Weekly Round-Up
by SCOTT WELLS
August 25, 2008

Howdy friends.  Houston isn't the only place in Texas where magic is alive and well. We are a big state with big ideas (perhaps you have heard about our penchant for all things large).  Well, Austin, Texas is now publishing a slick, full color magazine about magic around our great state...including Houston.  The premiere issue is out and ready to read. The cover of the first issue features Walter "Zaney" Blaney who will be the featured guest of honor at this year's T.A.O.M. convention next week in Ft. Worth.  We are proud to have Walter and his family as members of our Houston magic community.  Also this week, the I.B.M. Ring #39 annual flea market is tonight, upcoming lectures, who's working where plus other happenings around town. (read more...)

Weekly Round-Up
by SCOTT WELLS
August 18, 2008

Howdy friends.  Come one, come all, especially those who have something to sell.  See trash become treasure right before your eyes at the Bob Blau I.B.M. Ring #39 annual Magic Flea Market next week in Houston. This is a great precursor to our annual auction (to be held later this Fall) where magicians can have a couple months to decide if they want to keep the stuff they bought at the Flea Market! We hosted Fielding West this past week as the first lecturer in our five lecture series and it will be a hard one to follow.  What a great lecturer and overall fun guy! And Mike Powers will be quick on his heels lecturing at H&R Magic Books this Saturday afternoon.  Robert Berry will be giving special magic performances and comedy hypnosis shows this month (one of them TODAY), the T.A.O.M. is less than two weeks away, and, well, (read more...)

The IBM/SAM Convention
Photo Memories Page
by H Rick Bamman
Image Magic Photography
imagemagic@comcast.net

The IBM/SAM Combined Convention in Louisville, Kentucky was an amazing event. To help you remember the people and events, we dispatched our professional motionless picture director to record the groups and individuals that made our stay at the Galt Hotel Complex so special to the over 1,900 registrants.  We will add more memories later this week. See something you like for your photo album? Drop Rick an email. You can also visit his OnLine Photo Site by clicking here. 

SUCOP SUCOH
Thru the Mirror of Time by Paul Kieve
A review by
Joel Moskowitz MD   
August 2008
Magic Currents Ring 76, San Diego

Not to be confused with the book of the same name published in 1634, this Hocus Pocus authored by Paul Kieve is a Scholastic Press publication (2007) targeted for the nine to eleven years old, which is when many magic obsessions begin. Daniel Radcliffe, in his introduction, praises Kieve as one who taught him some tricks. Kieve may be less widely known than the stage name of Radcliffe, Harry Potter. Now that is impressive credentials! (read more)

Weekly Round-Up
by SCOTT WELLS
August 11, 2008

Howdy friends.  Sad news and good news to report this week.  First the sad news...local magician Daniel Garcia (consultant to David Blaine), is laid up with a broken heel he incurred during a recent photo shoot in North Texas.  Although he will be in a cast for several months, he still hopes to make it in late September to help with the live broadcast of Blaine's next TV special. On the brighter side, the limited engagement of "Edon" was a low-key success that really needs wider attention. We have a review and pictures in this week's update. And on the lighter side, magic-comedian Fielding West will be in Houston this week during his lecture tour across the country.  Other things are happening on the Houston magic scene this week, too. (Read more...)