04 January 2015

Rounding the Western rings in January 2015

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)- Third Monday Magic
Vancouver, BCRing 92 (Vancouver Magic Circle)- IBM JAM
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.

Rounding the Ontario rings in January 2015

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


Hamilton, ONRing 49 (The Doug Henning Magic Wand Club) - Auction Night in Canada
London, ONRing 265 (London Magician's Guild)- n/a
Kitchener, ONRing 235 (The Caesar Hat & Wand Magic Circle)- A dealer demo
Ottawa, ONRing 151 (Ottawa Society of Magicians) - Member’s Night:  Tenyo Magic Presentation by Pierre B.
- Something New
- New Member Induction Presentation
Ottawa, ONOttawa / Gatineau magicians- n/a
Toronto, ONRing 17 (Sid Lorraine Hat and Rabbit Club) - Auction


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

Rounding the Eastern rings in January 2015

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


Halifax, NSRing 316 (Conjourer's Court) - n/a
- Visit their Facebook page.
St. John, NBMagic Circle of St. John- n/a

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

03 January 2015

Review: The Conjuror

Reminder: The Conjuror ends on January 4.

The Conjuror David Ben showed off some family-friendly hocus pocus at Toronto’s Young Centre for the Performing Arts. Watching The Conjuror in action was a enchanting way to welcome the new year for me and my little companion.

Set in 1909 at London’s St. George’s Hall, the show was a mesmerizing series of magic feats typical of the Golden Age of Magic: we saw a person being sawed in half (ouch!), a handkerchief playing hide and seek, and an egg being thrown around without breaking.

The set was simple. We did not see a flashy David Copperfield-style spectacle, but instead saw classic acts performed against a relatively plain background. No neon lights or booming music. As a result, we were successfully transported to an early 20th century London stage.

Read more.

FCM Q&A with Shawn Farquhar and Ice McDonald

From Daz Buckley's Facebook photo:




02 January 2015

Toronto: Browser's magic club meeting reminder

From the Browser's Den mail out:
Magic Club Meeting is this Sat. Jan. 3, 2015 from 2:30 to 5:30pm. 

[Guest post] Magic Magazine: January 2015

The following is a guest post from an author who wishes to be known as The Magic Demon.

--

Magic Magazine always makes good reading but the current issue contains noteworthy Canadian content.

First and foremost, a feature profile of the award winning Canadian photographer, cinematographer, magician and Ellusionist production manager Peter McKinnon. It is eloquently penned by the multi-talented Vancouver magician Jamie D. Grant.

Peter McKinnon's inventive photographic work is well known within the magic community. Magic Magazine's September 2014 cover was his; and if you've ever seen any special deck of playing cards advertised in an unusual or attention-grabbing way in the last decade or so, chances are it was also one of Peter's photos or videos.

It was just about ten years ago that Peter McKinnon was cutting college classes and hanging out at the Browser's Den of Magic in Toronto. Today he bases his internationally acclaimed photographic work out of both Toronto and San Francisco. He usually manages to combine his love for magic with his awesome creativity in the visual arts. It's an inspiring story.

Secondly: Prominent within the article is a whimsical photo of Jeff Pinsky, owner of The Browser's Den of Magic in Toronto. It was originally part of Peter McKinnon's compelling and idiosyncratic "Plaid Chair" online project. It seems a fitting salute to the man behind the b&m magic store which perhaps initially helped to energize Peter's impressive career.

Editor's notes:
  • Visit the Browser's Den Facebook group to see Peter Mennie's post which inspired Wilson to comment "So this is how Harry Potter looks like when he grows up"
  • Read Peter's thoughts about Jeff over at The Plaid Chair (in keeping with Wilson's comment above, the photo is filed under "Hogwarts")

Thirdly (and finally) in this issue: Ian Rowland's always must-read "Loving Mentalism" column features a fun and quirky mentalism effect contributed by John Pellatt, known to readers of this blog as the founder/curator of the Johnny Giordmaine tribute site. John credits fellow Canadian Patrik Kuffs for inspiring the creation of his original mentalism effect/routine. It is called "Expresso ESP" and described as "a seemingly impromptu experiment in mindreading suitable for informal occasions."

So, not bad for Magic Magazine's first issue of 2015. In fact, it's a Canadian magical hat-trick!




 ~~~~


Thank you The Magic Demon for guest posting at Canada's Magic!