I just got back from the worlds biggest magic convention. This is held in Blackpool each year and involves magic dealers, lectures, performances and ‘sessions’ (see below).
With Dynamo
With Dynamo
I usually see Dynamo (we knew him as Steven before he got famous) a couple of times each year. Dynamo gets a lot of stick from other magicians because most of the magic he performs can only be done on TV and not in the real world. Personally, I think that most of this negativity comes from jealousy. TV magic or not, I’m very grateful to Dynamo and his team for bringing the public perception of magic bang up to date.
With Cyril (Japanese Magician)
This year, I also had the pleasure of meeting Cyril. If you’ve not heard of Cyril, do a search for “Cyril Japanese Magician”. He is the most watched magician on the planet. Cyril and his team produce some of the most creative TV Magic you have ever seen.
With Japanese Magician, Cyril. Taken at 5am, after a long magic ‘session’.
The photograph above was taken at the end of a very late session at about 5 o’clock in the morning. Not the best time to have you picture taken!
Magic Sessions
For those of us who are passionate about our magic, the late night Sessions are easily the highlight of any convention. This is where you’ll find groups of people trying to ‘fool’ their friends with the effects they have been working on since they last met.
Everyone has two goals:
- To fool people, and fool them badly.
- To be fooled. It’s the best feeling in the world!
I’m delighted to say that I achieved both of these goals at the weekend 🙂
By the end of most conventions, there’s usually a buzz about the most amazing thing anyone has seen over the duration of the weekend. “Have you see the guy who can ….” etc. This year, there was a rumour going around about someone who was getting people to put a coin in their own palm, then by gently slapping it, the coin would transform into a handful of change, which came to the same value. We assumed sort of ‘switch’ must be going on, but were assured that his hands were seen empty before and after the change.
The descriptions of this effect were too good to believe, so I was on a mission to find the guy myself. I’m glad to say that I did find him. He performed the effect to me, with a coin held in my own hand, several times. It was every bit as good as the rumours had promised. Awesome stuff.
Back to reality
Blackpool is a wonderful magic bubble each year. Reality is suspended for 4 days while friends, old and new, share the most incredible magic ever conceived.
I have returned to a mountain of enquiries and lots of new magic to work on. I’ll be breaking in these new effects over the next couple of weeks. Lots of exciting stuff that I can’t wait to perform.
Hope to show you some of them soon!
Until then, here’s a clip of one of my favourite effects by Cyril. You don’t see other people doing things like this …
(Click the image above to play the video)
