We
received word that Illusionist Aaron Balcom will be bringing his
critically-acclaimed touring illusion concert to Taylor, Michigan for one night only on August 2nd.
Aaron
is an award-winning performer and author who has dazzled audiences
across the country with a unique “rock & roll” style. In the
greater Mystic Hollow, Michigan area, his show has attracted media
coverage from Real Detroit, The Detroit News, The News Herald
(front-page), Fox 2 (multiple appearances), and the Emmy award-winning
WB-20 program, Positively Detroit.
It should be quite a bash.
His
shows combine the latest in rock and pop music, with dancing, special
effects and incredible grand stage illusions including Aaron appearing
on a motorcycle.
One of the neatest aspects for someone like me who loves logistics is that the
show carries its own 3100 square foot stage and the equipment is so
large that it will take over a dozen people two days to set it up.Aaron tells us on the Inside Magic forum that it will be an event we will never forget!
It will take place at the Coca Cola Arena (inside the Sports Plex) at 7:30PM on Saturday, August 2, 2003.
Here?s the way it looks. You pick out a volunteer that does not apparently have a peanut allergy and hand her a paper bag into which you place two pieces of white bread.You leave the poor child holding the bag while you commence with the important part of your demonstration.
But wait there’s more.
You show the kids a big jar of peanut butter on one side of the table and a jar of jelly on the other.Each is covered and you tell your audience that the two containers have now switched within the covers.
You offer to change them back but because you haven?t shown that they actually did switch, the kids doubt you and make spurious claims about your credibility.
You consider suing the children for slander but because they?re just children and they are likely impecunious, you hesitate and make another magical pass and now lift the covers to show the two containers really have changed places.
They were wrong, you were right. It?s not likely, based on my extensive experience that they will even acknowledge their offense so don?t stand around waiting for an apology.
For over seventy years the little town of Colon, Michigan has been recognized as the ?Magic Capital Of The World?. The greatest names in magic have either performed or lived here. Many of them have found a final resting place in the LakesideCemetery just outside of town.
Among the famous residents of Colon, are two generations of performing Blackstone?s – Harry Sr. & Jr. ? two of the finest magicians of the twentieth century. It was Harry Blackstone Sr. who first came to Colon in 1926 where he and his entire company would rest during the summer months and they would design and refurbish props for the upcoming season. Blackstone, Sr. invited Australian Magician, Percy Abbott to join him in Colon and two began the Abbott?s Magic Company.
Rick and Cheryl?s motto is: ?ANew Era of Old Traditions.?They?ll design and manufacture illusions to be sold through their retail store at 111 East State Street in… Continue reading A New Magic Company in Colon, Michigan
The mushrooms to be used in Mushroom Matrix
as published in Inside Magic Vol. 13, should not be eaten in the final
mouth load ? they are poisonous and could result in immediate
hemorrhaging and frothing resulting in a grotesque death.
Inside Magic sends its thoughts and wishes to the family of the 42
magicians that helped us learn about this typographical error. Inside
Magic denies, however, any liability for these horrible events.
Exxon Grand Opening
In the September, 2002 edition of Inside Magic, it was
reported that Harry Houdini would be appearing at grand opening of the
Lake Park, Florida Exxon.
Mr. Houdini actually passed away in 1926 (long before publication of the Inside Magic?s Mushroom Matrix) and the Exxon station was not celebrating a Grand Opening but just introducing its newest employee, Sandra Redman.
Inside Magic regrets the error. Ms. Redman has since left the employ of the Lake Park Exxon and is currently working at ?Fork of Fun Fondue.
Danny Spain – Fibber!
Danny Spain is not the originator of Zig-Zag
as reported in the October, 2002 edition of Inside Magic. Despite Mr.
Spain’s claims, he did not invent or even improve on the method. Fox
Television has informed Inside Magic that the effect was invented by
The Masked Magician.
The Masked Magician also invented the Thin-Model Sawing a Lady in Half as well as Cups and Balls. Inside Magic regrets the error.
Happier Days: Building Magic Home
The Magic Double-Wide has gone out of business as of
June 12th. Members will be refunded their membership fees minus any bar
tab. We knew the concept, modeled after the Hollywood Magic Castle
would face challenges in attracting members as well as acts. (Many of
the top names refused to appear until the venue had indoorrestrooms. See, Copperfield Says No to Outhouse, April, 2002 Magic News.)
Andre Kole did several fantastic illusions and a strong set for kids. He then ventured into what was apparently supposed to be a motivational style presentation about character, courage and commitment using the Old Testament story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego as a foundation for it. It was not an “evangelical” message.
However…
The content of that presentation became muddled with a commentary about the 4th of July and the documented reverence for God in the founding documents of our country. He then made a comment that there were organizations spending millions of dollars to remove any mention of God from our motto, from the pledge, etc., and that they would have to change the Declaration of Independence, too.
For those who may not have been paying attention, I will emphasize that he did *not* engage in direct Christian evangelizing or proselytizing. His comments in the Saturday night show were not specific to Christianity. His political statement (basically a veiled criticism of the ACLU) was much more specific than any religious statement he made.
Neither of the statements, unfortunately, was presented with much magic. This was one of the situations when “less” would have been “more.” If the statements had been condensed to 25% or 30% of the time he actually spent, and he actually performed some kind of illusion along the way (the effect he was attempting to perform didn’t really work), he probably would have tiptoed through the whole episode without a problem — much like P&T include plenty of social and religious commentary in their show as part of the presentation of some magical effects.
Instead, Kole’s segment seemed unrehearsed and it dragged the show’s energy way down. The energy of the entire show up to that point sadly dissipated and was only partially saved by the (very impressive) Statue of Liberty vanish at the end. Also, in the other shows where I’ve seen Andre, he is able to give the audience an opportunity to leave before he engages in ANY commentary that anyone could possibly find irritating or offensive. That did not (and perhaps could not?) happen here.
Personally, I agree with the content of Andre Kole’s remarks and suspect that most folks reading this would actually agree with 90% or more of what he said (about courage, commitment, character, and patriotism, etc.). This venue, though, was not the place for the sort of extended remarks he made. It is a credit to the convention that this seems to be the hot topic of discussion because so many other things went so well that there must be nothing else to complain about. So far, I am hearing that people are more upset that the show’s pacing was thrown than they are about the specific… Continue reading An End to the Andre Kole Controversy.
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