* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Magic New Zealand® * Proudly sponsored by International Entertainment * www.magicnewzealand.com * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Issue Number: #903 Date: Sunday 4th March 2012 Editor: Alan Watson www.watson.co.nz E-mail: editor@magicnewzealand.com ================================ Hi here is the latest news ================================ 1. Editor's Message 2. Lost At Sea, Found In MAGIC Magazine 3. News Of Martin Breese And A Message From His Son 4. 100th Birth Anniversary Of Late Shri. P.C.Sorcar 5. March 2011 Issue Of The Linking Ring Magazine 6. Remarkable Magic. #23 - Nick Lewin 7. Direct Mail - Lead Lists - #247 - Kyle Peron 8. Tony Brook in Conversation with John Palfreyman - Part 1 9. Invisible Lodge Scholarship Announcement! 10. Bill Goodman Lecture Melbourne Australia 11. $2,000 Close Up Magic Challenge ~ Colon, Michigan 12. The M1M Festival - One Month And Counting! 13. Cath Jamison - Adelaide Fringe Festival 14. Welcome To "Glitter Gulch" 15. Put An Ad In The Vegas Convention Program! 16. Blackpool Was Brilliant 17. Update - 31st New Zealand International Magicians Convention 18. e-zine Archives 19. Privacy Policy and Copyright Notice -------------------------------------------- 1. Editor's Message -------------------------------------------- IMPORTANT NOTICE regarding hotel rooms for the 31st New Zealand International Magicians Convention. Do I want to stay at the convention hotel? If the answer is YES then it's best that you reserve your room NOW! **As rooms are now very limited** Refer item 17. Remember if you have any magic news drop me a line: Editor@MagicNewZealand.com -------------------------------------------- 2. Lost At Sea, Found In MAGIC Magazine --------------------------------------------- Message by Stan Allen - Editor MAGIC Magazine (US) On January 13, the Costa Concordia cruise ship hit a reef off the Tuscan island of Giglio, and 4,000 passengers and crew were forced to abandon ship in lifeboats or jump into the frigid water and swim about two hundred yards to shore. Three weeks later, there are seventeen confirmed deaths and fifteen people are still missing. Captain Francesco Schettino has been placed under house arrest and is being investigated for manslaughter and abandoning ship before all the passengers and crew were safely evacuated. At the time the ship hit the rocks, Italian magician Mago Martin was performing his second show of the evening. The March issue of MAGIC Magazine has Martin's exclusive report of what happened that fateful night. Plus a behind-the-scenes look at "The Illusionists" starring Brett Daniels, Kevin James, Jeff Hobson, James Dimmare, Dan Sperry, Andrew Basso, and Philip Escoffey; profiles on Fielding West and Mike Douglas; more Social Media for Magicians; and Update stories on "Illusion Fusion" in Lake Tahoe, "Death and Harry Houdini" in Chicago, the reopening of The Magic Castle in Hollywood, three new magic shows in Las Vegas, and more! www.MAGICmagazine.com -------------------------------------------- 3. News Of Martin Breese And A Message From His Son --------------------------------------------- Message by John Hinchliffe (UK) Dear Magicians You will be aware that Martin Breese has been ill for some time, and it is with great sorrow that I tell you he died peacefully and comfortably with his family around him early this morning. I am aware of various notices and tributes that are already appearing in the magical world so shall not attempt to match those. I know that he saw many of you as his personal friends, and was always delighted to hear from you and really appreciated the support that he received over the last year or so. Martin's Magic business interests pass to Chris Wasshuber (wasshuber@lybrary.com). For the time being at least I will continue to take orders via the web site or by email in the usual way and to deal with any queries you may have. I pass on the words of his son James below: John Hinchliffe Martin Breese International Email john@abracadabra.co.uk www.abracadabra.co.uk James Breese writes: I wanted to seize this opportunity to communicate with and thank Martin's customers - as, I know, the magic community is a very special one - and was an extremely important part of our father's life. I was, as so many have been I'm sure, inspired by this kind and talented man. Martin started contributing to the advancement of Magic at a very young age - as you will notice from this inspiring photograph we have asked to be included.!! I had the enormous privilege of being Martin's son. I was able to list his achievements as he began to pass away and we knew he could hear. He contributed over 60 years of work towards Magic. He supported others at every opportunity. He published a long list of fiction and non-fiction titles and was even a well-respected authority on Modern First Edition books. He also contributed with many other creative endeavours of note. I am proud, in a way, to say that, when realising that Martin had just a few days left, one of Doctor's cried and so did many of the hospital nurses. When we thanked a nurse (many of whom had been caring for him for over a year), she said "No - I am grateful to him". She went on to explain that he had recently written letters on her behalf regarding her accommodation issues, contacted solicitors and made phone calls. In the last hours, Martin remained playful and cheeky! When attending to his mouth, he 'bit' one of the nurses finger - she called him a cheeky monkey and he grinned the widest grin you could imagine. All this from a man who wasn't able to speak or hardly breathe at this point. To my memory, the last word I heard him say, when his loving wife Pang asked how he was feeling was a simple and amazing. 'good'. No doubt Martin's life will continue to inspire and amaze. Only yesterday did I hear from his former wife Jill (they remained close friends) that Martin survived a bomb blast in London during the Blitz of World War Two - to the point that the windows in his room blew out. This brings me to the last point - he never, ever - not once complained - in his whole life, and certainly not during over a year of intense, near non-stop chemotherapy. Our whole family is indebted to the amazing team at the Royal Sussex - it's easy to say, but we cannot tell you how lucky he was to have this breath-taking care. One of the senior consultants, when breaking the news of Martin's very grave outlook a few days ago - stated what a character Martin was. He then repeated his exact words in a deeply sincere and affectionate manner. He was indeed a character. What a magical life he had, and a life so well lived. If you would like to offer your reflections on Martin's life, in particular with reference to those to the world Magic community, we would love to hear these - maybe even if his work or products had a hand in inspiring you. We may even later ask permission to include a few of these in tribute to him. Please send these messages to John's email address. James Breese, Martin's proud and loving son. ------------------------------------------- 4. 100th Birth Anniversary Of Late Shri. P.C.Sorcar -------------------------------------------- Message by Samala Venu (India) 100th Birth Anniversary of Late Shri. P.C.Sorcar Slideshow Go to: http://tripwow.tripadvisor.com/tripwow/ta-044b-a8a2-692c ------------------------------------------- 5. March 2011 Issue Of The Linking Ring Magazine -------------------------------------------- Reviewed by Paul A. Lelekis March 2011 issue of The Linking Ring magazine, Vol. 92, No. 3: Editor: Samuel Patrick Smith The Linking Ring is the largest circulation magic magazine in the world, produced exclusively for members of the International Brotherhood of Magicians (I.B.M.). It also is available to I.B.M. members in a digital format and as a downloadable PDF, at www.magician.org. This site is the gateway into the world of magic! Each month in The Linking Ring, the Ring Events provide readers with details of recent special happenings of different Rings around the world. This month's cover story features Jim "Mr. G" Green! "The Amazing Mr. G!" describes a very colorful career in magic! He literally has "done it all" and his story will fascinate you. He's been both an active performer, and magic store owner, as well as a respected magic mentor. And be sure to check out Jim's terrific One Man Parade this month! The 84th annual I.B.M. Convention committee met in January at the convention site, Norfolk, Virginia, and they have begun to make announcements about various aspect of the July 3-7 affair. It is going to be another excellent one this year! Check out the impressive line-up of super talent that will be performing there! Making Waves! Simone Marron reports in the 5th Creativity at Sea Convention! What fun -- magic on a cruise ship! The Alchemy of Abigail and Jeff McBride tells all about how this dynamic couple works together in their daily lives as musician and magician after ten years of marriage! How did they meet? How do they keep the magic of marriage going? Read all about it. Memories Phil Thomas is a heart-warming story of the owner of Yogi Magic Mart and how it changed the life of Dr. Simon Carmel and how he overcame the limitations of deafness! The One-Man Parade this month is of our cover magician, Jim "Mr. G" Green! This month provides readers with some excellent magic from a man who has "been there and done that"! I feel the readers will learn some very different and "tried and true" magic that has been field tested by this amazing magician! In addition we have included two Parade Bonuses by Charles Pecor and S. Brent Morris! We have a lot of magic this month! Cutting Up Jackpots by Bev Bergeron is a very special one this month! Bev tells us all about his long and illustrious career in magical entertainment and "clowning"! This is a special article and I think that everyone should read this article of a very special man! The Kid Show Circuit by Marty Hahne is a column that will help MOST magicians! This month Marty tells us about "Keeping the Audience Involved"! This is some sage advice from a pro! Mike Power's Card Corner offers readers a "two-fer"! Two different routines involving a card finding a selection by two different magicians! Both routines are excellent! Ways And Means by Joe M. Turner provides readers with a twist on a classic by Al Leech, called Chicago Open and Shut! This is an terrific (and easy-to-do) double transposition! Peter Marucci's Showtime presents a variation on a classic -"Two in the Hand Revisited"! Storytelling Magic by Ed Solomon gives readers another great story of DeNomolos, called "An Irish Tale for the Occasion"! Do you know who that DeNomolos guy is? Spell his name backwards. The Linking Ring has a team of experts who review many new items of magic so that the magicians of the world may purchase wisely! The Hocus in Focus section is one of the most popular in the monthly magazine. There are many other features in every issue, -- too many articles and too much magic to list them all. Be assured that dozens of people have worked hard again, to bring you another welcomed issue of The Linking Ring. Advertisers -- your products will enjoy unsurpassed worldwide promotion in The Linking Ring throughout this beautiful magazine, the dazzling digital edition, and links from the I.B.M. Web Portal. For details about advertising in The Linking Ring, contact BJ Hickman at advertising@magician.org. -------------------------------------------- 6. Remarkable Magic. #23 - Nick Lewin -------------------------------------------- Message by Nick Lewin (US) An assortment of odds and ends. The last issue of Magic New Zealand seemed to contain a tremendous amount of my words but I am very grateful to Alan for managing to squeeze in my tribute to Martin Breese at the very last minute. This week I will try and combine a few loose ends and hints of things to come. I was very gratified to receive so many emails about Martin, he touched a lot of people in a great many ways and it was a pleasure to hear about them. I received a long letter from New Zealand's own Richard Webster about his twenty-five year friendship with Martin and plan to combine parts of it with the various tributes I have written into a full-length appreciation. When it is completed I will post it on my Blog for those who wish to read it. I am really looking forward to catching up with Richard, Alan and Michele Watson, Mike Easterbrook, Michael Woolf and all my other Kiwi friends at the New Zealand convention in October. I will be performing and lecturing and am also thinking about giving a very limited Master Class in choosing/performing material for the very lucrative cruise ship market that has recently made New Zealand and Australia so central to its market. I performed my first cruise gig in 1969 and have been working the top end of the market now for many years now. I often read books and articles about the topic that are way less useful than the authors like to think. The tricks are important but the politics are complex and vital. Let me know if you are attending the convention and interested in this idea. Susan and I recently returned (at least for a while) to Los Angeles, and I was able to visit the Magic Castle last week and see for myself the great job that was accomplished in restoring our clubhouse after the 'Inferno Incident'. Congratulations to all concerned. It was also fun catching up with a myriad of old friends, meeting some new ones and enjoying a lengthy conversation with the seemingly ageless and tireless Milt Larsen. There may be a lot of people involved with the success and running of the Castle but to me Milt remains the Alpha and Omega of all things 'Castilian'. (I think I just invented a new phrase!) Dale Hindman hinted about a planned tribute to Gerri Larsen, in the form of a week featuring a bill of all female performers. What a great idea and a great reason for doing it. Yours truly, cub reporter on the spot, will keep you informed as the idea develops. I have had quite a few enquires about the progress on the publication of my Linking Ring Routine and I am happy to say it is progressing very smoothly. The photographic and video work is now completed and far exceeds my wildest expectations. The video and book are currently in the final stages of editing and will then be packaged by graphics wiz Steve Mitchell. The worldwide interest has been unbelievable and over half the proposed 200 sets have already been accounted for without any advertising at all! Over 40 new magic shows have opened in Las Vegas in the last few weeks (OK, I am exaggerating---a little) and I will try to give you a rundown of them in future columns. That's a lot of magic in a town that is hurting for paying customers and I think the chief moneymakers for the Hotels and Casinos has become 'Four Walling' showrooms to magicians, hypnotists and impressionists! Email me at nicklewin1@mac.com -------------------------------------------- 7. Direct Mail - Lead Lists - #247 - Kyle Peron -------------------------------------------- Message by Kyle Peron (US) magic4u02@aol.com http://www.kyleandkellymagic.com I often get asked the question, "What is the best way in which to do direct mail marketing?" I work for a direct mail marketing company and so this topic is dear to my heart in regards to what I do every day. It certainly is not an easy question to answer. There are many variables. I would like to talk about just one of them if I could. The power of any direct mail marketing is in the R.O.I. You receive back. This simply stands for Return On Investment. If direct mail marketing, if you can get even a 3% return rate (those responding or showing interest to your product or service) then you have succeeded. Now how do we go about achieving a higher ROI from any direct mail we send out? The key is in the contact list you develop. You contact or mailing list is the heart of any successful campaign. You could have the best marketing piece in the world. But if it does not get directly to the decision maker, you are wasting postage and time. So having any old contact or lead list is not good enough. If you really want to see the power and effectiveness of a direct mail mailing, then you need to find the power in a qualified lead list. What I do is always start to locate leads and contact information from different sources. Contacts can come from Google searches to a business card you received and just about anywhere. But having that list as is, is not going to serve you nearly as well as if that list was a qualified list. To qualify any list, I do a simple cold call approach. It is easy, takes little time and I am NOT selling to the person. That is the beauty behind it. I am not calling to sell. Instead I am calling to confirm contact info. It works much better to 1) get around the gatekeepers and 2) get the decision makers direct information. My phone call may go something like this: "Hi Mary. Hope your day is going well. I am calling about the such and such festival. I am an entertainer looking to get my information in the hands of the entertainment decision maker for possible consideration this year. The contact information that I have is (such and such). Can you tell me if that is correct? Thank you so very much for your help." That is pretty much it. It is direct and to the point and I am not selling to them at all. The goal is I am being kind and I am asking to confirm information I already have in part. This works well and you usually will always get them helping you back. It is not long winded and you speak for less than a minute. Now what ends up happening is that your list becomes qualified. That means you now have a list of contacts where by you KNOW that the decision maker has been confirmed. The other thing I do by qualifying the list is ask for the person's name I talked to. Why do I ask for their name? 1) I want to be friendly and 2) I can now use their name in my marketing. I can now state something like "I Talked with Mary and she stated that you might be interested in receiving information on my shows for possible consideration for this year's event." By listing a person's name that they already know, you are taken much more seriously and get better results from your direct mail mailing. I hope this is helpful and gets you to start thinking about effective lead lists. 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. Kyle Peron Magician and Family Entertainer http://www.kyleandkellymagic.com Entertainers, please visit: http://www.kpmagicproducts.com -------------------------------------------- 8. Tony Brook in Conversation with John Palfreyman - Part 1 -------------------------------------------- Message by Anthony Darkstone Brook - Europe/USA Over the years it has been my distinct honor and privilege to meet, spend quality time, work with and indeed become good friends with some of the World's leading Magicians. Those who know me well will immediately know that this is not written as a boastful statement but as an affirmation of gratitude. Included in that personal list are a number of excellent British Magicians including David Nixon, Pat Page and Ali Bongo to name but three. Imagine my delight at being able to spend quality time with the legendary John Palfreyman in September 2011. I was booked to Produce and Host The Anthony Darkstone In Conversation Talk Show, be part of the Judges Panel for the Stage Contest and EmCee The International Close-Up Show at The British Ring 25 Annual Convention in 2011. It was indeed a rare privilege and great fun to interact with, and get to know John Palfreyman It is said that some people are born great and that others have greatness thrust upon them. In John's case I can unequivocally state that both apply. Born in 1925, he sort of fell into Magic in 1941 and since then has most likely notched up more kudos than anyone might in 10 lifetimes . He performs, he lectures, he organizes, he consults, he has held almost every prominent position in the Premier British Magical organizations. Naturally, he is a veritable treasure house of knowledge. A living historical Monument ADB: Hello John, thanks for taking the time to share some of your Magical life with us. You are, as I said, a veritable treasure house of knowledge. There is no possible way I can do justice to all your accomplishments but let me try by asking you about some of the positions you have held over the years. JP: Hello Tony. Thank you for your welcoming words. My pleasure to spend time with you and thank you for asking me to guest on your series. My accomplishments you say .well, I suppose that they are but I look upon them as wonderful memories and I am thankful that I was able to contribute to The British Magic scene over the years. ADB: Absolutely John. And indeed you still do. Tell us about some of the positions you've held. JP: Well, but I must warn you it is a bit of a list. ADB: No problem John please share . JP: Well, let me see. I am Member of The Inner Magic Circle with Gold Star and was a Council Member for many years. I was the Deputy Curator of The Museum, organised The Dealer's Day, twice helped to organise the Annual Banquet, and the after Banquet Show and organised many of the Monthly Concerts. Helped Cater for and finally Catered for The Collectors Day and was the Stage Manager for The Young Magician of the Year Competition. I have also given several Lectures at The Magic Circle. ADB: You've played a major role as well in The British Ring -IBM Ring 25. JP: Yes I have Tony. It is always a good feeling to know that one's skills and knowledge are sought after by one's peers: My positions at Ring 25 have included :- British Ring President. Committee Member for many years. Helped organise the "Night before Parties". Taken part in The New Era Show. Assisted with The Close-up Competition. Stage Managed the Stage Competition. Even competed in The Stage Competition. Supplied my "Technic" Organ for a Scarborough Convention. I've Stage Managed and helped organise the Children's Show. Compeered and organised The After Banquet Show. Compeered and organised The Stage Competition. Chairman of Judges for The Stage Competition. Is that enough or should I continue Tony? End - Part 1 -------------------------------------------- 9. Invisible Lodge Scholarship Announcement! -------------------------------------------- Message by Roger Miller (US) The Invisible Lodge, a worldwide organization of Masonic magicians, organized in 1953, is offering a $500 (USD) scholarship to a magic camp or convention to a magician under the age of 18. Applicants must write a letter telling a bit about their magic interest and why attending a magic gathering would be helpful in their magical growth. The deadline for entries is April 30th with the winner announced June 1 and should be sent to International President Roger Miller, Box-417, Bonner Springs, KS 66012 USA or emailed to: rogerrx@magician.org -------------------------------------------- 10. Bill Goodman Lecture Melbourne Australia -------------------------------------------- Message by Kristina - Bernard's Magic Shop Australia Bill Goodman will be doing a lecture at Bernard's Magic Shop on Friday March 9 at 8pm. Level 1/187 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne. Bill Goodwin is the resident librarian at the world famous Magic Castle. While relatively unknown in the field, Bill is a star among magic's cognoscenti, who highly respect him as an exponent, innovator and historian of sleight of hand magic. Possessing unique creative vision and an encyclopedic knowledge of card sleights, Bill creates magic that is visually startling and direct, this aided by his superlative ability to handle the pasteboards. These talents have earned Bill an underground reputation as one of the greatest card magicians on the planet. Until recently, Bill's material could only be found in rare periodicals and lecture notes. He has since emerged from the underground, publishing instructional videos showcasing some of his work, which have received critically acclaimed reviews. He has also co-authored one of the great close-up magic periodicals of recent years, Penumbra magazine. Flying down under for the first time, Bill has kindly offered to provide a one-off lecture sharing some of his work. -------------------------------------------- 11. $2,000 Close Up Magic Challenge ~ Colon, Michigan -------------------------------------------- Message by Rick Fisher (US) News from FAB Magic in the Magic Capital of the World ~ Colon, Michigan There are a few registrations left for our $2,000 close up magic challenge on Thursday, August 2nd & Friday August 3rd which will be held in conjunction with Magic Week here in the Magic Capital - There are two divisions - Senior & Junior - 1st place payout is $500, 2nd place - $300 - 3rd place - $200.00 in each category. Registration fee is only $25.00 - nonrefundable. For more information - www.colonmichiganmagic.com Plus FAB Magic will be hosting their 6th annual Day Of Magic on Saturday October 27th here in Colon - our featured guest is Joshua Jay! who will be performing and hosting a workshop...come spend the day! Refreshments served all day including valuable discount coupons for area restaurants - Only 70 registrations available and already selling quickly. $40.00 In advance. Price increases to $50 on August 1st so don't delay! Only from the magic leader in the magic capital of the world. Register here http://fabmagic.com/day-with-joshua-jay.html ------------------------------------------- 12. The M1M Festival - One Month And Counting! -------------------------------------------- Message by Jay Scott Berry (US) Prepare yourself for a multi-media magic spectacular! Only one month to go until The Magical 1 Malaysia Festival! On March 23rd -25th, over a dozen of the world's finest magicians will appear in Kuala Lumpur for what will certainly be the Premiere Asian Magic Event of 2012. Produced by Jay Scott Berry and Mahdi Moudini, the M1M Festival will take place in the very heart of one of the world's great cities, at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. Already, full page ads have hit all the major newspapers and magazines across Malaysia. Next week, billboards and bunting will go up around the city. Featuring an all-star international cast that reads like a who's who of magic, Berry has gathered masters and grandmaster magicians from around the globe for this extraordinary event. Starring Michael Ammar, Tom Noddy, Rafael Benatar, Richard Forget, Christopher Hart, Dirk Losander, Ernesto Planas, Paul Dabek, Albert Tam, Moudini, Kramus Nexifius, Colombine and, of course, Jay Scott Berry. This will mark the very first time that many of these acts will perform in Malaysia! The official Guest of Honour for the Festival is Grandmaster Magician, Johnny Thompson, direct from Las Vegas. He will be giving an exclusive performance each evening, one of his first such shows ever in Malaysia! There will be two full gala shows each day: the All-Star Magical Matinee and the Concert of Illusions. Both shows, as well as the 4 Lectures, will be held in the Plenary Hall, a state-of-the-art 3000 seat theatre. The Hall will be decked out with the most modern lighting and sound, including an original stage set made of giant LED screens, sure to set a whole new standard in international magic events. Joining the event will also be a host of magical dignitaries from around the world. These include Irene Larsen, one of the founding members of Hollywood's famed Magic Castle; Domenico Dante, President of the Club Magico Italiano and Vice President of FISM; plus Derek Lever, the producer of the world renowned Blackpool Convention and the upcoming FISM Congress 2102. And, if that's not enough, also scheduled is the world premiere of the Grandmaster Merlin Awards, presented by Tony Hassini, President of the International Magician's Society. He will be personally presenting 3 of these coveted awards, live on stage, each night and inducting 2 magicians into the IMS Hall of Fame. In addition to the events inside the hall, the surrounding area will be transformed into the Carnival of Wonders, which will be open to the public. This will include the Carnival Stage with non-stop shows throughout the day. There will also be magic dealers and other displays sure to enchant young and old alike. The M1M stars will be available for photos and autographs at designated spots throughout the Carnival. Just added - The Gala Dinner with the Stars - with a special VVIP ticket, you can get a VIP seat for both shows, all 4 lectures and a ticket to the Gala Welcome Dinner! These are very limited, so please hurry to avoid disappointment. Don't miss what is sure to be one of the world's great gatherings of magic! Tickets are now on sale at the official M1M website: www.Magical1Malaysia.com Visit us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/M1MFestival -------------------------------------------- 13. Cath Jamison - Adelaide Fringe Festival -------------------------------------------- Message by Cath Jamison (Australia) Cath Jamison, Australia's Leading female magician undoubtedly proves that conjuring, the paranormal and women's intuition does exist in her new and hilarious stage show, "I Know What You're Thinking!" . Often noted as one of the most "bizarre and unusual" women in Australia, Cath will delve and play with your mind, the only way a woman can and will leave you gasping from her infamous obsession with the blade and playful antics of the Voo doo Dolls. Her powerful stage presence, knockout theatrics, and contemporary twist to the art of magic which has captivated audiences for two decades. Cath explores bizarre dating rituals and the "feminine mystique", with her trademark sass, style and mind manipulation. So step through the doors of the fabulous Ayers House and find Cath Jamison might just know what you're thinking before you do.. "When the other kids played with Barbie dolls, I played with voodoo dolls, When the other kids went swimming, I played with matches under the house! and when other kids played with Leggo . I played with knives!" "Australia's number one female magician" The Age "One of the funniest and captivating magicians I've seen" Trent Evans, Producer - 9am with David and Kim (Ch10) "I Know What You're Thinking!" Adelaide Fringe Festival Dates - Thur 15, Fri 16, Sat 17 March 2012 www.adelaidefringe.com.au ------------------------------------------- 14. Welcome To "Glitter Gulch" -------------------------------------------- Message by George Schindler (US) Welcome To "Glitter Gulch" This is the name Las Vegans have given to the five block long pedestrian mall on Fremont Street which is a few steps away from the Golden Nugget, the convention hotel for the Society of American Magicians. Watch the overhead "Flightlinez" zip ride or head to the famous Fremont. Experience a short walk across the "barrel vault" canopy covered mall. The Fremont Hotel was the first "high rise" hotel in Vegas and has a great buffet if you choose not to get the ribs at Tony Roma's. Every night the light show above treats your eyes while over two million computer controlled light bulbs do the work. The Neon Museum houses the neon signs of yesteryear . A dozen casinos, restaurants and shops are within walking distance. You will be busy July 23-26 with lectures, dealers, magic shows and meeting friends, so plan to come early and stay late,. The low hotel rates make that possible. Reserve now! www.magicsam.com http://fremontstreetflightline.com/category/portfolio/videos/ ------------------------------------------- 15. Put An Ad In The Vegas Convention Program! -------------------------------------------- Message from David Goodsell I have just returned from Las Vegas where I had the opportunity to see the David Copperfield show. Every person who registers at the convention will see David's show on the MGM Grand's stage. Terrific! AND we will see the Mac King show in Mac's showroom at Harrah's! Wow! As I have mentioned before, an important part of every convention is the convention program. It is something we will browse through in years to come, bringing back great memories of the convention. It offers a chance to thank the outgoing National President and other officers, and to congratulate the incoming new National president and officers. And it provides a chance to express thanks, respect and admiration to that person to whom the convention is dedicated. As many of you know, this convention will honor David Copperfield. By any measure, David has been the most successful and influential magician of the last 100 years, and very few of us have not been influenced by his career in one way or another. His television specials and touring shows no doubt started many of us on our road to magic. What perhaps many do not know is that David has always had strong ties to the S.A.M. and is making it possible for everyone who attends the convention to see his show at the MGM Grand as part of the convention registration. He is also making it possible for us to prepare a printed convention program with a special full-color section that will make this a true collector's item that we all will treasure. I have the privilege of editing the convention program. My goal is to take out all the stops. Let's make this the best convention program in our history. Attached you will find information about placing an ad in the program. Share it with your magic friends and with your assembly. Each person placing an ad of a quarter page or larger will receive a complimentary copy of this great program, either at the convention or by mail if he or she cannot attend. The deadline for receiving ads is April 25. DO IT NOW! Time is slipping away! Cheers, David Goodsell Superg13@comcast.net -------------------------------------------- 16. Blackpool Was Brilliant --------------------------------------------- Message by Peter Eldin (UK) The 60th Annual Blackpool Convention proved to be another great success for Derek Lever and his team. There was definitely something for every delegate and far too much for me to take in! As a result this will be only a brief résumé and I will leave others to fill in the details. Dealers' Showcase The convention opened with a new feature - a dealers' showcase. This was ideal for me as I seldom get to see much demonstrated on the stands as the place is always crowded and I concentrate on saying 'hello' to old friends. Alec Powell was the compere for the showcase, he did an admirable job and the event was well attended. Loads of Lectures The number and variety of the lectures was breathtaking. As there were 14 of them (at my count) the following will be not much more than a list of those taking part - Ian Barradell on Tenyo Magic; German manipulator Mathias Rauch; Close-up expert Chad Long (delayed slightly due to an incident that required the attendance of paramedics); Danny Cole who explained how he develops a new effect; Charlie Frye who performed and explained a multitude of gags and tricks; Michael Weber who also conducted a workshop on the following; day; Andy Nyman explained some of his amazing mental magic; Dirk Losander of floating table fame; Meir Yedid from America; Jason Latimer who answered questions about the TV hit show 'The Magicians'; Yoo Hyun Min from Korea; Axel Hecklau with several fantastic items; David Roth whose name is synonymous with coin magic; Japanese close-up legend Ponta The Smith (spoilt by the fact that his translator was difficult to understand); and Garrett Thomas, famous 'underground' performer from America. There were also two Kids R Us lectures from David Ginn and Stu-Di-Do. I wanted to see David Ginn but opted for Axel Hecklau, who was on at the same time, instead (Blackpool is full of difficult choices). ? Three Gala Shows All of the three Gala Shows were fantastic. The first, on Friday night, was 'Magic From The Orient' - a colourful cornucopia of topnotch magic. Compere Steve Walls gave a sterling performance in pronouncing the Korean names but I cannot say whether or not they were accurate! Unfortunately I did not take notes and the running order was changed so I cannot give more than a brief description of the show. The concepts were original, sometimes surprising and performed to perfection. I liked the performance of the cheekily faced Yoo Hyun Min who took us back to the wonderment of a child. Other performers were Park Eung Kyoung with her Carmen theme, Do Ki Moon with comedy, visual magic from Kim Tae Won, general magic from Ha Won Geon and card manipulations from Lee Hun. Heading the bill was the 'godfather' of Korean magic Yuji Yasuda, who teaches magic in Korea. But the highlight of the evening was undoubtedly the incredible and artistic card manipulations of Yu Ho Jin. Personally, I am not into card manipulations but this guy is brilliant. He received a well-deserved standing ovation. On Saturday were treated to 'Magic From USA and Canada' hosted by compere Jimmy Tamley, one of the most versatile and entertaining ventriloquists of all time. Danny Cole was first on the bill with several costume changes, an invisible chair and a CD routine. Charlie Frye & Co presented a quick-fire act of superb juggling, magic and humour which is brilliant but impossible to describe. Dirk Losander had a dancing cane sans the usual gyrations, a 'zombie' bubble routine and, of course, his signature floating table. Andost presented us with card manipulations and various effects with multi-coloured light bulbs. A 'zombie' routine with a disembodied hand was part of Chris Hart's act together with a beautiful sequence featuring a torn and restored music score. The thought transference act of the Evasons was fast and inexplicable. Flames were a feature of Richard Forget's act with a spectacular 'zombie' routine using flames in place of the usual orb. Jason Latimer had a lovely cups & balls routine using clear tumblers and some unusual effects with water. Last on the bill was another chance to wonder at the incredible and artistic card manipulations of Yu Ho Jin which proved so popular the night before. It resulted in another standing ovation which the young performer found rather emotional. The show was expertly compered by Jimmy Tamley aided by his range of hilarious ventriloquial characters. On the final night of the convention we were treated to 'Magic From Europe' compered by John Martin who did an excellent job, especially when he had to ad lib as the stage was cleared of water from the final illusion of Christian Farla. Jean Garin had an unusual act using an interactive screen. Aaron Crow made two, rather bizarre, appearances as the 'crazy kung fu warrior'. In the first half he captured on an arrow a borrowed ring which had been embedded in an apple. His appearance in the second half featured the catch of paint ball in his mouth. From France came Compagnie Poc with some clever juggling which also included some magical touches. Sebastian Nicolas featured multiplying balls and card manipulations interspersed with the production and manipulation of several clocks. The act of the ever popular Amethyst saw Danny walking through a sheet of glass, a quick dress change for Annette and the moving knot. Danny then thrust flaming spikes through Annette and then magically produced a second girl from the same apparatus. The second girl then entered a cage and was promptly changed into a live tiger! The final nail-biting escape threatened to perforate Danny's head with deadly spikes. He managed to escape in the nick of time. First on after the interval was Aaaron Crow with his paint ball 'bullet' catch mentioned above. He was followed by two unbilled acts. The first was Pierre Jarrow with some clever and instant changing of face masks and a 'snowstorm in China' effect. The second unbilled act was Jerome Helfenstein with a demonstration of the age old art of shadowgraphy but with a modern slant. Marc Metral introduced the audience to a hilarious cast of manic ventriloquial characters and also presented a song from four human volunteers, their voices being provided by Marc. Christian Farla from the Netherlands produced girls, thrust spikes through them, and passed one through a steel plate. He also performed a substitution trunk-type transposition using a glass box. All of his illusions used large apparatus but the most bizarre was the 'Scorpion'. In all of my years in magic I have never seen anything as over the top as this. Christian was secured in the body of the scorpion and a buzz saw lowered onto him. The saw was lifted and Christian was not in the scorpion, making a surprise reappearance in the stalls - it certainly caught me off guard. He finished with a metamorphosis illusion using a large tank of water. Most magic shows finish with an illusion act such as that of Christian Farla but Blackpool still had some surprises to come. First was Lumina who plays the violin with a laser beam! And then came the finale with the Dolphin Company of Dancers (who also opened the show) with a routine backed by cascading fountains. Absolutely spectacular! ? Awards After the interval in the Gala Show on Sunday came the Awards Ceremony. Derek Lever, President and Convention Organiser, presented the Murray Award, a pewter statuette of a magician, to Russ Stevens and Gerrit Brengman. A popular award, presented by the master comedian himself, was the Ken Dodd Comedy Award which went to Wayne Dobson. There followed an amusing verbal sparring match between Mark Raffles and Ken Dodd when, on behalf of the wife of the late Neville King, Mark presented Ken with the Neville King Award. In return Ken presented Mark with the Neville King Achievement Award - it was an amusing and confusing sequence enjoyed by all. And, of course, Ken Dodd said a few words. No Blackpool Convention would be complete without him. Popular Proposal After the interval of the Gala Show on Sunday there was an unprogrammed appearance on stage by Russ Stevens. He proposed to Bernice, his girlfriend of 23 years, who was sitting in the front row. Luckily she said 'yes'! Childrens' Entertainers National Championships This was one of the many events I missed (it is impossible to see everything at Blackpool). Held in the Opera House and compered by Terry Herbert, a superb childrens' entertainer himself, it featured Virrvarr, Craig Petty, David Ginn, Andy Clockwise, Mr. Wand and Stu-Di-Do. The results were: 1st Andy Clockwise; 2nd Craig Petty; 3rd David Ginn. Cornicopia of Close-Up Enthusiasts of close-up magic were well served at the convention. On Friday there was International Close-up with Dirk Losander, Stephen Tucker, Garrett Thomas, Axel Hecklau and Harry Robson. More International Close-up was featured on Saturday starring Ponta the Smith, Andy Nyman, Chad Long. Gregory Wilson and Ian Barradell. And there was even more Internation Close-up on Sunday with Meir Yedid, Yoo Hyun Min and Charlie Frye. Also on Sunday the British Magical Close-Up Championships were held with Steve Faulkner, Sam Fitton, Jason Rae, Will Gay, Chis Stevenson Shaun McCree and Stephen Austin. Winners were: 1st Chris Stevenson; 2nd Will Gray; 3rd Shaun McCree. Wayne Dobson and Friends With the exception of the Gala Shows this was probably the best attended event of the convention. This starred Joe Pasquale with a long running gag about a chicken midwife, Michael J. Fitch (who I missed), Brian Sefton with his elegant dove productions, Duncan Trillo with card productions and his ever popular dancing handkerchief, Russ Stevens with his sophisticated card production routine, the irrepressible John Archer swallowing a balloon and, of course, Wayne himself making comments from the side. After Gala Show Party & Beat the Wand No thanks. Gone are the days when I used to stay up until three in the mornings at conventions. I need my beauty sleep! Only a year to go! Next year's convention will be held on 22nd, 23rd and 24th February. The cost of a full Gold Card Registration which covers all three days is only £90. Everyone who registers before the end of 2012 will automatically qualify for a free magic book worth £25. A registration form will be downloadable from blackpoolmagic.com shortly. -------------------------------------------- 17. Update - 31st New Zealand International Magicians Convention --------------------------------------------- Magic at the Chateau 31st New Zealand International Magicians Convention Christchurch NZ Labour Weekend 2012 (19/10/2012 to 22/10/2012) Convention starts on Friday night 19th October and finishes on Monday 22nd October at 2.30pm. Visa and Mastercard are now accepted for payment for your convention registration fee Credit card payment form go to: http://www.ibmring160.com/media/8357/skmbt_c451f12022209470.pdf To download the Convention registration form go to: http://www.ibmring160.com/media/7578/registration%20form.pdf Competition registration form go to: http://www.ibmring160.com/media/7848/competitions1.pdf Do I want to stay at the convention hotel? If the answer is YES then it's best that you reserve your room NOW! **As rooms are now very limited** Christchurch Free phone: 0800 808 999 (Within New Zealand) Toll (03) 348 8999 No deposit is required But they need a credit card number, valid at date of stay, i.e. October 2012 The convention hotel is The Chateau on the Park, 189 Deans Avenue, Riccarton, Christchurch. When booking convention hotel accommodation make sure that you tell them that it is for the "Magicians Convention" and then you will pay the special convention rate of $115 for a double room. If you try and book online on their website you will end up paying their full room rate. You have a choice of either a King or Queen size bed and Twin rooms consist of two double beds. The headliners confirmed are... Nick Lewin (US), Mark Mason (England) and Ken Scott (US) Gillam Family (US) This is a convention that you will not want to miss! **Book your accommodation NOW** Christchurch Free phone: 0800 808 999 (within New Zealand) Overseas: +64 3 348 8999 Toll -------------------------------------------- 18. e-zine Archives -------------------------------------------- Back issues of the Magic New Zealand e-zine go to: www.magicnewzealand.com click on the red button center right "Archives" When you enter the archive the e-zines are in issue order in folders for each year and are Coded, e.g. 001 Nov06 1999.txt first three numbers (001) denote issue number, then the date (Nov06) and the last figures the year (1999) --------------------------------------------- 19. 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