741: Steve Aldrich - A Long Strange Trip

This episode is dedicated to those who remember the past and for those who want to learn more about our rich history. This week we travel back in time in our Grateful Dead VW bus and visit with magician and co-founder of the Foan Family Circus, Steve Aldrich. It was a simpler time when magicians were experimenting with new presentations and popular music of the time. It was at the height of Doug Henning’s popularity who was considered by some as a “Hippie Magician”.

Steve Aldrich also performed magic at the famed Tower Bar in Snowmass at a time when Doc Eason was still a waiter Steve and his band of merry men (and a woman) surprised and entertained magicians with their “tongue in cheek” original presentations of their “Foan Family Circus” at many magic conventions during the late 1970’s to early 1980’s. So what happened to the group? That and more will be the topic of discussion in this week’s episode.

If you are more of a visual person, then you will enjoy this video of our conversation recorded via Zoom.

Steve talks this week about the formation of the Foan Family Circus, their original presentations and music, their performances at magic conventions (one of which won them the Senator Crandall Comedy Award at Abbott’s Get Together), plus the origins of magic at the Tower Bar starting with Bob Sheets then passed down to Steve Aldrich and Steve Spill.

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713: Texas Association of Magicians 2022 - Report on Days Three and Four

Sunday - September 4, 2022
8:00 AM - Gospel Magic
9:00 PM - The Magic Word Podcast with Scott Wells featuring a chat with Jeanette Andrews
9:30 AM - T.A.O.M. General Meeting
10:00 AM - Lynetta Welch (LECTURE) Fabric Manipulation
10:00 AM - 1:00 PM - Dealers Open
11:00 AM - Texas Magic Collectors
2:30 - 5:00 PM - Dealers Open LAST CALL!
11:30 AM - Fort Worth Magic Championships
1:00 PM - Bruce Chadwick (LECTURE)
3:00 PM - Professional Close-Up Show
7:30 PM - Classics of Magic with Awards Ceremony before the show
10:00 PM - Gay Blackstone (VIDEO LECTURE) Life After Blackstone

Monday, September 5, 2022
8:30 AM - Jay Zugai (LECTURE)
10:00 PM - Fabian (LECTURE) Puddin’ it Together

Time stamps for this episode:

00:00:18 - JD Stewart and I talk about the agenda for the day plus a recap of the previous evening’s activities and show. Plus, JD talks about his New Magic Academy.

00:19:48 - In the dealers’ room we stop for a chat with Harry Allen and discuss what’s new

00:24:43 - Losander chats about this convention and his appearance here as a performer and lecturer

00:31:23 - From Fabric Manipulation, Lynetta Welch tells us about her egg bags and more. She also talks about Johnny “The Great Tomsoni” Thompson’s jacket which she brought with her to display. We also hear a tidbit about the late Doug Henniing that was interesting to know.

00:38:01 - Fabian Moreno talks about his portion of the convention who will be giving a lecture and hosted the Midnight Madness and performed at a couple other events.

00:51:26 - Stage Contest winner, Paprika, chats with us about how she developed her award winning act.

00:58:15 - Dal Sanders and I chat about the evening’s show that was a “Twilight Zone” themed show and the people who performed it.

01:12:42 - Jay Zugai talks about his participation inn this year’s convention. He was a triple threat who lectured and performed in the “professional close-up” show, he lectured plus he closed the final night show with his stage show that featured his dog who did tricks. Jay was featured so prominently in the convention and was seen almost as much as Bronson and his dad, Bruce, who also did everything.

01:20:31 - Close-up competitor, Ray Adams, and Stage Comedy winner, Greg Youngs talk about how they prepared to compete for this convention contest.

00:24:45 - Silvain Juzan from Luxembourg was a stand-out lecturer and }professional close-up” performer talks about this being one of his first convention appearances in the U.S.

00:35:05 - T.A.O.M. 2022 President Bronson Chadwick recaps the convention as he “takes a breath” now that the convention is over.

Sign up now for the T.A.O.M. convention in Houston, Texas next September. Click on the graphic above to visit the website. Register today because registrations will be limited to 250!

643: Jody Baran - Stories from the O.G.

This week’s guest is affectionately called an “O.G.” because the commonly held definition for the “Old Guy” term means, “a slang term for someone who's incredibly exceptional, authentic, or “old-school.” Jody Baran certainly personifies that definition because of his decades of performances including years aboard cruise ships and 17 years performing in a hotel in Maui, Hawaii. His associations with some of the legends in our community have taught him a lot which he shares with us this week.

Jody shares lots of stories in this episode from his life that were taught to him by his friends like John Moehring, Lance Burton, Johnny Thompson, Channing Pollock, Jay Marshall and so many more. This episode contains more advice and wisdom than you can get from anywhere else. I think you’ll agree that this is a good one!