Day 3 of I.B.M. Convention Ups the Ante

Category: Convention   Posted by: C. DENNIS SCHICK

Day Three of the 2016 I.B.M. Annual Convention was the best one so far, in my opinion, even though I missed one of the major events. Here is how the convention rolled out on Monday, the Fourth of July.

My second day of the Triple Treat can be described in one word -- UNBELIEVABLE. It was my turn to “experience” Richard Turner -- legally blind -- do one impossible effect after impossible effect for an hour and a half. It was one of the great magic experiences of my life. And it is a delight to report that a 

documentary -- “Dealt” -- on him will appear next year. Details to come.

 

New International President Oscar Muñoz held his first board meeting this morning at 11:00.

 

There were eleven magicians who competed in the annual I.B.M. Close-up Contest, held today. Three or four acts rose to the top. 

Just the experience of competing was valuable to all contestants.

 

An item on the convention program only said “Super Session," with no explanation. But it resulted in another entertaining and beneficial event. Four of the “star” magicians performed one of their favorite or signature effects, and then they explained how they did it in some detail. The four were Chris Randall (bill in orange), Handsome Jack (card prediction), Steve Bargatze (money pick), and Shawn Farquhar (card case location). 

 

The evening show was the “Champions of Magic,” featuring the six finalists in the I.B.M. Stage Competition. Emcee was look-alike Joel Ward, who often is mistaken for Neil Patrick Harris. Everyone who attended was asked to vote on their “Audience Favorite” by putting their admission ticket in one of the six ballot boxes in the lobby as they left. Husband and wife Trevor and Lorena also performed their magic comedy act to end the show.

 

The day ended on a somewhat dark note, when Joshua Jay presented his “Tragic Magic.” He told carefully-researched stories of magicians and others who had died on stage or in the performance of magic acts. He used both videos and still photos of most of his subjects. Fascinating.

 

Complete coverage and reviews for the convention will be printed in coming issues of The Linking Ring.

 

 A big thank you to Sammy Smith for activating these articles, to photographer Michael Messing for being everywhere at once to take terrific photos, and to graphic designer Jessica Friend back home in Florida for placing the photos.

 

One day to go, and it will have to go a long way to top Day Three.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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