Criss Angel is a renowned magician and illusionist who has captivated audiences around the world with his mind-boggling tricks and stunts. He is known for his unique and edgy style of magic, which combines elements of street magic, escapology, and death-defying acts. One of the most notable elements of Criss Angel's performances is his use of a magic ensemble. This ensemble includes a combination of props, costumes, and stage design that enhance the overall effect of his tricks. The ensemble is carefully crafted to create a sense of mystery and wonder, capturing the audience's attention and adding to the overall impact of the illusions. The props used in Criss Angel's magic ensemble are often unconventional and unexpected.
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This extraordinary evening of magic unplugged features Criss and some of his amazing friends with a stripped-down purity that s in-your-face and guaranteed to blow your mind. You have just a group of people just these incredible actors and performers coming together, the best of the best each in their respective disciplines to create the most mind-blowing magic show out there.
The props used in Criss Angel's magic ensemble are often unconventional and unexpected. He utilizes everyday objects like playing cards, coins, and even live animals to create seemingly impossible illusions. By incorporating these familiar items into his tricks, Angel is able to connect with his audience on a deeper level and engage them in the magic.
HES Makes Magic with Criss Angel’s Mindfreak
Criss Angel’s Mindfreak at Planet Hollywood Resort Casino is a spectacle of sight and sound, featuring mind-blowing illusions in the first immersive Las Vegas show. As the creator, director and executive producer of the show, Angel spent years working on building a most technologically advanced show. For a production that’s running for at least five years, there can be no surprises when it comes to lighting – it has to be consistent.
That’s why Lighting Designer Josh Selander wanted to incorporate High-End Systems’ line of LED automated luminaires and special effects into the more than 2,000 lights in the show. The rig contains 100 SolaHyBeam 1000s, 37 SolaHyBeam 2000s, and for special effects, 22 QUADs and 9 HEX, all supplied through Blue Planet Lighting in Las Vegas.
“Having an LED luminaire is important to help keep the show consistent and have the nightly production team worry less about the colour temperature, output or quality of light of a standard discharge lamp,” Selander said.
Said Angel, “Mindfreak undisputedly boasts the largest and most sophisticated lighting plot in theatre history and HES played an integral and competitive role – alongside the very best that lighting technology has to offer.”
Having worked with Criss before, the LD understands how to light this all-new spectacle of 75 iconic illusions and many special effects. To enhance that, Angel made it his goal for this production to be “the most immersive experience in Las Vegas – or the world, for that matter – with a lighting rig that would give us endless options.”
To supplement Angel’s massive personally-owned lighting inventory, Selander sought a fixture with a big beam and aperture, that was also quick and had shutters.
He found that with the SolaHyBeams – a hybrid wash, spot and animation fixture. He positioned the 37 SolaHyBeam 2000s mostly onstage, on over-stage trusses, ladders, towers and on the deck.
“The fat beams are ideal for visuals and accents throughout the show, especially considering the over half a billion pixels of video and projection content they shoot through,” Selander noted.
As the SolaHyBeams are the only shuttered light in the entire rig, they get heavy use during specific moments. “The shutters are quick, consistent and accurate through power-ups day in and out. Having over-stage electrics, ladders and towers with various trim heights – from kissing the deck to grid height – we needed a wide zoom range that could reliably keep gobos and shutters in focus.”
Its brightness is a benefit, he added. “Since much of the show has quick fades and transitions, the SolaHyBeam 2000s deliver smooth fades even at the low end.”
The additional 100 SolaHyBeam 1000 fixtures are on 300-foot “fingers” of LED video tile over the seats to make the audience a part of the show – not just spectators. “In some cases, these fixtures became key for front light; as Criss continued to add elements we had to alter positions I had originally intended to use for face lighting. Whether it was the 1000 or 2000, the SolaHyBeam proved to not only be a great beam but could also diffuse out to make a nice, even front wash.”
Two special effects fixtures, the HEX and the QUAD, “punch through the air in such a different way than any other fixture in the rig,” Selander said. The six-light LED bar fixture HEX – clustered toward centre stage – is “by far one of the stars of the lighting rig with its powerful presence.” The QUAD – a four LED light fixture offering ACL searchlight effects – creates a whirling searchlight or collimated beam to stir up crowd response.
“The QUADs are small, bright and fast,” he noted. “These fixtures can whip around faster than your eye can chase, which allowed us to make some club-style cues for a few moments. The show actually starts with two QUADs facing the audience panning as if they are alive—still one of my favourite moments in the entire production. For this music-driven show – switching between subtle to hard rock and EDM – they definitely help define the emotions Criss wants the audience to feel, the faster and louder the show gets.”
The show’s grand opening was in January, and it runs through 2023. Selander designed and programmed the show on an EOS TI console, operated by Brian Rush. Head electrician is Mike Pizzi. ETC lighting and automated rigging are found throughout the theatre and interactive lobby.
Of the more than 2,000 lights in the production, 633 are moving lights. Selander said, “Never once did Criss question why we needed so many moving lights, only asking ‘is this going to be enough?’ Criss created this show to be bigger, brighter and better. This show has more lights than any other show. It’s an LD’s dream.”
“Everything is good — going as well as can be expected,” Angel says. “I appreciate all the thoughts and prayers and well wishes. They’re very much appreciated, and the outpouring has been amazing.”
In addition to props, Criss Angel's costumes are an essential part of his magic ensemble. He often wears sleek and stylish outfits that reflect his edgy persona, adding to the overall allure of his performances. These costumes are meticulously designed to not only look visually stunning but also to aid in the execution of his illusions. For example, hidden pockets or compartments in his clothing allow him to produce objects seemingly out of thin air, adding an extra layer of intrigue to his tricks. Finally, the stage design is another crucial element of Criss Angel's magic ensemble. The stage is carefully set up to create a visually captivating and immersive environment for the audience. This includes elaborate lighting setups, smoke machines, and props that help create the illusion of magic unfolding right before the spectators' eyes. The stage design adds to the overall atmosphere of mystery and wonder, drawing the audience into the world of Criss Angel's magic. In conclusion, Criss Angel's magic ensemble is a combination of props, costumes, and stage design that enhances the overall impact of his tricks and illusions. His use of unconventional props, stylish costumes, and visually immersive stage design creates a sense of mystery and wonder that captivates audiences worldwide. Criss Angel's magic ensemble is a testament to his dedication to his craft and his ability to push the boundaries of what is possible in the world of magic..
Reviews for "The impact of Criss Angel's magic ensemble on the world of magic"
1. Samantha - 2/5 - I was really excited to see the Criss Angel Magic Ensemble because I had heard so much about it. However, I was left quite disappointed. The tricks were predictable and lacked any sense of originality. It felt like I had seen them all before. Additionally, the pacing of the show was off, with moments of excitement followed by long lulls of boredom. Overall, I expected much more from a renowned magician like Criss Angel.
2. Matthew - 1/5 - I have to say that the Criss Angel Magic Ensemble was a complete waste of time and money. The tricks were poorly executed and it was clear that they were relying heavily on smoke and mirrors to create any sort of illusion. The show lacked any kind of cohesiveness and felt disjointed. It was a disappointment from start to finish and I would not recommend it to anyone looking for a quality magic show.
3. Emily - 2/5 - The Criss Angel Magic Ensemble fell short of my expectations. The tricks were underwhelming and lacked the wow factor that I had anticipated. There were moments where it felt like the performers were trying too hard to create a sense of mystery, but it came off as contrived. The show also suffered from poor production values, making it difficult to fully immerse myself in the performance. Overall, I left feeling somewhat unimpressed and wished I had chosen a different magic show to attend.
4. Benjamin - 3/5 - While the Criss Angel Magic Ensemble had its moments, it ultimately left me feeling underwhelmed. The tricks were hit or miss, with some being quite impressive while others were lackluster. The pacing of the show was also uneven, with high energy moments followed by slower, less engaging segments. Overall, it was an average magic show that didn't quite live up to the hype surrounding Criss Angel.