I must bring to your attention a spectacular event that will not only amaze you but will leave you begging for more! What can this event be? Why its none other than Tim Deremers 20th anniversary Battle of Magicians convention and show! Now you ask why bring this up in a group more interested in sideshow than magic? Well for starters, Magicians were a must on every old time sideshow. Okay....... why else you ask...... Well as many of you know Tim has been pounding the midway with Sideshows and other backend shows since the 1970's and will be back out there this season! He loves to cut up that jackpots and boy does he have some stories!!!!!! Not only will Tim be there to cut it up but so will a lot of old showmen! Expected to attend are Karl Cullison (who is on the cover of Al Stencils newest book!), Chris Christ, Dick Johnson and the legendary Phillip Morris! Not so greats who will be there are myself..... I really hope to see some of you there!!!! Oh and did I forget to mention that the amazingly talented Chris McDaniel will be performing one night only his famous wild west variety act!!!!!!!! You can find more info at http://www.battleofmagicians.com

Will some of the magicians be battling to the death?

Harley, we can only hope so!!!!!

Sex and Blood sells tickets am I correct.....

Magician sex? Who turns the biggest trick? All decked out to impress? Oh, look, there's nothing in this bag! Eeeeeuuuuuw!

Sadly, this is the same weekend as the National Halloween Convention in Philly. I'm not running the entertainment program this year, but Professor Scrye's Closet of Curiosities will be open on the show floor all weekend and I'm teaching 3 seminars.

Chris

I have always liked this convention, though I have never been to it. One year, during the big gala show they had a barber on hand at the back of the room giving free haircuts. I like that.

Just so long as it wasn't your relative "Sweeney Todd" !

Ken, are you saying that a couple of dozen less magicians in the world would be a bad thing?

There are plenty of people who do tricks, but few magicians. Let's keep the latter.

I stand corrected, Todd. You're spot on.

It is confirmed that Chris Christ, Dick Johnson, Karl Cullison, and Phillip Morris will be on hand to cut up jackpots!!!!!!! If you can this is a convention to make!

How was it??

From what Kevin told me on the phone..."If one more Magician pulls a Quarter outta my ear!...I'm gonna lose it!, other then that Jim, I'm having a GREAT time!!!".....

He should've been charging 25 cents rent, for the ear space.

Well the Battle was great as always! Friday night Chris McDaniel put on a performance that the crowd went crazy over!!!! The whole atmosphere was estatic! Magicians were very open and teaching each other different techniques, the competitions were great and the shows rocked! Tim cuts NO corners as far as bringing talent in! The saturday night headliner show takes place at a beautifully restored victorian theatre. This amazing theatre is the perfect place for a show like this! The theatre is worth the admission! The mood is set with dim lighting and a organist playing on the front of the stage that drops down to a pit. Huge red velvet curtains atop the stage, gorgeous balconies and embossed walls that are to die for! The talent is all world class magicians showing off there stuff, just blowing everyone away! This show is always packed! After the saturday night show Tim hosts a reception for the magicians and close friends at the hotel, it is catered as well has a DJ doing his thing. The after party is one of my favorite parts of the convention! Our table was by far the most interesting!!!! We had showmen Karl Cullison (who is on the cover of Al Stencell's newest book) with his wife Lee, Chris Christ and Dick Johnson at our table. Talk about cuttin up the Jackpots!!!! These guys were telling story after story after story!!!!! I regreted not bringing a tape recorder! Also Phillip Morris (famous for creating the costume used in the infamous 1968 Roger Patterson bigfoot film, as well as being Dr Evil in the old time ghost shows as well as many other things...) was there and as always had a great time with him. He never ceases to amaze me with new stories! So..... as you can see it was a amazing time and if you can, I highly recommend you attend next year!!!!!!

Oh and Kyra, I believe you emailed me about some stuff. I seemed to have lost your email so if you could email me again.
Thanks

Sounds like one hell of a night

Oh and Todd, they had a barber this year in the back giving free haircuts! This time the barber was dressed as a Rabbit and gave Mr. Chris Christ a haircut!!!!!!

The weirdest part about Battle of Magicians is the Dealer Room. Uh, 'cause there isn't one. Nope. No sir. At The Battle each dealer sets up shop in his or her hotel room. Yep. Kinda creepy. And, that's what makes it so unique. You walk into someone's room, and there's magic all over the bed, the dresser, the TV. This brings a whole new meaning to turning tricks...