Metro-Magic "THE V.I.P. CONVENTION" |
|
|
Metro-Magic V.I.P. 2011
Metro-Magic V.I.P. 2011Reviewed by RIZZO - "The Magic Cafe"
XXXXX
Well this year marked the 7th year in a row for Metro-Magic
V.I.P., the finest, close-up
convention on the east coast. This yearly event, featuring the top names in magic,
is run by Bob Solari, Bill Wisch and Carl Bajor,
3 of the finest gentleman one can
ever meet. This 12 hour, non-stop magical event runs seamless, from the
pre-registration
process down to the late-comers who pay at the door. It is a thing
of beauty, a well oiled machine. The staff is available
for anyone needing anything,
anytime. The hosts who run the show go above and beyond to assure that everyone
who
attends this fantastic yearly event gets much more than they anticipated, upon
arriving at this nice facility where all
the magic happens. You must visit metro-magic.com
to see the list of fine dealers who were demonstrating and selling
their items all day long…
deals for all. You will also be able to see the entire event schedule as well as this
year’s
performers. Visiting the sight will allow me the freedom to not have to write about what
you can easily
see there as it's accuracy as to what the day was all about.
The 3 performers this
year were Lennart Green, Dan Fleshman and Wayne Houchin.
They each did
an afternoon lecture as well as the evening close-up show in a very intimate
setting where there is never a bad seat.
XXXXXXX
All 3 performers shared, in detail,
their pet effects, why they work and the psychology
behind most of their routines. To see Lennart
Green up close and personal was a treat for
the entire audience who witnessed his crazy performance style,
where mishaps turn into magic…
where dropped cards instantly become arranged upon scooping them up…where
Lennart
is blind folded and has his entire head wrapped in aluminum foil yet still plucks cards out
of the deck
in order. Chaos at it's best. Or is it? What appears to be chaos is a finely
honed skill that looks impossible but Lennart
shows us how to make it a reality, with a lot
of practice of course.
Wayne
Houchin was pulling thread from his eye, running a lighter flame around his
fingers and hand, penetrating
a sealed soda can with a borrowed, signed quarter, as well
as tipping his torn and restored card effect titled “Counterfeit
Hollingsworth”. Wayne also
spoke about his earlier years of creating some of his effects that he still uses today,
as
well as consulting for TV magic shows. Wayne shared all these effects, plus a few others,
with those in attendance
for the lecture.
Dan Fleshman is a worker who has been in the
business quite some time and his
performance style is relaxed, funny and magical. Dan shared his pet effects with us
and
was entertaining to say the least. His effects are magical in his hands and he shared how
we all could use his
routines too, that they were there for us to have, his way of sharing
like others had shared with him over the years.
Dan is extremely good at what he does
and his lecture was enjoyed by all. Card effects, cups and balls, ropes…Dan
had something
for everyone.
XXXXX
In the evening after a dinner break, these 3 performers, who shared so much with us in the
lectures, came back
and fooled us badly at the close- up show.
Wayne Houchin was swallowing 40 pins
and then some thread and after showing an empty
mouth, he begins pulling 6 feet of thread from his mouth with 40 pins
attached to it. He then
has solid silverware bending while being held by 4 spectators. Lennart
Green is doing a set
with cards while having an audience member sitting next to him. He is fooling us all, over
and
over again. He then does a 4 shell type effect with a rubber pea which is beautiful.
Dan
Fleshman had a solid performance, too, where as I looked around the intimate room,
all were smiling and thoroughly
enjoying this worker doing his thing. Dan was the man. As the
evening close-up show came to a close.
XXXXX
Lennart Green
had a final lecture, his 2nd of the day where he answered questions and reviewed
in more detail some more of his effects.
This was a nice finish to Metro Magic number 7.
XXXXX
I want to add that throughout the day, there were two amazing, lobby magicians performing,
Darryl Harris and George
Bradley, which is not only a treat for us attending this event but also for hotel
guests passing by and
witnessing great close up routines in the lobby. This event always brings
the talent, not only the paid performers but
also the attendees. This year we had Tony Clark,
Meir Yedid, Roger Monaco and others mingling and holding court throughout
the day. Everyone is so
approachable and willing to share, watch, critique and enjoy a story and a laugh.
XXXXX
I will end this mini-review
here and, in doing, must stress that Bob, Bill and Carl deserve a thank
you for running a professional, fun-filled day
of non-stop action. There never seems to be any
glitches in scheduling, lighting or even sound and it truly amazes me
to see, year after year,
smiles on everyone’s faces all day long. There is never any attitude from anyone and the
atmosphere is extremely pleasant. That in itself is worth the small price of admittance. This year
was a great turnout,
quite a lot of happy attendees who undoubtedly will be back next year for
year number 8. I know I will be!
Thanks to our performers for such a magical time.
Thanks to all of our awesome dealers.
Special thanks to Howie and Rose Baltus for everything you guys do.XXXXXAlso, our sincere thanks to Tom Sisti, Josh Herman,
Dennis McSweeney,
Mark Zacharia, Dennis Telischak, John Bukowski, Mark Cahill, Richie Magic,
Chiqui Mirabal, Bill
Hamlin, Steve Forster, David Corsaro, Kevin Wisch,
Dennis Demarco, Sandy Kartzman and Bob Solari, Sr.Thanks also to our fantastic, "behind the curtains"
staff...the
registrations, sales, promotions, public relations and organizational helpers...
YOU
ALL KNOW WHO YOU ARE!XXXXXWe have a tremendously, loyal staff and we thank everyone
so much for everything
you do, in every way!Also, thank you to the entire, Lyndhurst, NJ, QUALITY INN staff.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
And most of all thanks to YOU for attending and makingMetro-Magic V.I.P. so successful. See you next year!!!
XXXXX
Well this year marked the 7th year in a row for Metro-Magic
V.I.P., the finest, close-up
convention on the east coast. This yearly event, featuring the top names in magic,
is run by Bob Solari, Bill Wisch and Carl Bajor,
3 of the finest gentleman one can
ever meet. This 12 hour, non-stop magical event runs seamless, from the
pre-registration
process down to the late-comers who pay at the door. It is a thing
of beauty, a well oiled machine. The staff is available
for anyone needing anything,
anytime. The hosts who run the show go above and beyond to assure that everyone
who
attends this fantastic yearly event gets much more than they anticipated, upon
arriving at this nice facility where all
the magic happens. You must visit metro-magic.com
to see the list of fine dealers who were demonstrating and selling
their items all day long…
deals for all. You will also be able to see the entire event schedule as well as this
year’s
performers. Visiting the sight will allow me the freedom to not have to write about what
you can easily
see there as it's accuracy as to what the day was all about.
The 3 performers this
year were Lennart Green, Dan Fleshman and Wayne Houchin.
They each did
an afternoon lecture as well as the evening close-up show in a very intimate
setting where there is never a bad seat.
XXXXXXX
All 3 performers shared, in detail,
their pet effects, why they work and the psychology
behind most of their routines. To see Lennart
Green up close and personal was a treat for
the entire audience who witnessed his crazy performance style,
where mishaps turn into magic…
where dropped cards instantly become arranged upon scooping them up…where
Lennart
is blind folded and has his entire head wrapped in aluminum foil yet still plucks cards out
of the deck
in order. Chaos at it's best. Or is it? What appears to be chaos is a finely
honed skill that looks impossible but Lennart
shows us how to make it a reality, with a lot
of practice of course.
Wayne
Houchin was pulling thread from his eye, running a lighter flame around his
fingers and hand, penetrating
a sealed soda can with a borrowed, signed quarter, as well
as tipping his torn and restored card effect titled “Counterfeit
Hollingsworth”. Wayne also
spoke about his earlier years of creating some of his effects that he still uses today,
as
well as consulting for TV magic shows. Wayne shared all these effects, plus a few others,
with those in attendance
for the lecture.
Dan Fleshman is a worker who has been in the
business quite some time and his
performance style is relaxed, funny and magical. Dan shared his pet effects with us
and
was entertaining to say the least. His effects are magical in his hands and he shared how
we all could use his
routines too, that they were there for us to have, his way of sharing
like others had shared with him over the years.
Dan is extremely good at what he does
and his lecture was enjoyed by all. Card effects, cups and balls, ropes…Dan
had something
for everyone.
XXXXX
In the evening after a dinner break, these 3 performers, who shared so much with us in the
lectures, came back
and fooled us badly at the close- up show.
Wayne Houchin was swallowing 40 pins
and then some thread and after showing an empty
mouth, he begins pulling 6 feet of thread from his mouth with 40 pins
attached to it. He then
has solid silverware bending while being held by 4 spectators. Lennart
Green is doing a set
with cards while having an audience member sitting next to him. He is fooling us all, over
and
over again. He then does a 4 shell type effect with a rubber pea which is beautiful.
Dan
Fleshman had a solid performance, too, where as I looked around the intimate room,
all were smiling and thoroughly
enjoying this worker doing his thing. Dan was the man. As the
evening close-up show came to a close.
XXXXX
Lennart Green
had a final lecture, his 2nd of the day where he answered questions and reviewed
in more detail some more of his effects.
This was a nice finish to Metro Magic number 7.
XXXXX
I want to add that throughout the day, there were two amazing, lobby magicians performing,
Darryl Harris and George
Bradley, which is not only a treat for us attending this event but also for hotel
guests passing by and
witnessing great close up routines in the lobby. This event always brings
the talent, not only the paid performers but
also the attendees. This year we had Tony Clark,
Meir Yedid, Roger Monaco and others mingling and holding court throughout
the day. Everyone is so
approachable and willing to share, watch, critique and enjoy a story and a laugh.
XXXXX
I will end this mini-review
here and, in doing, must stress that Bob, Bill and Carl deserve a thank
you for running a professional, fun-filled day
of non-stop action. There never seems to be any
glitches in scheduling, lighting or even sound and it truly amazes me
to see, year after year,
smiles on everyone’s faces all day long. There is never any attitude from anyone and the
atmosphere is extremely pleasant. That in itself is worth the small price of admittance. This year
was a great turnout,
quite a lot of happy attendees who undoubtedly will be back next year for
year number 8. I know I will be!
Thanks to all of our awesome dealers.
Special thanks to Howie and Rose Baltus for everything you guys do.
Mark Zacharia, Dennis Telischak, John Bukowski, Mark Cahill, Richie Magic,
Chiqui Mirabal, Bill Hamlin, Steve Forster, David Corsaro, Kevin Wisch,
Dennis Demarco, Sandy Kartzman and Bob Solari, Sr.
registrations, sales, promotions, public relations and organizational helpers...
YOU ALL KNOW WHO YOU ARE!
you do, in every way!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
And most of all thanks to YOU for attending and making
|
|