dgmagic - UK magic blog by magician Dan Gifford

Thanks to the members of Sheffield Circle of Magicians for the great reception to my lecture last Thursday night.

One effect from my notes is available here.

Next week, on the 20th of March, I am presenting my lecture ‘High Impact Magic’ at the Sheffield Magic Circle.

I haven’t done a lecture for a while so I’m looking forward to it.

I had a great few days at the IBM Convention in Southport and have returned with a head full of new ideas and a significantly lighter wallet! I only stayed for three days (I had gigs over the weekend), but that included lectures by Bill Malone, David Williamson, Rocco, Bob Sheets and Lennart Green which were all excellent.

I took something from every lecture: Skullcracker, a bill change by Bob Sheets is the no-gaff version of this effect that I’ve been looking for to add to one of my routines; The possibilities and power of using your sleeves from Rocco (magicians don’t really do that do they?!); and some interesting self working (!) card tricks from Lennart Green. (At one point in Lennart Green’s lecture he produced the wrong card. He then proceeded to change the wrong card into the right one by simultaneously flicking the correct card out of the pack with his left hand, catching it in his right hand and lapping the incorrect card. His explanation of how to do this wasn’t mush longer than the previous sentence! I think he concentrated on the self-working card tricks because explaining just one of his special moves would probably take an hour.)
The main thing that struck me about the top close-up magicians such as Bill Malone and David Williamson is that they are entertaining even when they aren’t performing magic. Of course, their magic is stunning as well.

Steve Dela won the close-up magic competition with Alex Moffat second and Will Gray third. Both Alex and Will are originally from the Leicester Magic Circle which shows the quality coming out of our club.

My performances went well (although obviously not well enough!) and from what the judges said, the marks were very close so I think I was a contender. Of course, it’s not much consolation because I enter it to win it, but there you go. I’m not bitter. Honest.

You can read a lot more about the convention at http://opusmagazine.blogspot.com/ . JJ was actually posting while at the convention - there’s dedication for you!

In a couple of weeks I will be joining hundreds of magicians at the International Brotherhood of Magicians convention in Southport.

I’m really looking forward to it. What with moving house and the arrival of my son, I haven’t attended a magic convention since the IBM in 2005. This year, like in 2005, I have entered the close-up magic competition, so I am busy practicing and tinkering with my routine.

Details of the convention can be found on the IBM website. I am particularly looking forward to lectures by Bill Malone and Lennart Green who I haven’t seen perform live before. And the David Williamson Experience is bound to be brilliant.

The last few weeks have been pretty hectic, hence the lack of posts.

Last week I presented my lecture ‘High Impact Magic’ at the British Magical Society in Birmingham. The pressure was on a bit as it was the first lecture of the current president’s tenure, but it went well and was very well received by the members.
One great aspect of lecturing is meeting other magicians (in fact, this is one of the reasons I do it) and I met a couple of guys with very interesting ideas.

I’m looking forward to booking in a few more lectures - when I have the time to push it a bit more!