I first met these fellows at the IBM/SAM Louisville Magic Convention.  Well, that is not entirely correct.  I had received a few emails from them that I unfortunately ignored because I did not know who they were and I tend to be a bit paranoid about unsolicited email.  But there they were with a dealer's booth at the convention.  The booth was a bit underwhelming at first glance.  It was pretty empty without much to see.  But, as I soon found out, that was because all their electronic gadgetry was somewhere on the sixteenth floor. They had a full working studio operating into the wee hours of the night.  (read more)

Weekly Round-Up
by SCOTT WELLS
October 13, 2008

Howdy friends.  This week is shaping up to be a good one here in beautiful H-Town. There is a crispness to our usually humid air with the advent of Fall which makes outdoor gigs all the better.  The stock market may be unsteady but magic in Houston is solid as a rock.  This week we will see a lecture by a top touring professional followed by a workshop later in the week.  Also we are excited about the new theatrical production of "Death and Harry Houdini" for a very limited engagement.  We are also getting prepared for our upcoming annual auction, plus an update on the status of the Magic Island, HoustonSeance.com, and more. (Read More...)

Weekly Round-Up
by SCOTT WELLS
October 6, 2008

Howdy friends.  I am so glad to see that other cities (San Diego and Chicago) are now reporting what's happening on their local magic scene. Magic is a big house with many rooms and I am happy to visit as many as I can.  I look forward to seeing this web portal grow to include happenings in other major cities, too. You can go elsewhere to read about the new Masked Magician TV series or reviews on Criss Angel's new Las Vegas shows.  But here you can see what the local "workers" are doing so you can join us when you are in town.  For example, there is a lot of magic stuff going on around Houston: the Magic Island remains closed for repairs; Julian Franklin goes to sea; magic club meeting; magic lectures; spooky séances, and; who's working where and when. (Read More...)

Broken Wand
MICHAEL ELLIS 1917-2008
Past International President of the I.B.M.

Mike Ellis was one of the few people in magic whose biography cannot begin: "He was captured by magic when an uncle gave him a magic set for his 8th birthday." He was 60 years old when he happened to note, in a local paper, that Magic was to be taught at the Boynton Beach Adult Education Center for two hours every Wednesday night for ten weeks. He told his wife he thought he'd look into that: it might be fun. (read more...)

MagiCurrents
San Diego Magic Notes
by Don Soul & Jack White

Amazing news for San Diego and Ring 76...We have learned that David Sandy, I.B.M. Site Selection Chairman, has signed a contract with the Town & Country Convention Center in Mission Valley as the location for the 2010 edition of the annual I.B.M. Convention in late June of that year. This will be the fourth time the Town & Country Hotel has hosted an I.B.M. Convention in San Diego. The last I.B.M. Convention in this city was July 2002. Next summer's 2009 convention will be held in Nashville, Tennessee at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel & Resort. Stay tuned for more information as we begin the countdown to the I.B.M. Convention 2010! (read more)