making a rose appear inside a handkerchief, and did some hand balancing on two sets of blocks. However, Cecile was not a good singer, and her voice was unpleasant to listen to. The small stunts which Mighty performed complemented the song choice well, but in a heat with numerous superior magicians and acrobats, he seemed really amateurish in comparison. The entire act felt messy, and Mighty seemed like a mere backing performer, ensuring that his talents were wasted.

If Cecile & Mighty's aim was to win over the judges, they did not succeed, as Simon Cowell gave the duo an X. The judges did not appear to spend much time commenting on the act, although Reba said that it looked like Cecile & Mighty were "having a blast." However, just because two performers are having a good time, it doesn't mean that they're talented, and it was no surprise to see Cecile & Mighty get eliminated at the end of the episode.

How Did Steven Brundage Do?

Magic fans will recognise Steven Brundage from his appearance on Penn and Teller: Fool Us, where he succeeded in fooling Penn and Teller with a number of tricks involving a Rubix Cube. For his AGT audition (Above), Steven performed two of the tricks he had performed on Penn and Teller: Fool Us, as he managed to magically solve a Rubix Cube inside and empty bag, and changed it to perfectly match a second Cube mixed up by Simon.  However, whilst Steven's audition was impressive, I was worried that his focus on one item would lose its novelty in subsequent rounds.

Fortunately, for his Judges Cuts performance (Below), Steven managed to do something creative and original with his signature Rubix Cube. He began by mixing up the cube, before magically solving it in plain sight - twice in a row. Steven then gave the cube to Reba and told her to hold it on her palm, before getting out a deck of cards and asking Heidi to choose one. Heidi chose the Six of Diamonds, and Steven tore a piece from the card. He placed this piece in his hand, and made it vanish. After doing this, Steven promised to make the piece appear underneath the Rubix Cube in Reba's hand. However, when the piece did not appear underneath the Rubix Cube. Steven claimed that it  was actually inside the Cube, He took Reba's Rubix Cube and broke off one of the pieces. Steven then opened this piece to reveal a folded-up corner of a card inside. This piece turned out to be the one which Steven had torn from Heidi's chosen card.

Steven's central trick was rather conventional, but by incorporating his Rubix Cube into it, Steven made it seem unique and harder to figure out . Steven also showed that he's able to adapt almost any Close-Up trick to suit his style, proving that he has enough range to sustain a full show in Las Vegas. The Judges generally gave Steven positive feedback, with Simon describing his performance as "true magic". However, whilst Howie Mandel found Steven "charming", he felt that he lacked showmanship. Ultimately, Steven was eliminated at the end of the episode. I can understand the judges desire to only put through one magic act from this episode, but in the first episode of the Judges Cuts, the judges found places in the Live Shows for both the Grand Illusionist (Hara) and the Close-Up Magician (Jon Dorenbos), and I think that they should have made the same decision this time and put both Kadan and Steven through.

Who Made It Through To The Live Shows?

In addition to Kadan Bart Rockett, six other acts made it through Episode 2 of the Judges Cuts. They were:

• Knife-Throwing Duo Deadly Games
• Transgender Stand-Up Comedienne Julia Scotti
• Child Country Singer Kadie Lynn Roberson
• Rock/Soul Singer Moya Angela
• Teenage Contortionist/ Acrobat Sofie Dossi 
• Contortionist Vello Vaher

I wish all of them the best of luck in the Live Shows. 

Americas Got Talent 11 Judges Cuts - Episode 1: Hara and Jon Dorenbos

(For British Viewers, This Article May Contain Spoilers)

Americas Got Talent has returned for an Eleventh Season, with numerous magicians competing to emulate the success of Season 9 Winner Mat Franco, and past finalists such as Oz Pearlman and Collins Key. Britain's Got Talent head judge Simon Cowell has replaced Howard Stern on the AGT judging panel,but the quality of talent has been as impressive as ever, with several great acts making it through the auditions and advancing to the Judges Cuts stage.

This year, the Judges Cuts are being aired over two weeks, with two episodes being aired each week. The first two episodes were aired last week, and the last two will be aired later this week.The Judges Cuts have the same format as last year, taking place over four episodes. Each episode features 20 acts competing for 7 places in the Live Shows, with a different "Guest Judge" arriving to help the regular judges choose which acts make it through.

In the first episode of the Judges Cuts, RnB/Soul singer Ne-Yo joined the judging panel as the "Guest Judge". The 20 acts competing for a place in the Live Shows included two magicians - Japanese Illusionist Hara and Close-up Magician Jon Dorenbos.

How Did Hara Do?

In the audition stage, Hara wowed the judges and audience with a routine which made use of Videomapping technology (Above).  The magic tricks which Hara performed in this routine (including Dove tricks and Card Productions) were enhanced by some beautiful visuals, which made the performance feel completely unique and exciting. As the first act to perform in the first episode of the Judges Cuts, Hara was under significant pressure to provide another impressive performance.

Hara's Judges Cuts routine (Below) began with him appearing in a demonic mask. After lighting the top of the mask on fire, Hara removed it, before performing a quick-change where he transformed a red outfit into a black one. After these two smaller effects, Hara moved onto his main trick. He was locked in a box, with his hands being chained together outside it. Two sets of knives were suspended over the box, held in place by a rope which was lit on fire by two assistants. Hara had to escape from the box before the rope burned through and the knives fell on him. Although Hara manged to free his hands, the knives appeared to impale him before he could get out of the box. However, when the assistants opened the box, they revealed that Hara had vanished. Seconds later, he suddenly reappeared directly in front of the judges.

Overall, Hara's Judges Cuts performance was not quite as good as his audition. The central illusion was rather conventional, and it was disappointing that Hara did not use any of the technology which allowed his audition to stand out. However, the staging was effective, with Hara's final reappearance being particularly memorable. I also like the fact that even without Videomapping effects, Hara has managed to develop a distinctive identity. Whatever he does next, it's clear that he will maintain a mysterious and exciting approach, which makes me look forward to seeing further performances from him.

The judges were full of praise for Hara's performance. Mel B and Howie Mandel praised the fact that Hara managed to scare them, particularly at the end of his performance, Ne-Yo said he could " completely see [Hara] in Vegas right now", and Simon said Hara had "done two brilliant auditions". At the end of the episode, the judges put Hara through to the Live Shows. I can't wait to see what he does in his next performance, and I think he has the potential to do really well in this series.

How Did Jon Dorenbos Do?

Over the years, many people have complained about competitors on Americas Got Talent being "Pros", as their history of success and experience is seen to go against AGT's focus on finding "the best new act in America". However, Jon Dorenbos is not your average AGT "Pro". In addition to performing magic, Jon is a prominent American Football player, who is currently playing in the NFL for the Philadelphia Eagles. For his audition, Jon performed a series of card tricks (Above) in which he managed to detect all the Diamonds in a deck of cards and correctly predict a card chosen by Simon at the start of the routine. Jon performed the routine with the speed and flair needed to make it seem impressive, but his close-up approach could have easily led to him being overshadowed by more spectacular acts at the Judges Cuts

Fortunately, for his Judges Cuts performance, Jon Dorenbos provided a standout  routine (Below). Jon began by showing the judges a giant deck of cards which he had brought in order to make his routine "bigger". He told Ne-Yo to touch one of the cards at random. After changing his choice once, Ne-Yo took one of the cards (The Five of Clubs) and showed it to the audience. Jon instructed the audience to think of the chosen card, whilst he drew it on a pad of paper. However, the card that Jon drew was the Ace of Clubs. When he was told that this was not the chosen card, Jon responded by changing the drawing so that it showed a deck of cards with the Ace of Clubs on top. He then asked Ne-Yo to name his card, and when he had done this, Jon promised to change the Ace of Clubs into the chosen card. Jon didn't do this, but instead appeared to make a drawing of the Five of Clubs rise out from the centre of the deck which he had drawn a few moments before. To conclude his routine, Jon tore the sheet of paper he had used away from the pad, confirming that the chosen card was now part of the drawing. I've seen this trick before, but it's not been performed on Americas Got Talent until now, and it's very impressive and hard to figure out. In addition, Jon is charismatic and likeable, with his casual demeanour providing an interesting contrast with his elaborate magic,

The judges loved Jon's performance, with Howie and Heidi Klum calling the routine "Amazing" and Simon calling Jon a "Wizard". When the time came for Ne-Yo to deliver his verdict, he took one more look at the sheet of paper Jon had used, and almost immediately afterwards, pressed his Golden Buzzer, sending Jon through to the Live Shows immediately. After doing this, Ne-Yo said that Jon had "potential" and praised his act for "what it could be".  Jon deserved his spot in the Live Shows, and I wholeheartedly agree with Ne-Yo's claims that he has the ability to provide even more impressive performances.

Who Made It Through To The Live Shows? 

In addition to Hara and Jon Dorenbos, five other acts made it through Episode 1 of the Judges Cuts. They were:

• Family Country Trio Edgar
• Vocal Quartet Linkin' Bridge
• Teenage Stand-up Comedienne Lori Mae Hernandez
• Soul Singer Ronee Martin
• Comedic Juggling Duo/ Danger Act The Passing Zone

I wish them all the best of luck in the Live Shows.