Do Not Despair...

The Opus Team arrive back in Blighty and, after the Las Vegas adventure, find that normal life returns with a crash.

The Wagon needed it's MOT. (Annual mechanical inspection for overseas readers.)

I know our readers will want to know that it passed (it helps when the owner is part of the inspection team.)

There is, however, a report on the Gala Show, an overall view of the convention and a view of JJ's birthday present from Noel which was tickets to the Mac King, Ron Lucas, Lance Burton and David Copperfield shows (all seen on the Saturday before the start of the convention.) on their way. They will be written in breaks during the drive through Europe down to Portugal... oh yes they will...

Being a Little Childish and Naughty...

It is 5pm on the last day of the convention and I am now looking forward to seeing the Gala Show and the closing party.

Every thing here is meant to be a surprise. People watching the early close up shows were asked not to reveal anything about it to the magicians waiting to go into the next show.

So I guess I shouldn't announce any of the acts that I know are appearing on the Gala show but I will let anyone out there who is interested know that I am particularly looking forward to seeing Ray Crowe and David Sousa again... and they do have a compere this time and it's not Noel Britten.

The Close Up Show...

Every one I have heard from was disappointed with the Close Up Show.

A great deal of thought and work had gone into this production.

Unlike the last Magic Live Close Up Show where the audience moved from room to room in each of which there was a different set in order to present the different branches of close up magic (bar, restaurant, trade show etc) , this year the audience stayed put and the set changed for each act.

This change was brought about by a young group of enthusiastic magicians who had obviously rehearsed long and hard. At the end of each act they came on and, by folding and unfolding the rear wall of the set and adding or removing tables and lights ect, the appearance of the set changed. I have to confess that I found, in several instances, the scene changers and changes to be more engaging than the act that followed.

Be this as it may, the truth was that the changed set had, in all but one of the pieces, little relevance to the act that was in front of it.

Searching for some positives I should say that Chris Kenner fooled me (just as he announced he would) and I do have a soft spot for routines that involve puppets (although I had seen Thomas Frapps do this bit before).

PS. I was very disappointed when a far more knowledgeable magician than me explained the Kenner method... That's just not cricket!

A Light Bite before the Close Up Show...

A Night out at Lowrays

The Lowray Gang consists of Chris, Mac King, Noel, Bill Self, Bob Self, Mike Caveney, Bill Herz and Guy.

Tuesday's Breakfast...

No time for eggs and bacon today

Correct Dress Sense...

Ricky Smith wearing his Opus FISM 2000 tee shirt.

The Aussies are Here...

Steve Walker

Bill Walsh

The Main Room at Magic Live.

The Best Talk So Far (Apparently) which I missed...

I hear that Jason Alexander, the actor who plays George in Seinfeld, gave the best talk of the day (apparently) about his experiences of playing one week in the Parlour Room at the Magic Castle. As an "amateur" magician he told how he put together the act he did and other related matters.

I don't want to talk about it...

First Full Day...

Some rumblings about this matter of not knowing who or what is on at any given time.

It was a joy to see Rick Merrill not only do his stuff but also talk a little about the routine and where it came from...

Mike Caveney did a great, slide illustrated talk on Eddie "Tex" McGuire.

Joshua Jay introduced Simon Aronson who went through the trick that is in this month's Magic Magazine and then moved onto Rune Klan, Denmark's star comedian but showing some tricks and moves here. He was followed by Joel Givens and Tyler Wilson, two youngsters being talked up as part of the future of magic.

Everyone who comes to conventions does so for varying reasons and therefore the tricks bit of the morning session saw me losing interest. I love watching a skilled magician at work but I am not much interested in the methods or gaffs involved given that I have very little interest at this stage of my life in adding to my playlist of tricks. I eased out before the end and headed for food. So stimulating a discussion was had at lunch that I completly forgot to record the treat (a burger) on camera. Sorry for that.

The afternoon session started with a talk by John Fisher on Cardini and included a showing of that famous Cardini on film.

Then things slowed down a bit when David Parr introduced the idea of building a "community" of magicians by having them get together, watch each other perform a routine they are working on and then give constructive criticism of each piece in the form of written comments. Some magicians (including Mac King) put themselves forward for this and did a "work in progress" piece and invited written comments. Cards for these comments were included in the "Goody Bag". I wandered out before the last volunteers had been called, had some chats with people outside and came in again when I heard Gaeton Bloom was on. On discovering he was giving a talk on being "creative" I slipped away again given that I start at such a low level on this subject that any instruction now would be a waste of time!

I went and had a nap and apparently missed the best talk of the day. I wasn't the only one and so irritated were some of these "victims" of the system that they have decided not to make a special effort to get up at the (unearthly) start time of 9.30am tomorrow...

I will wait and see what time my somewhat confused body clock brings me into the land of the awakened ones.

The evening shows, the "No Show" and the "Flicking Fingers" will be written about later... (probably)

The Party Stage.

The Magic Live Convention is under way.

Registration was very smooth.

After picking up your pretty flash briefcase marked with the Magic magazine logo and filled with all your tickets etc (see below) you move into the photography room where you have your picture taken and this is almost instantly converted into a photo ID card which looks like the cover of Magic magazine with you on the cover.

Just one of the many, many ingeniously thought out touches that have become the hall mark of this convention.

The facilities are excellent.

The event takes over the whole of the convention facilities of the Orleans Hotel and affords several large rooms which are used for smaller events during the three days. For example there is the "Hospitality Sweet (sic)" where there are tables laid out for people to sit at and talk or show card tricks or just relax. The "sweet" bit comes in the form of packets of sweets for you to enjoy as you do whatever you are doing.

At eight pm the party started. Food, close up magic and a special "celebrity dinner" which involved sixteen former "cover" magicians (magicians who have been featured on the cover of Magic Magazine) picking from the lucky dip names of participating registrants. The winners joined the cover magicians at a dinner which had been prepared on one of those TV cooking shows. The whole thing was filmed for a forthcoming television show. I chatted with friends for a while before fatigue took over and I went to bed early. The four shows Noel Britten treated me to the day before (Mac King, Ron Lucas, Lance Burton and David Copperfield) had taken their toll...

Magic Live Starts with Registration...

...and registration means a "Goody Bag".

This one includes pen, notepad, the latest Magic magazine, tickets to the shows, ID badge, "timetable" and a folder ready to accept the lecture notes which are included in the price of the convention and which you collect as you are going along (using your community cards).

Maybe These People are Performing, Maybe They're Not

A Mighty Fine Breakfast

Paul Wilson

Noel with Joshua Jay

Mark Mason

Ian Rowland and Mailin Nilsson

Some of the Flickers

The Champ...

David Sousa

MagicLive 2007 is about to start...

One of the items of style which separates MagicLive from other conventions is the idea that none of the performers or lecturers are announced before the start of the convention. While this might be the kiss of death to many a convention (who would book to go to an event when you don't know who or what is on at that event?) it hasn't hurt this one.



It has been sold out for months.



Indeed I feel it is a brilliant idea which not only gives the organisers a great amount of flexibility when it comes to booking the acts but also leads to a great game amongst the prospective conventioneers and the acts. The acts are made to promise not to say they are booked. So when, for example, John Fisher is asked "Are you presenting a lecture at the convention?" answers "I may be, I may not be..."



Of course if you, as we did, arrive a couple of days early then other magicians as they too arrive don't know if you are one of the performers or one of the registrants! Indeed when asked "are you performing here?" Noel tells me "I might be and then again I might not be..."!



So you tell me which of these guys and gals (seen above) are clients or acts...

Note (one isn't either...)

Where does "Energy" come from?

One of the reasons Noel Britten has so much energy when he lands in Las Vegas is that he has had a good sleep on the way over (in economy). I am less energetic because I spent my flight (in Premium Economy) chatting with Paul Wilson, watching movies, and getting as much value for money as possible. Having paid for a posh seat I didn't want to waste it by falling asleep...

First 2007 Brekky...

Here is the first breakfast of the 2007 MagicLive Convention which I ate while Noel was off taking in shows. Surprisingly it set me back $17 (including tip). Still, at two dollars to the pound it wasn't all that bad.

It is now four in the morning (Vegas Time) and I am off to have more food given that it is now the "Grave Yard" shift and I can get this same meal for $5.45 which, at two dollars to the pound, is a bargain.

Wi-Fi in Vegas...

Before we give you any more hard infomation you should all know that JJ purchased a new breakfast plate for the Wagon at this weekend's Motorhome show in Malvern... and here it is in action...

Opus is delighted to announce that there is satisfactorily priced internet access at the Opus Las Vegas Office (sited on the eighth floor of the Orleans Hotel) and once again plan to bring you info from the MagicLive convention which starts on Sunday.

One part of the Team (JJ) has arrived early and will go down to the casino now to search out the best "All You Can Eat Buffets" and keep up the tradition of showing you the breakfasts that fuel the magic...

Hottish News...

Opus has heard a rumour that the media production company Objective has been sold.
At this time we believe a UK/Dutch company has bought the company that brings more magic to the UK screens than any other. We are also led to believe that Andrew O'Connor and Antony Owen will be staying on to help the new owners "bed in" and so viewers should not notice any difference...

MagicLive in Las Vegas, August 19-22, 2007

Let's hope that the Orleans Hotel has sensibly priced internet access for it's guests 'cos if it has you should be able to get some news, reviews and pictures relating to the convention from the Opus team who are attending (again).

I can't wait to give the world of magic an idea of the breakfasts you can get at the "All You Can Eat" buffets...