Well the Blackpool Magic Convention is now over, and I have to say that me and my cousin really enjoyed it!! We were dressed as gangsters (we do a gangster magic show), but were also known as the little Ant and Dec! The gala shows were amazing, aswell as the timeing for that interactive television. Most of the dealers were very nice. Also a lot of celebrities, such as Joe Pastqule and his son who are both very nice people. What did you think?
Magically Yours,
Ste

I think I saw you guy's walking around, how young are you? I loved the convention, most enjoyable. I am looking forward to next year. I agree with you, the television act was VERY GOOD, one of my favorites!

Mike

Hi Mike,
Well I am 11 and Craig is 12. I also loved that magician who did the paddle move with a violin!
Ste

Jonny Long!
I thought the Tv magic act was stunning,the timing to do that must be nervewracking! Peter Marvey was average I thought,his act doesn't seem to change and his "Dream flying" whilst technically excellent left me bored!

Tony Chapek was fantastic, especially the rewinding astounding performance

OK, so my thoughts on this year’s Blackpool Convention:-

Highlights
Getting to meet and hang out with Joe Porper for the whole weekend!
Tony Chapek – what a brilliant – and funny – act.
Men In Coats – had seen these guys on TV a few times, but seeing them live was even better.
Jerome Murat – what a fantastic act! If you see that he’s on at a convention, go see him!
Rick Merrill – had seen Rick at the International Magic Convention in London last November and was equally impressed with his act here.

Low-lights
Peter Marvey – The “Dream Flying” routine was barely OK (why did the front row “old friends brigade” give him a standing ovation? Or have I just answered my own question?). Personally, I still prefer Copperfield’s by a long, long way.
No real late night sessions. I couldn’t tell you the last time I had a really decent magic session/jam at Blackpool – personally, I didn’t see one taking place the whole weekend!
Next Year’s “VIP Gold Registration”. The biggest joke I’ve heard about in a long time. So they’ve put a few “sweeteners” to it to make it look pretty cool, but the long and short of it is that we can no longer line up to try and get a good seat at the close up or for lectures unless we’ve paid another £20 to be able to do so meaning that those of us on a budget have to strain to see what’s going on. Blackpool Magicians’ Club have managed to suck most of the magic from the convention and now prove the one thing that most of us have known for a long time – that they do not care about the registrants, just money money money!

Those are my thoughts on the convention - like them or not!

Best wishes

Peter
:)

What amazes me most about conventions (including Blackpool) is how TIRED TIRED TIRED the majority of dealer-stands look, given the opportunity to sell to 3000 magicians.

They are SO unappealing. With the exception of one or two, dealers have not got the first idea how to properly market their products.

Hi Peter. I agree with you that the £20 VIP idea should just be dropped as soon as possible.
One of the lovely things about Blackpool is the fact that everyone in the winter gardens has a common interest in magic. So the amateur hobbyiest mixes with the full time proffesional and everyone mixes with the really big names such as Michael Ammar, Ali Bongo etc. I personally found everyone at Blackpool to be extremely accomodating. I was chatting to Chris Capehart in the Ruskin one evening (morning) for a good couple of hours (man that guy knows how to talk ), the point I am making is that if they introduce a VIP Lounge (where VIP status is bought for a mere £20), and include as they suggest a "Meet and Greet" session with the celebreties, then it will start becomeing very "us and them". I like it better that we are all just the same. If you want to meet and greet th ebig names, you just go up to them and shake their hands. It's that easy...

Anyway. The convention this year I thought was really good. I enjoyed the Sunday Gala show more so than the Saturday one. The highights for me were Tony Chapek and his TV act, It had to be seen to be believed. Men in Coats. They never fail to impress, and the Russian mime/statue act was incredible. It certainly had a lot of people talking afterwards.

The highlights of the close-up sessions for me were Rick Merrill, Chris Capehart, Michael Ammar and Paul green. I have seen Ammar a few times now, but his card on ceiling was by far the hghest I have seen so far. Chris Capehart is just so charismatic that you have to enjoy whatever he does, Paul Green is Paul Green (nuff said), but for me, this year above everyone else, Rick Merril was the close up man. What a great routine that was.

The other act that stuck out for me personally was Patrk Kuffs. What a guy. I really enjoyed both his performance in the Mainly Mentalism show, and his lecture. He came across as a really nice guy. (It was all his fault you know).

My 30 minute rant about the £20:00p extra to get 'VIP seating' must have rubbed off on you Peter. So even with this special seating you'll still be behind all the Blackpool magicians club friends and there will still be beach towels, sorry coats saved on seats and someone will always tell you that someone is sitting when there are clearly three empty seats. You'll probably be luck if you get 6 or 7 rows from the front.

I think you had to go and find 'sessions' going on this year. I managed to get to spend sometime with Olmac and his friends (he came second in the close-up competition) but people are more interestED in getting drunk. I had a ramdom guy giving me a foot massage Saturday night (living to regret that especially when he shouted out that I had missed the bottom of my legs when shaving). It was a strange convention this year. Maybe I've been to too many and need a break. Even walking around the dealers stands I kept saying to myself that I'm going to wait for FISIM, I can't actually believe that it's been and gone, magically, it had very little impact on me,


Diane

Did you find your hat Diane?

Kick the old pals act off the front row.Shaxon,Lever etc. With their ridiculous medal regalia.Whats wrong with wearing normal clothes? The convention is stuck in time and needs an overhaul I think.Having comperes who were household names 20 year ago, and who are telling the same jokes from back then,shows lack of imagination in seeking out modern comedians.

Whewee I had a great time. Morgan strebler making spoons bend right in front of my eyes, Mike Amar making a card appear on a super high ceiling, Rick Merrill making pens appear from nowhere, the TV guy in the main show. Plus spending ££££ in the dealers hall. Oops! Roll on Blackpool 2006!

Maybe we should all email blackpool magic club and tell them how we feel about the V.I.P. thing. It might make them change! There where a few sessions in Ruskin on Saturday night, out by the pool table.

Diane,
I think I saw you getting the foot massage, were you on the seats just inside the door of the Ruskin?

Mike

Harry H - at least we didn't have to put up with T.S. this year.

Mike - good luck emailing B.M.C... I tried it once and all I got back was "how dare you? don't you know that we are medal-wearers?"

Diane,

I think you had a foot massage from Kevin from 'Faking it'...I seem to remember shouting "She's faking it Kevin" across to you... my bruises will fade eventually ..... Are you here Kevin?, be honest or I'll want my DVD's back.

John

Blackpool was great this year. I thought Chris Capehart was superb. I don't know who I upset last year but my gala seats up in the balcony afforded quite a spectacular view of Peter Marveys 'Dream Flight'. He took off - He vanished and reappeared five minutes later to a standing ovation from the toiletaries 'Old Boys Network'in the front row. I will be paying the £20 extra next year to get a better Gala Show seat.

Peter, If you want to pinch my VIP close-up seat you are more than welcome, as I am usually still asleep during the day or suffering with a hangover.

Did I see John Thompson there on the Sunday? Anybody? Didn't know he was a conjuror.

Andy

Hi Andy

I don't think I'll be at Blackpool next year - nothing to do with the £20 thing, just that I want to play in a big pool tournament in Kentucky next January (although after my wee match with a certain Mr Porper, I'm really going to have to practice!).

As for John Thompson, yes he was there (was sitting a few seats away from me at the Sunday Gala Show). Had a wee word with him and he seems to have been interested for years. Came across as a real nice guy.

Peter
:)

No I didn't, I'm gutted I've lost so much stuff lately. I even managed to loose my wizard ring on the Sunday night, so I'm not a happy bunny at the moment

I think that I gave Kevin a massage then a random who had been speaking to me the previous night decided to massage my feet. Anyway you're still my faviourite

Diane,
I think I saw you getting the foot massage, were you on the seats just inside the door of the Ruskin?

Mike
[/quote]

Although I hate to admit it, it was me.