My Blackpool Experience

Conventions, Club events, Live shows, TV shows and other performance details.

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My Blackpool Experience

Postby DWmagic » Feb 27th, '06, 20:51



Blackpool Magic Convention. Wow.

This was my first time at Blackpool, and I went with my Dad. We set off at about 10:45am on the Friday, and reached Blackpool at about 2:15. We then spent about Half an Hour trying to find the Hotel in which we were staying, and in the process we passed it at least three times. We eventually found the Hotel, then started to unpacked and made our way down to the Convention.

After Registering, we got into the queue for the Paul Green lecture that was to start at 4:00pm. This was a lecture that I didn’t want to miss. However, when we got in, we found out that it wasn’t Paul Green as he had missed his flight and was lecturing later on in the Convention, and in its place was Craig Dickson. The lecture was very good; Craig was very down to earth and showed us some very good effects. The first was a very nice rising card effect, then there was a PK routine, a few variations on a versatile card technique and a stacked deck routine. Very nice stuff. He was selling packs after the lecture of which I was tempted, but I vowed that I wasn’t going to buy anything on the Friday.

Them we made our way back to the Hotel as there wasn’t anything that interested me for a bit, we finished unpacking and I practiced the stuff Craig had just taught us. We headed back to the Winter Gardens at Seven.

After that, we zoomed around the Dealers. As you probably know, they are restricted to the Horseshoe Area on Friday, so the Dealers that were there were restricted in what they could display, and over half of them weren’t there at all. It was pretty cramped in the Horseshoe anyway, so after we had skimmed through, we went off to get reasonable seats for the British Magical Close up Championships in the Renaissance Room.

Most of the Stuff was very good. I won’t go into all of the Performers but they included some great card and coin work, an OK cups and Balls routine, some lovely Matrix routines and some very repetitive work with a Magic Wriggler. The Winner was Will Houston (either that or Will Gray, I’m not good with names at the best of times). His act was excellent, but it was done with Music which in my personal opinion takes less skill than with patter. Anyway, I think he deserved the win. A great finish to Friday.

Saturday, and after an alright night, and a great Breakfast we made our way down to the Complex. First stop, the Dealers. Lost of em’. After browsing round for quite a while a found myself at the Penguin Magic stool. Morgan shook me by the hand, said “Hi”, and asked me what I what I wanted. I replied “Just Looking!” Suddenly from across the stand I heard a “Well you better stop just looking and Start Buying!” It was Black Fox! He was accompanied with his Shells. I’d never done Shells before, but I was very interested in them. I told him this and he taught me exactly how to do the move, and showed me his different Shells. After a discussion with him, I decided to buy his most expensive shells, ‘The Black Fox Master Walnut Shells “ in Gold for £40, even though Dad had got a deal with the plain ones. Please don’t buy them when they come out though, they are simply just too good. We also saw Paul Green on his stand, who told us he was lecturing after the Master Class.

Nothing I was too bothered about now, so for a break (it was a bit of a Magic Overload) and because it was a clear day, we headed to Blackpool Tower. Amazing view, and lots of other things to enjoy in ‘Tower World’. We had a bit of Lunch there as well, before making in back to Winter Gardens for the Master Class.

The Master Class was exceptional. First was Martin Nash, who showed us a nice little four card routine, then there was Craig Dixon who presented a brilliant Out of this World using the Principle he had taught in his lecture, Chris Capehart who along with his brilliant Character showed us a brilliant Coin Routine, Jean Pierre Vallarino who explained an Ace routine along with a Matrix, Michael Ammar’s brilliant Coins through the Handkerchief and Paul Green who headed right from his slot into his Lecture. All excellent.

Paul Green’s lecture was all I hoped it to be, and revealed some of his best stuff, including Jepardy, and a briefed down explanation of the Classic Force from his excellent DVD.

Finally was the Saturday Night Gala Show. First was The Mirage Dancers. I’m really not into that stuff. Second was Zyllan and he Juggled, very well I hasten to add. Then there was Jupiter, who I was incredibly disappointed in. Pulling silks from the air is very clever, but for goodness sake, it does get boring. Marc and Alex were quite good, but the highlight of the first half was Peter Marvey. The second half had Victor Voitko’s Spectacular Linking Ring routine, Johnny Lonn’s very Funny Comedy act, Kenji Minemura’s FISM act (which was good, but nothing to write home about), and Peter Marvey’s Sensational New Illusions Show, that really was just that.

Sunday, and straight to the Dealers again. This time I bought myself a Table, some Modelling Balloons and Spinning Plates, and Paul Green’s Fortune Tellers Book of Days. All good.

We headed to the International Close-Up Magic next, and with Eight Tables, it was Surprising how full it got around the Horseshoe Area. On our table we saw Chase Curtis with his Battery Routine, Chris Capehart with his Misters Dream and Linking Rings, Rick Merrill with his Pen and Coin routine (which I believe was his FISM Routine) and Michael Ammar with Crazy Man’s Handcuffs, Bill to Peanut and Signed Card Routine which finished with Card to Ceiling. For Michael Ammar I got the best seat in the house, as someone invited me to after the guy sitting there before hand left. That was great.

We then ran off to Chris Capehart’s lecture. He was amazing, very humorous and showed us lots of tips. He demonstrated lots of routines; however he didn’t explain them, which is fair play. Just before he finished, I ran off to see if the Set of Rings (3) someone had told me about were gone yet. They were. O well, a great lecture, and lots of stuff learnt.

We headed off for Marks and Sparks for Lunch, and walked along the front before heading back for Michael Ammar’s lecture.

Before going into the Spanish Hall (in which I felt I was spending my whole weekend!), I looked at the lecture pack he was selling. It cost £35 which was a lot for what it was, however it did include more than I originally thought. It included his lecture notes, gimmicked cork, Michael Ammar Live DVD, Coins through the Handkerchief (with Handkerchief), and the Showcase Wallet. So I took a deep breath, and bought one, just in case there weren’t any left at the end. The lecture was excellent. He showed us the Coin through the Bottle, a Fire Ball flash effect, Card to Balloon, some nice Business Card Tricks, Bill to Peanut and some brilliant Topit Work.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t stay for the Sunday Night Gala Show. However after Ammar’s lecture, we decided to give our Gala Tickets in so they could make good use of them. However, my Dad’s eye’s lit up as the lady on the Registration Desk gave us a full refund for the tickets! The highlight of the week for him.

I was obviously sad when it came to an end, but I think I would of gone mad if there was another day. Blackpool Magic Convention. Brilliant.

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Postby Tommy_C » Feb 27th, '06, 21:53

Top review mate. Sounds like you had a good time and spent a few pennies!

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Postby MatthewT » Feb 28th, '06, 00:48

First of all, i can absolutley agree with you and it was Will Housten who won the close-up champs, although he did seem to have an eerie look to him.

Chris Capehart was astounding, the definite comedy persona that we seem to have one of each year, thankyou Derek Lever.

One thing i was dissapointed in was that i missed my chnace to get "The New Chinese Miser's Dream" by Henry Evans, an astounding chiense coin routine which could easily be adapted into a matrix routine.

The sunday night show was great, starting off as usual were the strippe...the Mirage Dancers, followed by some umberella work by Fukai, some great illusions by Marc and Alex, i slightly off the boil Johnny Heart, Ken Dodd (use your imagination), the highlight of the show was a Russian act based around a statue routine with some very clever twists. The dissapointment for me was Peter Marvey's dream flying which didnt hit the spot, compared to last year's Rick Thomas. Also if i hear another joke by Johnny Casson it will be 6 million years too soon.

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Postby bananafish » Feb 28th, '06, 10:41

It was a great weekend for sure. For me the Sunday Gala show was the better of the two and three of the acts really stood out.

Most people I guess already know of "Men in Coats" as there is a video clip floating around the interent, but seeing the entire act live was one of the funniest acts I have ever seen. Those guys are comic geniuses.

The second act I really enjoyed was the Russian Statue Act. Apologies but I can't remember the name and I don't have the programme in front of me, but it was poetry in motion and wonderful to watch live.

But how can anyone talk about that show without mentioning Tony Chapek's TV act. I just can't imagine the rehersal that went into that! It was possibly one of the best, cerainly most innovative magic acts I have ever seen.

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Postby Midas Kid » Feb 28th, '06, 15:18

This was also my first time to Blackpool. For the last fifteen years I have been promising myself I will go. Every year Feb comes and goes and another year has been missed.

For me the big thing (aside from the lectures, dealers and shows) was just meeting other performers from around the world. Speaking with Chris Capehart til' 4 in the morning, getting an impromptu workshop (along with Bananafish and Mandrake) with Russ Niedzwiecki (Mr. Pinnacle) at 2:00am, watching Bobby Bernard spitting at Bananafish, hiliarious (you had to be there). Just being able to see all our heroes and shaking their hand then not knowing what to say, gibbering some pointless nonsense before running away like a giggling school girl.

Still for me Rick Merrill in the Close-up was something to aspire to. An act using a few coins, about 100 sharpies and no cards!!!

I used to think that you could never have too much magic but three intense days at Blackpool nearly brought me to my knees. I just need a week off work to recover.

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close up comp

Postby vanishingrabbit » Feb 28th, '06, 16:15

Close up comp friday night why is this event always brushed under the carpet did any body see it did the brits will houston, will gray, darren mcdonald, kevin gallagher, & matthew mcgurk do any good I know Will houston won it but theres no mention of the others.

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Postby bananafish » Mar 1st, '06, 13:25

watching Bobby Bernard spitting at Bananafish
He didn't spit at me!, it was more of a dribble really,and as it was the Bobby Bernard I felt I should put up with it (I wish I had an umbrella though). I wonder how much BB saliva goes for on e-bay these days?

Close up comp friday night why is this event always brushed under the carpet did any body see it did the brits will houston, will gray, darren mcdonald, kevin gallagher, & matthew mcgurk do any good I know Will houston won it but theres no mention of the others.

I only saw four of them as I rushed off to see the Mainly mentalism show. That Patrik Kuffs is a real star, living proof that you can have an amusing and entertaining mentalism act. The matrix guy was very good, that was until he started doing his kung-fu kicks. imo (and what a humble one it is) - he should have stopped at that point.

Out of the brits you mentioned I only saw Matt Mcgurk - and he was good. It made me smile at least when he did Peter Marucci's "Little Greater" gag - I thought I was the only one that used that, but I guess not. (Hopefully no one else who saw it will - and if you pm me asking what it is all about I will refuse, because that's the sort of guy I am :wink: ).

Out of the close up sessions (as opposed to the close-up competition), I found Chris Capehart, Rick Merrill, Paul Green and Michael Ammar very good indeed. The others were good, but not as good as... in my humblest of opinions.

Michael Ammars card on ceiling is the highest I have seen to date. A lot higher than the one Jon Allen did at Ipswich, and he hit it first time. Mandrake has a photograph, so at somepoint it will get posted here...

The best of the best for the close-up though, for me, was Rick Merrill. Very funny, very skillful and very entertaining with a great climax to the routine. He was everything close up should be (again, imho).

so all you guys that didn't go. Are we boring you yet? or just making you wish you had gone?

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Postby saxmad » Mar 1st, '06, 15:09

Rick Merrill was stunning.

He walks on, looking like Billy Bunter, nervously twiddling a pencil.
You just know he's going to be really bad!!

And then you see that he is phenomenally good.

Flip-sticks like nothing on earth.
A star in the making.....

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Postby katrielalex » Mar 2nd, '06, 00:37

bananafish wrote: Michael Ammars card on ceiling is the highest I have seen to date. A lot higher than the one Jon Allen did at Ipswich, and he hit it first time. Mandrake has a photograph, so at somepoint it will get posted here...


Wish I could have gone.

That must have been impressive, higher than the one at Ipswich. The card was barely visible up there!

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