Category: Meeting Report

Categories
Meeting Report

January Meeting Report

The threat of a severe Minnesota winter snow storm didn’t keep many magicians away from the January SAM #12 meeting which featured our annual auction. More than 20 magicians brought pockets full of money to take advantage of the deals that would ultimately be offered by the four sellers that brought boxes, bags, and tubs of magic. Upon a final review of the auction tally sheets more than 60 items were sold (most well below wholesale pricing) to everyone. The club receives 10% of the sale price of each item sold to add to our finances. All area magicians were invite to attend. Non-members were charged a $5 fee to participate in the auction.

Some items featured in the auction included numerous DVD titles, special decks of cards and packet card tricks, some magic collectibles and a few books and pamphlets. Unusually absent from the sale were any gimmicked or specialty coin tricks. I’m sure that most people took advantage of the excellent prices and brought home a new trick or two for their magic collection.   

The SAM Assembly #12 would like to extend special thanks to our Treasurer Adam Moore who tracked all the sales on a time saving computer program created by former local member Geoff Williams (now living in Florida). And, David Stahl who logged every single transaction. And everyone that came to the auction. 

Following the 2+ hour auction, members had snacks and deserts provided by host Larry Kahlow and others who brought yummy treats. Conversations about the “deals” people got continued for another hour. The theme for our next meeting will be “Magic you’ve learned from the Internet” on Friday, February 15th at 7pm at Eagle Magic and Joke Store in Burnsville. Stay warm! Spring is just around the magical corner! 

The group of “buyers” anticipating the next great deal.
Savvas Nikolaides, one of the auction sellers hawks a dvd!
Categories
M-U-M Reports Meeting Report

April Meeting Minutes

Paul Ladig gets ready to perform

a miracle for the group.

Magic Brad Gudim and Manny Betinis look on. 

Prior to performances, we paid tribute to Bill Von Stocken who recently passed away. Bill, aka Darnay, mentored Justin Flom (as a young magian) who created a brief video tour of the theater, pictures of magicians, props and books that Darnay kept in the basement of his home. It was a very sentimental memory.

We then discussed creating a “Tribute Page” of deceased SAM members to add to our website. Even though the idea was enthusiastically embraced, there were a lot of questions about how to handle the information and what should be included. So a committee headed up by Greg Broder was created to explore details and how to proceed. Steve Peer, who first suggested the idea, Adam Moore our web administrator, and Larry Kahlow will also be members.

Tom O’Lenick and David Stahl reported on their recent trip to work as Stage Manager and Production Supervisor for the 50th Annual Academy of Magical Arts (Magic Castle) Awards Show. David Copperfield was named “Magician of the Decade.” Numerous Showroom and Fellowship Awards were presented by Dick Van Dyke, Paul Reubens, John Gaughn, Mike Caveney, Michael Carbanaro and others. Notable recipients included Richard Turner, Johnny “Ace” Palmer, Shoot Ogawa, Collector Ken Klosterman, Historian Peter Lane and Shimada. Comedian and television personality Larry Wilmore was the host and Erika Larsen, Past President of the AMA was the Executive Producer.

The group also approved a lecture by Magician Steve Marshall on Tuesday, Sept. 18th. Steve, a former MUM columnist has appeared on Penn and Teller’s Fool Us and now lives in Japan. Mark your calendars. This will be a free event for SAM members. For all others admission will be $20.

“Rising cards and other ways to cause a card to magically leave the deck,” was the theme for our April Assembly meeting. Larry Kahlow started the performances by showing a technique for making a card rise from the deck using his little finger. Then, Paul Ladig showed a clever trick using a plexiglass holder with a rod penetrating the center. When the rod was removed, the deck “plopped” down and left the selected card rising out of the deck. David Stahl performed a Devano style rising cards finding two selected cards. Tom O’Lenick demonstrated Cardiographic Lite by Martin Lewis.

Treats were provided by Paul Ladig, Jerry Martin, Tom O’Lenick and Jennifer Kahlow. Magical socializing followed for about another hour.

 

Chatting after the meeting with Larry Kahlow, Brad Gudim,

David Stahl and Tom O’Lenick.

 

Categories
Meeting Report

February SAM Assembly #12 Meeting Report

 

Despite a heavy snowfall early in the day, a small but vital group of magicians attended the February SAM Assemble #12 monthly meeting. We also welcomed two guests. Jason and Carter Moore, the sons of our Treasurer Adam Moore who attended with their Dad. They saw lots of magic up close and personal.

 Performances included Paul Cook who showed “Holey Moley” (by Jay Sankey) where the hole in one of two washers magically moved to join the hole on the other washer. Magic Brad Gudim did a classic coins across effect. Host Larry Kahlow demonstrated a few sleight of hand coin moves using half dollars and a pocket handkerchief. Larry also showed a classic “Coin Thru” to the kids. Adam Moore did a coin effect and showed a recent purchase of a Fantasma Magic “Pen Thru Dollar” that he found at a Dollar Store.
In keeping with the theme – “Paper Money or Coin Magic” President Tom O’Lenick performed the “Bag 4 Life” where a quarter magically is removed from a small plastic bag leaving a penny inside. He also showed the “Wonderland Bill” a topological trick (where a dollar bill magically turns around) created by Nick Brown  For the Teach-A-Trick portion of the meeting O’Lenick did a “Topsy-Turvy Dollar Bill” effect where alternating dollar bills were reversed and yet the presidents kept returning to the same face up orientation.
During the business meeting the group approved a donation of $100 to support the American Museum of Magic in Marshall, Michigan originally established by Bob and Elaine Lund.
We also agreed to change the dates of the April and May meetings (so as not to conflict with other magic events) to one week later than the regular monthly meeting day (third Friday). The April meeting will now be April 27 and then in May on May 25. Please update you calendars. The March meeting date will remain on the third Friday, Mar 16. The theme will be: “Magic with Things You’d find in a Casino.” 
Magic conversations and yummy cookies and other treats followed prepared and presented by host Jennifer Kahlow. Until soon, best magical wishes, TomOL

Thanks to the magic vendors that provide gifts to the group. MagicbyGosh.com ; PaulRichardsMagic.com and Hocus-PocusMagic.com

Categories
Meeting Report

January Auction Meeting Report

The January meeting, our annual magic auction, was very well attended with more than 25 magicians and a few guests all looking for great deals on tricks, props, cards and kits that others no longer wanted. Assembly #12 benefited by receiving 10 per cent of all purchases and by encouraging that the member’s dues was current. Guests paid $5 to participate. We had 23 buyers and sellers who generated sales of almost $650. Many popular items sold for as little as $1. The most expensive trick sold for just over $40. There were even some surprise free give aways (instructions not included-figure it out yourself). I’m sure every one took something new home and are practicing right now. I hope they’re getting ready to perform an the next SAM #12 meeting.

Special thanks to Adam Moore who was responsible for coordinating the financials of the auction and to former Minnesotan Geoff Williams for creating the computer program that tracks all of the sales.

Monthly refreshments were thoughtfully provided by Paul Ladig (sandwiches); Tom O’Lenick (popcorn) and, of course, hostess Jennifer Kahlow (soda, brownies and cookies). Please remember that members are encouraged to bring a snack to share with the group at each meeting.

Also, as a reminder, The Assembly #12 February meeting date has been moved back one week to Friday, February 23 at 7pm because of a travel conflict with our hosts, Jennifer and Larry Kahlow of Eagle Magic and Joke Store who will be on an anniversary cruise at the time of our regular meeting. Be sure to put the new date in your calendar and be sure to attend. The theme will be “Paper Money and Coin Magic Tricks.” There will be a drawing for magic provided by our magic dealer friends ( MagicbyGosh.com, PaulRichardsMagic.com and Hocus-Pocus.com ) if you perform for the group!

Categories
Meeting Report

June 16th Meeting Report

Pictured: (clockwise from upper left) – Tom O’Lenick, Larry Kahlow,

Paul Cook, Kevin Smith and Paul Black; (center) Jerry Martin.

A June meeting was added to our regular meeting schedule (Sept to May). To make it special, we started off with a social hour and picnic/bbq prior to the magic. Thanks to President Tom O’Lenick who provided brats/dogs and buns which we grilled outside our Eagle Magic Store meeting location. Other members brought various chips, soda, water, adult beverages, deserts and ice cream that were graciously shared.

Following a brief business meeting, we debriefed about recent local lectures (Ken Dyne and Eugene Burger) and the regional AbraCORNdabra convention that many attended. The group also was reminded of the upcoming free lecture by Max Krause sponsored jointly by the SAM and IBM groups.

The theme for the month was “Newspaper Magic.” The performers included:
Paul Cook and Steve Peer who each did clever variations of a newspaper clip line effect. Kevin Smith (with the help of Paul Black) identified the selected card by ultimately snipping four diamond shapes from a small piece of newspaper. Using a folded sheet of newspaper, Larry Kahlow was able to tear silhouettes of three chosen cards from the paper. Greg Broder shared a paper tear that created a Christian message using the word “Hell” and formed a “Cross.” Finally, Paul Ladig showed a comic newspaper headline that he uses when he performs the Wrist Chopper.

For “Teach-a-Trick,” Tom O’Lenick demonstrated another Newspaper Test (clip line type effect). First, the newspaper column was cut at the point chosen by Jerry Martin. He then picked a word from a few lines near the “cut point.” That thought of word was revealed by O’Lenick, as well as the sentence that contained the word. Historical reference: The original idea of a “Newspaper Test” was first published in 1964 by Albert Spackman in the British magic magazine “The Gen.”

Now a message from our sponsors! Greg Broder won the drawing for a performance prize donated by Steve Goshman of MagicbyGosh.com; Jerry Martin won the attendance prize donated by Paul Gross of Hocus-Pocus.com.

SAM Assembly #12 will be on hiatus through the summer months. Our next meeting will be on Friday, September 22. If your travel brings you to the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, please attend the meeting. Until soon, best magical wishes, TomOL

 

Categories
Meeting Report

May 12 Meeting Minutes

Following the SAM business (committee reports, upcoming conventions, lectures, Good and Welfare updates); during the Teach-a-Trick portion of the meeting President Tom O’Lenick showed a drawing pad effect appropriate for children’s shows. The assistant selects an image from a small note pad containing about 50 images of easily recognized colored designs. When the prediction was opened it contained a duplicate of the chosen design. A utility prop know as a “Sven Pad” was used and the method is variation on the well know Svengali Principle.

Tonight performers each showed tricks related to the theme “ESP, Mentalism and Mindreading.” Paul Ladig demonstrated “Future Mental” where one of three chosen colored balls vanished from a closed wooden box and end up in his pocket. Larry Kahlow used a Color Vision Cube in a different way that fooled many. Adam Moore chose a volunteer that somehow knew exactly what he had on his mind. Then, Drew Hansen demonstrated how he could find the card a person was thinking of.

Sandwiches that were provided by Paul Ladig and snacks, soda, water and coffee by others were prepared by Jennifer Kahlow and enjoyed while everybody talked about magic with each other for the rest of the evening.

Before everyone left, we conducted the drawing for this month’s attendance prizes. The “give-aways” were donated by Max Krause of InnovativeDeceptions.com; And, Andi Gladwin of VanishingIncMagic.com. Congratulations to the winners, Kevin Smith, Paul Ladig and Drew Hansen.

The group also voted to hold an additional monthly meeting on June 16th (third Friday of the month). We will get together earlier than usual (6 o’clock) and grill brats outside the store for supper. Join us when the theme will be: Your favorite trick with a Newspaper. I wonder who will perform Gene Anderson’s Newspaper Tear?

Upper Left: Drew Hansen. Upper Right: Larry Kahlow
Center: SAM members (left to right): Tom O’Lenick, Steve Peer, Paul Black, Drew Hansen, Kevin Smith, Brad Gudim, Larry Kahlow, Paul Ladig, Paul Cook, Jerry Martin, Adam Moore. Bottom: Kevin Smith and Adam Moore.