Club from Castro Street

After a quarter century working within our Art as both a performer and shop owner, Gerry Griffin has taken an enormous step towards fulfilling a dream.  It is one most of us have but Mr. Griffin has actually done it.  His new magic nightclub, Club 52, is open for business inland from San Francisco in Martinez, California. 

Mr. Griffin owned the California Magic and Novelty Company in Pleasant Hill before moving the store and his focus to Martinez.   He opened the shop and supper club in April of last year and it is gaining a good reputation as a place to perform, meet other magicians, have a good meal, and even shop for the latest magic. 

Many of us have visited The Magic Castle and thought of starting our own, perhaps more modest, magic club.  Unfortunately, the path from dream to reality is difficult.  For many, the plans never develop to anything more than wishes and pipe dreams.  Others, have taken the plunge, invested the money only to ultimately fail. 

Mr. Griffin took his cues from The Magic Castle in Hollywood and the now-defunct Magic Cellar in San Francisco.  He charges around forty dollars for dinner, close-up, and stage acts.  He books acts to keep the shows fresh and provide an incentive for return visits. 

Unlike The Magic Castle, Mr. Griffin’s Club 52 is open for lunch Tuesdays through Fridays.  He entertains diners with close-up magic and stands ready to demonstrate effects for sale in his shop. 

Visitors enjoy the intimate surroundings and shows that may lack Las Vegas breadth and props but make up for it with a sense of mystery.  The Contra Costa Times quotes one diner, “I’d forgotten about magic,” said a woman watching young magician Alex Gonzales, who was producing fan after fan of cards from his empty hands on one recent afternoon.”

The article describes the appeal of Club 52 thusly, “Those willing to give Club 52 a chance are sold on the notion of enjoying some of the country’s best performers working in a venue that isn’t much larger than your living room.”

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While we are proud of our University of Florida roots, we are also aware of how harsh our former school paper can be on virtually all of the performing arts.

The Independent Florida Alligator is the daily paper for the university and has a proud history of resisting attempts to control its content.  There are several reported decisions in Florida case law upholding the paper’s right to publish as it sees fit.  It is funded by advertising and non-state monies and has been accepted as the cynical, too cool for school paper for the near 40,000 students in Gainesville.

We were surprised, then, when it gave raves to David Copperfield’s two shows at the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts.   The critic noted Mr. Copperfield’s choice in music was clich?, and his ability to tell a joke was non-existent. 

But, the critic noted, “the man can teleport a duck. And that is something.”

In the lingo of today’s youth, we think the following is a compliment:

“Sure, some of it was hokey, but around the fluff of too-long lead-ins and corny Copperfield fishing for cheap laughs, his performance produced what all good magic shows should: some damn-crazy tricks.

David Blaine, for example, freezing himself on national television loses all magnitude through the lens of a video camera. But, I must say, when Copperfield shrinks himself to nothing but feet and a head four rows away, I couldn?t help being impressed.”

You can read the whole article here. 

We’re guessing Mr. Copperfield must view this as high praise. 

Read the rest of this entry

While we are proud of our University of Florida roots, we are also aware of how harsh our former school paper can be on virtually all of the performing arts.

The Independent Florida Alligator is the daily paper for the university and has a proud history of resisting attempts to control its content.  There are several reported decisions in Florida case law upholding the paper’s right to publish as it sees fit.  It is funded by advertising and non-state monies and has been accepted as the cynical, too cool for school paper for the near 40,000 students in Gainesville.

We were surprised, then, when it gave raves to David Copperfield’s two shows at the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts.   The critic noted Mr. Copperfield’s choice in music was clich?, and his ability to tell a joke was non-existent. 

But, the critic noted, “the man can teleport a duck. And that is something.”

In the lingo of today’s youth, we think the following is a compliment:

“Sure, some of it was hokey, but around the fluff of too-long lead-ins and corny Copperfield fishing for cheap laughs, his performance produced what all good magic shows should: some damn-crazy tricks.

David Blaine, for example, freezing himself on national television loses all magnitude through the lens of a video camera. But, I must say, when Copperfield shrinks himself to nothing but feet and a head four rows away, I couldn?t help being impressed.”

You can read the whole article here. 

We’re guessing Mr. Copperfield must view this as high praise. 

Read the rest of this entry