So much Data

This month may go down as being he m0ost important month I've had in magic. And I've not learnt single new trick, move or slight. I've finally subscribed to the British based magic magazine MagicSeen . I have always enjoyed this mag and find it far more engrossing than Genni or Magi (both are fine publications, its just MagicSeen, being UK based seems to have much more relevant stories). As well as being a constant source of information and inspiration the magazine carried an advert for the "Essential Magic Conference". The conference is filmed in a proper studio in Portugal with 33 of the best magical minds giving talks and demonstrations. These are streamed live to your PC as well as an interactive chat room. I was intrigued and then paid attention when the Magic News Wire Podcast
started talking about it. I paid my 70 Euro and signed up. Probably the best money I've ever spent on magic. I found the whole thing fascinating informative and inspiring. these people have kept their love and passion for magic alive for years and survived in the harsh world of the entertainment industry as well. It's hard to single out any one speaker, although Paul Daniels was enlightening as always, and David Berglas was fascinating. The talk by David Kaye (a.k.a Silly Billy) was also a revelation. I used his tips on performing to children the very next day to great effect. I believe you can still sign up for the conference and watch all the videos on-line and receive a box set of DVD's as well. I highly recommend it.

what a month

The longest I've gone between blogs, but it's been a packed month. I traveled to Germany for massive goth convention and saw some of the most amazing costumes. I also performed a little and tested out a wonderful 18th century styled piraty waistcoat. The waistcoat was designed and made by a good friend and was specifically made with the storage of effects in mind. the pockets are perfectly possitioned to store two packs of card in each and to reach them whilst sitting down.
I also travelled to Nottingham to see my friend Nick. He's simply a fantastic magician, many times better than myself. He showed me some fantastic self working effects as well as showing me some of the gimmicks and gaffs he's gotten lately. He also helped me with a few colour changes.
On the subject of gimmicks and gaffs I finally found the time to create my own Darkside Deck. The deck and dvd are created by Lucas and costs around £20 and is worth it. You get a deck a marker and a dvd showing many different effects that you can do. However for each effect you have to mark up the deck a different way. So to do all the effects you need to spend a few hundred pounds or make your own decks up. Instructions are given for this but Lucas tries to put you off saying that it wont work as well as the deck in the pack. This may well be the case but writing does not show up that well on a blue back bicycle deck and so many of the tricks stand a 50-50 chance of not being suitable for which ever deck you get. The effect from my home made deck is great for teen/horror magic. You tell a story about a serial killer who left a blood encrusted card at the scene of each crime./ You mention that the blood on the card was not the victims but that of a previous victim. You then fan the deck face down and let the spectator select a card. You slide the card still face down next to them and flip the deck and fan it face up. the cards look normal. You then ask the spectator to turn over their card to reveal the card is covered in blood.

Reaction

From adults and mid teens alike the spectator gets a little freaked out. Certainly works even better when built up over a few minutes. So far I think it's been worth the time taken to make the deck. Will probably present one to the local Sinister Magician as it suits his style as well as using it maybe on a tarot deck whilst providing some entertainment during the interlude of a play I'll be working in October. (the play is about the greatest and most illusive of historical figures in magic, Leopold Thorn)