898: Obie's 4F 2025 Close-Up Convention - Day Four Report

Saturday April 26

10:00am: 2026 Registration & 4F Shop Open
10:00am: Dealers’ Room Opens (closed during events)
10:30am: One Man Show
1:30pm: 6th Show: Mini World
3:30pm: ED Talk #2
5:30pm: Banquet (ticket required)
7:30pm: GoH Tribute: Eric DeCamps
8:00pm: 7th Show: Closing Gala
10:30pm: Hospitality Suite Opens
12:00am: Dealers’ Room Closes

Time Stamps: These will be posted after I have gotten some sleep.

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428: Will Fern Brings It!

Will Fern is the life of any party. I have said it to his face and behind his back, he is my favorite close-up magician. He may not be as creative as Johnny Thompson nor have the manipulative skills of Lennart Green, but for my money, he always knows how to make people laugh in any situation. That's why he "brings it". I know this sounds like a promotional endorsement, but it's not intended to be. It's just that I love watching his audience. His enthusiasm in infectious and his quick wit is a compliment to his personality.

Will refers to himself as a "40 miler" meaning that he generally performs in a small radius from his home. That's good news for the rest of us because if others outside his New Jersey home saw him, then there would be less work for the rest of us!

Time stamps for this podcast:

00:08:41 - In this week's podcast, Will Fern talks about working at restaurants and strolling, corporate events. He has great advice on preparing to entertain and HOW to entertain by keeping the focus on the guests (volunteers) rather than on the magician's tricks.

01:16:24 - Product Review: Pierce by Jibrizy Taylor from SansMinds. A "straw-through-cap" of water bottle. Somewhat "angley" but for the street performer and someone wanting to make a good YouTube video and get good reactions, this one is recommended with reservations.

01:20:33 - Product Review: Untouched by Ryuhei Nakamura from SansMinds. Again, this one is for the street performer and could look great on YouTube videos. All in Japanese with English subtitles, this is the real work on hook-up of your ITR in full light. Recommended with reservations.

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300: Day Two - 2016 I.B.M. Convention

Today began the first day of the the "Triple Treat" so named because each day the registrants are broken into three groups (by color) and attend an hour and a half of performances and lectures by three different magicians, one in each of three rooms each day: Richard Turner, Paul Vigil, and Brian Gillis. After the General Board Meeting, the second day of stage contests were held (which yielded a few finalists for Monday night's show). The afternoon lecture by Michael Ammar was another outstanding (and packed) event. The evening's "Magic Foolers Show" left something to be desired in that there were audio and visual problems. Plus the show would have been better received in a smaller venue probably back at the hotel ballroom. The final night's activity was a discussion with Jeff McBride and Eugene Burger talking about the 25 years of the Mystery School.

Time stamps for this podcast:

00:00:13 - Dealer Chairman, Terry Richison, talks about some of the cool things in the dealers' room.

00:08:34 - Past International President, Jep Hostetler, talks about attending the Richard Turner experience as part of the "Triple Treat"

00:10:28 - Attendee Greg Lancaster gives us his take on the Paul Vigil performance/lecture in the "Triple Treat".

00:12:08 - Jeff McBride and Eugene Burger talk about the many years they have taught the youth as part of the I.B.M. youth group activities each year.

00:16:55 - Harriet Jacobson and Gay Blackstone chat about their specialized magic jewelry sold through BJW Magical Jewelers which is one of the many dealers in the dealers' room this year.

00:22:24 - Past President of the British Ring, Brian Miller, talks about the upcoming British Ring convention.

00:26:45 - S.A.M. National President, David Bowers, talks about his year as President of that organization and some stories from the road. He is later joined by The Linking Ring Editor, Sammy Patrick Smith, and together they talk about the two organizations' journals, The Linking Ring and M.U.M. and the possible future of the magazines, joint conventions, and organizations.

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898: Obie's 4F 2025 Close-Up Convention - Day Four Report

Saturday April 26

428: Will Fern Brings It!

300: Day Two - 2016 I.B.M. Convention

The Magic Word