#Blackpool Magic Convention

[scottwellsmagic]

885: Blackpool 2025 - Day Three Report

Time stamps for this episode: this will be updated after I’ve gotten some sleep

00:00:17 –

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 Pandora and SiriusXM (formerly Stitcher) by Clicking Here or through FeedPress by Clicking Here or through Tunein.com by Clicking Here or through iHeart Radio by Clicking Here. If you have a Spotify account, then you can also hear us through that app, too. You can also listen through your Amazon Alexa and Google Home devices. Remember, you can download it through the iTunes store, too. See the preview page by Clicking Here.

[drmichaelmajickmikelikey]

Magical People Live-Lon Mandrake

The legendary Leon Mandrake was my guest on tonight's Magical People Live! Learn about his dad, who toured and inspired the famous Mandrake comics, and watch vintage videos of the father and the son's performances. Thank you, my award-winning Co-Host Cheryl Hayes, for your splendid Co-Hosting, as well as thought-reading skills. Our roving reporter-at-medium Kevin Peel also shared his perspective at the world's largest magic convention, Blackpool! A must-watch indeed! Thank you Tommy Burnett for assisting with an experiment of the mind!

[secret-diary-of-an-fa]

Back from Blackpool

Well, folks, I just got back from the Blackpool Magic Convention- the biggest convention of its kind in Europe. I’ve been privileged to witness some of the greatest magic acts in the world in one of the fanciest venues imaginable. I’ve attended lectures on sleight of hand and improved my own techniques. I’m very knackered but very happy.

The Convention is fucking weird, though, largely because some of the performers there mix their magic with other, odder skills. It’s the only place I know where a death-defying stunt involving buzz-saws, multi-ton water tanks and sexy ladies in leotards can be interupted by a puppet show and everyone just accepts it. I also got to see a man playing a Mozart symphony on a balloon because his ukelele got destroyed in a freak accident involving a levitating bowling ball. I’ve seen headless men in ghostly white suits doing silent comedy and I’ve learned that it’s possible to perfectly control a pack of cards that you can’t even see. 

It’s all rather fitting, considering how strange Blackpool itself is. I like Blackpool, actually. Interspersed among ordinary(ish) seaside buildings are ridiculous architectural nonsenses: if you walk far enough along the seafront, for example, you’ll pass an amusement centre with a massive pirate skull standing guard over the entrance. At night, the whole city seems to be drenched in a neon rainbow of lights, often formed into strange shapes. Posters advertising cabarets and pier shows from another age litter the walls. There’s something endearingly ropey about it, too. The vibe is one of slightly sleazy glitz, but it’s homespun sleazy glitz. Imagine if Las Vegas hadn’t been made using billions of dollars of corporate funds but had been built by people who rocked up in the Nevada desert with nothing but three trillion lightbulbs, vague showbiz aspirations and a can-do attitude. That’s Blackpool. Actually, scratch that. Arriving in Blackpool is like stepping through an enchanted mirror into a world designed by vaudeville characters with access to LSD and a budget that isn’t as massive as they thought it was.

I’d like to go back again before the next convention. It’s my kind of town- weird as balls and filled with the kind of people who wouldn’t make sense anywhere else. Also, cheese and onion pies are a major thing up there, and I freakin’ love cheese and onion pies. 

[magicienannecy74-blog]

Why Do Magicians Always Have Magician Parties?

Magician celebrations are really usual. This is a party where magicians gather for social reasons as well as have amusement which is magic in nature. The busman's holiday!

The first thing you need to learn about illusionists is that they are constantly working! If they fulfill in the street it is not unlikely that a person will venture out a pack of cards as well as show the other the most up to date card action. Blackpool organizes a convention yearly where two thousands magicians descend on the city showing each other techniques in the hotel bars up until the early hrs.

True magicians are interested in the intricacies of technique. The means the method functions as well as the limitless variants of approach which can be created to accomplish the exact same end. So magician events will inevitably mutate right into tiny groups all revealing each other their newest creations.

When it comes to home entertainment there are numerous alternatives, singers, comedians, ventriloquists etc, yet the magician is likely to stay risk-free. Consequently magician celebrations normally have magicians to entertain.

Sometime ago I mosted likely to Blackpool to celebrate a pals fortieth birthday celebration. Crazy golf in the early morning as well as an array of quick tummy churning trips in the afternoon. As we were searching for somewhere to have tea one saw a poster for a magic show. As it occurred the mid-day efficiency will start and without doubt my friends, all magicians, made for package workplace.

It was a truly terrible show as well as I could see no factor for investing my spare time watching something from which I learned nothing. Possibly it coincides in various other professions maybe vocalists gravitate towards the Karaoke Bar and also professional dancers the west end musical.

Magician celebrations are by nature full of magic and props but comics are instead various.

Magic is a remarkable art yet it is additionally restricted to a small number of things that can be attained within the framework. Comedy is far more adaptable. The type of people brought in to comedy are inquisitive cost-free thinking individuals. They take a look at the globe around them and discuss it. They often tend to be mature people with strong point of views, although often wrong as well as biased. click for more info magicien Annecy

I have driven comics thousands of miles without talking about funny at all. National politics, partnerships our personal histories all occupied time but the framework of a joke was barely stated. I enjoy illusionists as well as I love magician celebrations but there is a preoccupation with magic which I find tough to bear. I simulate seeing a good magic program, it is really difficult to solve and when you enjoy a real pro at the workplace it is really inspiring.

The problem with magician parties is that many illusionists are showing you the next best point. The rehearsal time has not been put in and the relocations are not quite ideal. So you see something that is half finished and also I favor to see the real point.

[bravelion96]

I got back from Blackpool Magic Convention last night, I couldn’t sleep because I couldn’t stop thinking of new routines to do with the tricks I bought!

Love that spike of ADHD production at 2am.

Did I get any writing done? Sure fucking didn't.

But did I repot three plants and take clippings from my pothos to make more plants and maintain my Wordle streak? Sure fucking did.

[carruth00]

AIRPLANE MODE by George Iglesias & Twister Magic - A Review

Here's the Ad Copy for Airplane Mode:

George Iglesias does it again! A great not only trick but, a full powerful routine! Packed with lots of mentalism, comedy gags and entertainment! A total sold out at Blackpool Magic Convention 2020!

"A First Class Act" - David Copperfield

Design to amaze, Airplane Mode by George Iglesias is a new and great multi-phase mentalism routine involving real life props and a travel experience! A modern act that combines many mentalism plots that will fit perfect in your shows from small to big scenarios!

Do we write our own destiny or is it already written for us?

Effect:

A spectator is invited to participate in an amazing experience in which he will travel using his imagination. First of all, the magician mentions an item you find inside of an airplane that we always see, but we never read, and we should, we are talking about the emergency card. This is always located in front of our seats and we are too lazy to read it, but it can save our life in case of an emergency. This information is very important, therefore the magician hand out a real emergency card and invites the spectator to open it and actually read it, while the spectator does so, the magician addresses the audience to say that a destination will now be secretly chosen by the spectator. The magician now displays many boarding passes with different tourist destinations, boarding groups and seat numbers. The viewer selects one completely at random and the journey begins.

The announcement of the pilot ready to take off is heard, the spectator is asked to buckle up and enjoy the flight. The magician asks the spectator to close his eyes to, relax and get some sleep, but a second later he asks him to open them again (There is a baby in the back-seat crying) so to relax he now shows him a list of different drinks available at the flight, he will now choose one.

The magician now shows a tray with a bag and invites the spectator to say out loud the drink he has chosen (example: whiskey). When the magician lifts the paper bag, he has failed because there is only one orange box juice there. Now the magician continues and ask him to take the airplane magazine that has all the movies available inflight and to please secretly choose one. Now he asks him to focus on the film, the main actor, the soundtrack and other details, magically the magician begins to read the spectator's mind revealing one by one all the things he is thinking. Then the magician guesses the exact number of the airplane seat where he is on, his boarding group and finally the destination of the flight, city and country he is traveling to. At the end magician finishes with a question.

Do we write our own destiny or is it already written for us?

At the beginning the magician handed over an emergency card and asked the spectator to read it, but did the spectator really read it? Now when the emergency card is opened you can see in the drawings of the entire printed card everything that has just happened, all the "free choices" of the spectator are printed on the card and even better to be more sure, now the magician opens the card and it becomes a giant poster that reveals everything that just happened in the routine!

But wait, there is more, now the magician asks the spectator again which drink he had originally chosen, the spectator will say whiskey and now the magician to the spectator's great surprise, will lift the orange juice box that turns out to be just a giant shell to show that inside there was a whiskey glass since the beginning of the act.

Maybe our destiny is already written, don't you think?

Includes: 1 Special airplane emergency card 1 Special set of 30 boarding passes 1 Airplane movie magazine 1 Airplane drinks list 1 Orange juice box (for a kicker ending) 1 Instructional online video Easy to do! Pack very flat, plays very big!

My Thoughts:

Well.. I couldn't have asked for a more complete ad copy. Rarely does ad copy spell out the effect so meticulously. Almost everything you need to know.. aside from my opinion, is included.

I suppose what's on the mind of some of you is... how true is the ad copy? I can honestly say it is totally true. There isn't an iota of exaggeration.. almost. When they say it's "..easy to do", they say so in a physical sense. In a literal sense, this is easily a ten minute routine.. more if you are a conversationalist. Learning all the components IS easy. But, you still have to put it all together. That will take a little practice on your part. There is scripting involved, and timing, and getting everything to come together in a harmonious way. This isn't a problem.. as George spells out, carefully, everything you need to do and say. But, if you think you're going to perform ten minutes of strong magic 'on the fly'.. think again.

I'm not trying to scare anyone. I'm just saying you need to go over everything a number of times to get the flow of AIRPLANE MODE down pat. Please don't get in the middle of this very strong routine and lose your train of thought because you watched the video twice and think you know it all. This is true of ALL magic. But, because Airplane Mode is one continuous routine, you don't have the luxury of getting all jazzy. Just learn the steps in order, (easy enough) plan your patter, and slay your audience.     Video: The training video is online. It runs about 38 minutes of solid instructions. George has a very good mastery of English and you'll have NO problem understanding his instructions. Not only that.. but he's a downright likeable guy. The video itself is top quality and very easy on the eye. This is the first video I've reviewed from Twister Magic, and I'm already a fan.

Props: For seventy bucks, you expect first class props. That's precisely what you'll get. Everything is made to last.. and to be visually appealing to the audience. The booklets, boarding passes, movie guide and drink list are all heavy duty laminated plastic.. designed to look good during your performance and to travel well from show to show. Credit is due for their realism.

Methodology: George has taken some of the standards of magic and combined them into a routine that works. A couple of 'classic' methods you're most likely already familiar with are employed to do some of the heavy work. There's nothing to learn as far as sleights are concerned. There IS a little 'handling' involved.. positioning of this and that.. but simple, simple. Again, everything is explained in detail to enable even a total beginner to succeed.

Impact: Honestly, I was concerned when I first opened everything I was going to learn a very ABC effect with minimal impact. Not that Airplane Mode looked cheap.. it's just that it reminded me of other high dollar effects that were all glitter and no guts. My act depends on the power of the mind.. and not paranormal positioning. The ending of Airplane Mode surprised even me.. and fits perfectly with my style. Without giving too much away, after the spectator makes a number of choices he/she can be shown where ALL their choices were either predicted or influenced in advance. Fits me like a glove..  

Overall: I highly recommend AIRPLANE MODE to my friends and readers. If you are a seasoned mentalist, or new to mentalism, this is a great effect for your routine. I believe you are considerably better off investing in one strong effect than investing in several lesser effects. This is a multiple phase routine that plays like several effects.. but ties everything together in the end with a climatic reveal. Save your pennies and buy Airplane Mode. Everything you need is included.. aside from a paper bag and a drink glass with an appropriately colored beverage. (Generally, a half glass of iced tea will suffice.. as you only need something that can pass for whiskey). I cannot recommend Airplane Mode for Zoom performances. There may be a way to pull it off, but you're going to lose something in the process. Giving the spectator the airplane emergency card and having them both open it and read it is an integral part of the effect.. and it would be hard to achieve via Zoom. Now, if you send your Zoom attendee's a participation package.. you might have yourself one nice little performance. Because of the various props involved, you need a little table of some sort.. so performing it during walk-around or strolling is not feasible. This is the ideal effect for a parlor or home show. You could also perform Airplane Mode in a smaller theater sitting. You want your audience to be able to see the realistic props. It adds greatly to the overall effect.

Bottom Line:  Don't overthink it.. just Buy It... You're welcome!

$70.00    Thanks to Murphy's Magic for providing a review copy. Available from Murphy's Magic and there wide assortment of associated dealers. https://www.murphysmagic.com/product.aspx?id=68112

Reviewed by Rick Carruth for The Magic Roadshow...

[davidburlet]

My dealer of magic #propdog #magic #bcm (à Blackpool Magic Convention Winter Gardens) https://www.instagram.com/p/B8oHbdfi7X8/?igshid=zg84m69je5x8

[doctorwhonews]

The Doctor's Affect and The Doctor's Effects now available for online purchase

Latest from the news site: Two unofficial books about the visual effects work of twentieth century Doctor Who, previously only available to a mainly UK fanbase and via various offline avenues, have now been made available to purchase worldwide online. The books were written by Steve Cambden, who worked on the show as one of K9's operators. The first, The Doctor's Affect (1999), chronicles how he achieved his dream as a teenager to work on the series, with in-depth accounts of the recording of Destiny of the Daleks, Nightmare of Eden, The Horns of Nimon, Shada, Meglos, Full Circle and State of Decay, plus exclusive behind-the-scenes photographs and a comprehensive account of K9’s creation. The second, The Doctor’s Effects, features interviews with many of the visual effects and design legends who worked on Doctor Who throughout the 'classic era', covering over a hundred productions including stories such as The Daleks, The Tomb of the Cybermen, The Sea Devils, Genesis of the Daleks, Terror of the Zygons, The Awakening and The Trial of a Timelord. The book includes many previously unseen photographs and includes interviews with Bernard Wilkie, Jack Kine, John Friedlander, Ian Scoones, Mat Irvine and Ray Cusick. The online initiative has been organised by Steve's long-term friend Simon Meade, of The Ark in Space Facebook group and Twitter feed: Having been a friend of Steve’s for nearly 50 years, and gone through many of those wonderful 70’s Doctor Who fan moments with him, such as meeting actors and production crew, visiting the Longleat and Blackpool exhibitions, and attending the very first DWAS convention in 1977, I’m delighted to see that his two books can now be read by a worldwide audience! On his Sevenzero.net website, Alex Storer has, for several years now, kindly been sharing information about Steve and his books, and over the coming weeks we’ll be updating the site with more information and readers comments. Both books are informative and enjoyable reading for Doctor Who fans, especially if you adored the classic years, when so many talented and creative men and people, working with miniscule budgets and often ridiculous time constraints, made television magic that enthralled and captivated so many young hearts and minds. Full details about the books - which will be personally signed - and how to purchase them can be found via the sevenzero.net website. Competition To be in with a chance to win the two books, signed by the author, simply answer the following question: Name the visual effects assistant who introduced Steve to the world of Doctor Who production. Please send your answers along with your name, address and where you heard about the competition (news site, news app, other website, etc.) to comp-effects@doctorwhonews.net with the subject "Affirmative!". The competition is open worldwide, closing date 8th October 2017. Only one entry per household will be accepted. Details, images and competition with thanks to Simon Meade Doctor Who News http://www.doctorwhonews.net/2017/09/affect-effects-books-240917080008.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr

[pennysweetsandpopcorn-blog]

ALL the emojis

mvW H A T

🚢:   does the idea of the sea provide you with a feeling of comfort or worry? Not something I’ve really thought about much but if I’m looking at it on land it’s pretty comforting. When I get on a boat I have that quick thought of this could sink and I can’t swim but it passes so on the water slight worry. 

🎡:   @ seven of your fave mutuals that you'd love to go to a fair with@statistical-cats @mistomyru @nirvanaisclose (mention on the other blog friendo ~<3) @elsie0mk @all-alone-in-the-moonlight @mvngojerrie @pastel--sparkle Thats a good looking crew right there. 

🎢:   what's the best ride you've ever been on?Valhalla at Blackpool pleasure beach. A mega viking themed log flume ride. But I’m not a fan of roller coasters. 

🎠:   if you had to describe your aesthetic, what would you describe it as?Tired, musical, creative and with a hint of a coffee smell. 

🏗:   what's your preferred method of dealing with stress?I vent to those closest then watch something I love and I’m good again.

🌁:   what's your idea of horribleness?Putting someone down when they are passionate about something. Seriously there is nothing better to see than someones face light up when they talk about what they’re passionate about why would you want to destroy that??

🗼:   what's one thing you've learned to take as a warning sign in any type of relationship?When they start inviting someone else to come around when you’ve arranged to hang out with them. Like no this was our time to be together don’t bring your friend. (Yes experience talking.)

🏭:   would you consider yourself short tempered or even tempered?I can be pretty short tempered but working in retail has helped me develop the rage voice within until I can safely rage. 

⛲️:   what's your ideal dream date?Yo Sushi, theatre then home to play some video games. 

🎑:   city apartment or country house?Country house. Cities make me very nervous. I hate crowds and love being able to relax outside. 

⛰:   if you could go on a road trip with just one of your faves who would it be?Probably @nirvanaisclose they deserve an awesome road trip man. 

🏔:   long drives or long walks?Drives. I love it when I get to hang out with my friend in her car and we’re busting out soundtracks and disney songs. 

🗻:   what are your favourite genres of music?Apart from musicals? Classic rock, specifically The Beatles (though one of my favourite albums is the 3 disc hippie music compilation Magic Bus) and I love cheesy music from the 80s and 90s. 

🌋:   what's something that pisses you off as soon as you hear even a mention of it?Yoko Ono. Don;t get me started. Also...The terrible editing of the Cats video. I can go for hours. 

🗾:   a lone soldier? a social butterfly? or both?I am way too socially awkward to be a social butterfly. Don’t get me wrong I love sharing interests with others but I have practically no self esteem so I have to be approached I will hardly ever strike up a conversation. I tend to think nobody would be interested in what I have to say or laugh or think I’m a loser. (High school sucked.)

🏕:   if you were asked to go on a camping trip with whoever you want, would you?Yes! I love camping! I was part of the girl guides and the camp trips were the best. 

⛺️:   does being without wifi actually worry you?Kinda. My friends live so far away, some overseas and I wouldn’t be able to talk to them and that would upset me a lot. 

🏞:   what are your top six essentials you must carry with you at all times?So always in my handbag are: Purse, glasses, chewing gum, hand lotion, hand sanitizer and a pen.

🌅:   are you a morning bird or a night owl?Night owl. 

🌄:   are you a planner or a improviser?It depends. If it’s something that requires money or a costume (thinking conventions) I will plan that down to the last detail. But if it’s just hanging out with friends I’ll just make sure I have enough money and go with the flow. 

🏜:   if deserted, what's one thing you'd want to be with you more than anything?Depends where I’m deserted. Somewhere with electricity laptop or phone. Even if theres no internet I have my music and I can write. If it’s like a desert island somewhere idk a boat?

🏖:   do you believe in mermaids?The sea is so vast and so much is unexplored I wouldn’t be shocked if there were merpeople down there hidden. 

🏝:   how do you feel about islands?The only one I have to go on is the UK and it’s pretty cool. It doesn’t take a long time to get to the seaside or countryside for relaxation but I can easily get to cities should I need to. 

🌇:   what are your thoughts on 'city life'?I couldn’t handle it if it was a large city. Like I said earlier I cannot stand large crowds. I get panicky and need to leave as soon as possible. Thats why I hate shopping. 

🌆:   do you get homesick easily?I used to. So badly. But since I’ve been to university I’m much better. 

🏙:   what's the capital city of the country you're from?London. 

🌃:   how does politics make you feel?I tend to stay out of it. People lose their minds over it and it’s not worth losing friends over. However I can have general and brief debates. 

🌉:   in your opinion, what's the biggest obstacle one can face?Yourself. 

🌌:   how do you feel about god?I don’t believe in them but if you do thats cool too. I am baptised and used to be in the church choir but I stopped attending at about 14 years old. 

🌠:   if you were allowed three wishes, what would they be?To always have enough money at any time for anything (think about the good you could do with that), friends and family are happy, to go back a few years to be able to spend time with my Grandad one last time. 

🎇:   if you could create a day to be celebrated e.g. christmas or eid, what would it be and what would it be celebrating?I’d just make a do nothing day. However it would a a festival that lasted a few days so that emergency services would be able to take part in at least one day without endangering anyone. 

🎆:   do you admire spontaneity or does it annoy you?I think it’s creative and makes things much more interesting. I love it when things are mixed up. 

🌈:   what are your thoughts on 'love'?The word is tossed about a little too freely. Be careful with who you tell you love because it only takes on time for someone to throw the sentiment away like it’s nothing to make it difficult for you to say it again. 

🏘:   if you could, would you change your upbringing?No. It was fine. Just average but I’m very close with my family and I didn’t go without. 

🏰:   to you, what's the most magical place on earth?This might sound weird but the city of Liverpool, more specifically when I’m on the docks. I love it so much when I’m there I can just let go and relax. 

🏯:   if you could move to any country of your choice, which would it be?If it had to be somewhere other than the UK, maybe Germany or Denmark.

🏟:   if you could erase one person from your memory, would you?Can’t I erase the group at school that made my life hell and made me hate myself?

🗽:   who's your role model? or what qualities do you think are looking-up-to worthy?The closest I have to a role model is my older sister. I always wanted to do what she did. It’s a little sad. 

Thanks for asking!

[scottwellsmagic]

884: Blackpool 2025 - Day Two Report

Time stamps for this episode: this will be updated after I’ve gotten some sleep

00:00:17 –

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 Pandora and SiriusXM (formerly Stitcher) by Clicking Here or through FeedPress by Clicking Here or through Tunein.com by Clicking Here or through iHeart Radio by Clicking Here. If you have a Spotify account, then you can also hear us through that app, too. You can also listen through your Amazon Alexa and Google Home devices. Remember, you can download it through the iTunes store, too. See the preview page by Clicking Here.

[winterolympicssports2018-blog]

Olympics for magicians to kick off in July in Busan as organizers anticipate N. Korea's participation

Click here for More Olympics Updates https://www.winterolympian.com/olympics-for-magicians-to-kick-off-in-july-in-busan-as-organizers-anticipate-n-koreas-participation/

Olympics for magicians to kick off in July in Busan as organizers anticipate N. Korea's participation

BUSAN, April 10 (Yonhap) — More than 110 top guns of the magic world will gather in the South Korean coastal city of Busan this summer to take part in the World Championships of Magic competition, organizers said Tuesday.

The organizing committee for the competition, which is hosted by the International Federation of Magic Societies, said the triennial event will bring together 113 top-notch magicians from 22 countries — 56 from five European countries, 22 from five North and South American countries, 34 from Asian countries and one from Oceania.

In case performers from North Korea attend the Olympics for magicians, the number of participating magicians at the July 9-14 event will rise to 115. The Busan municipal government has announced that two North Korean magicians won berths for the competition from the board of directors of the competition’s Asian federation.

As many as 2,500 magicians are expected to visit the venue, the auditorium at the BEXCO exhibition center, as spectators, according to the organizing committee.

This photo released by the organizing committee for the World Championships of Magic competition on April 10, 2018, shows a magician performing at the 2015 competition in Rimini, Italy. (Yonhap)

Seventy-four magicians will perform in the stage competition and 39 in the close-up event. The stage competition will have five divisions — 17 magicians for manipulations, 32 for general, four for illusion magic, 11 for mentalism and 10 for comedy magic. The close-up event will comprise three divisions — 11 magicians for card magic, 18 for micromagic and 10 for parlor magic.

Three South Korean magicians — Ahn Ha-rim, Lee Kun-ho and Chung Min-kyu — will show their prowess in the manipulations category. Ahn took third place in the category at the 2009 World Championships of Magic in Beijing.

Also participating in the category are French performer Nestor Hato, who is well known for his fast card magic, and Japanese performer Satoru Furukawa, who is famous for his incredible money magic tricks.

The general category, or the magic of storytelling, will draw the largest number of performers, including five South Korean artists.

Four teams — including ones led by Yunke of Spain, who took second prize in the illusion category at the 2000 World Championships of Magic in Lisbon, and Lipan Jr. of Argentina — will participate in the illusion magic competition.

Eleven magicians, mostly from South America and Europe, will show off their talents in mental magic tricks that include the art of reading people’s minds or making prophecies. Asian performers fall relatively behind in the field.

This photo released by the organizing committee for the World Championships of Magic competition on April 10, 2018, shows a magician performing at the 2015 competition in Rimini, Italy. (Yonhap)

Eric Buss of the United States, who has amazed audiences worldwide with his innovative brand of comedy and magic, is expected to stage a new type of wonderful comic tricks in the comedy magic category.

In the card magic category, South Korean performer Yoo Hyun-min, who took third place in the card genre at the 2012 Blackpool Convention, will be pitted against two magicians from Spain, the powerhouse in the close-up sector, and his South Korean compatriot Jan Ji-woo.

South Korean performer Kim Kyung-duk, the winner of the most original close-up act award in the 2015 competition, will compete in the micromagic category, in which smalls items such as dice, bottle caps, sugar cubes, pebbles and pens are used for performances by sleight of hand.

In parlor magic, a genre smaller than stage magic and larger than close-up magic, magician Choi Hyo-won will represent South Korea. Magic Brothers, a duo from South Korea, took the third place award in the category with Henry Harrius from Hong Kong at the 2015 competition in Rimini, Italy.

This file photo dated August 3, 2017, shows South Korean magician Choi Hyun-woo performing levitation magic during a magic festival in the southeastern coastal city of Busan. (Yonhap)

The organizing committee for the competition has been paying keen attention to whether North Korea will take part in the competition. Kang Yeol-woo, who heads the organizing committee, and Ahn Sung-woo, the arts director for the convention, are in talks with officials of the Unification Ministry handling inter-Korean issues to discuss the North’s possible attendance at the event.

Domenico Dante, president of the International Federation of Magic Societies, has expressed his support for North Korea if the country decides to send its magicians to the Busan event.

If North Korea’s intention to attend the competition is confirmed, the organizing committee plans to hold a joint performance with magicians of the two Koreas during the competition in a bid to give a message of inter-Korean reconciliation and peace to spectators.

North Korea disappeared from the international magic stage after it performed as a special guest at the 1976 World Championships of Magic in Vienna. If the North participates in the global contest this year, it will mark the first time for the North to attend the competition in 40 years.

Kang, the organizing committee’s chief, said the committee will hold a public magic gala show on June 28 in the lead-up to the opening ceremony of the competition on July 9 and wishes to present a high-level magic festival in Busan this summer.

namsh@yna.co.kr

(END)

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[drmichaelmajickmikelikey]

Spring has sprung and with the Convention season is here!

This month we invite you to share your favorite magic convention. From the biggest like Blackpool to the smallest local convention. We want to know your favorite. Not a convention goer? No problem, we would love to hear of your favorite magic destination.

Join us Thursday March 21 Special Time this month only in the UK at 7pm and our normal 3pm Eastern Noon Pacific for v1.3. NOTE: YOU MUST BE A MEMBER OF THE SOCIETY OF AMERICAN MAGICIANS.

[secret-diary-of-an-fa]

Fat People Are Magic. Literally.

I just got back from the annual Blackpool Magic Convention, toting a brass-tipped wand, a pack of gold-leafed playing cards and a shit-load of specialist equipment that I can’t tell you about without revealing occult secrets that the average shitmuncher isn’t meant to know about. It was, quite frankly, an amazing experience. Mind-blowing actually. I attended lectures given by some of the top magicians from around the world (including the Great and Incredibly Laid-Back Doc Eason) and, as a result, the way I think about construting tricks has changed dramatically. I can think of ideas now that would never have occurred to me before. Read that sentence again: I promise it makes gramatical sense after a couple of read-throughs. I’ve also seen some incredible, world-class performances, courtesy of the Federation of International Stage Magicians. The fact that the Convention was held inside an majestic palace of a building with both classical and Art Deco influences didn’t hurt either. If you really want to impress someone with a speech or a stage-act, hold it in a room the size of a small medieval castle with grandiose decor.

However, I was basically expecting top-quality magic and a classy venue. What I wasn’t expecting was the faint undercurrent of body-positivity that ran through many of the events. See, a lot of professional close-up magicians are bigger people. Not exactly a majority, but a disproportionately high percentage. I could probably write two or three thousands words exploring why this might be, but I’m not going to. Because that’s not the point. The point is that I’ve never seen a group of people so comfortable in their own bodies. These are performers and entertainers at the top of their game who make no effort to disguise, brush over or downplay any aspect of their body, including their weight. They know that what matters is their skillset and ability to perform a mind-blowing trick: they’ve got no interest in pursuing the arbitrary physical ideals that mainstream entertainers and celebrities usually feel they have to adhere to.

Nowhere is this tendency towards physical self-acceptance (and even self-celebration) more pronounced than with Dani DaOrtiz, Miguel Gea and Christian Engblom. AKA, The Fat Brothers: a trio of supersized magicians who gleefully reference their weight in the patter for their tricks and who have been known too use it to perform effects that would physically impossible for smaller-framed performers. They’re also some of the most unbelievably talented people I’ve ever encountered.

People in the magic community tend to be slightly out-of-sync with the rest of society, in much the same way that most comedians are. I guess this cheery, matter-of-fact form of body positivity is just another subtle manifestation of that. In some ways, the magical world seems to be stuck in a weird, 1970s time warp, but in other ways it seems remarkably progressive and forward thinking.

Sadly, I don’t really have a wider point to make. I just thought I’d toss out some interesting observations in a doomed bid to vaguely connect my two passsions of Fat Acceptance and magic. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go watch both Now You See Me films back-to-back and laugh at how much less glamorous our reality is than the one in the movies.

[chrisdocstrange]

Pop Hadyn Lecture on the Linking Rings at Blackpool Magic Convention. #chrisptee #crispymagic #bristolmagician #kidsmagician #bristolmagicman #pophaydn #whithayden #linkingrings #blackpoolmagicconvention2018 #Blackpool #magic #blackpoolmagicconvention (at Winter Gardens Blackpool)

[carruth00]

Blackpool Welcomes World's Largest Magic Convention..

Event Industry News -  By Adam Parry UK -- Thousands of magicians are set to travel to Blackpool this month for their annual convention at Winter Gardens, Blackpool. The event, which is being staged by the Blackpool Magicians' Club from February 16-19, is the world's largest convention of its kind. This year the club is celebrating 75 years since it was formed in 1941 and has grown to be one of the most respected and influential magic clubs in the world. Visitors travel from as far afield as China and America to attend. With over 3,500 magicians expected to attend this year's event, the club members work together to present the annual event and have since achieved an accolade in the Guinness Book of Records as the world's biggest and most attended Magic Convention. Alan Horne, spokesperson from Blackpool Magicians Club, said: "With Blackpool being the entertainment capital of the UK this convention has grown from a small one-day event to the world's largest Magic Convention. "Our visitors come from all over the world as Blackpool has the appeal to offer a friendly atmosphere and ideal location with everything they need for the annual 'magicians holiday'. "The Winter Gardens is a stunning venue and large enough to accommodate us all under one roof." The Blackpool Magic Convention showcases over 100 UK and international magic dealers, world-class close-up magicians, lecturers and stage performers. In 2012, the Blackpool Magicians' Club were honoured to host the FISM World Championships of Magic and following its success, this year they are delighted to be hosting the FISM European Magical Championships. The talented and world renowned English stage and TV magician Paul Zenon will appear at this year's convention; he has performed on various entertainment shows, specialising in illusion and escapology. Also appearing is the talented Jamie Allan who has been described as the Harry Houdini of the 21st Century; he fuses magic with technology, performing and designing incredible modern illusions with iPads, Holograms and Laser Beams. Jamie has starred as a mentor on ITV1 in the Prime-Time Show "Get Your Act Together" and in 2016 he has appeared as special guest star on 'Michael McIntyre's Big Show'. Cllr Gillian Campbell, Deputy Leader of Blackpool Council, said: 'We are delighted to see that the Magicians' Convention is to once again take place here in Blackpool. "The show provides a great boost to the local economy; February is usually a quiet month for most seaside resorts but events like this proves that Blackpool is open for business all year round. "I'm thrilled to congratulate the Blackpool Magicians Club on their 75th anniversary of the Club; this is truly a fantastic achievement and we hope to see the event return for years to come." This year's event will feature world-class artists from across the globe and here are just a few of this year's artists: Yan Yan Ma, who performs an outstanding magic and ballet performance; magic legend Finn Jon; after a very long overdue return, the world's greatest living bar magician Doc Eason will be tipping the secrets to a lifetime of incredible magic; rising star Eric Jones; illusionist duo Ta Na Manga from Portugal and award-winning magician Vlad, will be on-hand presenting incredible sleight of FOOT! 65th Annual Blackpool Magic Convention. 16th, 17th,18th, 19th of February 2017 For further information or to register for this year's convention and a list of performers go to....     http://www.blackpoolmagic.com (Forwarded by Mel Kientz)  

[davidburlet]

Great meeting with @chrisramsay52 in @blackpool_magic #cardmagician #magicisreal (à Blackpool Magic Convention Winter Gardens) https://www.instagram.com/p/B8u3kr1iwii/?igshid=cx8kudi21cha