306: On The Road To Colon 2016

On the way to the 79th Abbott's Get Together in Colon, Michigan, we depart Houston, Texas for Chicago, Illinois. Our first stop is at the new headquarters for Magic, Inc. and a visit with the Manager, Pedro Nieves. He gives a delightful tour of their new space plus a couple magic demos for some customers. From there we're off to the Chicago Magic Lounge, the bi-weekly hot spot for Live magic in Chicago. They have stage and close-up shows each Thursday and Saturday evenings. Be sure to check out both Magic, Inc. and the Chicago Magic Lounge when you are in Chi-Town.

Then after a couple days in Chicago with friends, we travel to Michigan and check into the motel but immediately take a drive to an Amish community in northern Indiana where we meet up with other magicians to have dinner and entertain several Amish families. Then later that night, it's on to Colon for a party with David Seebach and many more friends who arrived early for the Get Together. All of this is prior to getting our registration packet for the Get Together.

Pedro Nieves Bosque demonstrates "Klaus the Mouse", one of the best selling tricks at Magic, Inc. in Chicago.

Time stamps for this podcast:

00:00:10 - After a cup of coffee and a couple Dunkin' Donuts, we take off from Houston, Texas for Chicago.

00:05:36 - First stop: Magic, Inc.'s new store in Chicago which opened last April after having over 50 years at their old location on Lincoln Avenue. We chat with Pedro Nieves Bosque about some of the shop's history.

00:19:36 - Later that night we visit the Chicago Magic Lounge and chat with the Creative Director, John Sturk. The Lounge opened about a year and a half ago and we first posted a podcast just a week before opening. So in this interview, John brings us up to date on how they have progressed and expanded. This is a marvelous venue and a "must visit" destination for magicians and public alike.

00:29:53 - Mike Miller talks about the China tour for close-up and stage magicians and how you can get booked to perform on the tour.

00:39:22 - Michael Mode, creator of the Napkin Rose, tells about the genesis of the "night before" party featuring a chicken dinner and performing for the Amish in Shipshewana, Indiana.

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Time stamps for product reviews:

00:43:56 - At The Table Experience (June 2016) with Danny Archer features many commercial ideas for the strolling and restaurant performer.

00:48:48 - Oddylisiou5 - five routines and one bonus effect for "Red Hot Mama" or "Chicago Opener"

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213: Chicago Magic Bars & Lounges

Chicago has a rich history of magic bars within the city limits as well as in the outlying areas. The "hay day" of magic bars in Chicago ended around 1998 with the closing of the last magic bar. But Joey Cranford and John Sturk are pumping new life into an old concept with the new nightclub/theater called "Chicago Magic Lounge". This will be a recreation of the early 20th century, prohibition era lounge one night each week on the upper part of Chicago.

Bill Weimer is a local magician who was an integral part of the Chicago magic bar scene from the 1970's through the 1990's. He worked seven of the nine or so Chicago-land magic bars. He has a lot of stories about these clubs in their glory days and in fact, wrote a book about his experiences called "Now You See Them, Now You Don't".

00:03:18 - Joey Cranford and John Sturk talk about the newest venture that will open on March 5, 2015, The Chicago Magic Lounge. They talk about their vision of the Lounge and what they hope will happen. They will also encourage local magicians to come and hang our and create a "magic lab" where performers can try out new stuff.

00:40:56 - Bill Weimer talks about the history of Chicago-land bars from his perspective of one who has been there and done that having worked at seven of the nine or so magic bars within the city's boundaries over a 20 year period. Bill wrote the book on bar magic entitled "Now You See Them, Now You Don't". In this podcast, Bill shares some of the stories from his book and his perspective as a working performer.

Order your copy of Bill's book at his website http://www.magicbarbook.com/

The Magic Word

A Podcast for Magicians, About Magicians, Hosted by a Full Time Professional Magician, Scott Wells

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