Dynamo the Magician
Watching Dynamo perform on Dynamo TV is a little different from the ‘sawing people in half’ and ‘pulling rabbits out of hats’ school of magic. It’s frankly jaw-dropping.
The first thing I notice is that his showreel, set to a pumping soundtrack, watches like a who’s who of Hollywood. ‘This guy is AWESOME!’ shouts Will Smith from a film premiere stage.
‘WOW!’ exclaimed my housemate, watching over my shoulder. ‘He’s like a proper wizard! Ask him if he likes Harry Potter. Go on…’
When it’s time for my eagerly awaited interview with the man himself, the first thing I say is not about Harry Potter. It’s ‘Happy Birthday’, as Dynamo has kindly agreed to take some time out on his birthday to speak to The London Word.
He’d be forgiven for wanting to take a few days off, as it’s been a busy few weeks for the ‘hip hop magician’ who’s been running a tight schedule traveling the country to film new episodes of Dynamo TV.
I’m keen to hear how the Bradford-born magician has become a talked-about star in such a short space of time. He tells me that his love of magic initially started out as a defence mechanism in the school playground.
‘I had a couple of guys giving me trouble at school’ he explains. ‘My grandad showed me some cool techniques that I just used to get those guys off my back. They got a bit freaked out. They were the cool kids at school, so they told everyone and created a sort of urban legend about me in my hometown.’
To this day, he admits that magic is the ‘best ice-breaker in the world’, and uses it for everything from starting a conversation in a bar, to diffusing tense situations.
Mainly self-taught, Dynamo is more influenced by film and popular culture than by watching other magicians at work. As a young teenager, he worked in a video rental store and thought the special effects in many of the films he watched seemed ‘like magic’. He describes his work as creating special effects in real life. Music is clearly a strong influence. Many of the clips from his DVD would be perfectly at home as part of a music video so it’s no surprise to hear that he is strongly influenced by the ‘MTV generation’. The one exception would be David Blaine, who Dynamo feels ‘opened up the door’ for a new wave of young magicians.
I’m struck by Dynamo’s business-like approach to his career – something which I’m sure has contributed to his immense success at such a young age. Instead of sticking with small local performances, he got himself a business start-up loan from the Princes Trust and bought a laptop, a DVD recorder and a camcorder and had the idea of making ‘the first ever magical mixtape’. In successfully pitching for his loan, he also became the first ever magician to receive funds from the Princes Trust.
With the help of his manager, Dan, he made his first ever DVD which, despite costing less than £1000 to make, features celebrity cameos from everyone from Snoop Dog to Coldplay. The success of this led to a show on Channel 4, a series on MTV and a myriad of public performances.
A huge hip hop fan, he pinpoints working with Snoop Dog on the first DVD as his career highlight so far. Dynamo originally asked him to say a few words into the camera to introduce the DVD. ‘He just went straight into a three-minute freestyle rap about my magic and what he’d just seen. How many people can say Snoop Dog’s done a rap for them?’ Needless to say, everyone was hugely impressed, minus his mum (‘Snoop who?’ she queried when he called her with the news).
Of all of his performances, surely his biggest showstopper must be the levitation. There’s one technique that involves leaning back ‘like Neo in The Matrix, dodging bullets’. It’s pretty weird stuff. Do people get freaked out? ‘You get totally different reactions. Actually, with yoga and meditation being so popular now, a lot of people have sat down with me and had really deep conversations about it’.
He’s just finished filming a new series for Dynamo TV, with the help of Panasonic, who provided him with a tiny TA1 HD camera to film public reactions for his performances. The lack of huge TV cameras ‘let the magic breathe’ and caught genuine reactions from his audience.
After weeks of travelling, he’s glad to be back in London, where he’s lived for the past six years. He first moved to Walthamstow, but has lived everywhere from Ealing to Highgate over his time here. Unsurprisingly, his favourite hangout is in the middle of London’s West End, the hub of ‘street magic’. ‘Covent Garden is the heart and the home of British street performance, there’s nothing better than heading down there on a sunny day and seeing what’s going on. ‘
Dynamo’s website describes him as ‘the most talked about magician in a generation’, and I have to say, I’m a total convert. Everything he does, from the illusions he performs, to his background, influences and the way his career has developed is a million miles away from the old school cliché of magic.
This is someone completely in tune with current cultural influences. His shows are uploaded to YouTube and he has a very active presence on Twitter, regularly interacting with fans and celebrities. He describes his job as ‘basically just making people smile’. His passion for music runs through everything he does, and he seems just as much at home performing off-the-cuff to a small crowd on the street as he does to a star-studded audience at a film premiere. Amazing stuff. And I managed not to mention Harry Potter once.
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im just wondering how do i go about finding out how to hire dynamo if even at all possible.it would be for my daughters 18’in nov 12′ 2011.oh’ please let me no im in ore of him. kind regards.
Can you pleae let us know how far in advanse do you need to book Dynamo for a private function and how much will he charge for a function at the Selsdon Park Hotel In Surrey FOR A PRIVATE PARTY
Hi – Please could you let me know how i can go about booking Dynamo for our Christmas Party being held at the London Mayfair Hotel on Friday 9th Dec 2011. He would be the greatest entertainment ever and make our paty extra special for that night. Pretty much all here are great fans of his. Please could you confirm rates and availibility. Look forward to hearing from you soon. Thanx – Mona
Guys – you need to contact Creative Artist Agency for any enquiries, details are on Dynamo’s website: http://www.dynamomagician.com/
Hi there,
Very interested in finding out whether it is possible to book Dynamo for my husbands 50th birthday party. The party is in July 2012. Please let me know the rates.
Many Thanks
Tracey Cox
Yeah Dynamo is like totally a magician. On the TV I’ve seen him do many tricks and live I seen him trying to kick a card up with his foot. Gee, that must take a lot of skill!
hi i am intrested in booking dynamo for my wedding on 31-12-13 please can you let me no how much thank you sam
Many people on this site asking about how to hire dynamo for a private party how much notice is reqd to book and also the cost.. can you please try and respond to this comment asap….
Thank you
I think it was you or someone who looked exactly like you.
But i saw you down Billingham today (27/01/12) I love all the magic you do and i think you are awsome.
Keep it up you are awsome and mind blowing :D
Hi.
I got a quote last July to book dynamo for my wedding, he was £3500+vat for 90 minutes, that was through the agents at http://www.magicians.co.uk, I wasn’t sure I’d have the budget last year but did and when I wanted to proceed with booking recently I’d lost him to another booking . Gutted to say the least, wish I’d booked him last year ready.
I dont know if his fees have since increased but I think industry music group manage him too
Hope thatvhelps
Just had a quote from industry music group for £12,000 + vat suggesting he was available big difference from the £3500+ vat a couple of months ago from the other agent who told me he was already booked elsewhere.
Work that one out
I, very much would like to write to Dynamo, as I have a lot in common with him and I find myself inspired by him.
I too, have problems with my intestines, and would like to ask him how he overcame the problem, as I can’t get past the problem.
To be able to write to him would be quite wonderful, as I believe in him very much.
I spoke to someone at the agency magicians.co.uk who said his fees have recently gone upwards of £10,000! I wish I had that much money :(
They were quite helpful though… think I’ll have to settle with someone a bit cheaper for now
hi, my daughter is getting married on feb 16th 2013 andd would love dynamo,could you please give me a price? its only a small wedding but this would just be perfect for her,
Thankyou
janet
Just catching up on your show, Brazil, USA, UK. and just found out thet your Grand Father died in February of this year, I’m so sorry to hear this Stephen, I felt your pain whilst watching the programme.
I am getting married in 2015 and would dynamo how much would he charge
Very interested in Dynamo coming to perform for my husbands 40th party in April 2013, please could you let me know how much? Many thanks
Hi, can you give me contact details so that my two daughters can write to dynamo, like him they were bullied and there grandad also taught them how to cope with it and helped them channel all there sorrow in to a positive thing….magic!! I’ve been trying to find contact details for so long but no one has been ale to help me. You would be making two special girls extremely happy if they were able to contact dynamo, please can you help.
Many thanks
Hi please could i get an email address or something for Dynamo. Just so that i can contact him for ma hubby as he is away on tour. Would love 2 get an autograph or something to suprise him while out there.
Thank you x
I would love to book dynamo for my wedding.please could you email me prices.thankyou
I am just woundering how much it would be to hire dynamo for my wedding in 2014 Please let me know the rates
Thanks
Luke
Hey um i realy dnt knw wer to start.i feel so conected to u even tho iv never met u lol.i went thro the same at school and its horrible feeling lik ur on ur own.i wish u wer in my school we wuld hav been the best of friends.i knw what its like to grow up on a council astate where no one thinks that were gna reach or hopes and dreams and its amazing to c u prove ppl wrong.i grew up with a single mum im onw ov three sisters and i didnt hav everything but i knw when mum had it shed get us the things we needed the most.she sufferd with epilepsy so it was hard to go tho it to and hav no one to turn to.ur lik the soul mate that i havnt found.ur videos giv me butterflys and ur eyes r soo beautyful uv got this hodden depth within u and iv got to say its rather attractive :-P lol.i actual played the video to my 4 year old son wer ur walkin dwn the building he said ur a super hero and he just looked in amazment.its a person so lvely as urswlf that i want my little boy growing up watchin.u hav been given this beautyful gift and u dont abuse it.i knw u hear it all the time but ur lik a sent angel with the gift u have very special.i hope ur well keep doing what ur doing.ur mum,nan and great grand dad proud.wish i had an email for u.take care.Xxx
Please give me dtails Phone No & Imail ID Dynamo I Want to Ask Som Q To you That is you cure any illnes and can you teach me your magic pleace Iam from India staying in Manglore in smll Town in Karnataka
I want to talk to you
Hey i was just wondering if their could ever be a time i could maybe talk to dynamo over the internet cause what he does really fasinates me and makes me think about whats possible and whats not. So yea cheers… From a aussie kid down under
I am a huge fan, and I am only 11, and eager to learn some more cool magic to what I already know, I live in east anglia and I hope you come to march, because nothing has really ever happened here.
Hello it’s my daughter’s 13th and she really wants dynamo so I was wondering how much would it cost for me to hire him for a party x
Would love to be the envy of all my friends n hire dynamo for my 30th birthday on Saturday the 20th august 2013 on a darling harbour boat cruise…strippers are so not tasteful n I’d love a magician just like dynamo cause really there is no better.. I live I’m Australia cruise is for 4 hours is this possible
Regards lauren phillps
please can you contract me in person
becuase I want to some help ie in read ,illness
dynamo please help me . You are only one person in earth who can help me.please you have gift form your grandfathar..this is for your grand fathar..will u.. I am wating your responce..
Can yo please advse how to book dynamo and the charges. Many thanks x
We tried to hire dynamo for a trade show corporate type event but he wasnt available so we were recommended another uk street magician called Magic Al he was amazing, does stuff similar to dynamo, i think he is going to be just as big as him. Wasnt that cheap but worth every penny! This is his website http://www.magic-almagician.co.uk hope this helps guys :)