Another brilliant year for magic at Blackpool Winter Gardens. Whilst only visiting on Saturday, I managed to attend a couple of lectures and visit the dealers hall. This year however was more about catching up with Magic friends whilst making new ones, as we only get to see one another once a year besides interacting on social media.
The convention was beyond magic, and it was lovely to personally meet up with fellow magicians who all share our love for magic. Being ‘present’ during a packed convention is key when networking or just catching up with friends.
Ilusionista Snake from Tumi Magic demo’d a brilliant deck device that caught the eye of Mark Calabrese. Plus something in the works that will be out soon from the creative mind of John Byng with Murphys Magic…
Social Media continues shaping magic in new ways and Luke Dancy hosted an insightful talk with some key practitioners; Instagram legend Niel Henry, Youtuber Jonti Sparrow and Steve Faulkner. Check out Steve Faulkners brilliant youtube account for his take on the whole Blackpool convention via his Real Magic Review channel.
Throughout the talk, there were lots of tips and advice in utilising Instagram, Facebook and other platforms to reach your audience. Also in attendance were some young movers and shakers in the world of Instagram magic, Charlie Davis and Joel M who have found their niche in attracting followers.
There also followed a lecture with some youger magicians, ‘Kids in Magic doing BIG things’, who are clearly the future in magic, demostrating excellent prescence and skill on stage. Issy Simpson and Ben Morey and co., proved that magics continued legacy is in safe hands.
In the dealers hall, David Penn had another great effect this year with his excellent worker ‘Invisible Deck Kicker’ and Wayne Fox revealed his latest effects ‘The Real Box’ and ‘Sharpless’. Tobias Dostal continued to astound attendees with his excellent mobile phone vanish. The one effect that caught mine and many others imagination was ‘Voodoo Needle’ from Peter Eggink, by Aeon Son soon to be released with Deceptive Dreamz.
The Nobody Knows team had their bag of ‘Essentials’ pre-release on their smart Turnerwatch stand and prize giving spinning wheel. Essentials contents will be available from February 27th. I won a fetching NK bag and keyfob too.
If you’re seriosuly interested within the theoretical, methodology of magic, I encourage you to seek out Ben Earls latest venture into the podcast world,‘The M-Word’. I bumped into Ben at the convention, and as promised he crossed my palm with something shiny, a lovely pin badge.
You can listen to Bens podcast, ‘The M-Word’, via the link below.
We had a great discussion at the Vanishing Inc stand with Christian Grace on ‘Level One’ and one of Christians latest effects, ‘Switch One’, which sold out at Blackpool. Switch One is a great effect coming soon from Vanishing Inc!
Vanishing Inc have also started venturing into the playing card market with www.vanishingincplayingcards.com. Whilst bumping into the Murphys team at the dealer hall, I was the lucky recipient of a free deck of cards from the delightful Michelle Quinn. Also a big thanks to Will Roya from playingcarddecks.com for sending over my prize from Murphys Instagram live of an uncut sheet and deck of Hustling Joe playing cards.
And finally, Blackpool 2021 is going to be a stellar year with the following announcement from Criss Angel! 🤟🏻
