Magic & Martinis Thursday - Aug. 22, 2013

The "after-glow" of MAGIC Live! continued this week as I slowly came back to reality. It really was a fun convention, but like most of these events, it's the friends, both new and old, that make a convention truly magical. I was so pleased and flattered that so many people from around the world listened to my daily podcasts. Steve Bryant gave us a nice "shout out" on his August update of Little Egypt Gazette. And there was some nice "buzz" on the Genii Forum, too. But I was surprised to see the nice link from Hanno Rhomberg from Germany on his Blog. I can't read German, but I think it's complimentary. :) Thanks, guys.

And while we're on compliments, I was blown away by a recent email from John Graybeal. I don't think he would mind me re-posting this: 

"My two kids just competed in the Midwest Magic Jubilee in St. Louis this past weekend. My daughter won 3rd place (She is 6) and my son did equally as well (he is 9). Both in stage magic. They were amazing!
"I will tell you this, if it was not for your podcast and information we would have never even thought about going to a convention and competing. After your show about the movie "Make Believe" (which I knew nothing about until then) we watched it and both my kids wanted to get on stage!
"Thanks again!"

First of all, congratulations to John's two children. And secondly...WOW, thanks for the email, John. It is due to comments and encouraging links like these that keep me going with this podcast. Well, that and the Magic & Martinis Thursday :) It was particularly appreciated last night because of their "relaxing quality" that I needed following my hand surgery earlier that morning. I had surgery on my right hand for carpal tunnel syndrome which is why it is taking me longer to type in this week's update because I have to "hunt and peck" on the keyboard.

Anyway, next week we will be packing for the annual Texas Association of Magicians (T.A.O.M.) convention in Dallas. Watch and listen for updates from Dallas next Friday. Until then...Cheers! 

 

On The Magic Word website with my iPad and on Dan & Dave's new "Ultimate Deck"

084: MagiFest 2013 - Day One

The MagiFest in Columbus, Ohio missed the wrecking ball after several  decades of successful conventions and great management. The MagiFest  was always considered the first major convention of the year drawing  well over 500 peoply annually who would brave the traditionally frigid  environs of the Midwest winters. Registrants traveled from around the  region and talent was drawn from across the globe to make the MagiFest  one of the premier conventions on the scene.

But after Jep  Hostetler turned over the reigns of management to Ron Spangler, it  appeared to be more than the new organizers were equipped to handle.  Although last year's convention was a financial success, they kind of  looked around the room and everyone agreed that perhaps they should let  it go.

Joshua Jay was one of the hundreds of magicians who grew up  attending the MagiFest and learned to love and appreciate magic. He saw  some of the best talent in the world and learned from them. He and  business partner, Andi Gladwin from the U.K. teamed up to organize "The  Session", a close-up convention in England. Buoyed from the success of  that convention, they felt that the MagiFest was too important to let  die. Moreover, they thought if the MagiFest is to survive well into the  future, it was time to take it in a new direction with some traditional things for the "regulars" plus have an appeal to the  younger set of "up and comers"...just like Joshua was.

The first day  allowed the registrants to squeeze into the small Dealers' Room for a  chance to get the latest and greatest...and indeed, they had it all. I  have never seen such a feeding frenzy; however, it reminded me of The  Magic Circle Centenary cramped Dealers' Room many years ago that had us  all packed in like sardines. At least this Dealers' Room had air  conditioning, though it wasn't necessary since it was 12 degrees  outside.

The registrants were split into two groups one of which  saw Simon Lovell's one man show "Strange and Unusual Hobbies" that he  has presented off Broadway in New York for eight years while the other  room Scott Robinson hosted the other group with a workshop.

Before  anything started and while the corridor was filled with anxious  shoppers with time on their hands and money in their pockets and  awaiting the opening of the Dealers' Room, I stopped long-time attendee  (and local restaurant magician) Carroll Baker who talked about the  demise of the Red Coats (the former organizers of the MagiFest) and John  Sturk from Chicago and this being his first MagiFest. Steve Bryant  (editor of "The Little Egypt Gazette") also said hello.

For  "Magic and Martini Thursday" (see Facebook to join us each week for a  virtual martini) we went into the bar for a real treat with Jania  Taylor, John Archer and Simon Lovell. This may be one of the best and  most fun (and funniest) interviews I have recorded on The Magic Word at  conventions. I think I was able to bleep out all the potentially  offensive language, but it wasn't easy. :)

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060: Abbott's Get Together Day 2 - 2012

Although the schedule stated that Tom Mullica would be lecturing, he made it clear the night before while he was emceeing that he would not give a lecture. Now that Tom is regularly performing the Red Skelton Tribute in Branson, MO, he said he does not keep up with his magic skills so he felt that he could not give the type of lecture the registrants deserved. So his place was more than ably filled with Tina Lenert who talked about her character development. Mac King later that afternoon before the dealer's show and the cemetery tour.

But later that evening, I chatted with Steve Bryant, author of "Little Egypt Book of Ghosts" and the Little Egypt Gazette (http://www.littleegyptmagic.com/magicsplash.html), and The Rhythm of Magic, Michael and Jessica Blanco (http://www.therhythmofmagicproductions.com/The_Rhythm_of_Magic_Official_Websi..., who will close the Saturday night show. At the Legion Hall after the show, I spoke with Tom Dobrowolski about the Chicago Magic Bash which he will host next year (November 2013); Gabe Fajuri, owner of Squash Publications (http://www.squashpublications.com/) and co-owner of Potter & Potter Auctions (http://www.potterauctions.com/), about his lecture on the history of Abbott's Magic Company, and finally with David Merry (http://davidmerry.com/), whom you may have read about in the April issue of MAGIC Magazine.

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