Sadly I missed the FCM Convention (couldn't afford the airfare from the UK this year)

What were the high-lights?

What was different about being in Nashville compared to Marion, Indiana?

Hi All:

My wife Maggie and I just got back from Nashville. My experiences were different than most of the FCMers there as my niece is a school teacher in Nashville, and we went to the Grand Ole Opry on Thursday night for a full live show, and also visited several malls, shops and lots of other great eateries (such as the nearby Edley's BBQ- WOW-what wonderful brisket!, and The Cheesecake Factory), plus visited a bunch of bookstores, etc. and even did a full tour of the 4 story The Gideons International Headquarters.

My wife generally does not go to magic conventions with me, but agreed to go this time if I guaranteed I would take her all around Nashville rather than just stranding her on campus. My wife very much enjoys watching magic, going to all kinds of shows and restaurants, etc.- but she is not a performer and has lots of outside interests such as reading, visiting city tourist attractions, preparing lesson plans back at the room, etc.. So having the FCM convention in a very fun location such as Nashville allowed us to enjoy this trip together. Needless to say, my wife has never been too thrilled about staying a full week in Colon or Marion.

Lots of highlights- wonderful times of fellowship with the Zoermans, the Peters, the Markleys, and many more. I thought the evening shows that we went to were all top notch. All the lectures I went to were excellent including by Ginn, Shortland, Gary Barker, Humston, etc.- I wish I had time to go to more but I was often off campus doing the tourist thing somewhere else in Nashville- lots to do in that city!

One of the tips I picked up by one of the fine magic lecturers was that he greatly benefitted from Andy Stanley's (and Lane Jones) book on preaching called "Communicating for a Change." I picked the audio version up at the 21st Century Christian bookstore located right off the Lipscomb campus. It may normally be difficult to listen to a "preaching tips" book being read on CD- this is not the case with this audio book- WOW! It is written (so far as to what I have listened to it- it is 5.25 hours long) in "fictional" style- and read extremely well by actor Lloyd James (who has won several reading awards). Just great stuff- I can see why the lecturer said his Gospel magic act was greatly benefitted by using communication ideas from this book- I know that I will too! Just being pointed to this great audio book will probably change my "act" more than any one thing I have heard in the last 10 years. And it's not even from a magic book!

The convention next year will most likely be at the same location (Lipscomb University) during either the same week after July 4 or the following week. I know I will be there next year too- greatly looking forward to it already!

We all very much missed Del Wilson this year- his daughter died right before the convention started (I heard she had been ill, but I think it was still unexpected of course)- so Del turned around immediately and drove back to be with his family. Be sure to keep Del in your prayers and send him a card or note of appreciation. I missed Kip too, just not the same without Kip and Del. The business meeting went very well- I was proud to be an FCMer.

But when the smoke all clears- it is still the wonderful FCMers at the convention that make the whole thing so very enjoyable. Anddddd, I still split a gut every time Dave Mitchell performs, my side literally hurt during his vent act on the evening show from laughing so hard. Also, MagicBob and SuZie were great Friday night, and I thought Dave Hill's Hour of Power message on "N V" was really informative and convicting.

It was a fantastic convention! So much went on and the new facilities were amazing. The theater they gave us for the late night show was fantastic. We had some amazing magicians performing on the late show stage. As usual, the normal fantastic performers were there with Justin Flom and Harris III making appearances. Also Stephen Bargatze came by and performed on late night as well! It was a fantastic performance of his Ten Dollar Bill trick and his new routine "I Hate Kids". At the late show, by the last night we were standing room only with fantastic performances! I've been uploading videos when I get the chance on my facebook. Here are a couple. They asked myself and the late night crew to MC opening night on Sunday Night. Here is how we opened the convention,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_1Ujm9p2xY

Also, here is live video of a bit we did called "Fun With Dealers" which we had help from several great dealers including Barry Mitchell.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytd_1XW9Aik

It was a great convention with a lot of great new faces. I am hoping to get some more pictures and video up soon! (Finishing the last month of our summer tour and in the Keys now)

Great job by Joey too- it was great to see so many younger performers- particularly on the evening shows- all really terrific.

To answer the original poster's question: Lipscomb University is quite an amazing location. We have three colleges/universities here in Kalamazoo: Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo College, and Kalamazoo Valley Community College. To get from point A to point B at these universities is a major undertaking: the buildings are often entire blocks away from each other, and certainly the main educational buildings (such as the auditoriums)are a LONG way away from the dorms. Not the case with Lipscomb University: we stayed in the "Village Apartments"- which were about 100 yards away from where the lectures were, the main and late night auditoriums were, and the Caféteria was. I think the other dorms were just as close.

The dorms were not quite as private as the dorms at IWU, but IWU is pretty unique in that they are building like crazy and pretty much that entire campus is very new. I did not get a full meal package at Lipscomb University- it appeared to me the food was probably not as good as IWU, but not too bad either. But that was not an issue for me as I was with my wife, and we ate most of our evening meals at some of the excellent/fantastic restaurants nearby. For example, Nashville's top rated Edley's BBQ is about a 3 minute drive away. The Cheesecake Factory (along with a ton of other first class restaurants) is about a 6 minute drive away, if that.

So Lipscomb was really a wonderful blessing from God- I doubt there are that many locations anywhere in the U.S. willing to host the FCM where auditoriums, lecture areas and a Caféteria (along with other restaurants) are so jammed close together.

I'm sad I missed it.

President Del Wilson has announced the 2014 FCM Convention will be Monday, July 7 thru Friday, July 11 at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee. Hope to see you all there- the most friendly magic convention in the U.S.! (in my humble estimation).

MagicBus,

Next year, drag me there. Even since the heart attack, Lucy will let me drive that far alone.

Bob

You be sure to be there Bob!

One of these days... Maybe next year!

Glen