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mitchmagi Regular user 129 Posts |
Numbers are dwindling for the early morning sessions as late nights and magic fatigue start to set in.
COLONEL CUSTARD LECTURE - Blackpool Day Three commenced for me with lecture by kids performer Colonel Custard. Hidden away in a room known as the "ice room" - a dismal 'backstage' service area with poor lighting - flat seating ( not nearly enough for the crowds in attendance ) and not a microphone to be seen. Fellow kids performer "Magic Dave" came to the rescue and setup his own mini sound system. Inexcusable that lecturers are treated in this manner and forced to present in sub-par conditions. The lecture consisted of solid advice for children's performers. SHOOT OGAWA LECTURE - With lectures limited to just 60 minutes, Shoot presented a dazzling display of fantastic skill combined with sublime simpicity. With hundreds in attendance - he was a fantastic highlight presenting enough to whet the appetite of all in the audience to really take their magic further. INTERNATIONAL CLOSE-UP - Performers seen on this session included Shoot Ogawa presenting his amazing Ninja Rings routine. Lennart Green was an absolute hit - with duct tape over his eyes, head wrapped completely in tin foil and assisted by the best 6 year old volunteer you could imagine - his act was a picture of entertainment perfection. Helder Guimaraes set off with his phenomenal FISM act while Kostya Kimlat included a thought-provoking card routine touching on relgion, politics and more ! Pattrick Przysiecki presented a formulaic "travel themed" performance - almost on auto-pilot and ultimately failing to connect with his audience. The act didn't live up to his awards received at IBM / SAM and with such a strong line-up was out of place. Other lectures included Kostya Kimlat, Michael Close, Richard Sanders, Geoffrey Durham and more -- along with my personal favourite "LADIES EVENT: Arranging the garden - a practical demonstration on flower arranging" How such narrow minded sexist attitudes continue to exist in magic is amazing ... INTERNATIONAL GALA SHOW: The International Gala Show was the final event of the convention. The addition of a live orchestra was a nice touch to proceedings with Adrian Walsh acting as MC. Mahka Tendo opened the show with a traditional card manipulation act. While the performance received a good response from the audience - it is ultimately a magician pleaser. You can only see so many cards being produced before boredom sets in. Rafael followed with a comedy dove act which featured a very effective "bird to assistant" illusion. In true convention style, the juggler always steals the show. Antje Pode juggles suitcases with her feet while lying on her back ... different indeed. Scott & Muriel are an act I've never particularly enjoyed. Their first performance on the show however saw them let down by the technical aspects with Muriel's mic not working during her singing sequence. Again - a technical rehearsal maybe a welcome addition to proceedings. The act closed with a chair-suspension illusion which saw Scott coming crashing down to the floor embarassingly exposing the suspension gimmick on the chair. Not what you expect from 'FISM world champions' David Sousa lifted the standard with his beautiful FISM card act while Valerie put into practice her many quick-changes. Topas closed the first half with "appearing speakers" from box. Topas is a good performer but when last did you see red or blue sound speakers ? These multi-coloured speakers just looked fake ... The second half took a rapid turn for the boring as we entered the "award phase" of the evening. Let's ensure that those handing out awards know which trophy is which ! Ken Dodd followed with a bizarre comedy routine which likely was only funny to those of British persuasion. The Yamagami Brothers were once the world's youngest illusionists. The act was great when the performers are 5 or 6 - but the kids are fast growing up - and the act has very quickly lost its 'cute' appeal. Scott & Muriel continued the downward spiral with a banal act of pure stupidity. Three grown adults prancing around on stage on pantomime-style horse costumes is beyond ridiculous. Harry Greenaway dressed up as a cactus while Muriel passed in front of the speakers sparking off awful hissing sound interference from her mic - not once but twice. Topas re-appeared with his 'childhood memories' act including animated teddy bear. Beautifully presented, the act was very well received. With Shimada now preparing back of curtain, the MC had run out of material and we had to suffer the thanking of the organisers, tech crew, office bearers, committee members et al for a second time. Thanking the organisers once is fine - but doing it again to fill time is just poor show. Shimada brought the gala show to a close with his traditional parasol and dragon act. Overall a show with highs and lows clocking in at a delightfully shorter 3 hours and 20 minutes. The producers are learning - less is more ... OVERALL THOUGHTS ON THE CONVENTION: Blackpool is a unique experience but unfortunately is resting on its laurels. The event continues to drive forward by the sheer volume of those attending and not by its inherent qualities. The enormous efforts being expended are not living up to its potential to become a premier magic event in the 21st century. With one of the largest budgets available to a convention - the event has an overriding amateur feel in appearance and besides the many artists appearing, there is zero evidence of any additional money being spent. The Blackpool convention lacks the 'special' touches and small things which so often make an event. It is evident that not much innovation has come to Blackpool with things remaining the same for many a year. Whether it can sustain this route without moving forward with the times remains to be seen ... |
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Harry H Inner circle 1526 Posts |
Only went for one day Sunday so have very little to report on.Here goes:
Close Up sessions.Five performers each battling to be heard against the one alongside(partione hardly working)tehre is trhee performances throughout the day,why not share performers across the day instead of all at once.It must be very frustrating for th eacts. Performance wise Shawn Farquar(sp?)entertained with his signature effect signed card to sealed deck,leaving a spectator dumbstruck.A new effect with a torn and restored sigend photo is very nice too saw it on dealer stand being demoed and again magician punter was awestruck. Lior Manor performed invisible touch combined with a spoon bend in spectators hand which went down well.A jumbo card gambling effect seemed to confuse.I guess you had to understand Poker. A magician who I cannot recall the name of did a nice routine with chop cups,a lot of in jokes about steel cups etc,finsihed with the chop cups being solid inside. Richard Sanders had a packed audience for his lecture,very practical and amazing effects.Including a brilliant borrowed ring to shoelace which got me,before the explanation! Then the Gala show! Well as mitchmagi said it wasn't great.One card manip is bearable at a push,but two! In the same half of show! Please no.Boring beyond belief. Rafael was apparently very good Saturday night with his ilusion show,but tonight he lacked.The only saving grace was a growing dove cage with girl production. Antje Pode was a highlight(not least because she was on her back with her skirt around her waist)juggling suicases with her feet! Her feet for goodness sake! Amazing. Valerie's quck change was delightful,as was her reversed face effect.Weird! Scott and Muriel just weren't funny,as much as they tried to make it look like part of the act,falling off chair suspension just isn't good. Topas is just genius,he works with sound to creat illusion of speakers playing music as he produces them from an empty box,whilst singing;before finally producing his assistant Roxanne! Second half didn't improve much,compere Adrian Walsh must have a headstone backstage as he died tonight.Why do Blackpool organisers book out of date comics? Justin Lee Collins was at the convention,he could have improv'd the whole compering better than Walsh's script. Second appearance of Scott and Muriel was cringeworthy,Bernie Clifton they aint(even he was bad when he revived his old act of similiar nature)pantomime horses? Not funny and not magic.Credit to Blackpool President Harry for being a sport though. Topas I thought should have closed the show(I thought he was doing initally)his toyroom act is delightful and magical.Each effect within presented beautifully,and he comes across as a nice guy too. The Yammi Gammi brothers.Pointless.They looked like what they were:two kids doing rubbish magic.There is better home grown young acts that are better Hi Jinks for instance. Simanda,was okay but not a show closer,a few parasol productions with fire thrown in and a chinese dragon/person substitution which was different.Very brief act. many left thinking "Is that it?" No mention of Jeremy Beadle who did so much in the showbiz/magic industry,yet Ken Dodd gets wheeled out again as some kind of legend.Sad. The standing up of club members and organisers for applause grates me too.They get paid well for doing it,we pay to watch the show, why do we have to be humble to these people? The stage crew yes,Honorary members sit down and shut up. Hope it improves next year. |
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rjs Loyal user 296 Posts |
Wow, these honest reviews by mitch magi deserve a wider forum.
you should be a guest reviewer for Magic or Genii ! |
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Top Hat Inner circle We peed on you! 1077 Posts |
Once again - sounds absolutely awful. Blackpool is a joke, and the organisers have their heads stuck up their own backsides. They are totally out of touch with what makes for a good convention. There are other magic conventions in the UK that wipe the floor with Blackpool many times over. No wonder their "Gold cards" were slow to sell this year. The Blackpool convention never learns from past mistakes, no matter how many times they are told, and the organisers seem to lack any imagination, always sticking to the tired, jaded old formula that has been safe but poor in the past. What on earth is old Terry Seabrooke still kicking around on stage for? They need to get rid of the current organiser(s) and come up with something entirely new, or (better still) realise that they are better off packing it in altogether and leave the organising of magic events to well-connected people who really know how to do it.
TH
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Harry H Inner circle 1526 Posts |
I think in two years they well be packing it in ,as the Winter Gardens venue is due to close.
You would be hard pushed to find a magic magazine that will publish negative reviews of Blackpool.Lest they be banished from the convention by the sulk of Derek Lever. |
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Top Hat Inner circle We peed on you! 1077 Posts |
Lol
TH
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roger_tmi New user 2 Posts |
I’ve just returned form the 3 days at Blackpool, after looking forward to the proceeding for some time.
The dealers fair and the lectures were great, and I agree with the reviews above. Some of the lecturers were really enthusiastic, and it really come across well OK, the venue may be worn, but it doesn’t really matter. What little I saw of the close-up made me feel sorry for the performers. They were so close to each other that the applause from one drowned the people either side, so they were losing their voices trying to speak above the noise. The Saturday show was most enjoyable, particularly John Archer. There was a lot of entertainment. The Sunday show and the after-show party however, let down the whole thing for me. The Sunday show was not world-class entertainment as I expected. Rafael was good, but I thought his Saturday show better. Scott & Muriel were on twice, and neither time was magical, and it was not Gala quality. Topaz was good, but surely seeing him Saturday evening, and Sunday evening in both the first and the second half was taking advantage of him. Similarly Shimada (good as he is) was on both Saturday and Sunday. As for the after-Gala show! The tickets aren’t cheap, but the show was. Half of the performers were at the dealers fair, and the volume got louder and louder. Finally the Bee-Gees tribute came on, and (through no fault of theirs) the music was so deafening that it drove most people out of the hall. I understand that no sound engineer had been employed, and nobody could alter the volume. I’m afraid that I got the impression that the organisers had done both the Gala show and after Gala show on the cheap. Maybe I’m reading too much into the comment in the Souvenir Programme under ‘Convention News’ where Mr Lever announces that Blackpool Magicians Club (consisting of 38 members I understand) are purchasing their very own Theatre club. Our local club consider themselves well off with £2000 in the accounts – they couldn’t buy themselves a Theatre from their own funds. I hope that if other people who attend feel that quality was lacking, the organisers will make changes next year. I have heard that the dealers cannot make their comments known for fear of a ban. Incidently, is it true that a French dealer was given a lifetime ban because one of his dealer badges was stolen and used without his knowledge? If true, this seems extremely unfair. Is it likely that the organisers of the convention would re-consider a decision like this? Further comments correcting any errors or unfairness in my opinion are welcome. |
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Top Hat Inner circle We peed on you! 1077 Posts |
"I have heard that the dealers cannot make their comments known for fear of a ban."
Wouldn't surprise me in the least.
TH
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Harry H Inner circle 1526 Posts |
Quote:
"I have heard that the dealers cannot make their comments known for fear of a ban." This is a cast iron fact.The organiser Derek Lever is renowned for doing this.This year two dealers were banned for petty reasons. Blackpool club buying it's own theatre? Where exactly? Not in Blackpool Id wager. |
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Phil J. Elite user 467 Posts |
This was my third Blackpool convention and the least emjoyable. For me it was an issue of timing, so many great acts/lectures to see/hear and so many of them overlap. One of the things I was really looking forwards to seeing was Lennart Green's lecture but this was scheduled for 11.30 in the evening. After setting out from home at 0600 in the morning then having to suffer a nightmare 4 and a half hour train journey (three trains on the way there and five on the return)I was whacked out by 9 o'clock, there was no way I was going to be able to make it to a 11.30 lecture. Why did it have to be on so late? I heard several other conventioneers asking the same question.
I didn't see the Saturday gala show but I did catch sundays. This was the seventh time that Adrian Walsh had compered the show and you'd think by now the organisers would have learnt their lesson.... he was awful. Highlight of the show had to be Topaz wiith Scott & Muriel coming in a poor last. The majority of acts in between were mediocre to say the least. Given how busy the dealers hall was over the three days I think it's fair to say that this one of the main attractions for a lot of people. Itsn't it time a ticket was introduced so that people can just visit the dealers without the additional cost of having to pay for lectures etc that they may not want to see. Not sure about next year might give one of the other conventions (the International in london perhaps)a try. Either way the Blackpool organisers need to give it a major overhaul if they want the event to continue.
You were born original... Don't die a copy
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Leslie Melville Special user Blackpool-U.K. 708 Posts |
Quote:
On 2008-02-26 04:06, Harry H wrote: Actually it is! It was previously a Working Men's club and is behind and not far from the Claremont Hotel (past BMC H.Q.). I am sure that a LARGE amount of money (let's face it they have that!) will be spent and the venue will be top class! Since I am not a member, I can't say what shows will be produced or how frequently, but don't be surprised to see some kind of summer season offering!
Stories....?....That's telling!
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Harry H Inner circle 1526 Posts |
Quote:
On 2008-02-26 06:02, Leslie Melville wrote: Well there is Showzam which is meant to be the new annual big thing,the fact it died a death in its first year isn't good. A working man's club isn't going to hold 3,000 delegates. |
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Leslie Melville Special user Blackpool-U.K. 708 Posts |
[quote]On 2008-02-26 08:09, Harry H wrote:
Quote:
I don't think it is intended to - it will be the new Blackpool Magician's Club Headquarters clubroom, where they will hold their meetings. Because of it's size and facilities however, I do think that they are likely to be presenting additional activities at the venue. As I said earlier, I am not a member, so have no inside knowledge, but I do live in the town and can only guess at the plans that a magic club with enormous financial resources might have! I have no axe to grind either way - unlike Harry H who obviously has.
Stories....?....That's telling!
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Harry H Inner circle 1526 Posts |
I don't have an axe to grind.I just think the convention was lacking this year and I stated my personal opinion of Derek Lever and his God complex and the sychophantic back slapping of BMC.
I misunderstood yourcomment about the WMC,I apologise.So where is Blackpool convention goign to be in 2010 was my query. |
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Top Hat Inner circle We peed on you! 1077 Posts |
Derek Lever has lost the plot and should quit. Has he never thought that people don't want to sit through dreadful 3- and 4-hour tediousnesses, that he insists on calling "gala" shows? And year after year they persist with that ridiculous horseshoe area for close-up magic, despite the fact that it is the most awful place to perform and watch. Most of the dealers are back there again with their tressel tables piled high with coloured silks and plastic-wrapped crap. No imagination. Same old sh*t, different year. Very, very sad.
TH
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huffers New user 14 Posts |
Hi,
The hold one man has over the whole convention is frightening! Everyone is terrified of upsetting Derek Lever in case they lose their dealers stand. We need a revolution ! Ian |
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Harry H Inner circle 1526 Posts |
Where you gone Leslie Melville??!
Huffers Im up for the revolution! Lets write to Abracadabra,Magic,Genii,Magic Week.Hell even Magicseen! They wouldn't print the letters but it would be fun. |
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Leslie Melville Special user Blackpool-U.K. 708 Posts |
Hi Harry, I'm here!
I have been dropping hints! I read suggestions that 'they' (presumably BMC) should pack in running their convention. If those who make these suggestions were generating the income that this convention generates, would they? Do these critics really think that the convention is for THEIR benefit? If so, they are being very naive. The British Ring Convention is for the benefit of its members. Why would you expect Blackpool to be different? In Paul Stone, The British Ring engaged a man who knows how to put shows together and the standard of artistes booked has improved almost beyond recognition. You mentioned 'Showzam'. This was a first time event promoted by the local authority and financially supported by a number of private business groups. And while it wasn't a roaring success, neither was it a complete failure. For a two week event revolving around magic and circus, in the middle of February, it didn't do as badly as all that. Considering that there was very little publicity around the town, I was surprised that it did as well as it did. I was also interested to note that "The Greatest Magic Show in the World - Probably!" that was a feature of the event - contained a greater line-up of big-time magic names than those who appeared at either the Saturday or Sunday convention shows - hmmmmmm! Who booked them, I wonder? There are plans to present "Showzam!" again next year, and I'll take bets that it will do better! Whilst the Blackpool Magician's Club is not as yet directly involved (as far as I know), certain individuals were running workshops and performing at the event, and why not? If there is an improvement next year - then who knows what 2010 might bring? By then, the new BMC clubroom will be well established and I would expect it to be centrally placed to influence the entire two week programme. It is my opinion that the plans for 2010 are already well under way! As an elderly uncle of mine often remarked - "Those who know what they're doing - know what they're doing!" Leslie
Stories....?....That's telling!
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Leslie Melville Special user Blackpool-U.K. 708 Posts |
Quote:
On 2008-02-26 15:58, Top Hat wrote: Do you think he really cares whether they do or whether they don't? If people keep paying and coming - what's the problem? However, many of the posts in this forum are fulsome in their praise, so your criticism is not unanimously supported. Lots of people actually enjoy themselves! My attendances are merely to have a look around the dealer hall - it has to be the biggest in the world! - and catch up with old friends. I stopped visiting the lectures, close-up shows, competitions and gala shows long ago - for all of the reasons mentioned in other posts. But I do enjoy the socialising and that's enough for me! Leslie
Stories....?....That's telling!
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Sean B New user 5 Posts |
Hi everyone,
Apart from being the largest convention anywhere in the world Blackpool is just about the greatest social event for Magicians everywhere. I always say if you don't like something, then don't support it and its the same for Blackpool, if there are so many failings therein for some people, then stay away. But lets face it guys 3000+ registrants each year can't ALL be wrong. Sure, some years the Gala is better than others, some years the close up is better than others, but overall while it is very exhausting to try and fit everything in, I still say its the best money I spend in order to attend. I sure hope it endures for a long time. As for those begrudgers of our elder statesmen of Comedy and Magic, Doddy is not only a legend, but a comedy genius who has been the greatest live performer seen in any generation in British Entertainment history. Go see his theatre show. And as for OLD Terry Seabrooke, he is due to attend the dual IBM / SAMS convention in America and he will appear twice at the Magic Castle this year making a total of 140 performances at the Castle. I wonder if any of our other 'posters' here can claim such a pedigree. Keep going Tel old boy, some of us still luvs ya! |
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