The Magician’s Gig Checklist: Before, During and After the Show

Most gig disasters are not about the magic. They are about a wrong address, a missing deck, a room with no light, or a client who expected a 45-minute show when you prepared 20. A checklist removes all of that. Here is the one we recommend, from the first call to the follow-up email.

When you take the booking

Ask these questions on the first call and write the answers down:

• Date, start time and how long they want you to perform.
• Venue address, the room, and where to park and unload.
• The name and phone number of the contact on the day — often not the person who booked you.
• The type of event and audience: corporate, wedding, birthday; adults or children; number of guests.
• What kind of magic: walk-around, close-up at tables, a parlour or stage show.
• Space, lighting, sound and whether there will be a microphone.
• Dress code and any theme.
• What else is happening: speeches, meal service, a band — so your sets do not clash.
• The fee, the deposit and when the balance is due.

Then send a quote that repeats those details (see how to price and quote a show) and block the date once the deposit is in.

The week before

• Confirm the times, address and on-site contact with the client.
• Choose your setlist and run it at least once in full.
• Check consumables: cards, flash paper, rubber bands, rope, envelopes, pens, sharpies, batteries.
• Plan the route and travel time, with a margin for traffic.
• Print or download a show sheet: venue, contact, times, running order and packing list on one page.

The day before: pack

• Pack from your setlist, trick by trick, so nothing is forgotten.
• Add spares: a second deck, extra consumables, a backup trick that needs nothing.
• Charge everything: phone, microphone, speaker, lights.
• Prepare your clothes and plan your pocket management.
• Bring business cards and, if needed, the invoice for the balance.

On the day

• Arrive early — 45 minutes to an hour is a comfortable margin for most events.
• Find your contact, confirm the timings and any last-minute changes.
• Check the space: light, angles, noise, where people will stand or sit.
• Set up and reset everything, then put your phone on silent.
• Keep water nearby and know where you can reset between sets.

After the show

• Reset your props and note what needs restocking.
• Write a few lines about what worked, what did not, and how the audience reacted.
• Send a thank-you message to the client the next day.
• Ask for a review or a referral while the event is fresh in their memory.
• Send the invoice or confirm the balance has been paid (see how to invoice a magic show).
• Record the fee and the client’s details for next year’s event.

Make it yours

Copy this list into the tool you use every day and adapt it to your act: a children’s entertainer will add balloons and a sound system, a stage illusionist will add load-in times and crew. The point is to never rely on memory the night before a show.