30 June 2023

Top 5 posts in June 2023

There were 27 posts at Canada's Magic this month.  Here are the five most viewed posts in the past 30 days: 

5. St. John's and Edmonton: Reveen [Sep 28 and Oct 21] - Get your tickets now!
4. MB, SK, AB, BC and USA: Sean Watson and Chanelle Munroe [various] - Busy, busy.  Catch Chanelle's show at the upcoming Winnipeg Fringe! 
3. Toronto: Champions of Magic [Dec 27 - 31] - We're always excited to see Champions! 

2. 2023 Canadian Rising Star - Congratulations Atsushi!

and the most viewed post this month  ...





1. Checking in with Matt DiSero and The Fog Machine of War - A fun read AND proceeds go to a charity helping children learn magic! 

 

 

 

 

 

29 June 2023

Toronto: Champions of Magic [Dec 27 - 31]

Read our thoughts about their 2022 show:

TLDR: So. Much. Fun!

Random thoughts about "Champions of Magic" 


Read our 2022 interviews with the cast:

- Hollie England

- Alex McAleer

- Sam Strange

- Fernando Velasco

- Richard Young 
 

Tickets at Ticketmaster.

Can't make it to see them in Toronto?  Keep your eyes on ChampionsOfMagic.co.uk/tour.html for updates to the tour schedule.  A little bird told me they'll have dates in Edmonton and Regina as part of their 2023 - 2024 tour.  Additional rumoured locations include cities in BC, SK, and NS!

 

From TO Live:

The Champions Of Magic cast present incredible interactive magic, a daring escape from Houdini’s water torture cell, a mind-blowing prediction that has to be seen to be believed, levitation high above the stage, and a finale beyond explanation. The show happens all around the theatre and features spectacular illusions that can’t be seen anywhere else.

Don’t miss this unbelievable show to entertain the entire family and see why fans return to see one of the world’s biggest touring illusion shows time and time again.

Read more and buy tickets.

 

 

From the June 22nd Tweet by TO Live:

They’ve sold out shows across the globe, been featured on every major US TV network and racked up over 50 million views online…but you haven’t seen magic until you’ve seen it live! Catch Champions Of Magic Dec. 27 to 29. 20% off for a limited time.🌠

 



28 June 2023

Clear Lake: Dean Gunnarson [Jul 15 ] and Day Tripping at The Morgue

From the June 26th Instagram post by Dean Gunnarson:

I don't promote all my shows but I thought I would share this show happening Saturday July 15 at the Elkhorn Resort in beautiful Riding Mountain National Park. It's so very close to home.... 2 shows . One kids show and one more adult originated. Both are Family fun. Hope to see you there ❤️

 

 

 

 

From the June 20th Facebook post by Dean Gunnarson:

 

 

27 June 2023

Grand Bend: Doug the Great [Jul 1]

From the June 22nd Facebook post by Grand Bend Canada Day Celebrations Committee:

July 1 2023 come and see Doug the Great juggle and walk on stilts.

On September 14, 2002, Doug set a new Guinness world record in Brantford, for tallest stilt-walker.  He took 29 independent steps on stilts measuring 50 feet 9 inches tall and weighing a combined weight of 137 pounds. 

On May 15, 2008, Doug led 625 people (mostly students) on stilts at North Park Collegiate for the Guinness world record for most people on stilts.


 

 

 

26 June 2023

Toronto: Garrett Thomas lecture [Jul 29]

From The Browser's Den of Magic:

Saturday July 29th

Garrett Thomas is coming to the Browser's Den! You can find details about Garrett's lecture below, and we can say this is one lecture you don't want to miss! But don't take it from just us, here's what David Blaine says about Garrett:

"As TV Magicians we try to capture the real magic that performers like Garrett Thomas do every day." "He's my favorite close-up magician; love to watch him work."
- David Blaine

If you care about magic as an art, you must see Garrett Thomas; he is like a motivational speaker for Magicians. Do you want to take it to the next level? Just spend some time with Garrett, and you will soon learn how to further your magic in simplicity, clarity, and most importantly, how to evoke astonishment.

Garrett will teach some of his effects and attendees are encouraged to come with questions related to their own magic. Garrett will address whatever areas of interest participants have. You can learn some of the effects that have made Garrett a favorite amongst top magicians and learn many touches to be applied to your own magic.

Garrett brings back magic in its purest form. His effects are simple, clean, well-thought-out pieces of magical art. Garrett is well known for his close up sleight of hand, he teaches the tools that can be applied to many of your favorite routines, and he can restore new life to some of the moves and gimmicks you already use, or have in your magic drawer at home. 

Read more and buy tickets.

 

 

 

Toronto: Used Magic Fun Day [Jul 23]

From The Browser's Den of Magic Newsletter:

Sunday, July 23

Kindly note this will not be an auction. Rather all of the used magic will be spread throughout the front and back of the shop for your consideration.

Please bring in your used magic as soon as possible and no later than July 19.
You do not have to provide us with a list. We will do an inventory of your used magic.

Read more.


 

 

 

23 June 2023

Canadian premier of Broken Courage is tomorrow! [Jun 24]

Co-written and co-directed by David Peck (along with Nathanael Draper (writer / director) and Suon Rottana (writer)), the documentary Broken Courage has its Canadian premier at the Oakville Film Festival tomorrow!

 

From the Jun 13th upload at the CHCH News YouTube channel:

This year marks the 10th Anniversary of the Oakville Film Festival, taking place June 21st to 27th. With over 100 films screening across three theaters, including 5 Drive-In there will be lots of movies for people to go see. Today we welcomed Wendy Donnan, Executive Director of the Oakville Festivals of Film and Art, and David Peck, Director of the documentary, Broken Courage to share more about the documentary and movies.

 

 

 

 

 

22 June 2023

Vancouver: Wes Barker at Friday Night Comedy At The Biltmore [Jul 28]

From the June 16th Facebook post by Dick Darrow:

Dick Darrow Productions proudly presents Friday Night Comedy At The Biltmore. “It’s the best venue for comedy in BC” Our first show is July 28. Tickets available at biltmorecabaret.com Thursday! 

Our first great feature act is Wes Barker, “Canada’s funniest Magician”

With the hilarious Byron Bertram, as master of ceremonies! And great special guests Eden PB Kaminski, Jackie Agnew, and William Corry!

 

 

 

 

Red Deer, Lethbridge, and Calgary: Wes Barker [Jun 22, 24, 25]

From the June 20th Facebook post by Wes Barker:

Alberta, Canada shows this week!! Two of these I’m doing with @thisissimonking 🍻

 

 

 

 

21 June 2023

20 June 2023

2023 Canadian Rising Star

Congratulations to Atsushi Ono for winning the Allan Slaight Canadian Rising Star award!

Read our previous interviews with Atsuhi:

 

From the June 19th post "Canadian Rising Star 2023" at Magicana:

A dynamic professional magician from Calgary, Atsushi has turned his childhood dream into a thriving career. He raised his game this year by auditioning for Canada’s Got Talent and made his way to the finale round.

Far beyond competitions, Atsushi seeks to further the art of magic. He sets out to bring joy with wonderment. Atsushi has revealed himself to be a thoughtful, hardworking magician, constantly pushing past stereotypes as he embraces the curious ways of being a professional magician. Atsushi’s passion for magic and his quest to be the best performer he can be make him a true rising star.

Read more.

 

From the June 19th Tweet by Magicana:

 

 

 

19 June 2023

Ontario: Captain Corbin

From the June 6th Facebook post by Captain Corbin:

Ahoy! I'll be sailing to Tillsonburg in a few short weeks. Sign up now at the library. We're going to have a buccaneering good time!

 

 

 

From the June 6th Facebook post by Captain Corbin:

Busy summer coming! See me at Storybook Gardens every Friday in July and August, in Penetanguishene on the Georgian Legacy, at Great Wolf Lodge and in Gravenhurst every Sunday aboard the Wenonah 2 at the Muskoka Steamships & Discovery Centre

 

 

 

 

 

14 June 2023

Checking in with Matt DiSero and The Fog Machine of War

We had the opportunity to check in with Matt DiSero and learn more about his recently released book, The Fog Machine of War: Observations, Stories and Advice from the Showbiz Trenches.

As many of you are aware, Matt is a show biz veteran who has accumulated over 30 years of experience and stories about both the entertainment industry and life on the road.


 
 
 
What is your first memory of magic? 

First memory was of my great uncle doing magic. I couldn't have been more than 5. He worked in the side show occasionally and played piano at private gigs. Black sheep of the family. Naturally I was drawn to the dude who was doing card tricks for me. Better than being drawn to Uncle Jimmy the pot dealer. The real thing that got me hooked on magic happened at Morrissey Magic, and that story is in the book, so you'll have to read the story of the crack that got me hooked on magic.
 

Who inspires you that isn't a magician?

Fran Lebowitz, Peter Hujar, William Gibson, John Wing, William Burroughs, Edward R Murrow, Hunter Thompson and a zillion others.  Worthy of note, I don't see much of their influence in my own work. Ironic. I can be a lazy arse about work sometimes. By that metric I suppose another influence is Garfield. Also I noticed just now that I'm influenced by a lot of older or deceased artists. That's troubling. 

Who from the magic community inspires you?

A lot of people inspire me for a lot of different reasons. Jay Sankey for his ability to create, Steve Valentine for being an obsessive student of the history of magic and one of its greatest performers, David Ben for many of the same reasons and for treating this like an art, though I'm not sure it can be. (Let's start the fight! It's in the book too.) Mostly though, I'm inspired by any magician doing the type of work they want to do, that's OF them and who are still excited to be in this. The juice is performing live. For me, that's where the respect is at.
 

What prompted you to write this book?

I had no real desire to write a book because WOW I'm lazy... but magicians are often asking me to write one. They seem to like my Facebook posts and think I have something to say. Well, I'll prove them wrong, just you watch. Not sure I have anything to say, but when I thought about it, the idea of putting out a book would silence the constant ask. At the same time donating profits to a magic school in Bolivia absolves me of any guilt from asking for cash for the work. See the goal here is to straddle the constant self loathing while equally promoting this thing. Apathy, it's my sword and shield. Hey, lets also not forget that the published author tag also sure helps on the green card application, which I'm currently in the middle of getting through. Not long until I'm outta this frozen hell hole of Hoth we call Ontario.
 


 
 
 
What is your favourite anecdote from the book? 

I'm fond of the Magic Castle story, because the first time performing there is super special and I think people ought to read how it feels if they've never been. Mostly though, it's the Monkey story. The whole thing screams show business. If nothing else I was hoping to show people just how crazy this business can be, and that's the coolest thing about it. Even when the money wasn't great, the stories were. It was the best way to grow up. Oh... there's also a ton of swearing in it. Apologies, but I swear a lot. It's a personal failure. Take it up with the editor of this thing.

You're not making a profit from this book.  All proceeds are going to charity.  Tell us about the charity you're supporting.
 
As charities go, this is a good one. It's a magic school for kids in Bolivia. If you've ever been anywhere in South America you'll notice they have it pretty rough compared to here. It's a good place to try and raise some cash for. To be fair it was Shawn Farquhar who put me on to that school. I always wanted to do something to help kids in magic and Shawn had a connection to the school, so it was a great fit. Magic has given us all so very much and so many crazy adventures. I like the idea of helping out a kid who loves magic who might one day have their own crazy stories. Maybe because we bought some props and helped them along.... hey I'm just a steel town girl on a Saturday night, looking for the fight of her life. In the real time world no one sees me at all, they all say I'm CRAAAAZZYYY... she's a maniac....maniac on the floor.....

[Editor's note:  Great.  Now that Michael Sembello song is stuck in my head.]

 

Is there anything else you’d like to share about you or The Fog Machine of War with our readers?
 
I always say this is bathroom reading for magicians. It's not a long book, really not long. I'm saving trees. Short stories, often less than a page at a time. I'm not trying to put out a Ken Weber style work. It's light reading, hopefully, to make you laugh and think about the industry. There's a few pieces in there specifically designed to start some debates, maybe even fights. I was always a fan of Metropolitan Life by Fran Lebowitz, so I sort of patterned the book after that. Naturally my book is nowhere near as good as Fran's. That said, maybe I can build an empire off publishing a single book. Hey, worked for her.
 

 

Thank you Matt, for making the time to answer our questions! 

To learn more about The Fog Machine of War and to purchase the book, visit MattDiSero.com/book/

Learn more about Matt at his website MattDiSero.com and follow him on Instagram.

 

 

 

 

 

13 June 2023

Toronto: Louie Lebetjis lecture [Jun 24]

From The Browser's Den of Magic:

Saturday June 24th

This is going to be a cool lecture! Second Deals! Bottom Deals! Centre Deals! Greek Deals! Plus work on: FALSE SHUFFLES, FALSE CUTS, PALMING & MORE! Much More!

Louie gave a magic lecture at our shop with a gambling theme a few years ago and it was excellent. One of the highlights was the clarity with which Louie explained the material. He is a good teacher.

Louie has been studying card magic for decades. However, gambling sleights have always held a particular fascination for him ever since his grandfather first showed him how to false shuffle a deck of cards.
                                                  
It was his grandfather who gave him a copy of Expert at the Card Table. Of course he is a serious student of all the gambling greats such as Ed Marlo, Richard Turner and Steve Forte.
 
His passion for practicing gambling moves hasn't stopped and he continues to explore and try to find new and novel ways to manipulate cards.
 
So we hope that you will come and join us to watch and learn some of the inner work from this fine Cardician.

 Read more.

 

 

 

12 June 2023

Toronto: Keith Brown's Absolute Magic at the Toronto Fringe [Jul 5 - 15]

From the June 7th Facebook post by Keith Brown:

Absolute Magic plays the Al Green Theatre (Spadina & Bloor) as part of the The Toronto Fringe!

Tickets go on sale Wednesday, June 14th.

Get yours at www.TorontoFringe.ca

 

 

 

 

09 June 2023

ICYMI: Adding and Controlling Music in Your Magic Shows over at the CAM blog

From the CAM blog post "Magician's Guide to Adding and Controlling Music in Your Magic Shows":

Our special guest is Peter Mennie, a true veteran of the magic scene with over 45 years of spellbinding performance experience. We are thrilled to have him share his invaluable insights and expertise in enhancing magic shows with the power of music and sound.

In this interview, Peter answers a series of thought-provoking questions that will guide you through seamlessly integrating music and sound effects into your magic show, shedding light on the importance of these elements in creating an unforgettable audience experience.

From the evolution of technology in magic to the future of performances, this interview is a treasure trove of information for seasoned and aspiring magicians. 

Read more and watch video.

 

 

 

 

 

08 June 2023

Toronto: Ring 17 Gala dinner and show with Keith Brown, James Harrison, and Michael Close [Jun 15]

From the May 31st Instagram post by the Hat and Rabbit Club:

Join us on June 15 to celebrate the end of our season with an unforgettable evening of dining and entertainment at the Hat and Rabbit Club's Gala Dinner and Show!
Indulge in a delicious roast beef dinner (vegetarian option available) and experience magical performances by @keithhbrown and @pickpocketjames. Featuring music by that amazing jazz pianist (and all-around great guy) @mikeclosemagic! Plus a few other surprises!


Tickets for dinner and the show are $40 each for both members and their guests, be they spouses, partners, friends and/or family! 

https://www.ibmring17.com/events/year-end-gala

 

 

 

 

07 June 2023

Thank you to our personal sponsors for June 2023!

A quick reminder of our earlier Mail as Medicine request for Katie Hunt.  If you have the time, Katie and Doug would both benefit from hearing from their friends!

 --

Thank you to John Harrison, Richard Lyn, Joan Caesar, Ian Crawford, Matt DiSero, Doug Hunt, John Smithman, Robin Dawes, Eric Bedard, Loran, Peter Mennie, Graeme Reed, Gwyn Auger, Jokers, George Blott, Noah Nogueira, Ryan Edwards, Aaron Matthews, and Colin Geddes for being Friends of Canada's Magic!

It's good to have friends like you.

You too can Be Our Friend for only $20 per year! 

Donations of any size are always welcome.





or

 

 

 

05 June 2023

Edmonton: Jay Flair in June

From the June 1st Facebook post by Jay Flair:

Here are all the public events will be working in June, so far
 I know so many of you miss seeing me up close and personal, so here's your chance! 💖
Each event is family friendly unless otherwise mentioned, so I'm hoping I get to see all of you!

 

 

 

 

 

04 June 2023

Rounding the Western rings in June 2023

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

CityClubEvent(s)
Calgary, ABRing 66 (Calgary Magic Circle, Les Brocklesby Ring)- N/A.
Edmonton, ABEdmonton Magic Club- N/A.
Winnipeg, MBThe Magic Club of Winnipeg- N/A.
Fraser Valley, BCIBM Ring 387 (Fraser Valley Magic Circle, Celeste Evans Ring)- N/A.
Vancouver, BCRing 92 (Vancouver Magic Circle)- N/A.
Vancouver, BCSAM 95  (Carl Hemeon Assembly)- N/A.
Victoria, BCRing 183 (Victoria Magic Circle)  - N/A.


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