We are very excited to let you know that Anastasia Synn and the Amazing Jonathan will be at 'Browser's Den of Magic' for a FREE Meet & Greet on: Saturday, September 16 from 2pm to about 4pm.
Whether you are a friend of Anastia & Jonathan or not, they want you to know that all are welcome to attend. You can bring photos to sign if you wish too.
Read more.
James Randi, the legendary magician, skeptic, and paranormal debunker talks about the importance of scientific skepticism and how his work as a magician has shaped the way he views the world. James "The Amazing Randi" has spent decades in show business as a magician, but as a psychic investigator and debunker of the paranormal, Randi stresses the fact that it's all an artful deception and not supernatural at all - earning him the nickname "An Honest Liar." In this interview, James Randi discusses his work as a magician and the importance of being skeptical.
Tuesday Sept 5th
Jörg Alexander is one of Germany’s busiest magicians, and a member of the world famous Flicking Fingers. As a full-time professional since 1994, he has performed and lectured in Germany, England, Spain, Argentina, USA, France, Finland, Austria and Switzerland.
As a FISM competitor he won awards for his performances in the categories of close-up card magic, and mentalism.
He is the creator of Sympathetic Ten and Fantastic Aces, both commercially available, best-selling items from his working repertoire.
His lecture covers both parlor and close-up magic, and also delves into performance theory, discussing the topics of direction of attention, intrinsic actions, and routine construction and development.
Read more and buy tickets.
| City | Club | Event(s) |
| Calgary, AB | Ring 66 (Calgary Magic Circle, Les Brocklesby Ring) | - TBA. |
| Edmonton, AB | Edmonton Magic Club | - TBA. |
| Winnipeg, MB | The Magic Club of Winnipeg | - TBA. |
| Fraser Valley, BC | IBM Ring 387 (Fraser Valley Magic Circle, Celeste Evans Ring) | - Third Monday Magic. |
| Vancouver, BC | Ring 92 (Vancouver Magic Circle) | - TBA. |
| Vancouver, BC | SAM 95 (Carl Hemeon Assembly) | - TBA. |
| Victoria, BC | Ring 183 (Victoria Magic Circle) | - TBA. |
| Montreal, QC | Ring 62 (20th Century Ring) | - Stage workers. - Sunday brunch. - Instagram Tuesday |
| Hamilton, ON | Ring 49 (The Doug Henning Magic Wand Club) | - Current and past executive perform. |
| London, ON | Ring 265 (London Magician's Guild) | - Easy but good. |
| Kitchener, ON | Ring 235 (The Caesar Hat & Wand Magic Circle) | - Ryan Joyce lecture. |
| Ottawa, ON | Ring 151 (Ottawa Society of Magicians) | - TBA. |
| Ottawa, ON | Ottawa / Gatineau magicians | - Jörg Alexander lecture. |
| Toronto, ON | Ring 17 (Sid Lorraine Hat and Rabbit Club) | - Jörg Alexander lecture. (Note location change.) - Alfredo Marchese lecture. |
| Halifax, NS | Ring 316 (Conjourer's Court) | - Jörg Alexander lecture. - Visit their Facebook page. |
| St. John, NB | Magic Circle of St. John | - TBA |
Hello fellow magicians:
There likely will be magicians in the very-active world of magic in Houston, Texas and throughout the Gulf Coast, who will need all the help they can get in coming weeks and months. Since the devastation of Hurricane Harvey and the resulting floods was still taking place as the September issue of The Linking Ring was going to press, I had the idea of asking I.B.M. members — and other magicians — to give to the Magicians Support Fund, anticipating those needs. I was able to get a request for funds in that issue.
The Magicians Support Fund was started almost exactly twelve years ago, in response to another natural disaster — Hurricane Katrina, in 2005. The late Phil Wilmarth, then editor of The Linking Ring; Past I.B.M. International President Michael Stratman (2002-03); and then-IBM President Roger Miller, got the idea of an independent fund to help fellow magicians in need.
Indeed, the fund did help a number of magicians who suffered in various ways from Katrina, and has continued to help other magicians since then. The fund is not an official activity of the I.B.M., and magicians do not need to be an I.B.M. member to benefit from it. “This is a magicians-helping-magicians fund,” said Stratman, who continues as chairman of the committee.
At this time the Fund is not tax-deductible (although it may become so if someone volunteers to take it over and do the paperwork). Requests for help can come directly from a magician, or can come from someone who knows of a need. The committee will consider every request.
“Right now we need donations to build up the fund,” says Stratman. “We can’t give it away if we don’t have it. Magicians are a generous lot, and now is the time to show it.” Please send check donations — and requests for help — to:
Mike Stratman
Magicians Support Fund
126 Coyatee Circle, Louden, TN 37774.
Contact Stratman at mikestrat4 @ aol . com for more information.
It’s not the magician who teaches the children. It’s the children who teach the magician.
I had a great time working with the McCord Museum’s education team to teach over 100 different mini-Montrealers how to perform magic onstage this summer as part of their ABRACADABRA camps.* This series of week-long summer camps was inspired by the ILLUSIONS exhibition. The exhibition contains beautiful chromolithograph posters from the Allan Slaight collection acquired with help from the Emmanuelle Gattuso Foundation. Each week, the ABRACADABRA kids took a tour of this magnificent collection as part of their discovery of Montreal’s entertainment history. They then worked with me and their camp counselors (Skippy, Scala, Echo, Stein and Marc-André) to learn a new effect or two each day as preparation for their “Grand Spectacle” at the end of the week. As part of preparing for this big show for their friends and family, they learned fine motor skills, creative brainstorming techniques, performance vocabulary, public speaking skills and how to interact with audience members onstage.
Read more.
Dear Magic Friend,
We hope that you and family have had a happy and fun summer.
As we approach September we are very excited to tell you about two important dates.
The date of the 'Browser's Magic Bash 2018' is: SATURDAY, APRIL 21, 2018.
Tickets go on sale for the Bash on: MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2017 at 10:00am.
As in past years you will be able to purchase tickets on the Bash website or if you prefer by phone with a Visa or MasterCard. The price of the tickets will be the same as Bash 2017.
As always everyone involved with the Bash thanks you for your wonderful support of this day.
Read more.
This upcoming Saturday, September 2nd will be our next Magic Club Meeting.
The club meets at Browser's Den from 2:30pm to 5:30pm. All are welcome.
Thank you-The Browser's Den Team.
Serving Magicians Since 1975
5. Random thoughts from "Magic Theory, or Magic Fact? Let's Find Out." - If you get a chance to see Michael Close lecture, do it!
4. McCord Museum: Magic, music, and dance - Sounds like a wonderful day!
3. Broken wand: Eugene Burger - Another bright light gone dark too soon.
2. Canadians remember Eugene Burger - Keeping the memories vibrant.
1. [Guest post] Random thoughts about "UNBELIEVABLE! A Magical Experience" - I've been fortunate to see both Murray and Shawn perform a number of times. I'm not surprised the show is reported to be amazing! With thanks to The Magic Demon.
Direct from a hit season in London’s West End, the world-class illusionists that make up the Champions Of Magic team return for a spectacular night of mystery that’ll keep you guessing for a long time to come. With over 20 million online views between them, and sold out shows on their 2014, 2015 and 2016 tours, the cast includes international award winners presenting incredible mind reading, stunning close-up magic and daring large-scale illusions. Their skills have been seen around the world, and on TV in the UK appearing on ITV’s ‘Next Great Magician’ and ‘Penn & Teller: Fool Us’.
With over 20 million online views between them, Champions Of Magic includes a cast of Britain’s top magicians. International award winners presenting incredible mind reading, stunning close-up magic and daring large-scale illusions, their skills have been seen around the world on TV with appearances on ITV’s ‘Next Great Magician’, ITV/The CW’s ‘Penn & Teller: Fool Us’, CNN’s ‘A Quest For Magic’ and NBC’s ‘Caught On Camera With Nick Cannon’.
Canadian dates include:
NOVEMBER 2017
Read more and buy tickets.
- Friday 3rd: REGINA, SK (Canada) - Casino Regina - Tel 1-800-555-3189
- Saturday 4th: WINNIPEG, MB (Canada) - Pantages Playhouse - Tel (204)-989-2889
Murray SawChuck, one of the most sought after viral magicians with over 500 million online views, is coming to River Rock Show Theatre on Friday, October 27, 2017. Hailing from Burnaby, BC, Murray is returning to his hometown for one show only. Murray made his mark as a household name when he exploded onto the entertainment scene after his successful run as a semi-finalist on NBC-TV’s “America’s Got Talent.” He impressed judges by producing a Ferrari car from thin air, transforming a girl locked in a cage into a 450 pound tiger and did the largest trick ever on the show by vanishing an entire steam train locomotive in mere seconds.
Read more and buy tickets.
Montreal Magician Jean-Pierre Parent – In the spirits of Montreal’s 375th anniversary making waves for the metropolis within the four corners of the globe, we can be proud of our people of Quebec, especially those who stand out with art and/or entrepreneurship! Montreal’s very own Jean-Pierre Parent Magician Comedian is a 4th season winner of the prestigious Penn and Teller: Fool Us contest that aired last Thursday, August 17th.
Read more.
"UNBELIEVABLE! A Magical Experience"
Running nightly at 7:30 pm in the Pacific Coliseum at the PNE in Vancouver, BC until September 4th. Free with admission. [The PNE is closed on Monday, Aug. 28th.]
Random Thoughts For Canada's Magic
by The Magic Demon
Photo taken on Wednesday August 23rd by "The Magic Demon." pic.twitter.com/U9uIzCee8B— Canada's Magic (@canadasmagic) August 25, 2017
It's UNBELIEVABLE... that a whole year has gone by since the first edition of Unbelievable! debuted in 2016.
It's UNBELIEVABLE... how fast the 90 minute coliseum-size magical extravaganza whizzed by.
It's UNBELIEVABLE... again how good it was.
Performance viewed on Wednesday, August 23rd, 2017.
Murray Hatfield and Teresa have returned to the annual summer PNE (Pacific National Exhibition) with their second incarnation of Unbelievable! - a magical phantasmagoria of illusion, pyrotechnics, music and sheer wonder.
Joining them on stage are American magicians Chipper Lowell and Danny Cole and Canada's own Shawn Farquhar - all performing at the top of their games, combining unique energies to synthesize an evening's worth of spectacular visual entertainment.
I don't propose to review the show element by element but I would like to refer to a few hastily scribbled notes and mention a few memorable highlights.
Murray and Teresa - first and foremost and as always, magnificent performers, classy and compelling to watch. I love all their often fire-enhanced big box illusions. At one point they featured three big box illusions at once on stage (which must be some kind of world record!) Later they also did a show-stopping, breathtaking up to date version of "Metamorphosis." I've not seen it done in person since Doug Henning and his version for me was the one to beat. I think I can honestly say that they have finally done so. I was also truly impressed by Murray's innovative and suspense-filled variation of an effect familiar to some of us. I won't give away which one -- but when I saw it I marveled at his sheer brilliant audacity for turning such a classic close up effect into a coliseum-sized miracle. Murray, I salute you!
Photo taken at "UNBELIEVABLE! A Magical Experience" on Wednesday August 23rd by "The Magic Demon."@MurrayHatfield pic.twitter.com/RqEiysji4G— Canada's Magic (@canadasmagic) August 25, 2017
Chipper Lowell. What does one say about such a comedic phenomenon? He quickly won the audience over with his outrageous antics. We were soon laughing at all his seemingly spontaneous frenetic presentations. His very verbal style is ideally suited to such a massive forum (seating 10,000 at full capacity). It is hard to describe -- it's very "over the top" and somewhat "camp" but extremely focused even when it looks like he's made a mistake. (Hint: He doesn't.) It's hard to combine magic and outright comedy. To make it also look so easy and effortless as Lowell does is the mark of a real pro.
Another impressive talent is American Danny Cole. His silent act (done to the pounding beat of contemporary Latin dance music) assisted by his graceful wife, borders on the poetic. His suits change colour, his ties take on a life of their own, coat hangers behave most mysteriously, chairs defy gravity, CDs multiply, appear and disappear. Throughout these visual impossibilities appearing right before our eyes (and magnified by the two huge screens to each side of the stage) Cole remains the epitome of stylish, sophisticated elegance. This is a magician's magician.
For me, perhaps the most enjoyable moments of the evening were courtesy Canada's own Shawn Farquhar. His opening effects performed from the audience directly to the cameras were stunning card manipulations done to cleverly mirror the lyrics of an accompanying song. The audience loved it. But where he really excelled were his interactions with audience members. His version of "Topsy Turvy" bottles was a genuine delight because of his interaction with his audience volunteer. And it was his "Dancing Hankerchief" routine with a cute little five year old girl picked from the audience to assist him that so won everyone's hearts and unconditional appreciation. You could tell his volunteers really liked him and trusted him and the audience picked up on that. It was an invaluable lesson for all performers.
TIP: Bring earplugs unless you want to go partially deaf early in life. The music is loud.
I said it last year and I see no reason not to repeat myself again this year. Good advice is good advice! If you are in or near Vancouver run (do not walk) to the PNE and see "Unbelievable! A Magical Experience." You will not regret it.
Congratulations to Murray and Teresa for masterminding another outstanding success.
