445: 2018 TAOM - Day One Update

Friday, August 31, 2018

9:00 am Registration Opens

4:00 pm TAOM Board of Director’s Meeting

7:30 pm Friday Evening Show Texas Showcase – Emcee and Opening Act David Hira, Trixie Bond, Caesar, David and Jacob Rangel

9:30 pm Lecture – TBN

10:30 pm Texas Collectors Meeting

11:00 pm Panel Discussion – Consulting for Movies and Television – Enrico De La Vega, Lisa De La Vega, Danny Garcia, Alex Rangel, Brent Braun

Time stamps for this podcast:

00:00:16 - Scott Wells prepares for the TAOM convention

00:08:20 -Scott Hollingsworth talks about his many years of attending TAOM conventions and Sam and Norma Gainer also share some of their memorable convention experiences and why they enjoy this convention.

00:16:29 - President Jamie Salinas talks about some surprises we have in store for the weekend

00:21:16 - Alex Rangel and Daniel Garcia tell us about what might be discussed on the evening's panel

00:29:52 - After the show and she is in a relaxed mood, Trixie Bond tells us some of her favorite highlights from the past 50 years of TAOM conventions

00:38:23 - Walter "Zaney" Blaney regales us with a few stories from his 90 years of life on earth

00:50:24 - Michael Tallon summarizes the late night panel discussion

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330: Bob Schulien on "Schulien's" Bar Magic

Schulien's was one of the legendary magic bars in Chicago that thrived throughout most of the 20th century. At the soul of the restaurant was its owner, Matt Schulien. Chicago-style magic was born here where the magic came fast and furious as drinks were served and the motto was "GTFM" (Get The F'ing Money).

In this podcast, Robert "Bob" Schulien, the grandson of Matt Schulien worked at Schulien's under his father who was heir to the bar and who encouraged Bob to perform magic for the patrons. He was told that people came to the bar not only for food and drink but also for the magic. They expected magic and so Bob became the "designated magician by default". Other magicians later came to work and perform at Schulien's (like Al James and Chuck Morris) until it closed on January 27, 1999. There is an excellent article online that tells its history at The Chicago Bar Project.

Bob carries on the tradition of bar magic each week at The Chicago Magic Lounge along with a bevy of prestidigitators who entertain every Thursday and Saturday night. You can listen to a previous episode with the owners/managers that was broadcast #213: Chicago Magic Bars and Lounges

Chicago Magic Lounge quickly became 2015's speakeasy for many professional traveling magicians. Not only to perfom but also relax by enjoying the camaraderie of fellow Chicago magicians, as well as honing their craft. I've been collecting fun behind the scenes video and photos taken over the first year of shenanigans at the CML.

Time stamps for this podcast:

00:04:36 - Bob Schulien talks about the early years of his grandfather Matt Schulien's Bar in Chicago from its earliest days until it finally closed. Bob regales us with many stories about his grandfather and the magic and pranks he used to perform for and on his customers.

00:56:45 - "Brother Paul" West invented a new product called the CellGrasp which makes it easier to hold you mobile phone while taking selfies. This is a product I keep on my cell phone all the time and I find indispensable. He also has a special offer to listeners of The Magic Word Podcast.

01:03:54 - "Flaming Coffee" by SansMinds is a visual stunner that takes the Fire Wallet to a new level. Recommended with reservations. Also, not available to those under 19.

01:07:49 - "The Deceased" by Jamie Daws is a creepy, dark and bizarre bit of magic that could have your audience feeling the goosebumps. This is a :Living or Dead" test that is well made and can be carried around in your wallet to creep out people at a moment's notice. Recommended.

Order a CellGrasp and receive your choice of any one of Brother Paul's five downloads from his website. Order two CellGraps and receive two free downloads. Oder three, and...well, you get the idea.

Download this podcast in an MP3 file by Clicking Here and then right click to save the file. You can also subscribe to the RSS feed by Clicking Here. You can download or listen to the podcast through Stitcher by Clicking Here or through FeedPress by Clicking Here or through Tunein.com by Clicking Here. Remember, you can download it through the iTunes store, too. See the preview page by Clicking Here

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328: Wilde Man, Wilde

If Oscar Wilde and Edgar Allen Poe joined forces to create a museum, gallery and retail store, then it would look like The Wilde Collection. Nestled in The Heights, a suburb near downtown Houston, this eclectic emporium of the eccentric is more than macabre. Lawyer B. Douglas, the artist-in-residence, manager and one of the proprietors, creates some of the most unusual objects 'd art that you can imagine. Well, I doubt you could imagine like him. For many of his creations come from his...nightmares.

One can spend hours at The Wilde Collection perusing through all of the unusual pieces in every little nook and corner. Some of the items are sold there on consignment from other artists and collectors while other pieces are creations of Lawyer and still others are not available for sale, but there for observing. In a way, it's kind of like visiting the home of the Addams Family.

This special Halloween podcast focuses on the Wilde Collection and its curator, Lawyer B. Douglas for a variety of reasons. There are several things that drew me to recording this podcast not the least of witch...I mean, "which" is that Lawyer is also interested in Bizarre Magic, of course. Another reason this is being featured is because of the seance that they will host on Sunday, October 30th. I was to be involved, but due to another performance engagement, I couldn't make it, but my cohort in the occult, Jamie Salinas, will conduct the seance. It will be for a limited group of 80 living souls who will try to contact the "Willow Witch" of The Heights. If you would like to contribute to the "legend" of the "Willow Witch", then please visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/thewildecollection/ and tell your story.

Owner, Lawyer B. Douglas gives us a tour of the Wilde Collection in The Heights near downtown Houston, TX

Time Stamps for this podcast:

00:03:46 - Lawyer B. Douglas talks about his background being born of a Mexican mother (who is a Curandero) and brought up Catholic and an African American father who has several voo-doo priestesses on his side of the family. After you hear his story, then you can better appreciate where he is coming from and how he came to hold the beliefs he now has. But Lawyer also talks about how he became to learn and enjoy "Bizarre Magik", too.

01:05:53 - "Burn Notice by Takel" is a switching device for a folded playing card and highly recommended.

01:09:31 - "At The Table with Andi Gladwin" is a wonderful lesson in how to get more gigs by using marketing tips to upgrade your website and use social media plus approaching groups, wedding magic and of course, a few great tricks sprinkled in for good measure. Recommended

01:13:30 - "Cold Cash by John T. Sheets" from Kozmo Magic is a wonderful DVD (including the necessary something to make the gimmicks) that is well worth the price to perform a transformation of currency in the hands of your volunteer. Recommended.

Download this podcast in an MP3 file by Clicking Here and then right click to save the file. You can also subscribe to the RSS feed by Clicking Here. You can download or listen to the podcast through Stitcher by Clicking Here or through FeedPress by Clicking Here or through Tunein.com by Clicking Here. Remember, you can download it through the iTunes store, too. See the preview page by Clicking Here

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