* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Magic New Zealand * Proudly sponsored by International Entertainment * www.Alan-Watson.com * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Issue Number: #701 Date: Sunday 18th October 2009 Editor: Alan Watson www.magicianz.com e-mail: AW@Alan-Watson.com ================================ Hi here is the latest news ================================ 1. Editor's Message 2. Jon Zealando's Surprise 70th Birthday Bash 3. I Will Be Opening For The Amazing Johnathan 4. Free Las Vegas Magic! 5. More Remarkable Magic #14 - Nick Lewin 6. Laughter as Misdirection - #140 - Kyle Peron 7. Dr. Zombie's Theatre Of The Unexplained 8. Branson Magic Bonanza 9. Highlight Of Creative Magic Lecture 10. Update On The Palmerston North Mini Convention 11. Jantar Mantar 09, Tirupti, Andhra Pradesh, India 12. New Magic Blog 13. New Card Magic Blog 14. Magic In The Rockies 2009 15. e-zine Archives 16. Privacy Policy and Copyright Notice -------------------------------------------- 1. Editor's Message -------------------------------------------- As I mentioned in the past Magic New Zealand has been a victim of its own success! We now have over 15,000 members worldwide and when I send out an important **NEWS FLASH** it can now take up to 7 hours for all subscribers to receive it! New Zealand's Internet is very slow on international standards! Magic New Zealand **NEWS FLASHES** will only to be sent out for MAJOR news items which will be of interest to the majority of subscribers. We are now offering two other ways to receive **NEW FLASHES** 4,908 have now joined my Facebook friends and 2,189 have subscribed to the Magic New Zealand's **NEWS FLASH** group. If you want to join Facebook go to: www.facebook.com then to join my group of friends, do a search on Facebook for Alan Watson. There are number of Alan Watson's - you can identify me as I am the one wearing the blue coat. From there you can do a search for: Magic New Zealand's **NEWS FLASH** and apply to join the group. Second option: If you want to join Twitter go to: www.twitter.com Click on find people and search magicnewzealand You can join the group from there. In the setting file you can set up how you would like to receive the **NEWS FLASHS** by email or by a text to your cell phone. Remember if you have any magic news drop me a line: AW@Alan-Watson.com -------------------------------------------- 2. Jon Zealando's Surprise 70th Birthday Bash -------------------------------------------- Message by Tony Wilson (NZ) Over 60 people gathered last Sunday at the Manukau Sailing Club to surprise Jon two days after he turned 70 on October 9th. The evening gathering was orchestrated by the Variety Artists Club (NZ) and President Tom Sharplin welcomed all present, including the Mayor of Manukau, Len Brown, who spoke highly about Jon's community work throughout his city and presented Jon with an appropriate citation. Other speakers included myself, his "best man" at his wedding to the late Janet in 1964, as well as Stan Goudge, historian of the Brotherhood of Magicians. Close friends and neighbours that have known Jon over the years through his other interests and competencies in singing, dancing, sailing and numerous other sporting and cultural areas also contributed to the formal birthday greetings and recognition. Throughout the formal speeches Jon was continuously performing items he had brought with him to the "show" he had been booked for under the pretence of the well kept surprise. The New Zealand Variety Artists Club members then presented a mini concert of music, dancing, singing and frivolity before a full buffet meal was served as the sun set over the Manukau harbour. A birthday cake prepared by Margaret Hellen (nee Smith) from Hamilton was cut and dessert served before the enjoyable function finished. Once again Jon happy birthday to you on behalf of all the magicians of New Zealand who were not present but know and recognise you as New Zealand's living legend of magic. Keep up the good work for many more years to come! Birthday greetings to Jon can be e-mailed to: jonzealando@orcon.net.nz -------------------------------------------- 3. I Will Be Opening For The Amazing Johnathan -------------------------------------------- Message by Dan Sylvester (US) I will be opening for the Amazing Johnathan for the week of Halloween, Oct 26-31 2009. -------------------------------------------- 4. Free Las Vegas Magic! -------------------------------------------- Everyone who registers for a VIP or Gold Card for next February's Blackpool Magic Convention before 1st January 2010 will receive a complimentary copy of 'Las Vegas Magic', a book currently valued at £25. However, no-one will find the time to read it until they get home for there is always too much to see and do at Blackpool, the biggest and best magic convention in the world. A VIP card, of which only 500 are issued, costs just £90 (£55 for Juniors) and entitles the holder to all the benefits of Gold Card Reservation plus access to the VIP Lounge, special events and meetings with the stars of the Convention. A Gold Card at £70 (£35 for Juniors) represents amazing value for money for it allows the holder entrance to all the Convention events (except the After Gala Party) - all lectures, shows, dealers, all close-up sessions, all competitions and reserved seats for the Saturday and Sunday theatre shows. Registration forms can be downloaded from BlackpoolMagic.com. If you go to only one convention next year make sure it is Blackpool - the convention no-one should miss! -------------------------------------------- 5. More Remarkable Magic #14 - Nick Lewin -------------------------------------------- Message by Nick Lewin (US) 'Routines Matter,' a title to live by. I recently received a book in the mail that caused me a great deal of pleasure. Not just because of the content but also the very nature of the book. The author is Trevor Lewis with Phil Willmarth and the name of the book is 'Routines Matter.' Trevor Lewis is one of the United Kingdom's most versatile and entertaining performers. I remember how highly Ken Brooke thought of Trevor's work and the high esteem in which he held him. Phil Willmarth is a superb editor who cuts away anything that doesn't contribute to the books theme and title. If you are looking for the latest one-handed center deal then this is not your kind of book. Let's be honest there are already plenty (by which I mean too many) books and videos that can help you discover more and more variations on the physical technicalities of our art. What is sorely lacking in most magic books is information about the actual structure and construction of successful tricks. There are many performers who just want to entertain a lay audience with some solid and entertaining magic, the kind of tricks you buy in the magic shop and combine into a solid show. This book is perfect for them. Trevor Lewis has a wonderfully sharp mind when it comes to pruning away the unnecessary from a trick. There is much to learn from his direct and uncluttered approach to taking a piece of magic and turning it into a routine. It reminds me a little of the wonderful (and outrageously underrated) books that Roy Johnson gave the magic world. Roy was a little more detailed in the descriptions of his tricks, but the similarity exists in the psychological strength of the routines. You can read this book as a source of great ideas/bits/gags to make you a better and more entertaining performer. However, if you take a step back and explore the overview that it presents you can learn an awful lot about the true art of seeing magic from a layman's viewpoint. In fact I would suggest employing the mental exercise of translating the words as you read them from the page into a mental movie and try watching them in your minds eye playing out to a real audience. Please don't think that I am underestimating some of the really smart and innovative technical magic contained in the book. As someone who has made a living for many years by linking finger rings, I was highly impressed by Trevor's handling. For the hundreds of magicians who have bought a Himber Ring and never used it, this is a great routine. Looking at the list of routines that Trevor covers in his book is rather like reading a breakdown of my actual working material. Strong tricks that will impress an audience and make you a memorable performer. The real work on the real tricks, the stuff that has put my daughters through expensive university educations, well, OK their scholarships helped. I don't often take the time out to recommend a magic book but this one deserves the attention of anyone looking to improve the commercial smarts in their show. Check out my new blog on my website www.nicklewin.com -------------------------------------------- 6. Laughter as Misdirection - #140 - Kyle Peron -------------------------------------------- Message by Kyle Peron (US) magic4u02@aol.com http://www.kyleandkellymagic.com I am sure many of you have heard of the phrase, "Laughter is the best medicine".  It is a great quote and one I like to try and remember from time to time. However, most forget that it can also be a very powerful thing for a magician. Laughter alone can be a powerful tool in the toolbox of the magician who understands how to use it. Instead of just making people laugh as a mere form of the entertainment experience, laughter can become a tool in which to make and allow the magic to happen. Much like a good sleight, laughter can be used as a means of effective misdirection. It would be safe to say that most magicians grasp some element of the fundamentals of basic misdirection in magic. There is much written on it and Tommy Wonder had an excellent write up on it in his "Books of Wonder". Some of the more common forms of misdirection may be Line of Sight Misdirection, Movement Misdirection or even the concept of the audience looking where the magician looks. These are some of the fundamentals of misdirection and many of us use them and study them. But often times magicians forget a very simple type of misdirection that happens so naturally. Any misdirection that is natural in nature is far more powerful then something that can come across as forced. The reason is simple. If it is based on a natural reaction or action, then it goes unnoticed. Being human simply means that we do things out of habit. There is psychology involved in how the body reacts to certain stimuli that it hears or feels or sees. Understanding this can be a huge benefit to the magician. Ever hear phrases such as, "I laughed so hard I cried," or "I laughed until my sides hurt?" These are common expressions that show us just how the body reacts when it laughs. It has been studied and proven that folks:  1) let down their guard (loss of focus) and 2) tend to move (double over) and shut their eyes whenever they laugh.  Just watch the next time you make someone laugh.  See how their body language changes and watch where their eyesight goes. Focus becomes lost as does attentiveness whenever someone is laughing. In many ways I consider laughter to be what I refer to as "Natural Misdirection". It is those things that we do as humans simply because it is how our body reacts out of habit. We simply have no control over it. Understanding and using common body psychology can be a very powerful thing. To understand this concept better, try this sometime. While doing an ACR, reach into your pocket and come out with nothing at all. Now try it and reach into the pocket and bring out a marker or a magic wand. It is amazing the difference you will get in reactions upon the layperson. One is a natural occurrence for them. Reaching in for a reason and a purpose makes sense and doesn't draw attention. Natural Misdirection is very much like this. The best form of natural misdirection is using psychology and understanding how the body reacts to certain things we do. If we cause a layperson to laugh, they do not expect or feel like they are being manipulated or controlled. It is a natural reaction for them to do based upon what you may have said or did to cause them to laugh. If we understand that laughter is both natural and also what happens to the body when laughter occurs, think of the amazing misdirection tool we now have at our disposal. If the layperson loses focus and closes the eyes when they laugh, that is a perfect moment to work in a secret move. It not only lightens the mood but also adds to the overall entertainment value of the presentation. As always, I encourage you the readers to let me know your thoughts. So if you have any thoughts on my articles or suggestions or comments, please feel free to e-mail me directly at magic4u02@aol.com. I would love to hear from you. - I would like to let everyone know that I just released a NEW book and E-Book to the magic Community. "Blue and Gold! The Complete Guide to Working The Scout Market!" is now available as a soft cover printed book as well as an ebook download. - "Encore! Creativity in the Art of Magic" Ebook. Order online now at: http://www.magicenhancer.com/Encore.html - "Tips and Techniques on the Chair Suspension" Ebook. Order online now at: http://www.magicenhancer.com/ChairSuspension.html -------------------------------------------- 7. Dr. Zombie's Theatre Of The Unexplained ------------------------------------------- Message from Joe Vecciarelli, USA Saturday, October 31 at 10:30pm Dr. Zombie, described as "half P.T. Barnum, half deranged Willy Wonka," shares his collection of the unique, the unexplained, and things that go bump-in-the-night. A special Halloween treat for grown-up kids! Tickets: $15 ($10 seniors/students) http://gardentheatre.org/ -------------------------------------------- 8. Branson Magic Bonanza -------------------------------------------- Message by Marty Hahne, USA Marty and Brenda Hahne, of Dazzling Magic, are presenting their seventh magic convention in Branson Missouri. Formerly called "The Magic Show Conference," the convention has been renamed, "The Branson Magic Bonanza." Convention dates are April 29 - May 1, 2010. Talent already booked includes Michael Finney, Goldfinger and Dove, David Ginn, Doug Anderson, ventriloquist Patty Davidson and more to come. Registration includes two Branson shows, All-Star show, lectures, magic fashion show, dealers, ice cream party and more. Convention hotel is the Cobblestone Inn, with special room rate of only $49.95. For more information, visit www.bransonmagicbonanza.com. -------------------------------------------- 9. Highlight Of Creative Magic Lecture - Penang, Malaysia -------------------------------------------- Message by Barry Khoo Highlight of Creative Magic Lecture and Dealer Show by Alan Wong Program 1-30pm - 2-00pm: Registration 2-00pm - 4-00pm: Lecture 4-00pm - 4-15pm: Coffee Break 4-15pm - 6-00pm: International Dealer's Room Lecture Souvenir Linking LoverBands - Rubberband Magic New routine with Alan's new custom made Cupid's Arrow Diamond Twist - Card Magic A New Twist With A Dazzling Finish! Dream Lock - Mental Magic He will tip the secret (routine and full explanation) that fooled all named magicians around the world. Signed Bill to sealed Can routine (Stage Magic) DIY gimmick, the commercial sealed can gimmick is worth more than the US$80 (or RM280/=) Sponge Magic His Ideas, Routines and DIY Sponge And many more of his ideas, routines and effects International Dealer's Room After the lecture, the hall will turn into an International Dealer's Room showcasing selected magic products from around the world for sale at a discount. REMEMBER to bring some cash as some of the products are limited and hard to find! Door Gift (Value US$12.80 or RM44.80) All participants will receive a free sample gift containing these items with no instructions: 2 Stargazer bands plus round matching band 1 Lover Bands set (1 linked set and 2 single hearts) plus round matching band 12 Animal bands in 6 shapes 1 Magic Wishing Coin Date / Time / Ticket / Venue Date: 31st October, 2009, Saturday Time: 2pm to 6pm Tickets: RM65/= (RM70/= at the venue) Venue: Cardamon Room, Level 7 Berjaya Georgetown Hotel 1-Stop Midlands Park Burma Road 10350 Penang For more details and tickets, kindly contact: Barry Khoo Barrini Magical Productions Penang, Malaysia TEL: 012-4833-420 Email: barrini.magic@gmail.com -------------------------------------------- 10. Update On The Palmerston North Mini Convention - New Zealand -------------------------------------------- Message by Superb Magical Convention Value in Palmerston North There is still time to decide to join the best value magic convention on offer in the world this year! It runs from Saturday morning 24th October to Monday morning 26th October in The Globe Theatre in downtown Palmerston North near The Square. REGISTRATION IS ONLY $65 ($50 for Juniors). The two main days are the Saturday and Sunday but there is a 'Bring and Buy Magical Flea Market' on Monday morning along with a special coaching session for some young winnable magicians who have signed up through our City Council's Central Library. The next convention looks many times more expensive and so a super weekend deal is available right now in convenient Palmerston North. Our star attraction is the great family entertainer Terry Herbert, absolutely fresh from the IBM Convention in England and from the very recent Adelaide convention. He is giving the same star lecture on entertaining children, as well as performing in the Gala Shows (free ticket worth $22NZ with your amazingly low registration of $65NZ) and in the banquet cabaret. There is a question and answer session with the great man as well and since he is a friendly and approachable pro he will be around to talk to you! Also lecturing and performing is the superb Scottish magician Bill Seagraves. He has been a professional magician all his life and has much to teach you as well as offering endless hilarious anecdotes about magic and magicians. He is wonderful company and a small, friendly convention is just the setting to find great inspiration for your magical imagination. The Gala Show is a real variety show of magic and the allied arts: standup comedy magic, ventriloquism, marionette wizardry, manipulation, juggling and big illusions. Performers supporting Tery Herbert and Bill Seagraves include Ian Harman (with smooth manipulations from his act performed in Korea, Japan and Australia)) and his dancers; Joel Fenton (hot from Brisbane) with comic juggling, Michael Woolf with marionettes, Zappo and Zappolina with musical singalong magic for children and Greg Britt/ El Gregoe with illusions and ventriloquism. El Gregoe is bringing table loads of newly acquired magical merchandise (an appearing glass from shoe -or anywhere- made in Germany is highly favoured) and the expert balloon modeller Pippity-Pop from Dunedin will be giving a teaching workshop. There is room for you so just turn up if it's a last minute inspired decision (The Globe Theatre is on the corner of Main Street and Pitt Street next to the Convention Centre and the Te Manawa Museum). Registration will be from 9 a.m. with Bill Seagraves' lecture in the morning and Terry Herbert's in the afternoon. We have had good local publicity and the Gala Shows are filling up nicely. There is plenty of cheapish motel accommodation or you might even be able to phone a friend for a bed. You don't need to book the Banquet because we are in a large restaurant with room to spare. Registration Secretary is Robin Lucas on 06 354 7137. His home address is 35 Langley Ave, Palmerston North 4414. Other contact phone numbers are Andrew Wilson on 06 329 29 28 and Ralph Corkindale on 357 6664. You will be so glad you came! -------------------------------------------- 11. Jantar Mantar 09, Tirupti, Andhra Pradesh, India -------------------------------------------- Message by Sreenivas Garigipati (India) RK Wonder World magic shoppe and TTD are organising the 3rd All India Magic Convention at Mahati Auditorium, Tirupti, A.P. India on November 7th and 8th. There will be a stage magic competition for seniors and juniors; gala performances by Magicians Ali, Arun Bonerjee, Brij Mohan, Dayanidhi, Stick Manohar and Doves Shyam; lecture-cum- demonstrations by Dr.B.V.Pattabhi Ram, Krantikar,Nageswar Rao, Yona, Kudroli Ganesh and Pradeep and a dealers room. For further details visit jantarmantar2009.co.cc. ------------------------------------------- 12. New Magic Blog -------------------------------------------- Message by Walter Valle We're launching our new Magic Blog: BlogdeMagos.com (http://www.blogdemagos.com) Here you'll be able find news about magic, post with interested information, videos, interviews, etc. It's another initiative from Bazar de Magia (http://www.magia.com.ar) -------------------------------------------- 13. New Card Magic Blog ------------------------------------------- Message by Paul Gordon (UK) I thought your readers might be interested in my card magic blog. See http://thequidnunc.blogspot.com - it's quite controversial as it's my take on the world of professional card magic. And, for those who have no idea as to who I am, see www.paulgordon.net for my website. -------------------------------------------- 14. Magic In The Rockies 2009 -USA -------------------------------------------- A review by David Goodsell September 10, 11, 12, and 13, 2009 IBM Ring 250, The Presto-Digitators Fort Collins, CO Now I've been to a ton of conventions, including The Magic Circle Centenary, the S.A.M. 100th, and the joint I.B.M.-S.A.M. in Louisville, but I've never had a more enjoyable three days than I had at the recent 16th Annual Magic in the Rockies, and that's a fact. I am not alone. Rick Maue (that's pronounced Maw) defied convalescence to take part in this delightful gathering because he loves this convention. My friend Barrie Richardson wouldn't miss one, and neither would a significant number of other really excellent magicians. Why? At my age I am looking for quality. I want to see magic that intrigues me, that fools me, and if I am not fooled I want to be mightily impressed with skill and presentation. I am looking for cutting-edge thinking, and that's what I find at Magic in the Rockies. And I want time to visit with friends and to meet new friends. There is plenty of that here, too. Magic in the Rockies is held in Fort Collins, Colorado, about 60 miles north of Denver; the Fort Collins Marriott is a great hotel, which makes for a pleasant stay. We did have to go elsewhere for a few of the events, but for some reason this is not a chore. I can't explain it, but there is a bit of charm to drive to the Lincoln Center Performance Hall for the Junior Showcase show and enjoying a casual lunch at the adjacent Canyon West Room. This is a small gathering, around 250 registrants. None of this would work anywhere near as well if it were a large convention. That lunch, by the way, and Friday night's dinner as well as Saturday's lunch were all part of the registration. Breaking bread, so to speak, with people you don't know well makes for a sense of camaraderie. This is a convention of lectures - a full dozen - and that's part of the draw. There is one close-up show, one gala evening show, a special public show for kids available to all registrants, and late night bar magic and soirée on Friday and Saturday nights - and 12 lectures. Rick Maue opened and closed the convention. Those who know Rick know that he "tells it like it is," so it is no surprise that his first lecture was called "No BS Marketing." He is a unique individual and performer, and what works for him might not work for you and me. However, there were plenty of good ideas to kick around. "Know your primary and secondary markets," he advised us. By that he means to really study the market - identify the key movers and shakers, learn about them in the public media, get to know them or people who know them, and then sell yourself. "This is hard work," Rick emphasized, "but you won't achieve real success without doing this." The three "R's" of success are identify possible Relationships; develop personal Relationships; then develop REAL relationships. His after-convention lecture Sunday afternoon was all about prom night shows, a lucrative market just waiting for the right magician. We had two excellent lectures Thursday night. Asi Wind, a headliner at the popular Monday Night Magic in New York City, gave us a 20-minute "show" followed by discussion of the major effects in that presentation. All of the effects had fairly complex explanations emphasizing Wind's efforts to develop methods that cannot be determined by an astute audience. Asi explained that each of the major effects required a full-hour DVD to explain properly, and the others required the $35 lecture notes, which also included a CD of instructions. So, this was really a "dealer demonstration." But, that's okay. Even though very few in the audience will be able to reconstruct the methods, the discussions were both enlightening and invigorating and he did share a number of tips with us. His thinking is superb! Mentalist Luke Jermay, another brilliant, young performer, who is opening his act on the Las Vegas strip as I write this, gave us a one-hour lecture that was equally superb. He took us through a thorough presentation and explanation of a mind-blowing routine using no props that combines the theories of David Hoy's Tossed Out Deck and Banachek's PK Touches. Luke spent 50 minutes on this and everyone present was enthralled with his thinking. We had a chance to see him perform this for real people at the Saturday late night soirée at the Marriott. Friday morning at Magic at the Rockies is always reserved for the Junior Showcase Show at the Lincoln Center Performance Hall downtown. Nearly a thousand school kids join the conventioneers to watch a terrific magic show combining the best of Colorado's rising juniors with a few top headliner performers. The Science Guy "Steve Spangler" emceed the show. The junior magicians ranged from eight-year-old A.J. Perea who baked a birthday cake to music designed for the routine. Yep, the old cake pan trick, but well done, and the audience loved the little kid in the chef's costume. "Mighty Mini" Lauren Miller actually opened the show with Creative Magic's Shadow Tent with a neat twist. When the costumed panda bear appeared from the tent and took off its head there was Lauren! When did she make the switch! The outdoor camping décor with lighted trees and a campfire really added to the presentation. Two 14-year-old boys added great diversity to the show. "Matt the Magician" Matt Simonsen performed a patter act using a spectator from the audience. His rubber chicken caught the chosen card in its beak like a zany card sword, and then Matt shoved two BBQ skewers through the unlucky helper's neck in the BBQ Necklace of Doom. A bit later in the show Blake Nielsen performed a lovely version of Dai Vernon's Linking Rings and a two-rope routine where the ropes blended into one and were cut and restored in a series of innovative phases. A very nice well paced performance, with poise beyond his years. Daniel Probasco and his sister Becca performed a very nice Temple of Benares, an old illusion that still fools the audience. It was well presented with action matching the accompanying music very well. These kids are learning great lessons about presentation and showmanship! Reed Barrett showed good character when his torn and restored newspaper didn't go quite right, (some of the best lessons are learned under adversity) and came back to pour liquid into a glass suspended from a bottle, pour the liquid into a bowl, and then vanish the bowl. His big finish was a full-sized guillotine, prop that always commands attention. The final junior act was Timothy Cripes, whose theme was Gene Kelley's "Singing in the Rain." Timothy did a nice dancing cane, produced a couple of parasols and silks, performed a Chinese Snowstorm, and even did a little tap dancing for us. One thing is certain - we haven't seen the last of these young magicians! Interspersed with the youth were three excellent headliner acts. Bill Abbott reminded us just how good a puppet magic act can be as he and Chico, a hand-puppet monkey, performed an "amazing" mind-reading trick. It was great fun and, as is the case with a skilled puppeteer, he made the little guy come alive with many funny bits of business. Leland Faulkner gave the kids a real treat with his dramatic presentation of hand shadows. Outstanding! There seemed to be three-dozen shadow figures crossing the oval screen, our favorites being the cud-chewing camel and the sea serpent. Great music and sound effects really enhanced the experience. The final act was Charlie Frye & Company. Wow! Comedy juggling at its best. Clubs and balls, balancing stunts, humorous interaction with his attractive assistant (Sherry his wife) who was bored by the whole thing. We have never seen anyone juggle a bowler hat better than Charlie Frye; he was really great. How is this for a finish: Charlie juggles his hat, a walking stick, a juggling club, and a ball while standing on one leg and while twirling a two-foot hoop on the other outstretched leg. Then he balanced a broom handle on his chin, on which was balanced the walking stick crosswise, with a vest draped over it. The bowler hat sat upon all of that, six feet above Charlie's nose. In an instant the broomstick was plucked aside and everything dropped leaving Charlie wearing the vest with the hat on his head and holding the cane. Terrific! After the show, registrants enjoyed lunch together in the Lincoln Center's Canyon West Room. Then it was back to the hotel to watch Charlie Frye's entertaining lecture on stunts and gags. We learned how to levitate a dollar bill, to bend spoons, to pull silks from our nostrils, to vanish a comb, and all kinds of goofy stuff. Funny and entertaining, but most people were taking notes! Then Charlie treated us to his highly skilled sleight of hand with coins and cards as he performed serious routines set to music. Charlie Frye is a double threat - he is one of the best jugglers and sleight-of-hand performers I have seen. After the Friday-night dinner we headed to the dealers' room and then, around 9:00 pm, it was back to the lecture area where we were surprised by Daniel Garcia, a special guest attraction, who performed and taught us two wonderful close-up items using a dollar bill and a straw and a dollar bill and a rubber band. Ten minutes of fun and mystery and we all learned something we can use to fool the folk back home. He was followed by Wayne Dobson, another superstar. Wayne Dobson has to be one of magic's most creative minds, and he is very, very funny. Several years back he had one of the most popular shows on UK television. Then he contracted MS. Even though he is confined to a wheelchair, he has continued to perform and invent. The highlights of his lecture were his work with the tossed out deck and the brainwave deck without cards until the finish, when the mentally selected card is found folded inside a coin purse. From ten until sometime after midnight those who weren't too tuckered out hung around the Marriott's Falls Bar to watch Doc Eason and others perform classic bar magic. Eddie Goldstein, Jon Armstrong, Geoff Williams, Alex Rangel, and Bob Sheets were outstanding. A great finish to a great day! Those of us who drug out of bed to watch Arthur Trace were richly rewarded. What a thinker! His opening routine was a miser's dream using two large tin cans connected by a long cotton rope and centered on a pay phone theme. Brilliant! Entertaining! As Trace says, he loves finding new presentations for classic pieces, and this was an excellent example. Wisdom? How many magicians have a mission statement? Is it necessary to have one? Isn't that some kind of corporate America thing? Actually, I think this is exactly the kind of thinking that the new generation of magicians must do. Peter Samelson was our second lecturer. Here is a magician who has made his mark in so many ways in the world of entertainment, not the least of which is as a consultant for everything from TV commercials to Broadway shows. His Gypsy Thread routine is a lovely piece of magic that exemplifies his belief that theatrical magic should move the audience to a new way of thinking or feeling. After lunch and after some time in the dealers' room, we enjoyed the Close-up Headliner Show. Here are some of the highlights for me. In Asi Wind's final effect he had the deck mixed and shuffled, some face up and some face down. He stated that 17 cards would be face down when the deck was spread. This was the case, and those cards were removed. He then had one of four spectator helpers, each in turn, hold the remaining cards in a spread fan and think of a suit. Then, as Asi named the cards from that suit remaining in the spread, they were removed until the fourth spectator held but one card. That card turned out to be the card selected at the start of the trick. Bill Abbott's strong effect for me centered on a movie theme. Three cards were selected. Each of the spectators who selected the cards accepted a movie role. One was the sexy star, another the violent star, and the third was the mysterious star. The sexy star's card was found to have a red back and a kiss on its face. The violent star's card was found to have a bullet hole in it. The face of the card selected by the mysterious star turned blank, as did every other card in the deck. Jon Armstrong's hot routine entailed controlling the cards when they were obviously mixed and messed, faces up and faces down, until the only 10 cards remaining face up represented the telephone number of a spectator helper. Amazing control! Finally, Kostya Kimlat's final routine was a clever story trick using large queen and king cards to tell a story about the murder in a deck of cards. The clues were shown to be in the images of the court cards themselves, with the final piece of evidence proving to match a prediction card. Four 15-minute acts filled with marvelous magic. To try to review a Jon Armstrong lecture is like trying to review a collection of card tricks. Suffice it to say that this magician can really handle cards and just listening to his tips and suggestions, like his gin-peek method of picking up two cards as one or performing the "Mercury" card fold under the guise of putting the deck into its box, is an education. While not necessarily his strongest effect, his "Out of This Blah, Blah, Blah" variation of the classic Out of This World is a wonderful, wonderful trick. Get his DVD. The Saturday night Headliner Show: Wow! Wow! Wow! This was a once in a lifetime show. Emceed by Leland Faulkner, who is very believable as a goofy, nerdy magic nut (his cut and restored microphone cord that electrocuted him was hilarious) actually opened the show with his excellent shadowgraphs described elsewhere. The first act was David Williamson creating unbelievable hilarity with two routines. He found a folded, chosen card in his mouth by apparently regurgitating it - but only after funny, funny interaction with a lady in the front row. Then, with three kids from the audience he did his classic "Rocky Raccoon" routine. He picked the perfect kids and their interaction among themselves as well as with David was solid gold. I think he was on for 30 minutes, and it was wonderful. Yes, the old adage applies: you had to be there. Arthur Trace was next with more of his cutting-edge thinking. This lovely routine showed off his superb skill with balls and cards as well as a unique interaction with what appeared to be a modern art painting in blacks, whites and grays. As he moved through the act the balls and cards changed from grays to colors and at the conclusion the painting was alive with color. Wayne Dobson won the hearts and the funny bones of the audience. This man has a tremendous gift for touching people. He could do it before MS took its toll on his career, and he continues to do it today with the added attraction of his being an inspiration for us all. Wayne did the tossed out deck routine he described in his lecture and then, with two spectators seated on either side of him, he performed the two-spectator card trick in which Wayne instructs one spectator to perform for the other, with the chosen card being found on the seat of the chair of one of them. This, too, was from his lecture. This was followed by his classic ventriloquist bit in which his voices for the two helpers provide for a funny, funny routine. It is all in the way he looks at the helpers as he speaks for them, and his ability to get them to quickly adapt to their roles. He received a well-deserved standing ovation for many reasons. Joe Givan and Carol Massie brought us back to reality with a pleasing spirit cabinet routine. Carol was securely tied by a volunteer who then stood in front of her while a drape was lifted high, hiding them momentarily. When the drape was dropped, Carol was still tied, but was now wearing the volunteer's coat. A very fast, very deceptive routine - a great piece of magic. The closing act of the show was Charlie Frye and Company. The first part of the act was a repeat of the amazing juggling demonstration he performed at the children's show Friday morning and described earlier. This was followed by excellent ball and card manipulations and a linking ring routine using rings around 2 feet in diameter. All of this was set to fast music accompanied by a variety of acrobatic gyrations and juggling bits. Charlie Frye is one of a kind. It was great fun to eavesdrop on magicians and the lay audience alike as they left the theater. This was one show they will long remember! Later that night at the Marriott, we were treated to another one of a kind show. The atmosphere was very much like that found in a magic and comedy club setting, essentially for adults with a bar at the back for those who so chose. There were a number of non-magicians present - remember, Fort Collins is a university town (Colorado State University) - so the performers had the opportunity to interact with real people. Luke Jermay opened the late night soirée, and was well received. He was followed by Eric Mead, who was also the emcee, and then Ben Seidman, Asi Wind, David Williamson, Geoff Williams (ate a light bulb), Peter Samelson (Snowstorm), and Bob Sheets (Card Stab). Every Sunday morning at Magic in the Rockies Dr. Bob Sammons conducts a workshop for kids. This year his guest speakers/instructors were Bill Pitts, who has literally been in magic for 80 years, and Barrie Richardson, one of our great thinkers in magic. Bill shared highlights of his life with the kids and taught a couple of tricks. Barrie, who had only a few minutes to work with them, focused on vanishing a coin with the French Drop (a trick they could take around the world!) And he taught them how to produce a glass of water from nowhere while taking off his jacket (while he recited the alphabet backwards). Lovely magic. This was followed by the Bill Abbott lecture. What is great about Bill's effects is the apparent innocence of them. His jumbo card repeat, a variation from the traditional routine with a very different finish. He uses extra thin cards so no one would guess they were pocket cards holding three other cards. His "The Thing" is a marvelous take off on Zombie. The "ball" is invisible and is removed from a clear glass case. It is only seen under the cloth, yet the spectator can look under the cloth as well. Absolutely believable - and unbelievable. His effects are designed for his kind of work, entertaining groups, tables, and walk-around. He wants the methods to be surefire and clean so he can focus on presentation. Is this cutting edge thinking? You bet! Because it shows the results of REAL thinking, and not just doing the same old magic. Great! The convention closed with a lecture by David Williamson. More craziness but spiced with superb advice and reflection. Yes, we learned some tricks, but they were secondary to the subtle tips that make the difference between tricks and magic. This was a wonderful conclusion to a wonderful convention. We had a plane to catch so did not see the post-convention bonus lecture by Rick Maue mentioned earlier. We do understand from those who were there that it really was a bonus. IBM Ring 250, The Presto-Digitators really know how to put on a convention. They get a ton of sponsors to help out, which makes a huge difference. Wow! I can hardly wait until next year! -------------------------------------------- 15. Magic New Zealand e-zine  Archives -------------------------------------------- Back issues of the Magic New Zealand e-zine go to: www.watson.co.nz/fezine.html Both the User Name and Password MUST be entered in lower case to gain access. User Name: magic Password: kiwi When you enter the archive the e-zines are in issue order and are coded. Eg 001 Nov06 1999.txt first three numbers (001) denote issue number, then the date (Nov06) and the last figures the year (1999) -------------------------------------------- 16. Privacy Policy and Copyright Notice -------------------------------------------- Our subscriber list is NOT made available to any other companies or individuals. We value every subscriber and respect your privacy. You can subscribe to or unsubscribe from the Magic New Zealand® E-zine at www.Alan-Watson.com Magic New Zealand® E-zine is published each Sunday. 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