Paul Vigil will join the line-up at IMX 2011. When Vigil appears, magical things really do begin to happen in his wake. Mysterious things capture the imagination and rupture the skeptical adult heart. The astonishment he creates feels as wordless and giddy and excitingly foreign as a feeling of first love. This is magic in lavish abundance. This is the world of Paul Vigil

His magical artistry is raw and potent – elegantly constructed, perfectly scripted and flawlessly executed. You will be fooled, badly, even when you know what’s coming next. More than that, Paul’s magic leaves you open and wounded, but in a good way – like you’re better for having experienced what many swear to be “real magic.”

Vigil is a rare breed of magician. He’s a true believer in magic – as an art form, poetic device and creative living exercise. Magic isn’t just a career or a calling for him. It is nothing less than a way of life whose fruits can be shared and enjoyed with others. In his hands, magic sleights are heavenly meditations. They are joyous ceremonies of creation.

To Paul and those who deeply feel the effects of his work, magic is not a puzzle to solve. It is a state of being to embrace. Vigil adheres to the idea of creating magical moments that last for years or even a lifetime. Read the rest of this entry »

International star Romany - Diva of Magic - will close the evening gala show at the WMA One Day Convention on Sunday 3rd April 2011 with her spectacular stage act. Strongly influenced by 1950s Hollywood and the stars of burlesque, Romany is famous for her fabulous costumes, diamonds and feathers, as well as her highly accomplished magic skills. Time Out described her as “a flamboyant hybrid of Bette Midler and Mary Poppins… a fascinating razzle-dazzle mix of magic, original comedy and intelligent glamour”. Romany was honoured by the Magic Circle in 2009 when she became a Member of the Inner Magic Circle with Gold Star for performance.

Romany, who performs professionally as a close-up magician as well as in cabaret and on stage, will also be one of a number of star lecturers at the convention with ‘That Thing You Do!’. She says, “It’s mainly about presentation, about how we treat props, about how to know who you are before you set foot on the stage, and of course a couple of tricks too. It’s pulled from what I’ve learnt from teachers of magic such as Bob Fitch, Jeff McBride, Eugene Burger and John Carney over the last twelve years.”

The WMA One Day Convention will feature lectures, workshops and performances from a full range of magic celebrities. The WMA will be celebrating its 80th year in 2011 and the long running bi-annual convention, which will be attended by the usual wide variety of magic dealers, will be one of the highlights of the year. Full details of the other top magicians who will be participating will be announced later. Whole day tickets including a ticket for the evening Gala Show will be £18 if booked in advance and £20 on the door. The location, as in previous years, will be the Kinson Community Centre, Millhams Road, Kinson, Bournemouth BH10 7LH. www.wmagic.co.uk.

David Ben makes his first European Magic Convention appearance at the International Magic Convention at The Mermaid Theatre from November 26th to 28th 2010.

As a noted performer he has toured Canada with his one man show hailed an artistic success wherever it played providing “a particularly winning, and entertaining, opportunity to ponder the nexus of conjuring and theatre”. As a protege of Ross Bertram, Ben has a deep understanding of the history of magic and as the author of Dai Vernon’s critically acclaimed biography, he exhibits a broad insight into the workings of magic and sleight of hand of the highest order.

As a creator of original effects and methods and writer of essays on the theory of magic, he authored “Tricks” and his performances have been heralded as “nostalgia, wit and prestidigitation mixed in perfect proportions”. His appearance in London will give you the first chance to witess his abilities in the flesh.

If you want to know more about attending, full details are on the International Magic site. Also be sure to check out the hotel deals secured at various nearby hotels on the main International Magic Convention Page. Please note the Thistle rate is only available until September and there are a limited number of rooms being held at that price

The special hotel rates on the web site must be booked by the end of August to qualify. With many more star names to be announced it promises to be a great weekend and well worth attending.

We will be bringing you all the news as it’s released as well as a brand new guide, hotel info and if you want to see what happened last year, check out our live coverage to see why this is such a great convention.

Time is running out if you want to be part of the world’s greatest magic convention. There are now less than six months to go to the Blackpool Magic Convention on Friday, Saturday and Sunday 18th, 19th, & 20th February 2011.

The Convention, organised by Derek Lever, will be bigger and better than ever for The Blackpool Magicians’ Club are hosting the First FISM European Championships of Magic. The competitions will start on the Friday morning and will be split across two theatre venues. The Grand Theatre (100 yards away from the Winter Gardens) will host the close-up competitions and the Opera House (within the Winter Gardens complex) will be the venue for the stage competitions.

Add to these competitions the usual exciting shows, lectures and enormous dealers’ showcase and you are in for a never-to-be-forgotten three days of top quality magic - all for the amazing price of just £85 per person!

Register before 31st December 2010 and you will receive a free book ‘The World’s Most Ingenious Magical Apparatus’ by Derek Lever.

To book your place for this fantastic event contact Arthur Casson, 44 Bryan Road, Blackpool, Lancashire, England FY3 9BE or telephone him on 44 (0) 1253 393688. A registration form is also available on the Blackpool Magicians’ Club website www.blackpoolmagic.com.

The Blackpool Magic Convention takes place Friday, Saturday and Sunday 18th, 19th & 20th February 2011 at the Opera House and Winter Gardens and Grand Theatre, Church Street, Blackpool, Lancashire, England. Full details can be found at www.blackpoolmagic.com, and follow all our updates, interviews and extra information here

You can also check out our Blackpool Guide and our Hotel Guide for Blackpool, which we’ll update during the run up to next year.

Whilst we know its not a Magic Convention, our very good friend the legend that is Rudy Coby asked us to post this.

The Rudy Coby Experiment is back on the 23rd October 2010 at the El Ray Theatre in Los Angeles with more ‘Magic vs Science’, and more special guests. It will also include the premier of some new illusions and material he couldn’t perform at the Magic Castle earlier this year.

Pre-sale tickets go on sale tomorrow at 10 a.m through Ticket Master (Use the password: Nikki) - although you seem to be able to order them NOW.

Event URL: http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/2C0044FE91D413ED

This is the first Magic show organised through Goldenvoice, and its Rudys ONLY West Coast show in 2010.

The Ipswich Magical Society One Day Convention will take place at the The Spa Pavilion, Felixstowe, on 24th October 2010 from 9:15am until 10:30pm.

During the day the doors will be open to magicians only who will be able to browse the many dealer tables, see the arranged lectures and watch the close up session.

The evening show is open to the general public, and looking at the line up it promises to be as successful as last years sell out show.

The day will include three lectures: Nick Einhorn, Richard McDougal and Danny Archer from the USA. Also during the day there will be another Michael J. Fitch hosted event, this time “The Serious Business of Comedy” feature an open discussion with John Archer and Graham P. Jolley, two of the few people who make comedy mentalism work (and boy oh boy are they good!), Plus of course a variety of dealers to keep everyone happy.

As for the evening show,  as well as the guests mentioned above, Shahid Malik will be there performing some of his unique illusions.

If anyone needs a hotel, There is a deal with the Marleborough Hotel, which is where all the lecturers and performers will be staying over night. If you mention you are there for the Ipswich Magical Society Convention you will get the special rate too.

If you’re looking for good places to eat, hot and cold food will be available from the Convention centre (their cod & chips are enormous!), but there will also be numerous restaurants and pubs open on the day that are in waking distance from the pavilion.

The nearest car park is in Ranelagh Road, Felixstowe which is a 2 minute walk from the Convention centre.

Further Information can be found at: www.ipswichmagicalsociety.co.uk/eveconv2010.htm