European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 02, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse Paga 8 the stars and stripes monday september 2, 1985 the amazing Adrian surprises a group of Iro Mcl left by miking three balls Oul of one and he gets a guest aboard the Rheingold train to help him with his rope trick right. Presto airman becomes travelling magician by Joe Mapother Brume Ruten Bureau performing sleight of hand tricks in a speeding club car packed with trans european train travellers Ai not exactly what senior airman Danny Baker had in mind when tie joined the air Force three years ago. And hundreds of travellers on the luxury train from Amsterdam Netherlands to Salzburg Austria last week did not exactly expect to be entertained by a serv iceman magic in from Maine. A working vacation is what Baker called the eight Days he spent on leave from the 2i67th information systems so and Riding the tee trans european express Rhingold. Baker was hired by the German City of moors to provide entertainment for a promotional Campaign the City conducted aboard the luxury train. You have to be a showman. You have to be Able to take a Small trick and make it seem As if it s the greatest thing that Ever he said. Putting on As Many As a half dozen shows per Day Baker brought smiles to the faces of Young and old travellers with the tricks Learned from practising the Art of magic for the Pasi dozen years. Moving from table to table Between shows. Baker delighted children by producing three balls from the one he placed into the Palm of his Young volunteers and then closing his performance by giving away a Yoyo or Simi Lar Small gift from the City of moors. Baker the amazing Adrian has poured professionally and has done television spots birthday Par tics and by his own reckoning just about every Type of gig available to a magician. But performing while Riding the rails was a first for the 27-year-old magic Man and it look some getting used to. The first Day was the roughest Baker said during a break As the train rocketed around turns and past the picturesque towns of the Rhine Valley on its Way to Adrian performs a dramatic trick with Ike help of Elke waiters a hostess from the town of moors Germany. Mainz. Now i guess you could say i be got my he said above the Cleckely Clack of the rails and the soft tones of the background music piped through uie club car it s a Little More tiring than i thought it would be. After standing up for seven or eight hours on the train you get off and you feel like you re still on the sensation of motion he said continued Long after he checked into his hotel in Salzburg or after he re turned to Kalmar Germany where he is stationed. The life of a magician in the club car is a Busy one but i get to see some Lovely More than viewing Central Europe from a first class scat and gaining an intimate knowledge of train stations scattered the length of Germany Baker s nights in Salz Burg coincided with the renowned classical music festival held there each summer. Mozart and walled Fortl use. Champagne and expensive meals. The Alps. The town has one drawback he said. It does thave a magic shop. I have to admit i m addicted to when it comes to explaining How a trick is performed Baker is just As helpful As most of his Brethren in thematic business. Asked How he makes balls appear in the hands of a stranger Baker replied you Promise not to Tell so did maintaining proficiency requires constant practice he said. A week or More without practice Means losing the Edge needed to pull a sleight of hand routine. To practice and to have fun. Baker some limbs pulls the disappearing quark or routine on unsuspecting sales clerks. And Baker often finds the change for a soda in a clerk s ear. Baker s marriage to Cindy and inc birth of their 11 month old daughter. Elissa were part of the reason he gave up doing his escape routines with a 50-foot-Long Chain and a mail Jucket. His Best time getting out of a Strait locket was is seconds about ii seconds longer than the Best time recorded he said. Baker s act in the club car employed pantomime in the tradition of Frenchman Marcel Marceau and a touch of Groucho Marx. When playing an audience you have to use your whole body to get across the fact that this Ball keeps reappearing he said. As the train rolled through Bavaria on its Way to Munich Baker said he might take another crack at per forming magic on wheels should the Opportunity arise. Until then he will spend a lot of his time with the 2167th near the dutch Border. I Don t do much mag icon the Job he said. Just fix the radio when it
