Hey guys,
Two nights ago the wonderful show Worlds Greatest Magic came to my town. For those of you who don't know, Worlds Greatest Magic is/was a big show in Las Vegas featuring Jeff Hobson, Dan Sperry, Kevin James, Losander, Roy Shank and David Thomas.
A few months ago I heard the show was coming but it was just a touring version, not the headliners from Vegas. Seeing as there weren't any big names coming in the touring show (and also because I totally spaced), I didn't get tickets.
Well, for my birthday, a friend got he and I a ticket to the show. I figured I'd post up a little review/talk about it.
Well, last I heard, it was Jeff Hobson and a few guys I didn't really recognize. Nonetheless, I was excited.
Hobson was Master of Ceremonies and, of course, started the show. (well, some dancers really started the show, but it was mainly random dance on a mostly blank stage... whaa?) Jeff was absolutely hilarious. He started with some fire eating and then got into his schtick to start the show. He was fantastic and had the entire audience rolling.
Throughout the night Jeff did some great magic with kids from the audience and even some terrific watch steals. I didn't see a thing, terrific.
The first main performer of the evening was Losander, a FISM award winner and master of levitation. He started with a simple, but great, dancing cane routine as well as a dancing hank/zombie type combo later on.
He also did Bubble manipulation. Turning blown bubbles into glass balls and such. He also did the best zombie routine I've ever seen, using a bubble as his zombie ball. Wow.
He finished with a levitating table that, while good, I really felt he held it out to long and then tried to over-prove it was normal. Nonetheless, a terrific performer.
After some more hilarity from Hobson, David Thomas took the stage.
He did mostly classic stage magic mixed with a few modern classics. He also did an extremely cliche invisible deck routine... Cool, but pointless in his act.
Throughout the night he took the stage several more times and my impression remained the same with him, good performer, but not impressed from a magician standpoint. He also did one of the worst Asrah's I have ever witnessed.
After another bit of monologue I heard the next performer's introduction. When the words "Creator of all his own illusions" And "Semi-finalist on America's got talent" were uttered, I started freaking out.
Kevin James took the stage.
Apparently the show in Vegas has been stopped because the hotel shut down (at least thats what I've been hearing) so the headliners are now touring. Because I hadn't stayed on top of it, I totally didn't know.
Anyway, James was quite good. He performed most all of the illusions he is famous for. Sawing in half, Charlie Chaplain, Floating Rose, Bowling Ball Production, and would end the show with a beautiful, albeit cliche, snowstorm routine.
Though Kevin was fantastic, I was really amazed to see that he's not a fantastic performer. Though good in his own right, he really had no stage presence. Even though he seemed a bit lackluster, his snowstorm made everyone feel like a little kid again.
After intermission, Roy Shank took the stage.
I really enjoyed his style and use of Asian heritage in his act. Unfortunately, his illusions were mainly just okay. He did a version of the classic broomstick levitation using bamboo poles that water had been carried in on in the place of brooms. I loved the originality of the routine, but it was not smooth at all.
He then did a great lime/lemon/egg routine, vanishing each item and then vanishing a bird only to reproduce the lemon, cut it open to find the lime, cut it to find the egg and then crack the egg to produce the bird. While I had seen this before, it was still fantastic. Several of his vanishes and productions even made me do a serious double take.
Next my personal favorite, Dan Sperry. If you've never seen Dan perform, google him right now.
Dan's magic is some of the most phenomenal I have ever witnessed. His character grabs you and his productions are out of this world. His dove routine is something every single person needs to witness, I was taken aback.
Most of the productions I at least followed, though his misdirection was spot-on. One in particular though took my breath away.
Dan held a cane between his hands and simply popped it forward, bam, a bird was perched on the center of the cane. Absolutely wonderful.
He then did a fantastic and hilarious SAW routine with dental floss and a mint. Knowing the effect, I got to sit back and watch everyone around me absolutely lose it when he sawed into his neck.
His finale was turning all of his produced doves into a cockatoo, which is stunning.
As I said earlier, Kevin then finished the show with a beautiful snowstorm that made everyone feel like a kid again.
After the show I went up and spoke to the performers (sperry and james signed a card for me). They were all very nice (though, if you meet Dan, he is trying to stay in character, I believe, so don't be turned off).
All in all, it was a terrific show. Despite the cliche things such as the huge glitter curtain and snowstorm finale, it is still a show you do not want to miss of you ever have a chance. I cannot recommend it enough.
Thanks for reading this epitaph,
C
Two nights ago the wonderful show Worlds Greatest Magic came to my town. For those of you who don't know, Worlds Greatest Magic is/was a big show in Las Vegas featuring Jeff Hobson, Dan Sperry, Kevin James, Losander, Roy Shank and David Thomas.
A few months ago I heard the show was coming but it was just a touring version, not the headliners from Vegas. Seeing as there weren't any big names coming in the touring show (and also because I totally spaced), I didn't get tickets.
Well, for my birthday, a friend got he and I a ticket to the show. I figured I'd post up a little review/talk about it.
Well, last I heard, it was Jeff Hobson and a few guys I didn't really recognize. Nonetheless, I was excited.
Hobson was Master of Ceremonies and, of course, started the show. (well, some dancers really started the show, but it was mainly random dance on a mostly blank stage... whaa?) Jeff was absolutely hilarious. He started with some fire eating and then got into his schtick to start the show. He was fantastic and had the entire audience rolling.
Throughout the night Jeff did some great magic with kids from the audience and even some terrific watch steals. I didn't see a thing, terrific.
The first main performer of the evening was Losander, a FISM award winner and master of levitation. He started with a simple, but great, dancing cane routine as well as a dancing hank/zombie type combo later on.
He also did Bubble manipulation. Turning blown bubbles into glass balls and such. He also did the best zombie routine I've ever seen, using a bubble as his zombie ball. Wow.
He finished with a levitating table that, while good, I really felt he held it out to long and then tried to over-prove it was normal. Nonetheless, a terrific performer.
After some more hilarity from Hobson, David Thomas took the stage.
He did mostly classic stage magic mixed with a few modern classics. He also did an extremely cliche invisible deck routine... Cool, but pointless in his act.
Throughout the night he took the stage several more times and my impression remained the same with him, good performer, but not impressed from a magician standpoint. He also did one of the worst Asrah's I have ever witnessed.
After another bit of monologue I heard the next performer's introduction. When the words "Creator of all his own illusions" And "Semi-finalist on America's got talent" were uttered, I started freaking out.
Kevin James took the stage.
Apparently the show in Vegas has been stopped because the hotel shut down (at least thats what I've been hearing) so the headliners are now touring. Because I hadn't stayed on top of it, I totally didn't know.
Anyway, James was quite good. He performed most all of the illusions he is famous for. Sawing in half, Charlie Chaplain, Floating Rose, Bowling Ball Production, and would end the show with a beautiful, albeit cliche, snowstorm routine.
Though Kevin was fantastic, I was really amazed to see that he's not a fantastic performer. Though good in his own right, he really had no stage presence. Even though he seemed a bit lackluster, his snowstorm made everyone feel like a little kid again.
After intermission, Roy Shank took the stage.
I really enjoyed his style and use of Asian heritage in his act. Unfortunately, his illusions were mainly just okay. He did a version of the classic broomstick levitation using bamboo poles that water had been carried in on in the place of brooms. I loved the originality of the routine, but it was not smooth at all.
He then did a great lime/lemon/egg routine, vanishing each item and then vanishing a bird only to reproduce the lemon, cut it open to find the lime, cut it to find the egg and then crack the egg to produce the bird. While I had seen this before, it was still fantastic. Several of his vanishes and productions even made me do a serious double take.
Next my personal favorite, Dan Sperry. If you've never seen Dan perform, google him right now.
Dan's magic is some of the most phenomenal I have ever witnessed. His character grabs you and his productions are out of this world. His dove routine is something every single person needs to witness, I was taken aback.
Most of the productions I at least followed, though his misdirection was spot-on. One in particular though took my breath away.
Dan held a cane between his hands and simply popped it forward, bam, a bird was perched on the center of the cane. Absolutely wonderful.
He then did a fantastic and hilarious SAW routine with dental floss and a mint. Knowing the effect, I got to sit back and watch everyone around me absolutely lose it when he sawed into his neck.
His finale was turning all of his produced doves into a cockatoo, which is stunning.
As I said earlier, Kevin then finished the show with a beautiful snowstorm that made everyone feel like a kid again.
After the show I went up and spoke to the performers (sperry and james signed a card for me). They were all very nice (though, if you meet Dan, he is trying to stay in character, I believe, so don't be turned off).
All in all, it was a terrific show. Despite the cliche things such as the huge glitter curtain and snowstorm finale, it is still a show you do not want to miss of you ever have a chance. I cannot recommend it enough.
Thanks for reading this epitaph,
C
