Sorry for the lack of blog posts… I thought I would check in with an update. I have a couple of excuses: as well as being busy with shows and events I also got married (And yes, I booked a magician for my own wedding!) Things are looking busy for the next few months too and I’m off to Las Vegas in August to MAGIC Live which is a major event in the magic calendar and should be a good tax-deductible holiday worthwhile learning experience.
I have had a few emails recently where people ask if they are able to see a video of my act - I have a couple of showreel-type videos up here (the page isn’t linked to from the main site very well)

Anyway, if you haven’t seen me in action then they should give you a feel of my performance style.

For someone who is not much of a sports fan, I have been in attendance at some high profile sporting events recently. Last week I spent a day at the first day of the Grand National at Aintree  performing close-up magic in the corporate hospitality suite. At £5000 for a table of ten, you can imagine the sort of high stakes betting that was going on. And to think I usually feel flash putting £10 each way on the favourite once a year. A few days later I was back at Old Trafford, doing hospitality for Manchester United. I have worked at quite a few of the home matches this season. I don’t think a love of magic and football mix because the magicians I work with tend to have little or no interest in the game, and instead sit and talk about card tricks while the match is played behind them.

Sorry, have fallen a bit behind keeping this updated. Is blogging still popular or is everyone Facebooking and Twittering now?! Anyway, I have a good reason this time. A month or two ago I had a call from the organiser of Blackpool Magicians’ Convention - the biggest event in the magicians’ calendar and a weekend that attracts around 3000 magicians from all over the UK. I was being invited to represent the UK in the European Close up Magic Championships! I have been attending this event for approximately 16 years so to get asked to be part of this is an honour (only 9 people per year get asked to participate in this). While the snow has been falling I have been locked up in my office working on a new routine and will be performing the act next Friday three times for my peers.

The biggest room has two huge video projection screens an an audience of 500-1000 so not exactly traditional close-up magic conditions but I am looking forward to it as it will definitely be the biggest performance I have done to date.

[update!] - I was voted fourth overall, and the highest scoring of all the British competitors! I was about 10 points off first place.

After the crazy Christmas season I am quite glad it’s the start of January. While everyone else is going back to work I get a few weeks of rest as the world of parties and events quietens down for a bit. Something I have noticed is that every year around this time I get a lot more enquiries for weddings. I think Christmas time seems to a be a popular time for guys to pop the question. I still have dates clear for this summer, and plenty for summer 2010 so if you are interested in talking about how I can provide table magic for your wedding please send me an email and we can have a chat about it.

Just thought I would put some of the thank you emails so far from this year’s crazily busy and thankfully economy-defying christmas party season!

From Novo Nordisk Pharmaceutical Industries Christmas party held in Sussex:

Hi Rob

Thank you. A fantastic addition to our festive event. I wanted to say that you surpassed my expectations and really made everyone feel delighted to be at the party. Feel free to use this email as an endorsement and if people need a reference, do not hesitate to give them my number for contact.

Payment is in the “post”. Have a great Christmas.

Stephen

From County Hall, South Bank London Christmas party (this is the second time I have entertained them all, first time being in the summer of 2005)

Hi Rob

Just wanted to say thank you for blowing everyone’s socks off - again!

Hope you got home safely. Kate Hoey asked for your contact details so I have passed them along - with any luck you might find yourself in the Houses of Parliament soon (probably showing Alistair Darling your trick with the magazine clippings…)

Just one question - did you deliberately not show me the trick with the coin because you knew everyone would spend the rest of the night telling me about it and I’d have to book you again for next time?

Thanks again - and hope the rest of your marathon Christmas goes well.

Camilla

From Clifford Chance Lawyers, Christmas party in Canary Wharf (this was a follow on booking from their Christmas party that I did in December 2006:

Rob,

Thank you so much for last night, you were a real hit with all our guests.

Looking forward to next year. Have a great Christmas and New Year.

Clare

From a private 50th birthday party in Hertfordshire:

Thanks very much for the shows. You thoroughly entertained and baffled everyone, well done! It was nice that you were relaxed about timings rather than trying to stick to a rigid schedule and the flow was great as far as we were concerned.
The guests were talking about it for ages afterwards and were all very complimentary.
I was telling the caterer about it afterwards and she was interested as they have a family birthday some time next year. I have forwarded your details to her.
Have a good Christmas and New Year,

regards
Nick

From a BBC department Christmas party held in central London:

Hi Rob

I just wanted to say a big ‘Thank You’ for last Friday. All of guests including everyone at Music Publishing, thought you were brilliant!!!

I hope you have a lovely Christmas

Kindest regards

Sue

Some recent pictures from a black tie event!

Just a quick post to say I have put some footage together of me at various events over the last 12 months (to make it as diverse as possible I have included a corporate black tie event, a wedding, a bar mitzvah and a magicians convention!). Hopefully it should give a good indication of my performance style and the reactions that experiencing great close-up magic brings. You can find the video (as well as older one from 2005) here.

Just to let you know that I still have a free dates free for Christmas parties - I think a lot of people start finalising stuff in November now although every year I do get a few very last minute enquiries in December itself when me and most other decent magicians are booked. Now is a good time to get in touch to discuss your requirements!

I just got back from Eastbourne where I spent a few days at the huge International Brotherhood of Magicians convention (the IBM is the largest active body of professional magicians in the world). While I was there I picked up two awards for close-up magic including the Rovi award for sleight of hand skill and second place overall in the close up magician category, which I am pleased about! As a result I also got asked to perform at the prestigious 4F convention held near New York next year - it’s a well known event attended by some of the best close up magicians in the world. I was presented with the awards on stage by Ali Bongo who is the new Magic Circle president - how cool is that!!

Now back to work - October and November are pretty busy with parties, weddings etc and then I think December is going to be as manic as usual.

So I guess summer (what we had of it) is coming to an end. Luckily the rain seems to have avoided most of the outside drinks reception events I have been doing recently. Had this email and photo yesterday from a fun Wild West themed 40th party I did in Chester on Saturday night. I am handing him back his watch after stealing it a few minutes before… I look uncharacteristically happy in this photo!

Rob. Thanks for playing a significant part in making Caroline’s 40th birthday party such a great night. You wowed our guests who are still talking about your tricks today. We’d have no hesitation in recommending you to anybody who wanted to see some astounding magic in a party environment. We hope we have the opportunity to see you at work again. All the best. David and Caroline