Posts
Newsletter of IBM Ring #170
The Bev Bergeron Ring
Next general meeting Wednesday, 08/17/2011 at 7:30 PM SHARP
I-HOP Kirkman Road
5203 Kirkman Road, Orlando, Florida 32819
Please join us for dinner beforehand
Lunch meetings in the McDonald’s at 7344 Sand Lake Road, Orlando. It’s two blocks WEST of the intersection of Interstate 4 and Sand Lake Road. We meet every Tuesday at noon upstairs.
Website: http://www.ring170.com/
F. A. M. E. is the Florida Association of Magical Entertainers
*************************************************************
Directory
Craig J. Fennessy – President – CraigFennessy@gmail.com
Chris Dunn- Vice President – Youngdunns@yahoo.com
Sheldon Brook- Acting Secretary – mrbrook33@yahoo.com
James Songster- Director at Large, - JjTjMagic@aol.com
Joe Vecciarelli- Sgt at Arms - talkingmute@tampabay.rr.com
Stefan Bartelski – Editor of “Famulus”- Famulus@illusioneer.com
*************************************************************
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Tuesday, August 16, 2011
2011-08 From The Editor
Welcome to the eighth edition of 2011. Summer is almost over, and the next edition will come out after Labor Day the traditional end of summer. This means the start of the holiday season, hopefully a more busy time for our professional and semi-pro performers.
Many thanks the MJ Emigh for the IBM convention review. See folks, it is not that difficult, and it is very much appreciated by myself, as well as the members. Of course, Dennis and Sheldon are also thanked for their regular contributions. For those that liked Joe's gizmo at the July meeting he sent us information about that, so thanks to him too.
Apologies to members from me, it seems in July a program I use to post to another blog that I manage was cross posting to the Ring newsletter blog, items of a non-magical nature. They are now removed, and hopefully the glitch corrected. However, this has happened before, so if it happens again, feel free to flame me with an email or two, I will clear it up immediately.
Your editor
Many thanks the MJ Emigh for the IBM convention review. See folks, it is not that difficult, and it is very much appreciated by myself, as well as the members. Of course, Dennis and Sheldon are also thanked for their regular contributions. For those that liked Joe's gizmo at the July meeting he sent us information about that, so thanks to him too.
Apologies to members from me, it seems in July a program I use to post to another blog that I manage was cross posting to the Ring newsletter blog, items of a non-magical nature. They are now removed, and hopefully the glitch corrected. However, this has happened before, so if it happens again, feel free to flame me with an email or two, I will clear it up immediately.
Your editor
2011-08 Ring Report
President Craig Fennessey opened the meeting on July 20th with 37 members and guests
in attendance. He reported that the Ring could expect numerous lectures scheduled for
the coming months. He introduced Paul Stone, a visitor here from the United Kingdom.
Paul is presently producing a Magic Extravaganza at the legendary Palladium in London
commemorating its Centennial Anniversary. He initiated a raffle to benefit his charitable
work. Richard Hewitt was the subsequent winner of the drawing.
Craig acknowledged the Broken Wand ceremonies for Sidney Radnor, Hank Morehouse
and Lou Marion. Dan Stapleton reported on the progress of magical entertainers in
our local media. Craig and Mark Fitzgerald are appearing at the Hard Rock Cafe here
in Orlando. Jacki Manna is doing a show at MacDonald's on International Drive and
performing at numerous libraries in the area encouraging children to utilize the facilities
open to them.
Phil Schwartz presented Magic History Moment #32 relating a brief history of two
stalwarts from our magical past. Herbert Richard Himber was not only known for his
contributions to magic but for his work in the popular music field during the Roaring
Twenties and into the 30's. Born at the turn of the century Dick Himber not only
performed magic and music in vaudeville and private clubs but also performed on
television. He died in 1066. Phil's next subject was first a writer, having penned more
than 10,000 articles and numerous books relating to magic and second a performer
where his act was seen in vaudeville and clubs as well as 1000's of troops during WWII.
He was born Milbourne Christopher in Baltimore in 1914. In addition to his other
accomplishments, as a past president of SAM, performer, prolific writer, at the time of
his death, in 1984, he owned one of the world's largest magic collections. Last month,
our own Phil Schwartz was presented with the Milbourne Christopher Literary Award
by the Milbourne Christopher Foundation for his work in co-authoring The Ultimate
Thayer .
Jeff Pierce introduced Mary Naylor Kodell who spoke briefly of her life with her
husband, Jack Kodell, who recently completed his autobiograhy and hosted a book
signing at the meeting. Jack, who has a long time relationship with our Ring was the first
magician of note to work in Las Vegas. His act was not only limited to our continent but
he also took it to Europe as well as the U.K. (where he met and married Mary).
After an intermission the members performed with Richard Hewitt doing a card effect.
Joe Vecciarelli followed with an innovative demonstration of "One Track" (ed: see below for more information). Guest William Zaballero showed the audience how well he could handle a deck of cards with several effects. Dan Stapleton performed Sixth Sense, an exercise in mentalism. Jacki Manna pulled out all the stops when she danced and sang her Library Promo to the membership, who if they didn't have a library card would have one in the morning. Doug Kalcik performed the illusion Candle to Salt to everyone's delight. Another guest, Greg Gibson, demonstrated a 4-card trick and finished with a Rocky Racoon Routine that was a classic.
Sheldon Brook
in attendance. He reported that the Ring could expect numerous lectures scheduled for
the coming months. He introduced Paul Stone, a visitor here from the United Kingdom.
Paul is presently producing a Magic Extravaganza at the legendary Palladium in London
commemorating its Centennial Anniversary. He initiated a raffle to benefit his charitable
work. Richard Hewitt was the subsequent winner of the drawing.
Craig acknowledged the Broken Wand ceremonies for Sidney Radnor, Hank Morehouse
and Lou Marion. Dan Stapleton reported on the progress of magical entertainers in
our local media. Craig and Mark Fitzgerald are appearing at the Hard Rock Cafe here
in Orlando. Jacki Manna is doing a show at MacDonald's on International Drive and
performing at numerous libraries in the area encouraging children to utilize the facilities
open to them.
Phil Schwartz presented Magic History Moment #32 relating a brief history of two
stalwarts from our magical past. Herbert Richard Himber was not only known for his
contributions to magic but for his work in the popular music field during the Roaring
Twenties and into the 30's. Born at the turn of the century Dick Himber not only
performed magic and music in vaudeville and private clubs but also performed on
television. He died in 1066. Phil's next subject was first a writer, having penned more
than 10,000 articles and numerous books relating to magic and second a performer
where his act was seen in vaudeville and clubs as well as 1000's of troops during WWII.
He was born Milbourne Christopher in Baltimore in 1914. In addition to his other
accomplishments, as a past president of SAM, performer, prolific writer, at the time of
his death, in 1984, he owned one of the world's largest magic collections. Last month,
our own Phil Schwartz was presented with the Milbourne Christopher Literary Award
by the Milbourne Christopher Foundation for his work in co-authoring The Ultimate
Thayer .
Jeff Pierce introduced Mary Naylor Kodell who spoke briefly of her life with her
husband, Jack Kodell, who recently completed his autobiograhy and hosted a book
signing at the meeting. Jack, who has a long time relationship with our Ring was the first
magician of note to work in Las Vegas. His act was not only limited to our continent but
he also took it to Europe as well as the U.K. (where he met and married Mary).
After an intermission the members performed with Richard Hewitt doing a card effect.
Joe Vecciarelli followed with an innovative demonstration of "One Track" (ed: see below for more information). Guest William Zaballero showed the audience how well he could handle a deck of cards with several effects. Dan Stapleton performed Sixth Sense, an exercise in mentalism. Jacki Manna pulled out all the stops when she danced and sang her Library Promo to the membership, who if they didn't have a library card would have one in the morning. Doug Kalcik performed the illusion Candle to Salt to everyone's delight. Another guest, Greg Gibson, demonstrated a 4-card trick and finished with a Rocky Racoon Routine that was a classic.
Sheldon Brook
2011-08 Show electronics
Here is info about the app and the bluetooth receiver that I showed at the last meeting.
http://seanbergin.com/OneTrack/OneTrack.html
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/onetrack/id425807868?mt=8
Belkin Bluetooth Wireless Audi
 | OneTrackSean Bergin Category: Music Updated: Mar 19, 2011 |
Belkin Bluetooth Wireless Audio Receiver
http://bit.ly/puowkG
Joe Vecciarelli
Magic & Mayhem Show
347-MUTE-JOE
347-688-3563
Web : http://www.magicandmayhemshow.com
Joe Vecciarelli
Magic & Mayhem Show
347-MUTE-JOE
347-688-3563
Web : http://www.magicandmayhemshow.
2011-08 IBM Convention Review
David and Roger put together one of the best IBM conventions on record! These
two are ol' buddies from KC, but that won't influence my opinions. Anyone who
was there KNOWS what a great job they did!
The opening show on Tuesday was like none we have seen before. A fantastic
drum corps entered from the rear and brought the audience to frenzy. It was a great
set-up for T. Texas Tyler who amazed with his rope trickery and incredible whip
stunts. The usual welcome meeting is pretty dry. Not this time. It was a lot of fun.
But then, when aren’t whips, ropes, rear entry and frenzy?
That was followed by, in my opinion, the only bad show of the week. The dealer
show. By the end of the convention, we had all heard enough of the dealers
whining about poor sales. Well, there's an easy solution to this problem. Have
something that people want to buy!
The dealers brought out the same old tired junk with the same old tired jokes.
Some didn't even bother to demo. The effects were either beyond their capabilities
or just too embarrassingly stupid to show. I guess I could go into a long
dissertation on the demise of B&M magic shops and why it's not a great tragedy,
but we'll save that for another time.
If these guys can't provide what we want at a reasonable price, perhaps it's time to
skip the dealer room aspect of these conventions. To everything there is a season
and I think the magic shop season has come to an end.
The dealer’s room did have something positive, however. Sessions. Rather than
people meeting up in the bars and lobbies, folks could jazz at tables set up in the
center of the dealer room. A very, VERY cool idea!
I must point out that the Dallas State Fair theme of the dealer room was a nice
touch. It just didn’t make up for the lack of interesting stuff at the dealer tables.
Wednesday started with the annual biz meeting. Sheeeesh. I had to go, since I was
being inducted into the Order of Merlin. Wasn’t worth it. I know, I know, this isn’t
starting well…..it gets better, I promise.
The meeting was the usual bickering over the silliest stuff. It’s the perfect example
of what to avoid in magic meetings. If we were seeking a cure for cancer it would
be one thing, but we’re just a bunch of guys who know some interesting (or
boring) card tricks. Get real!
Ah, stage contest time! Great stuff! Only six max could be in the finals. Although
several truly sucked, there were more than six that were wonderful! I gotta give a
big “hats off” to Michael Trixx who has been in every contest I’ve seen over the
past few years. Always a bridesmaid; never a bride, but this guy gets better every
time. I think the Big Time is right around the corner for him.
Many of the acts were stuck in “card manipulation” gear. Although somewhat
repetitious, most of them were absolutely incredible! Like the Zombie a decade
or so ago, stage card work seems to be the thing to do, now. Probably the biggest
positive in this is that it looks like magic, rather than in years past when it seemed
more like juggling. Even if it’s not your idea of a good time (and I’d have to
include myself in that group), you can’t help but marvel at the artistry and skill of
these kids.
Oscar Munoz and Michael Ammar both did lectures. I missed them both. Can’t
review what I didn’t see. I heard nothing about Oscar’s lecture, but he’s a cool
dude and I’ll assume it was fun. Of Ammar, I twice heard something like, “The
guy is a hell of a good teacher, but with a group that size, teaching how to turn
over a card takes for-****ing-ever.” Apparently there was a style (not really
a “move”) of turning a card over that went on for a while. Well, as I said, I missed
it, so these comments may have been exaggerated.
Max Maven did a fine small show. As someone said, “he gets a million bucks out
of a nickel’s worth of magic.” It’s true. More than half his show was based on
a very simple Annemann effect, but BOY did he make the routine entertaining!
Personally, I think he milked it a bit too much, but I suspect that a lay audience
wouldn’t see it that way. I have nothing but admiration for him, as I’ve had since
the old days of Tony Andruzzi’s Invos in Chicago. Pure entertainment genius.
The stage show this and two other nights were held at a small Vaudeville house
in downtown Dallas. Those of you who were at the SAM convention a few years
ago know the place. It is rich in magic history. It’s sort of a miniature version of a
Proctor’s theater. There are so few of them left that it’s a joy to see one, even this
small.
The show was incredible for a first show. Michael Finney served as MC. As was
the case a year or so ago, he had a young girl on stage with him. Fortunately, he
picked up on that fact early. Remember last time? Uncomfortable, right? Not this
time.
Even before Finney took the stage, there was a very pro intro talking about theatre
and magic. Then came the “Peter Gunn” theme, and we knew we were in for
Rudy Coby’s four legged bit, coming out of the darkness. The intro made this true
theatre, and Coby got cheers before he was even seen. And the act? It was as good
and as funny as it was two decades ago!
Finney introduced us to Timo Marc, Gustavo Riley, Chipper Lowell, and Ayela &
Tanya. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more dynamic opening show to a convention
on either side of the IBM/SAM fence.
The late-night lecture was provided by Danny Garcia. There is no one better with
cards and there is no better personality in magic today. This kid is the pride of our
oddball love. I learned some wonderful stuff that I’ll never use. Well, maybe I can
use the smile and the laugh.
Hey, I do need to interject here, though. As good as Garcia is with cards and as
good as Garrett Thomas is with coins (a shining light in the otherwise dismal
dealers’ room, by the way), where are the Don Alans and Eugene Burgers of the
next generation? There’s more to close-up magic than cards and coins, and there’s
room for a few stars to blossom. Let’s hope.
After a few meager hours of sleep, we were on to the Thursday events. The day
started with a choice of two out of eight special classes. I attended Jon Armstrong’s
self-working card session. Other than the fact that the little rat didn’t remember
me, it was an excellent program. Not what you think. None of those goddamn
counting or spelling tricks. This was seriously good stuff, and I forgive him for
drawing a blank on me. After all, my hair was naturally red back then.
I also attended Rod Sipe’s program on busking. If you’ve even had the
uncontrollable desire to eat fire or walk barefoot on broken glass, this is the guy
to talk to. Once he removes the nail from his skull, he’s ready to share some
fascinating secrets of collecting cash that is well-earned.
Other class options were with Ammar, Gene Anderson, Gary Katzman, Brad Ross,
Sammy Smith, and Gay Blackstone. A great programming idea brought to you by
those wizards from Bonner Springs and St. Joe. Let’s hope future conventions pick
up on this.
Next up was Rudy Coby’s lecture, which was loved by all. It was fun, informative,
innovative, and not a single trick was taught. And that’s a good thing in this
case! Rudy is a storehouse of valuable information and real-world success. This
audience would have been willing captives for many hours if time allowed.
Next up was the Dana Daniels show. Apparently, there are those who find his act
funny, and the show was a great hit.
So, it’s on to the dinner show! The food was the usual chicken dinner, but with
a Mexican twist this time. Pretty good. Beter than usual, actually. It took a while
to get underway. My dinner companions by invitation were considered VIP, so
they had to be introduced on stage before being seated at the table. That always
takes longer than it should, but whataya gonna do? Old habits don’t die hard;
they just don’t die. Well, I kept busy explaining to a few hundred folks why we
had “reserved” signs on our table and that, no, I’m not a VIP myself (except maybe
to my wife and kids). It kept me off the streets.
The after dinner entertainment was as good as any I’ve ever seen. Jason Andrews,
Rey Ben & Quique Marduck (“One and a Half”), Oscar Munoz, and Gustavo Riley
(with his can act) provided a wonderful evening of magic and hearty laughter. Oh,
and let’s not forget the Mariachi band!
Next came the strolling Olympics. Also known as “The Good, The Bad, And The
Ugly,” this proved (in most cases) very nice and provided a fine opportunity to
connect with like-minded magicians in their element. There were several winning
categories and everyone who performed got some donated dealer stuff to take
home and try to sell on eBay.
As if it were not enough for one night, we wrapped the night with a late Max
Maven lecture. I didn’t stay for the whole thing, but what I saw was good. It
followed the usual magic lecture format of a.) show a trick and b.) teach the
trick. Personally, I was hoping for something more philosophical, but I pegged
the audience early on. Max pegged them before he even got to the gig, I believe.
Everyone but me got what they wanted from a master of the craft.
Friday morning the alarm woke me from a well-earned sleep so that I could make
the Merlin breakfast. Along with some pretty awful food and some week-old (or
weak & old) coffee, we got to see and hear a presentation on Del Ray. Very few
people in attendance knew Del personally. Many of us wish we had. He was one
fine entertainer. Unfortunately, I don’t have the name of the presenter. You would
recognize the name, but I’m drawing a blank. He did a great job, though!
Next up was the Gold Cup close-up contest. Everyone was excellent, but I’m not
sure there was anything unusual or original enough to deserve the gold. I never
did hear the results. I didn’t see every act, but I did see most. And what did I see?
Cards and coins.
After the Gold Cups finals, we were treated to a comprehensive Jeff McBride
lecture. He is another of our great magic teachers, and he certainly left this
convention with his rep intact.
That lecture wrapped just in time for the YMX (Young Magicians’ Experience).
Oh, man….WHY didn’t I start younger? These kids are just amazing. I found
myself thinking about the time and discipline they put into this talent. Wow! I’m
sure that we’ll be hearing more about these seven brilliant performers in the years
to come.
The session area of the dealer room was temporarily taken over as an autograph
area. Basically, anyone with name recognition hung out at a rectangle of tables to
sign whatever you’ve got. I stopped in to take a look, but it seemed that the idea
didn’t really go over. Everyone at the convention was so accessible that this was
a little pointless. It looked to me like a bunch of magic “stars” chatting amongst
themselves. Hey, not every new idea can be a winner.
So, it’s back to the Majestic for the next really big show. Hosted by Rich Bloch,
these were the six stage contest finalists followed by Ed Alonzo’s show. As
always, the show was too long but not as always, excellent in content. I have no
idea who won what, but I voted for the kid with the shirts. Somebody, please let
me know how it came out, and tell me about the act, not the name. Five if the six
are Asian. Those names aren’t easy for an old single-language guy like me.
Now would be the time to bring up that old racist joke about the guy named On
Too Long. Jeez, this show went on far longer than most human bladders can
endure. It’s not the fault on the contestants. Those kids had acts timed to the
second. This is, however, an ongoing problem with magic club magic shows.
It’s not really an insurmountable problem. I see two easy solutions. Limit the
finalists to four, rather than six, or simply have an intermission after the contest
and before the feature act. Either way, problem solved.
So, Ed Alonzo did his show once the contest wrapped up. He was funny as hell,
as you might expect. Oh, and he did, as a quick aside, mention that the show
is “too long as it is.” The casual remark got laughs and a smattering of applause.
Fortunately, his is a very strong act. That, along with his aside, kept butts in the
seats. In effect, he had to be better than promised. Mr. Alonzo delivered!
The late lecture was by Asi Wind. I’d had enough for the day and I didn’t run into
anyone the following day who attended. Hopefully, he had a decent crowd. I’ve
seen him before and would like to have seen him that night, but enough is enough.
Saturday started with more classes. I attended one by Brad Ross and another by
Jeff Crilley. I didn’t personally learn much, but I wasn’t aware at the time of
registration that these sessions were exclusive of those on Thursday. Perhaps there
was a communication issue or perhaps I wasn’t paying attention.
The fact that I took nothing away from these classes has absolutely nothing to do
with the quality of the presentations. They were, in fact, excellent. If anyone came
in not knowing much about the subjects covered, they certainly walked out with
tremendous knowledge.
Other sessions that day were conducted by Rich Bloch, Scott Wells, Shawn
Farquhar, Jon Armstrong, Timo Mark and “The Balloon Guys,” Daniel & Tom.
The rumors were that they were all worth attending, and that this should be a
significant (possibly expanded) part of future IBM conventions.
After lunch, the team of One and a Half did a lecture. I missed it. Believe it or not,
I was out looking at real estate. Yes, the talk of a move to Texas is back on the
agenda. McKinney, here we come…..maybe.
Next up was the close-up show. This was set up beautifully, with only about 30
seats per room. The seats were tiered so that there was no such thing as a bad seat.
The show featured the best of the best, including Jeff McBride, Oscar Munoz, Asi
Wind, Daniel Garcia, Ben Jackson, Michael Ammar and Jon Armstrong. I can’t
imagine a better lineup of talent, and they certainly did not disappoint.
The final stage show of the convention was as good as it gets. There was no emcee,
but rather a running narrative on the legendary magic of the ages. This was so
well thought-out and executed that with a few tweaks it could easily play a major
theater for a very, very long run.
Featured in the show were Jeff McBride as himself, Walter & Becky Blaney with
a nice take on the ladder suspension, Gay Blackstone introducing Derren Romeo
and the floating light bulb, Max Maven with the coolest inside joke imaginable,
Frances Willard presenting the spirit cabinet as performed by Michael & Hannah
Ammar, Tom Mullica as Red, and The Great Tomsoni & Company with exactly
what you expect from them. One hell of a show. A new bar has been set, folks.
This convention was billed as the reinvention of the IBM convention. In many
ways it succeeded. It took guts on the parts of David and Roger to pull it together,
and they deserve some serious thanks for what they did. As in anything this
divergent from the norm, there are bound to be a few dud ideas. We survived those
and lavished in the things that worked like a charm. Hopefully, this is just the
beginning!
-MJ Emigh
two are ol' buddies from KC, but that won't influence my opinions. Anyone who
was there KNOWS what a great job they did!
The opening show on Tuesday was like none we have seen before. A fantastic
drum corps entered from the rear and brought the audience to frenzy. It was a great
set-up for T. Texas Tyler who amazed with his rope trickery and incredible whip
stunts. The usual welcome meeting is pretty dry. Not this time. It was a lot of fun.
But then, when aren’t whips, ropes, rear entry and frenzy?
That was followed by, in my opinion, the only bad show of the week. The dealer
show. By the end of the convention, we had all heard enough of the dealers
whining about poor sales. Well, there's an easy solution to this problem. Have
something that people want to buy!
The dealers brought out the same old tired junk with the same old tired jokes.
Some didn't even bother to demo. The effects were either beyond their capabilities
or just too embarrassingly stupid to show. I guess I could go into a long
dissertation on the demise of B&M magic shops and why it's not a great tragedy,
but we'll save that for another time.
If these guys can't provide what we want at a reasonable price, perhaps it's time to
skip the dealer room aspect of these conventions. To everything there is a season
and I think the magic shop season has come to an end.
The dealer’s room did have something positive, however. Sessions. Rather than
people meeting up in the bars and lobbies, folks could jazz at tables set up in the
center of the dealer room. A very, VERY cool idea!
I must point out that the Dallas State Fair theme of the dealer room was a nice
touch. It just didn’t make up for the lack of interesting stuff at the dealer tables.
Wednesday started with the annual biz meeting. Sheeeesh. I had to go, since I was
being inducted into the Order of Merlin. Wasn’t worth it. I know, I know, this isn’t
starting well…..it gets better, I promise.
The meeting was the usual bickering over the silliest stuff. It’s the perfect example
of what to avoid in magic meetings. If we were seeking a cure for cancer it would
be one thing, but we’re just a bunch of guys who know some interesting (or
boring) card tricks. Get real!
Ah, stage contest time! Great stuff! Only six max could be in the finals. Although
several truly sucked, there were more than six that were wonderful! I gotta give a
big “hats off” to Michael Trixx who has been in every contest I’ve seen over the
past few years. Always a bridesmaid; never a bride, but this guy gets better every
time. I think the Big Time is right around the corner for him.
Many of the acts were stuck in “card manipulation” gear. Although somewhat
repetitious, most of them were absolutely incredible! Like the Zombie a decade
or so ago, stage card work seems to be the thing to do, now. Probably the biggest
positive in this is that it looks like magic, rather than in years past when it seemed
more like juggling. Even if it’s not your idea of a good time (and I’d have to
include myself in that group), you can’t help but marvel at the artistry and skill of
these kids.
Oscar Munoz and Michael Ammar both did lectures. I missed them both. Can’t
review what I didn’t see. I heard nothing about Oscar’s lecture, but he’s a cool
dude and I’ll assume it was fun. Of Ammar, I twice heard something like, “The
guy is a hell of a good teacher, but with a group that size, teaching how to turn
over a card takes for-****ing-ever.” Apparently there was a style (not really
a “move”) of turning a card over that went on for a while. Well, as I said, I missed
it, so these comments may have been exaggerated.
Max Maven did a fine small show. As someone said, “he gets a million bucks out
of a nickel’s worth of magic.” It’s true. More than half his show was based on
a very simple Annemann effect, but BOY did he make the routine entertaining!
Personally, I think he milked it a bit too much, but I suspect that a lay audience
wouldn’t see it that way. I have nothing but admiration for him, as I’ve had since
the old days of Tony Andruzzi’s Invos in Chicago. Pure entertainment genius.
The stage show this and two other nights were held at a small Vaudeville house
in downtown Dallas. Those of you who were at the SAM convention a few years
ago know the place. It is rich in magic history. It’s sort of a miniature version of a
Proctor’s theater. There are so few of them left that it’s a joy to see one, even this
small.
The show was incredible for a first show. Michael Finney served as MC. As was
the case a year or so ago, he had a young girl on stage with him. Fortunately, he
picked up on that fact early. Remember last time? Uncomfortable, right? Not this
time.
Even before Finney took the stage, there was a very pro intro talking about theatre
and magic. Then came the “Peter Gunn” theme, and we knew we were in for
Rudy Coby’s four legged bit, coming out of the darkness. The intro made this true
theatre, and Coby got cheers before he was even seen. And the act? It was as good
and as funny as it was two decades ago!
Finney introduced us to Timo Marc, Gustavo Riley, Chipper Lowell, and Ayela &
Tanya. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more dynamic opening show to a convention
on either side of the IBM/SAM fence.
The late-night lecture was provided by Danny Garcia. There is no one better with
cards and there is no better personality in magic today. This kid is the pride of our
oddball love. I learned some wonderful stuff that I’ll never use. Well, maybe I can
use the smile and the laugh.
Hey, I do need to interject here, though. As good as Garcia is with cards and as
good as Garrett Thomas is with coins (a shining light in the otherwise dismal
dealers’ room, by the way), where are the Don Alans and Eugene Burgers of the
next generation? There’s more to close-up magic than cards and coins, and there’s
room for a few stars to blossom. Let’s hope.
After a few meager hours of sleep, we were on to the Thursday events. The day
started with a choice of two out of eight special classes. I attended Jon Armstrong’s
self-working card session. Other than the fact that the little rat didn’t remember
me, it was an excellent program. Not what you think. None of those goddamn
counting or spelling tricks. This was seriously good stuff, and I forgive him for
drawing a blank on me. After all, my hair was naturally red back then.
I also attended Rod Sipe’s program on busking. If you’ve even had the
uncontrollable desire to eat fire or walk barefoot on broken glass, this is the guy
to talk to. Once he removes the nail from his skull, he’s ready to share some
fascinating secrets of collecting cash that is well-earned.
Other class options were with Ammar, Gene Anderson, Gary Katzman, Brad Ross,
Sammy Smith, and Gay Blackstone. A great programming idea brought to you by
those wizards from Bonner Springs and St. Joe. Let’s hope future conventions pick
up on this.
Next up was Rudy Coby’s lecture, which was loved by all. It was fun, informative,
innovative, and not a single trick was taught. And that’s a good thing in this
case! Rudy is a storehouse of valuable information and real-world success. This
audience would have been willing captives for many hours if time allowed.
Next up was the Dana Daniels show. Apparently, there are those who find his act
funny, and the show was a great hit.
So, it’s on to the dinner show! The food was the usual chicken dinner, but with
a Mexican twist this time. Pretty good. Beter than usual, actually. It took a while
to get underway. My dinner companions by invitation were considered VIP, so
they had to be introduced on stage before being seated at the table. That always
takes longer than it should, but whataya gonna do? Old habits don’t die hard;
they just don’t die. Well, I kept busy explaining to a few hundred folks why we
had “reserved” signs on our table and that, no, I’m not a VIP myself (except maybe
to my wife and kids). It kept me off the streets.
The after dinner entertainment was as good as any I’ve ever seen. Jason Andrews,
Rey Ben & Quique Marduck (“One and a Half”), Oscar Munoz, and Gustavo Riley
(with his can act) provided a wonderful evening of magic and hearty laughter. Oh,
and let’s not forget the Mariachi band!
Next came the strolling Olympics. Also known as “The Good, The Bad, And The
Ugly,” this proved (in most cases) very nice and provided a fine opportunity to
connect with like-minded magicians in their element. There were several winning
categories and everyone who performed got some donated dealer stuff to take
home and try to sell on eBay.
As if it were not enough for one night, we wrapped the night with a late Max
Maven lecture. I didn’t stay for the whole thing, but what I saw was good. It
followed the usual magic lecture format of a.) show a trick and b.) teach the
trick. Personally, I was hoping for something more philosophical, but I pegged
the audience early on. Max pegged them before he even got to the gig, I believe.
Everyone but me got what they wanted from a master of the craft.
Friday morning the alarm woke me from a well-earned sleep so that I could make
the Merlin breakfast. Along with some pretty awful food and some week-old (or
weak & old) coffee, we got to see and hear a presentation on Del Ray. Very few
people in attendance knew Del personally. Many of us wish we had. He was one
fine entertainer. Unfortunately, I don’t have the name of the presenter. You would
recognize the name, but I’m drawing a blank. He did a great job, though!
Next up was the Gold Cup close-up contest. Everyone was excellent, but I’m not
sure there was anything unusual or original enough to deserve the gold. I never
did hear the results. I didn’t see every act, but I did see most. And what did I see?
Cards and coins.
After the Gold Cups finals, we were treated to a comprehensive Jeff McBride
lecture. He is another of our great magic teachers, and he certainly left this
convention with his rep intact.
That lecture wrapped just in time for the YMX (Young Magicians’ Experience).
Oh, man….WHY didn’t I start younger? These kids are just amazing. I found
myself thinking about the time and discipline they put into this talent. Wow! I’m
sure that we’ll be hearing more about these seven brilliant performers in the years
to come.
The session area of the dealer room was temporarily taken over as an autograph
area. Basically, anyone with name recognition hung out at a rectangle of tables to
sign whatever you’ve got. I stopped in to take a look, but it seemed that the idea
didn’t really go over. Everyone at the convention was so accessible that this was
a little pointless. It looked to me like a bunch of magic “stars” chatting amongst
themselves. Hey, not every new idea can be a winner.
So, it’s back to the Majestic for the next really big show. Hosted by Rich Bloch,
these were the six stage contest finalists followed by Ed Alonzo’s show. As
always, the show was too long but not as always, excellent in content. I have no
idea who won what, but I voted for the kid with the shirts. Somebody, please let
me know how it came out, and tell me about the act, not the name. Five if the six
are Asian. Those names aren’t easy for an old single-language guy like me.
Now would be the time to bring up that old racist joke about the guy named On
Too Long. Jeez, this show went on far longer than most human bladders can
endure. It’s not the fault on the contestants. Those kids had acts timed to the
second. This is, however, an ongoing problem with magic club magic shows.
It’s not really an insurmountable problem. I see two easy solutions. Limit the
finalists to four, rather than six, or simply have an intermission after the contest
and before the feature act. Either way, problem solved.
So, Ed Alonzo did his show once the contest wrapped up. He was funny as hell,
as you might expect. Oh, and he did, as a quick aside, mention that the show
is “too long as it is.” The casual remark got laughs and a smattering of applause.
Fortunately, his is a very strong act. That, along with his aside, kept butts in the
seats. In effect, he had to be better than promised. Mr. Alonzo delivered!
The late lecture was by Asi Wind. I’d had enough for the day and I didn’t run into
anyone the following day who attended. Hopefully, he had a decent crowd. I’ve
seen him before and would like to have seen him that night, but enough is enough.
Saturday started with more classes. I attended one by Brad Ross and another by
Jeff Crilley. I didn’t personally learn much, but I wasn’t aware at the time of
registration that these sessions were exclusive of those on Thursday. Perhaps there
was a communication issue or perhaps I wasn’t paying attention.
The fact that I took nothing away from these classes has absolutely nothing to do
with the quality of the presentations. They were, in fact, excellent. If anyone came
in not knowing much about the subjects covered, they certainly walked out with
tremendous knowledge.
Other sessions that day were conducted by Rich Bloch, Scott Wells, Shawn
Farquhar, Jon Armstrong, Timo Mark and “The Balloon Guys,” Daniel & Tom.
The rumors were that they were all worth attending, and that this should be a
significant (possibly expanded) part of future IBM conventions.
After lunch, the team of One and a Half did a lecture. I missed it. Believe it or not,
I was out looking at real estate. Yes, the talk of a move to Texas is back on the
agenda. McKinney, here we come…..maybe.
Next up was the close-up show. This was set up beautifully, with only about 30
seats per room. The seats were tiered so that there was no such thing as a bad seat.
The show featured the best of the best, including Jeff McBride, Oscar Munoz, Asi
Wind, Daniel Garcia, Ben Jackson, Michael Ammar and Jon Armstrong. I can’t
imagine a better lineup of talent, and they certainly did not disappoint.
The final stage show of the convention was as good as it gets. There was no emcee,
but rather a running narrative on the legendary magic of the ages. This was so
well thought-out and executed that with a few tweaks it could easily play a major
theater for a very, very long run.
Featured in the show were Jeff McBride as himself, Walter & Becky Blaney with
a nice take on the ladder suspension, Gay Blackstone introducing Derren Romeo
and the floating light bulb, Max Maven with the coolest inside joke imaginable,
Frances Willard presenting the spirit cabinet as performed by Michael & Hannah
Ammar, Tom Mullica as Red, and The Great Tomsoni & Company with exactly
what you expect from them. One hell of a show. A new bar has been set, folks.
This convention was billed as the reinvention of the IBM convention. In many
ways it succeeded. It took guts on the parts of David and Roger to pull it together,
and they deserve some serious thanks for what they did. As in anything this
divergent from the norm, there are bound to be a few dud ideas. We survived those
and lavished in the things that worked like a charm. Hopefully, this is just the
beginning!
-MJ Emigh
2011-08 a joke from Dennis
Did I ever tell you my father was also a magician?
2011-08 Dennis' Deliberations
The Great Recession or “The Great Depression Part II ” continues on. Jobs are not being generated. Both Political parties continue to blame each other. Magicians are struggling.
A long time dear friend from Ring #170 told me that he had a tough time reading my deliberations because of I have been “getting too dismal”. He is correct. I am a bit grim about the magic business and magicians... Not only are we in the same type of era in magic as 1950-1975 (when magic was basically OUT or mostly a kid’s thing) but we have a rotten business climate which is in stark contrast to that era! Not only are most people jaded and not interested in stage magic, there is no money around. Moreover, today’s magic is flavored with mostly back alley, unshaven, unwashed, grungy, punk-type street magic. The big names in the public eye, Blaine and Angel, look like hobos or dirty metal-heads. I love the talented and creative Danny Garcia but I would run from him on a city street. We just have a tough row to hoe. That is why I seldom to never call myself a magician and I never sell what I do as a “magic show”.
Actually, about the time I moved to Florida, in 1975, magicians and illusionists could make a fair living with a mediocre act. That was pretty much true until the early 90s. There was a fairly vibrant “Telephone promotion market” which still exists today in Canada. A charity sponsor would being in a show and contract out the ticket sales to a phone promotion agency who set up boiler rooms and would call all the businesses and many homes in a small town selling tickets. Amateurs mostly knew and appreciated that they were amateurs and stayed in their place.
As the American economy tumbled with global competition and the 70s oil shock, family incomes flattened out. In the early 80s the Reagan formula for deregulation and a far more competitive business environment developed. Amateurs were scrambling for magic show income to supplement or replace their lost wage income. I knew a machinist and steel worker who lost their trade jobs and went to work as “Magicians”.
Then TV technology got cheap and had two effects: First, satellite and cable brought in hundred of media signals and second, the rank amateurs would produce great promo tapes that were on par with any professional promotion reel. Editing can make a person look really good even though they stink on stage live. This all happened while actual performing venues declined. Telephone promotions were made illegal and small town shows dried up when Wal-Mart came in a demolished every downtown and drove the small business owners out of business. They were the ones that supported the shows! One more element of community cohesiveness vanished with the development of Big Box retailers.
Lots of barely competent performers got into the competitive unregulated - out of control- business environment. As you can guess, the strongest crushed the weakest in a form of Economic Darwinism. I think that may have been the plan with Reaganomics.
Once I was told, “Sorry, Pal, you may be great, but the last kid’s entertainer I hired had a great video promo also. Within two minutes into his show he acted like he pulled my wife’s bra off of her. Now management says no more chances, we are playing it safe and running video cartoons!”
After the dot com bubble popped in 2000 and 9-11, the convention business stumbled, so that venue was less prosperous. It was already sucking fumes from the 89-91 S&L crash. That was the end of the big convention businesses in Orlando and many went bust. Vegas crashed in 2008 and even cruise ships faltered.
Today, the American economy is in the trash can. The only consistent stage-magic gigs I can get are through schools where my credentials are that I am a Certified-Licensed teacher (working part time for 2 school districts) and have had FBI background checks and State Child Services clearances. Sad, what has happened to small-time show business!
Today, almost everyone is cynical, fearful and living in the shark pool of massive competition. Whatever crumbs fall into the water stir up a feeding frenzy. I was in a School Principal’s office two weeks ago firming up a booking for my show. He dug out a 2 inch file of “Magicians” who wanted to book a show. I was selected because my program is not a “magic show” but an educational presentation. All this chaos and competition leads to fatigue and overload and retreat into the “safe”. I don’t see much changing anytime soon. I am sure that until the political mindset changes and we, as a nation, decide to work together for a better country, chaos will continue. ONLY the Big, Strong and Vicious will survive.
When hard economic times hit, one of the first things to go is expensive diversions. In the Great Depression, Hollywood and the film business was booming. It may have been due to the cheap entertainment movies offered and that the film business and radio were highly regulated and controlled business. The studio system offered a “sure return” on money invested. It is not that way today for the small operator. Even News Corp, the FOX mother company, was losing money before the Murdoch scandal.
"Show business" is what people avail themselves of for a few minutes or hours of entertaining diversion, after the important (survival) bills have been paid. And the so-called talented people were paid (and often very little) to amuse the folks with juggling, jokes, and plays and the like.
If we go back to medieval times, when the peasants flocked down to the town square with a bit of partially-decaying "picnic basket" morsels, to watch the local hangings and decapitations. Now THAT was cheap entertainment! Hey! Maybe that explains the current situation in political and news reporting!
“Too dismal”? I report, you decide!
Dennis Phillips
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