Meta: Where are you from?

While the bulk of the traffic to this site comes from Canadian readers, I'm always surprised to see how big the internets really are!  Here's a list of our top ten visiting countries this month, not including Canada:

10. Ireland
9. Japan
8. Costa Rica
7. Germany
6. Australia
5. Argentina
4. France
3. Chile
2. United Kingdom

and of course, our neighbours to the south ....

1.  United States


Thanks for visiting everyone!

Meta: popular posts

In reverse order, the five most popular posts on this blog:

5. Toronto: Ghost Stories at the Panasonic Theatre.

4. Book launch: "The Lives of a Showman"

3. Did Shawn Farquhar fool Penn & Teller?

2. Shawn Farquhar on Penn & Teller's Fool Us

and the number one most viewed post is .....





1. Canada's Got Talent 2012 auditions

Toronto: Browser's Den on Boxing Day

From the Browser's Den Facebook page:

BOXING DAY EXTRAVAGANZA AT BROWSER’S DEN!

*GIANT CLEARANCE*
*TRICKS FROM $1.00 TO $5.00*

YES…We are open Boxing Day, Dec. 26th from 10am to 5pm

Read more.

And to all a good ....

Wishing you and yours a happy holiday season!

We're taking a break from the internet over the next 16 days or so.  New posts have been scheduled to publish automatically.  If you need to get in touch, sending a direct message via Twitter is your best bet.

Best wishes for the New Year!

Bill Abbott at IMX 2012

Bill Abbott will be appearing this May in Las Vegas.  From the IMX 2012 website:

IMX 2012 brings together 20+ of the world’s greatest performers in 3 days of non-stop magic. Unrivalled choice, hard-hitting training, incredible performances & phenomenal value ... welcome to IMX 2012!

Read more.

Shawn Farquhar: Reel Magic Issue 25

From Reel Magic magazine, issue 25, watch a teaser for Shawn Farquhar's contribution "S.T.E.P. Project Vol. 1" on YouTube:

Vancouver: SAM #95 Banquet and Professional Show Package

From Sam 95:

Date - Friday, January 13, 2012

MC and host: Shawn Farquhar

Feature Comedy Magic Entertainment by the Internationally Acclaimed Award Winning Magician Stephen Bargatze from Nashville, Tennessee, USA. Roving Magic by S.A.M. #95 members.

Read more and purchase tickets.

Dai Vernon's son recovering from house fire injuries

From iTricks:

79-year-old David Verner, son to legendary magician Dai Vernon, was very badly burned by an electrical fire at his New York State home.
 
Read more.

Canada's Magic joins iTricks in wishing Verner a speedy recovery.

David Acer book launch

Read about November's combined David Acer book launch and shop auction over at Perfect Magic.

CAM: membership growth!

From the Canadian Association of Magicians website:

I am thrilled to announce we are just five members away from hitting the magic number of 400! This is super great news. This is a growth of nearly 75 members since July of 2011.

Read more.

Shawn also reminds us that it's membership renewal time for many members.  If your membership is up for renewal, you should have received a notice in your recent editions of "Northern Peeks."  If you aren't sure when your membership expires, please contact Shawn at "CAM @ CAMmagic . org" (without the quotes).

Broken wand: Maxwell Scott

From The Tillsonburg News:

SCOTT, Maxwell Charles - Born January 8, 1929, passed away in Tillsonburg on Tuesday, August 23, 2011.

....

Farmer, proprietor of Tillsonburg Organ Centre, musician and magician for many years, Max was a founding member of the London Magician's Guild I.B.M. Ring 265, and a member of the Doug Henning Magic Wand Club, Ring 49 and the Caesar Hat & Wand Magic Circle Ring 235.

Read the complete obituary.

[h/t: CAM - Northern Peeks]

Alex Kazam in the Brock Press

From The Brock Press:

At 19-years-old, St. Catharines magician Alex Kazam has accomplished more for himself than most people still living in their teenage years – and arguably more than some in their twenties.

Over the past year Kazam rode his unicycle to New York City, in attempt to perform on the David Letterman show (although he didn't get on, he did meet Paul Schafer and Donald Trump), hosted lectures at varying universities (including one on Neuroscience and it's correlation with magic at York), travelled to Vegas where he met Penn and Teller and performed a trick for Criss Angel, took part in the debut of St. Catharines' Buskerfest where he performed nine times during the weekend and has performed countless gigs — whether they are stand-up showcases, or at events for corporate clients — and that's just cracking the surface.
Read more.

Only two weeks left!

Only two weeks left to take advantage of our introductory offer for 50% off advertising packages.
Canada's magic is offering a 50% discount on any one year advertising package purchased in 2011.  Qualifying packages include Banner ads, Button ads , Text ads and RSS Footer ads.  (This offer does not include Sponsored Posts.)

For more information, please visit the "Advertise" tab, leave your question in a comment below or send us an e-mail.

Toronto: A Little Holiday Magic

From Abracadabaret:

Friday, December 30, 2011
We know it can be hard to find things to do during the break between Xmas and New Years; everything’s closed, and if it’s not closed, it’s packed like sardines with Boxing Week shoppers.

Come celebrate the holidays with Abracadabaret! Live magic, mind reading and mischief with a cast of curious characters. Great fun, great food and a great way to get ready for the New Year.

Read more and purchase tickets.

Johnny Giordmaine: new contributions

From John Pellatt, creator of the "A Tribute to John Giordmaine" website:

JohnGiordmaine.com, the on line tribute to the late Canadian children's magician Johnny Giordmaine, has just posted a couple new pages for your magical holiday reading... featured are Ring 17 past prez Bob Taylor's recollections; photos from the 1961 Abbott Magic Get Together (one with the famous Harry Blackstone, Sr); and memories of the legendary Arcade Magic and Novelty Shop's closing (where Johnny once worked). The site now includes over 29 pages of unique photos and text.

New contributions are always welcome.

Link: http://www.johngiordmaine.co

m

Toronto: Joe Culpepper’s Exits and Entrances at the New Gendai Workstation

From The Toronto Review of Books:

In his performance art–magic act Exits and Entrances, performed Friday 25 November at New Gendai Workstation, Joe Culpepper explored thresholds as places of illusion—“liminal boundaries,” he notes, “that separate the inside from the outside; the interior from the exterior.” Thresholds are also boundaries that invite us to cross over; they mark a space between, even as they reveal what lies just beyond.

~~~

The gallery will be exhibiting the aftermath of the performance space as an installation from 13 December to 17 December (11.00AM to 6.00PM).  Footage of Exits and Entrances will be projected onto the gallery walls for any visitors who wish to see a recording of the event while standing in its traces and remnants.  New Gendai Workstation is an open gallery and there is no cost for admission.

Read more.

St. Catharines: Alex Kazam's Dirty Dealings

From the Facebook page "Alex Kazam Presents: Dirty Dealings":

You're invited: $1,000 can be gained (see below) in this evening of lies, deceptions, exposed truths, psychological illusions, comedy and of course: magic.

Alex Kazam will be doing a combination of pseudo-mind reading, exposing some truths about charlatans' ways, combined with a side of his usual magically comedic trimmings that have got him on T.V, the radio, in newspapers, and believe it, or not, in TWEETS, and myspace statuses: across North-America.

Expect the unexpected: There aren't any rabbits, bunnies, and\or hares in this show.

Sunday, 18 December 2011 at Mahtay Café & Lounge

Read more.

Lothar Malmberg in The Strathmore Standard

From The Strathmore Standard:

If there's something unusual, unexplainable but strangely fantastic going on in Rosebud, chances are it's the work of Lothar Malmberg, professional magician. Lothar is a professional magician who has been working out of the area for almost 20 years, and has been honing his magic craft for over 30.

Read more.

Dai Vernon via The Double Deal

Tip of the hat to The Double Deal for posting these Dai Vernon videos:

Cards Up the Sleeve - 1974:




Slow Motion Card Vanish:

CAMaraderie 2012

Have you registered yet for CAMaraderie 2012?  From CAMmagic.org, the line-up so far:

May 3-5, 2012
Hamilton, Ontario

Lectures:
Michael Finney
Duane Laflin
Stephen Bargatze
Rick Merrill
Paul Gertner
Tom Vorjohan and Daniel Herron

Close up:
Paul Gertner
Stephen Bargatze
Rick Merrill
Daniel Garcia
Richard Turner: 1-man show

Gala Show:
MC: Michael Finney
Hyunjoon Kim
Stephen Bargatze
Neil Croswell
David & Dania

Competition:
MC: Doug Hunt

Watch the promo video Chris Weeks created for CAMaraderie 2012:
 


[h/t: Canadian Association of Magicians]

Kreskin at the West End Cultural Centre

From Uptown:

Canada loves Kreskin but that doesn’t mean Winnipeggers won’t try to stump the master mentalist and magician when he performs at the West End Cultural Centre on Dec. 13. The "cheque test" — Kreskin’s most well-known feat and the finale of every show — involves the audience hiding his payment for the performance while he’s escorted offstage. If Kreskin doesn’t find his fee, he doesn’t get paid.

Read more.

Toronto: James Alan in "Lies, Damn Lies & Magic Tricks"

From Abracadabaret.com:

• Date: Thursday, January 19, 2012
• Venue: Wychwood Theatre (601 Christie St. / M6G 4C7)
• Time: 8:00pm
• Price: $25.00 w/ group discounts

Join magician James Alan at the Wychwood Theatre for the premier of his one man show. Can a magician make you a better judge of character? Make you impervious to pain? Make money for nothing? Improve your luck? Make you smarter? Or is it all just Lies, Damn Lies & Magic Tricks?

Some of it's true. Some of it's not. Which is which is… your problem, not ours!

Read more and buy tickets.

2011 BroadwayWorld Las Vegas Awards

Canadian born Murray SawChuck is nominated in the 2011 BroadwayWorld Las Vegas Awards for Best Magician/Illusionist.

Visit LasVegas.BroadwayWorld.com to vote or to see who else is in the running.


[h/t: Gwyn Auger]

Ryan Pilling: Shave or Grow

Watch Ryan Pilling sing "Shave or Grow - Movember Moustache Song" (complete with Mustache Solo!) on YouTube:


[h/t: Gwyn Auger]

Hamilton: Nick Wallace

From the Lyric website:

You are invited to an evening of holiday magic featuring the Canadian Champion of Magic – Nick Wallace. Nick is best described as a minimalist, who has forgone fancy props and special effects and prefers to conjure with an audiences imagination by presenting bamboozling feats of magic and mind reading in a way that is both entertaining and thought provoking. Add some great music and you have a variety holiday show not to be missed!   
 
Visit the website more information or to but tickets.

The show runs from December 20th through December 29th inclusive.
[h/t: Deborah Fallick]

Everything Erdnase: Dodd Vickers interviews David Ben & Julie Eng

From the Magic Newswire:

Who was S.W. Erdnase? Most likely, anyone reading this knows this name as the pseudonym used by the author of "The Expert at the Card Table" which is arguably one of the most important books ever written on sleight of hand with cards. On this episode of the "Spirit of Magic" podcast, I am joined by David Ben & Julie Eng of Magicana and the publishers of Magicol.
 
Read more and listen to Dodd Vickers interview David and Julie.

Rounding the Western rings in December

Confirm details about dates and locations by visiting each club's website.
 

City	Club	Event(s)
Calgary, AB	Ring 66 (Calgary Magic Circle, Les Brocklesby Ring)	- N/A
Edmonton, AB	Edmonton Magic Club	- N/A
Winnipeg, MB	The Magic Club of Winnipeg	- N/A
Vancouver, BC	Ring 92 (Vancouver Magic Circle)	- N/A
Victoria, BC	Ring 183 (Victoria Magic Circle)	- "Teach a Trick" session with  Shayne King

Please leave a comment or e-mail me about corrections or omissions.

Rounding the Ontario rings in December

Confirm details about dates and locations by visiting each club's website.
 

Hamilton, ON	Ring 49 (The Doug Henning Magic Wand Club)	- Christmas party
London, ON	Ring 265 (London Magician's Guild)	- Gift Exchange & Hidden Talent!
Kitchener, ON	Ring 235 (The Caesar Hat & Wand Magic Circle)	- Christmas banquet
Ottawa, ON	Ring 151 (Ottawa Society of Magicians)	- Christmas party
Toronto, ON	Ring 17 (Sid Lorraine Hat and Rabbit Club)	- Members' night
Woodstock, ON	CAM 1 (Friendly City Mystics)	- N/A

Please leave a comment or e-mail me about corrections or omissions.

Rounding the Eastern rings in December

Confirm details about dates and locations by visiting each club's website.
 

Halifax, NS

Ring 316 (Conjourer's Court)

- Christmas Gift Exchange extravaganza

Please leave a comment or e-mail me about corrections or omissions.