Society of American Magicians Assembly 12

The first meeting of S.A.M. Assembly #12 for the 2010-11 year took place September 17^th at Eagle Magic Store, working loosely around a “How I Spent My Summer Vacation” theme. Jerry Martin led off with a rope trick in which a knot tied in the middle appears to jump off; Jerry’s effect was published in M-U-M 35 years ago, and will soon be featured on the S.A.M. National website. Dave Taylor presented a pair of gospel-themed illusions: one – his Pastor’s fave – shows how a broken direct phone line to God can be restored, and the other – one that looked a lot like an Egg Bag – was intended to be a Blackberry Spoiler. Adam Moore showed off a video his employer produced, in which Adam did a quick presentation of two scooters from a newspaper. Then, Steven Peer gave a demonstration of his “Made in America” elevator trick. Jack Nordin was next, using a 130-year-old magic table to present a slow-motion block penetration originally marketed by Town House Magic. The one and only Darnay the Magician followed with a bit of mind-reading with jumbo cards that had been surgically bisected; somehow, the two half-cards matched each other, as well as matching Darnay’s prediction. Larry Kahlow showed around a “Hot Rod” decoration, and talked about the vanish of a marked coin from a drinking glass, only to be found in the cash register’s till. Finally, Jim Rue rounded out the evening’s performances with the slow but inevitable vanish of three half dollars – very visual!

Perhaps it was the theme of escapes or the lure of strait jackets that
attracted a record 20 people to our May meeting. Meeting notes of
interest include the reminder that we do not meet in June, July, or
August; and that valued member Geoff Williams will be moving to Florida.

Thanks to outgoing president Adam Moore and V.P. Steven Peer and congratulations to incoming president Jerry Martin and V.P. Mark Heinrich.

With the close of the meeting, Jack Nordin opened with the squeeze away blocks performed on a circa 1890 table that may have been owned by Houdini.

Darnay revealed the light and dark side of famed magician Jay Marshall.

Brent Andera performed a 5-phase ring & rope routine.

Dave Taylor, in full bi-wing pilot regalla, performed his rendition,
with permission, of Hank Moorehouse’s strait jacket escape (complete
with Dave Rose’s “The Stripper”).

In humorous style, Justin Alan performed two rope escapes.

Rick Ausland tap danced on a custom luggage-stage he’d invented. Adam Moore donned a strait jacket, but only for the 30 seconds it took to escape – the length of the musical excerpt from Mission: Impossible (see it here)

Mark Henrich, in homage to Indian- magician Kahn Be Singh, performed his “classic” ring-off-snake.

Geoff Williams performed a fiction-imitating-life version of cups and balls to poetry where three old men, in their “tubs”, somehow ended up retired to Florida.

Host and Eagle Magic Shop owner Larry Kahlow wrapped-up the evening retelling his 1970s death-defying antics of suspending “friend” Larry Anderson 5-stories over a downtown mall, in strait jacket, using only old, semi-rotten ski rope.