February Linking Ring Features Las Vegas Magician - Mike Hammer - The International Brotherhood of Magicians

The I.B.M. Blog & Articles

The International Brotherhood of Magicians

13 Feb

February Linking Ring Features Las Vegas Magician - Mike Hammer

Category: Blog Posted by: C. DENNIS SCHICK

The featured cover article in the February issue is about “Mike Hammer, A Striking Success,” written by Simone Marron. Hammer uses sarcasm as his main presentation approach, but it endures him to his audiences, much like Don Rickles. Read about his journey to his own show in Las Vegas.

Editor Sammy Smith devotes his column to the thrill of collecting, and president Bob Patterson talks about his travel itinerary representing the I.B.M. He also encourages members to enter the annual convention contests, and urges younger members to look for mentors, as well as to attend the Lance Burton Teen Seminar at the convention.

Other feature articles in the February issue are: a preview of the theater in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where shows will be held during the I.B.M. Convention in July; a review of the “Celebration of Eugene Burger at the Magic Castle,” “Frankel’s in Houston Closes After Seven Decades," by Dennis Schick; “A Magical Evening: The 2017 Milbourne Christopher Awards Presentation;” and a review of the 2017 Fellowship of Christian Magicians Convention, by Dennis Schick.

RING EVENTS came from Ring 55 (Phoenix, Arizona), Ring 115 (Singapore), Ring 116 (Ontario, Canada), and Ring 252 (Murfreesboro, Tennessee). The HOCUS POCUS PARADE comes from John S. Roberts, who brings us eleven of his effects. This is his third Parade.

COLUMNS include MARKETING MAGIC by Kent Cummins (“Picture this: Photography for Magicians”); EXPERIMENTS IN MAGIC THEATRE, by John Tudor (“The Temple of Kall”); CONNECTING WITH KIDS by Carlos Adriano (“Magic and Spectacle”), CUTTING UP JACKPOTS by Bev Bergeron (“School Shows of Old”), POLISHING THE RINGS by Skip Way (“Youth Protection”), and THE THERAPY OF MAGIC by Scott Hood (“How to implement a magic and humor cart at a hospital or nursing home,” by Bruce Baum), and (“Bent over card” by Dan Amos).

MORE COLUMNS ARE: MAGIC WORDS MATTER by Dr. Lynn Miner (“Building script editing resources”); THE CARD CORNER by Mike Powers (“Push through collectors”); SIMPLE DIVERSIONS by Andrew Woo (“Just knifing around”); AUTO-MAGIC by Michael Breggar (“One for the books -- The spy’s book test”); and RING RESOURCES by Dr. Lynn Miner (“Generating revenue”).

HOCUS IN FOCUS this month includes reviews of ten new books, tricks, and DVDs. The BROKEN WAND pays tribute to thirteen men and women who have died. There are sixty-two RING REPORTS this month. Don’t just skip over them. There are many ideas in them, from lecture recommendations and regular meeting themes and ideas, to special public service and fund-raising ideas.

ADVERTISERS are an important source of revenue to help pay for the production of The Linking Ring. Thus we focus on them and encourage readers to visit advertiser Websites, and consider buying their goods and services. Here are this month’s advertisers, in the order they appear in the issue:

www.CopelandCoins.com., “Tresor.”

Bill Ramsey & Associates, Magic poster, www.bramsey.com

www.associationpros.com/ibm, Year-round health insurance.

I.B.M. International Convention, July 4-7, 2018. Grand Rapids, Michigan

LaRock’s Fun & Magic Outlet. www.larocksmagic.com. Balloons.

44th Winter Carnival of Magic, March 8-10, 2018, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

Hampson Mowrer Kreitz Insurance, www.hmk-ins.com, Liability insurance

The Magic Bakery, www.themagicbakery.com, Steve Dobson’s “Works.”

Mogar Knives, www.joemogar.com

The Mystery Emporium, International Magic Auction

www.tomburgoon.com, “Now that’s funny.”

www.showbizmagic.net, magic books