Magic Uncorked e-Book launched

As you should be aware Magic Uncorked is the name for this years joint IBM Irish Convention which runs from 27th-29th April in Cork city.  A terrific weekend awaits with talent the calibre of Luke Jermay, John Lenihan, Helder Guimaraes, Quentin Reynolds and Diamond Jim Tyler.

The SBM who are running the convention have been busy fundraising and their latest initiative is both innovative and worthy.  The team behind Magic Uncorked have just released an e-book featuring routines from the booked acts and local club members.  The book comprises 106 pages and features a true smorgasbord of ideas.  As with any compilation of this kind inevitably some ideas are better then others but as a whole this is a wonderful resource.  Something for everyone.  My own personal highlights were Diamond Jim Tyler's Full of Bull and a lovely little game for kids parties from Tommy Maloney called The Hanky Laugh.

A full list of the effects and a purchase link can be found on the Magic Uncorked website.  The e-book is only €10 and in addition to owning the e-book you are also helping fundraise for the convention.  Great stuff!

Diamond Jim Tyler added to line up for Magic UnCorked

Texan magician Diamond Jim Tyler has been added to the line up for Magic UnCorked, next years Irish Magic Convention hosted by the SBM and in conjunction with IBM Ring 85 which runs in Cork from April 27th to April 29th.  Diamond Jim joins Quentin Reynolds, Helder Guimarães, John Lenahan, Luke Jermay and a host of others to be announced at what promises to be a superb weekend of magic.  For all the lastest info on Magic UnCorked visit their website, follow them on Twitter or find them on Facebook.

Eric Jones Wows us in Cork

Eric Jones lectured in Cork last night to a thrilled audience, many who had travelled hours to be there. Hours that happened to be very worth it. Eric a suave and sophisticated performer who specialises is coin magic. His coin work is simply stunning though for many it is his opening pantomime smoking routine that was the hit of the night.

Eric is a super nice guy, which is always an added bonus when you see someone so talented. Eric is also at extraordinarily good teacher. One of the best in fact.

Congrats to all involved for making this happen. It is lovely too to see the SBM attract star names to Cork.

For more info on Eric visit his website www.ericjonesmagic.com

Reminder :: Eric Jones Lecture's in Cork this Sunday

Just a quick reminder that the SBM will host Eric Jones to lecture on this coming Sunday November 6th.  Word on the night from John Casey...

"The Southern Brotherhood of Magicians is proud to present the Eric Jones Lecture. Described as “one of Magic’s Rising Star”, Eric’s lecture is not to be missed.  Here’s how Eric is described on his site:- 

‘Regarded by his peers as one of Magic’s Rising Stars, Eric has made quite a name for himself in the world of close up magic. Armed with cunning sleight of hand and a charming personality, he will astound you with his digital dexterity. He creates intimate miracles for you and your guests, with the magic quite often taking place in your hands. When Eric performs, cards fly, coins multiply, and audiences cheer.

An award winning performer, Eric’s magic has been showcased at the world famous Magic Castle, CA, and NYC’s Monday Night Magic, the longest running magic show in New York. As an author, creator, and lecturer, Eric fits sharing some of his pet tricks with countless magicians across the country, including The World Magic Seminar, Nevada, into his busy schedule.”

Eric’s lecture in Cork will take place on Sunday, November 6th, at the Ambassador Hotel, Cork City, at 7.30pm. Tickets are €15."

Eric Jones Lecture :: Cork 6th November

The SBM will host Eric Jones to lecture on November 6th.  Word on the night from John Casey...

"The Southern Brotherhood of Magicians is proud to present the Eric Jones Lecture. Described as “one of Magic’s Rising Star”, Eric’s lecture is not to be missed.  Here’s how Eric is described on his site:- 

‘Regarded by his peers as one of Magic’s Rising Stars, Eric has made quite a name for himself in the world of close up magic. Armed with cunning sleight of hand and a charming personality, he will astound you with his digital dexterity. He creates intimate miracles for you and your guests, with the magic quite often taking place in your hands. When Eric performs, cards fly, coins multiply, and audiences cheer.

An award winning performer, Eric’s magic has been showcased at the world famous Magic Castle, CA, and NYC’s Monday Night Magic, the longest running magic show in New York. As an author, creator, and lecturer, Eric fits sharing some of his pet tricks with countless magicians across the country, including The World Magic Seminar, Nevada, into his busy schedule.”

Eric’s lecture in Cork will take place on Sunday, November 6th, at the Ambassador Hotel, Cork City, at 7.30pm. Tickets are €15."

Magic UnCorked :: Irish IBM Convention :: Cork - April 2012

Full details will be released next week.  In the meantime enjoy this little teaser video.

Southern Brotherhood of Magicians are Leprechauns

Thanks to all the members and committee of the Southern Brotherhood of Magicians who join our Leprechaun list by throwing some monies in our tip jar.  To let us know you appreciate what we are doing please feel free to join in either by seeing me in person or by donating through the links on the site.  Thanks again guys!

Beyond Magic :: 22nd July Cork

As we reported back in January, Anthony Galvin is launching the show 'Beyond Magic', which is based on the work of Houdini. The show has been created by Anthony Galvin, Steve Spade, and Rikki Zendini, and it will have it's premiere (as part of a fundraising event in aid of the Alzheimer's Society, which was organised by Ray Horgan, a member of the SBM) in the City Limits Comedy Club in Cork City on Friday 22nd July.  John Casey from the SBM sent us on the post below, taken from the homepage of the Southern Brotherhood of Magicians. 

"Ray Horgan has organised a fundraising night for the Alzheimer's Society of Ireland which will take place on Friday night the 22nd of July. Here's what Ray has to say about the night:-

 

'This night is organised to help raise awareness for alzheimer's and dementia sufferers and the people who look after and care for people suffering from this disease.  There is currently no known cause for Alzheimer’s disease and there is no cure for the condition..

It is a progressive neurological condition characterised by the build up of proteins in the brain called ‘plaques’ and ‘tangles’. These proteins gradually damage andeventually destroy the nerve cells. This can make it more and more difficult to remember, reason and use language. The loss of memory of recent events may be one of the first difficulties noticed. The person may also become disorientated, be at a loss for a word when speaking and have increasing difficulty with simple daily tasks such as using the phone, making meals or managing money..

To Help make the night a success and fun for everyone, Anthony Galvin has helped put together the world premier of the ''Houdini Tribute Show''..

Here is a brief description of the show that should definately not be missed..

Houdini Recreated!

A century after his death Houdini is still a household name. Now his show has been recreated by three Irish magicians.

Witness the Razor Blade Swallow, see death-defying stunts, a pulse-stop while standing on a bed of nails, hypnotism and a genuine Victorian seance. But the highlight is a deadly escape from a sealed and padlocked perspex cube of water.

The show stars Tony Black, Steve Spade and Rikki Zendini.

There will also be some close up magic at the bar to help keep the crowds entertained...'

 

Best of luck to all involved, it should be a great night and hopefully you guys will raise a lot of money for a very worthy cause!"

We echo the words abover in wishing everyone involved the best of luck with this project.

Joint Irish IBM Convention in April 2012

As some of you may be aware from our post below.  The Munster Society of Magicians have decided not to host The IBM Ring 85 Convention next year.  In lieu of this The Southern Brotherhood of Magicians IBM Ring 363 have stepped up to the mark and will be running a 1½ day convention in Cork.

This is very exciting and welcome news.  What makes it all the more great is the fact that both The Southern Brotherhood of Magicians IBM Ring 363 and IBM Ring 85 will be jointly hosting this convention.  Harmony in the Irish magic community continues to grow.  

News of this event was only broken at last weekend's Shenanigans and as such full details are still being finalised.  Until we hear otherwise we have decided to refer this event as The Joint IBM Bash.

New home for The Southern Brotherhood of Magicians

A message on behalf of the SBM as posted on their website. 

On the 8th February 2011 the Victoria Hotel closed it's doors for business, according to their website the hotel was forced to close due to structural damage. The hotel has served as the headquarters of the SBM since before the club was even formed, in fact going back over the last 10 to 15 years local magicians used it as a venue for the ad hoc gatherings that took place before the birth of the SBM. As a result of the closure of the Victoria Hotel the SBM was left homeless and the search was on in earnest to find a new home for the club. However, thanks to the hard work and contacts of Ger Kearney, the SBM has now found a new home at the Ambassador Hotel in Cork. This now opens a new chapter in the story of the SBM and we hope to see all our regualr members at our new home for the next club meeting.  

SBM Launch Club T-shirt

 The lads down in The SBM have just launched their new club t-shirt.  John Casey writes,

"At the last meeting of the SBM we officially launched our new club  tee shirt. We are always keen to embrace new ideas on how to raise funds for our club and this is our latest venture. The tee shirts were designed and made especially for the club by the Cork Tie and Badge Company, and we are really pleased with the quality of the final product. The tee shirts are available to anyone who's interested and are available through the club or by dropping us a line at info@sbm-magic.com.  Modelling the new tee shirts in the photo are Mike McCarthy, Dave Sheehan, Mark Duggan, Ray Horgan, Kieran O'Sullivan, and Danny Sheehan." 

Chris Priest Lecture in Cork Review

John Casey of the Southern Brotherhood of Magicians sent us long the following review of the Chris Priest Lecture that took place recently in Cork.  If you attend a society night and would like to review the goings on please forward any pics and words to us for inclusion. 

On Wednesday 20^th October last Chris Priest presented his lecture to the Southern Brotherhood of Magicians in the Victoria Hotel, Cork. This was a fantastic lecture that was aimed mostly at those who wished to take their magic into the real world and perform for ‘real’ audiences. Chris is a full time working professional magician and, as a result, his material has been practiced and refined through thousands of performances for real world audiences.

Chris covered 4 of his routines in total, and broke his lecture into 2 halves, covering 2 routines in each half. He opened his lecture with his Ace Reception routine, which he describes as an ideal crowd builder in strolling situations. Essentially this is a collection of some of the strongest 4 ace tricks available, all blended together into an entertaining routine that runs to about 12 – 15 minutes. This was then followed by Chris’s signature sponge ball routine, ‘Protons’, which has been described by many as the best routine on the market. Chris has taken the traditional sponge ball routine and given it a new lease of life by utilising some well known gimmicks, entertaining patter and D’lites, in order to construct an great routine that is perfectly suited to real world working environments.

Chris opened the second half of the lecture with his Master Coin Routine, which is the opener his uses when he performs table magic. Again this is a fabulous 10 – 12 minute routine that has some 26 pieces of magic built in, all woven together with some fantastic patter to create a highly visual and entertaining coin routine. Finally, Chris finished off with his JFK (ambitious card) routine, which incorporates his version of the card to wallet and also utilises the Kennedy box. Chris will typically perform this routine for someone that he would like to give his business card to, as the business card ends up paper clipped to a chosen card, inside an envelope, inside his wallet, during the course of the routine.

This was a superb lecture which really had a little something for everyone. Chris is an experienced professional and he filled his lecture with lots of great tips and advice for any magicians who may be considering professional work. He has constructed his routines so as to get the maximum reaction from his audiences. As he explained himself, his magic is not complicated nor difficult to perform, however it is highly visual and extremely entertaining. Overall a great lecture by a true gentleman of our art, delivered with great style and charm, and thoroughly enjoyed by all our members!

John Casey

Reminder - Chris Priest Lecture in Cork

A quick reminder that Chris Priest will lecture at the southern Brotherhood of Magicians in Cork tomorrow night, Wednsday 20 October.  Chris Priest is a full time, professional close-up magician.  The only magician, outside of Geoff Durham, to have been trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. He has worked at all the prestigious hotels throughout the country. He has performed for TV and movie celebrities, music celebrities, various heads of state and members of the Royal Family including a private party for HM The Queen.. He has recently had the honor to be invited to perform at “The Magic Castle” in Hollywood, California, where he received standing ovations for his performances. 

“His card work left me breathless, his presentation showed what you can do with a pack of cards, a few coins and a few balls. You can understand why he is in such demand all over the world.”
J Price. President of the British Magical Society.

Full details are available from the SBM Website 

Announcing Chris Priest lecture in Cork 20th October

Chris Priest (seen here with Graham Norton and Ruby Wax) will lecture at the southern Brotherhood of Magicians in Cork on Wednsday 20 October.  Chris Priest is a full time, professional close-up magician.  The only magician, outside of Geoff Durham, to have been trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. He has worked at all the prestigious hotels throughout the country. He has performed for TV and movie celebrities, music celebrities, various heads of state and members of the Royal Family including a private party for HM The Queen.. He has recently had the honor to be invited to perform at “The Magic Castle” in Hollywood, California, where he received standing ovations for his performances. 

“His card work left me breathless, his presentation showed what you can do with a pack of cards, a few coins and a few balls. You can understand why he is in such demand all over the world.”
J Price. President of the British Magical Society.

Full details are available from the SBM Website 

Tom Moloney Lecture Review

Tom Moloney lectured at The SBM in Cork last Tuesday the 14th of September and John Casey has kindly supplied the picture and the words that follow to IrishMagicNews...

On Tuesday 14^th September last, Tom Moloney presented his lecture ‘One Step Beyond’ to the SBM in the Victoria Hotel, Cork. This was a lecture that those who knew Tom, and were fans of his work and his approach, were really looking forward to seeing and I think it’s safe to say that Tom lived up to their expectations and more. In fact, Tom was so good and inspiring that he left with a whole new set of fans and admirers!

In his own words he didn’t show us any new effects, but what he did do was so much better. He took familiar props and routines and took them ‘One Step Beyond’ their boundaries! He made modifications to props such as the colouring book, wrapped them in a new fresh approach, applied some new ideas and presented some jaded material in a new and inspiring way. Not only did Tom apply his thinking to these props in a magical way but also in a very practical way, for example, all the props he uses are now flat pack and his entire show can be done from a teacher’s bag!  

The highlight of the evening was Tom’s version of the colouring book which he now calls ‘Nothing’! This is a fabulous routine because of the story and presentation that Tom has created for the trick. It’s full of some superb one-liners and comedy moments that will appeal to audiences of all ages, and this routine had many members of the SBM in fits of laughter on the night. Tom also has another excellent idea on how to adapt the trick into a hypnosis routine which is also very practical and easy to accomplish.

Overall, this was an absolutely superb Lecture. Tom does not have a larger than life performing persona; instead he adopts an approach that is layered with fun, comedy, and some classic one liners. Tom reacts a lot to the magic he is creating on stage, which allows him to build a wonderful relationship with his audience and take them on a magical journey with him over the course of his show. This is really a lecture that needs to be experienced firsthand to truly appreciate that value of what Tom is sharing. It is a lecture layered with information on how to apply new thinking to old ideas, a master class on performance and comic timing, and it is delivered in Tom’s unique style that is wonderfully entertaining and a joy to watch. Make sure you try and book Tom to lecture at your club; I promise you will not regret it!

Thanks to John and once again congratulations to all the guys in the SBM.  For a small and newly formed club they really are pulling out all the stops and continue to nourish and help grow the art of magic in the region.