English Movements/Groups

[Sk8r_St3v3]

Hi guys,

I have only just started getting into cardistry/flourishing and magic in depth in the last two weeks. As i am currently on a gap year i have literally nothing to do everyday and so have been spending hours practicing whatever i can find for free on the net, as well as purchasing several of the theory11 1on1's.

It is obvious to me that this whole culture/urban movement of magic and cardistry is very diverse and i have come to view what i thought was much less, as much more. I can see that from this diversity that practicing and taking part in this culture does not have to revolve around specific locations/sources of information.

I am already obsessed and i think that i am making pretty good progress. However, i am finding it hard to discover sources/websites that i can relate to more closely as although these forums are brilliant, I think it would boost me more to be active on a British based forum as well, as that is where i hail from.

Therefore if anybody would be so kind as to point me in the direction of any influential and worthwhile English forums/websites I would be very grateful. Just over these past two weeks, my introduction to magic has been helped incredibly by these forums and im sure that if I had access to a 'closer to home' source of content and information as well as theory11, it would help me to find likeminded people who could hopefully help as a catalyst for me whilst having a closer knowledge of the culture in England.

If i have drawn that out a bit i apologise, i just wanted to make myself as clear as possible

Cheers,
Steve

 

[Liderc]

Hullo,

Cheers mate.

I'll Send you a PM

 

[Sidekick]

Well there is this place, but I am not supposed to talk about it, see the first rule is your not allowed to talk about it, the second rule is you are not supposed to talk about it...



Oh so I have waited to say that ^^, WOOO, if you have seen AND read Fight Club....you are my friend..


http://www.talkmagic.co.uk/

thats a nice place, I go there from time to time, even thought its a UK site there a couple of US members in there.
The mentalism community in there is the strongest but there is alot on cards,coind and the like.

 

[AlfieWhattamMagic]

I just stick on Theory11 its great.

 

[Sk8r_St3v3]

Thanks for a quick replies and the good info, im constantly surprised at how polite this community is (most forums i use are never this polite!)

Im sure this will be my focal point from now on, aside here of course.

And looks like you've just gained a new friend Sidekick Fight Club is by far one of my favourite films and books, and David Fincher is one of my favourite directors, as a film student and writer id say both are a masterpiece

Going back my first question, whats the English scene like, and in particular Southern England, considering im an hour south of London Im sure theres tonnes of stuff there i just never delved deep enough into this culture to find it.

Any significant shops/theatres/shows related to cardistry and magic i should know of?

 

[Liderc]

Well there is this place, but I am not supposed to talk about it, see the first rule is your not allowed to talk about it, the second rule is you are not supposed to talk about it...



Oh so I have waited to say that ^^, WOOO, if you have seen AND read Fight Club....you are my friend..


http://www.talkmagic.co.uk/

thats a nice place, I go there from time to time, even thought its a UK site there a couple of US members in there.
The mentalism community in there is the strongest but there is alot on cards,coind and the like.

Fight Club.. fantastic book, and movie.. it's bloody Brilliant

 

[Sidekick]

Well I say you should first hit up Davenports I live 5 minutes away from that shop and I love it. They have books,props,cards, dvds you name it. Nice people, oldest family run magic shop in the world.

Then you want to hit up interenational magic shop, they have a lecture each month and Rons day, a magic convention in london annually.
Interenational magic is great as it has a lot more books than Davenports but both are shops you have to go to. This months lecuturer is Kostya Kimlat, it will be held on 21st april, 15 quid, you knock on the door and ask for chico....joke, just email martin@internationalmagic.com, the lecture is being held close to interenational magic at Casa Italia, 136 Clerkenwell Road, London EC1, lovely place. From what I can see on Kostya's website is that he is giving away as a prize or something 100 dollars worth of material, including his roadrunner cull but check that out on his website.

In the summer there is going to be a Dan And Dave lecture at International magic shop, check their website.

I say you should get a Magic Circle membership and hit the bar there loads of magicians to talk to. There is this one lonely guy I see once in a while doing flourishing...sad.... he is good anyway.

International Magic is a great shop, they are all so nice there seriously, I mean one thing that happened to me was that they found a rip on the back of a copy of Erdanse and they gave me it half price. Also Martin the guy that owns the place is a very close friend of Derren Brown but no matter how much you beg him, he won't arrange a meeting between you and the man himself.

If you want to see some good street performers...Magicians,jugglers, escape artists, hit up Covent Garden, I used to hang out there, but my stupid friend told me you dont need a performer's license to perform there but you DO, so I got a 50 pound fine and a slap on the wrist. So don't perform there, even if you are just sitting down doing some cuts, police or the local officials would question you and stuff.


That is SIDEKICK's GUIDE TO LONDON!!!

Nice meeting you

Oh and Liderc, your words are gold. Fight club is bloody brilliant

 

[Sk8r_St3v3]

Well that was probably the most in-depth reply i could have asked for

Ill try my best to hit up the places you mentioned, although i am currently without a car and with London being a bit more than an hour away from me any trips up to shops etc would have to be arranged, and thats kinda awkward because apart from my younger brother i dont have any friends/relatives who are into all this as much as me. That means i wouldnt have anyone to go with, although im sure all the guys you mentioned are fantastic.

And then i have only been doing it for a couple of weeks, the best i can do is a sloppy Sybil Cut and a poor effort Kenner's Shifty. I guess ive made qutie a bit of progress for two weeks but i dont think im ready to start hanging out with other magicians, if i can even call myself that, until i feel comfortable with my own skill level.

Im probably sounding quite un-confident right now, yet i just wouldnt feel right trying to mingle with people who know their stuff when im starting out.

Ill try my best though, Cerca Trova eh?

Cheers,
Steve

 

[blakehensley]

Well that was probably the most in-depth reply i could have asked for

Ill try my best to hit up the places you mentioned, although i am currently without a car and with London being a bit more than an hour away from me any trips up to shops etc would have to be arranged, and thats kinda awkward because apart from my younger brother i dont have any friends/relatives who are into all this as much as me.[/QUOTE


You want in-depth replies? Check out William Draven. Haha, he is a great guy and can help with a lot... Anyway, that's beside the point.

T11 is great for forums and there magic. also, just because your relatives and friends are not as into magic, doesn't mean you can't show them... Well when your better. But I don't mean it.. You know, I'm just rambling on. Practice, Practice, Practice... And Perform.


Hope this helps

-blake.

 

[Sk8r_St3v3]

Ill check him out

As for my point about not having any close friends etc into magic, i more meant as in that i could go up to London with, not because it bothers me going alone, ive been up to London a tonne, but more that Im the kind of person who is a lot more comfortable with people around him he already knows when he meets new ones, if you get me.

I just find it hard socialising when i literally dont know anyone.

That aside there is always a time to try something different

Cheers,
Steve

 

[blakehensley]

Ill check him out

As for my point about not having any close friends etc into magic, i more meant as in that i could go up to London with, not because it bothers me going alone, ive been up to London a tonne, but more that Im the kind of person who is a lot more comfortable with people around him he already knows when he meets new ones, if you get me.

I just find it hard socialising when i literally dont know anyone.

That aside there is always a time to try something different

Cheers,
Steve

Oh, totally get it now. I thought you meant you couldn't perform for friends etc. because they didn't like it as much. But thanks for clearing it up. And like I said and other members, T11 is a great!