The first session of the close-up gala opened with the fast pace magic of Chris Priest.

Chris opened with his Master Coin routine, which incorporates a coins across sequence, coins vanish and reappear and it culminates in the production of a giant coin from mid-air.

Chris’s Proton routine is sponge-balls with a kick, sponges appear and disappear along with a visual d’lite sequence. Finally Chris finished with a multiple selection card routine.

Nathan Kranzo was on next, he had a card selected and then did one turn round, and when he turned back he had his keys, mobile, money and the selection all without using his hands, a very visual opener. Nathan finished with two card routines, a card at any number, and a triumph routine where he shook the cards up in a bag and showed they had turned all the right way apart from the selection.

Marc Paul showed us his prowess with a deck of cards, starting with a sequence of card changes, and then moved into mind-reading, with a thought of card revelation, and another, very direct, card at any number. His slick presentation of Steve Ehlers Three Card Revelation was followed by a strong revelation of a chosen symbol and name.

Kostya Kimlat was the final act for this first close-up gala session. He opened with his variation of Band Slam which ends with a four-of-a-kind revelation. His new version of the Culligula Triumph using two selections was very strong, and finally he finished with a Jumbo Card version of the murder mystery story effect he had recently published in MAGIC magazine.