A Conversation with Magic Mike

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While he may not have quite the notoriety of the big named performers, Raleigh’s own magician, Magic Mike, has been freaking out local audiences for years. You may have caught him doing card tricks at area bars and restaurants, opening up for a band, or even entertaining the crowd at our own New Raleigh Christmas party in 2010. What’s certain is that Michael Casey, an unusual mix of magician/artist/scientist, is making quite the name for himself not only here in our fair state, but across the Southeast and beyond.

“I’m flying to Vegas in 10 hours,” he informed me when we met up for drinks at C. Grace on Glenwood last week. “I’ve never been before. I imagine Vegas is like what’s going on in someone’s mind who has attention deficit disorder.” Casey was flown out to perform at the Golden Nugget over the weekend, by the request of one of the world’s top poker players. Traveling is part of the job he’s gradually getting used to, having gone on tour with Red Collar, and opening for the likes of the Lucero, Unknown Hinson, and Future Kings of Nowhere. He’s gotten to perform his magic for The Strokes, Drive by Truckers, and Dashboard Confessional, and was even extended an open invitation to perform on major tours by the guy behind Coachella and the Warped Tour.

Casey got serious about magic in his late 20s, after having an unsettling experience on a flight to Minneapolis. Dreading his return flight, he picked up a book on card tricks at a magic shop. He quickly became so good at it, that when he needed to pick up side work after the birth of his daughter, he was encouraged to perform professionally. After entertaining patrons at restaurants and making connections to the music scene, he began teaming up with bands, performing at venues and special events.

It’s taken him several years to get his technique down, but it’s clear that Casey has given his performance tactics serious thought. “The way you have to perform magic is like a play,” he says. “You want to build, start off easy with little things.” He may start off with a few simple tricks, but it’s not hard to see how Casey keeps the audience in mind at all times. “Magic doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Me doing tricks for myself in a mirror isn’t magic. Me performing it for people is magic. People bring the magic. I know that sounds weird and Gandalf-y but it’s true. Without spectators, you’re nothing and your audience is everything.”

The people who bring the magic to his shows aren’t the easiest crowd to play to, either. Referred to as the “David Copperfield of indie rock” by his hometown friends, Casey often finds himself facing an audience of cynical, jaded music fans, but he enjoys the challenge of winning them over. “That is my favorite crowd,” he says. “I want to see the person who hates magic. I want the skeptics, and that hardcore cynicism. That makes it better. Being a science person, everything I do has been whittled down by the highest level of scrutiny. I’m what they call a purist. I only want to use things that are me, or on my person. I don’t rely on props. I open a brand new pack of cards every time I perform for people. It might stay open an hour at the most. It sets a really weird tone; you open them up, you shuffle them, and then you just start doing the most mind-bending things and then you just give the cards to them to keep.”

True to his word, Magic Mike opened up two brand new decks of cards that night, which he used to wow several of the folks at the bar. I watched as he casually broke the ice with a couple of women, asking if he could show them a card trick. After five minutes of astonished looks, he was handing them business cards and one of the girls pulled out her cell phone so she could follow him on Instagram. He similarly won over an even more skeptical group a few minutes later. After seeing his last trick, which involved him being able to move a stack of cards without touching them at all, I overheard one of the patrons say “that guy is cool!”

Casey’s talents also extend from magic to art, with painting being his medium of choice. He works out of a garage studio, which he describes as a hot mess, and has been busy of late working on a show for this upcoming First Friday at Atomic Salon. Ever the entertainer, he’s not planning on sitting back with a glass of wine and talking art with the attendees. Rather, he looks forward to showcasing his tricks for yet another audience and will be performing all night. If you haven’t gotten a chance to catch one of Magic Mike’s performances yet, this weekend would be a great opportunity.  Just beware if you’re a skeptic…he will definitely make you smile whether you want to believe in magic or not.

 

Images Courtesy of Rebekah Rhodes

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