Calling all Magicians Worldwide! If you have a knack for reviewing magic products, YOU could stand a chance to win a magic hamper worth $200.00!

Fellow Magicians,

Now that the Great Singapore Sale is almost over, the Great RDM Contest is here! Enjoy sharing your experience with your “Magical Stash”? The Great RDM Contest is just the contest for you.

Contest Details

To win yourself a magic hamper worth $200.00…

1) Search through your stash of magic arsenal to find a product/book/dvd to review.

2) Write a magic review on a magic related product/book/dvd that you own. It has to be on an original magic product/book/dvd which you own. Length of review must be at least 300 words long.

3) Email your review to admin@reddotmagic.com together with your name, age, country, and contact number.

Frequently Asked Questions

1) Who can enter?

The contest is not limited to Singaporeans. It is open to all our readers worldwide! =D

2) What is the deadline?

11.59 pm, 18 July 2010.

3) Is there a entrance fee?

Nope.

4) What kind of reviews can I enter?

You can send in reviews of any magic related items. However, you have to be the owner of the product and the product has to be original (i.e. not pirated).

5) Is there a format of reviewing I need to follow?

Nope! Let creativity and individuality take over and blow our minds away!

6) What kind of reviews are you looking for?

We are looking for reviews that are original, comprehensive and refreshing; Being prolific in written language would be an advantage.

The winning review will posted on here at RDM, and the reviewer will stand to win a magic hamper worth $200.00, courtesy of Magic Boutique.

www.magicboutique.sg

By the way, Magic Boutique has just gotten BIGGER and BETTER! Do check out their facebook page for more freebies and check out their newly revamped online shop.

The all new Magic Boutique is set to capture hearts!

All the best!
RDM Crew

Contest ends 18 July 2010 @ 11.59 pm.

Great RDM Contest – Midyear Giveaway! is brought to you by Red Dot Magic, in collaboration with Magic Boutique. Prizes sponsored by Magic ‘Babe’ Ning. For detailed T&Cs, refer to this post.

Update 1: The Great RDM Contest – Closed!

Update 2: The Great RDM Contest – Winner!

The Urban Circus is the only performance this year made specially for the heartlanders and held in the heartlands. With tickets perfectly priced, it was a show families could enjoy together. We were treated to a feast of performances, from defying escape stunts to good old kids magic.

Larry kicked off the show with his signature fire act in a fast paced routine that was a visual treat. He also showed us why is he called the “Jackie Chan of Magic” by escaping from a see-through strait jacket and from a box filled with traps and locks with his nimble hands.

Don't worry guys! The Urban Circus is rated PG

Jazz then proceeded to marvel the audience with his parasol act. His manipulation skills was smooth and well executed. He also showed his versatility with his parasol manipulation, although he was in a highly suspicious outfit that was bulging out and it made him look fat too!

Charmain Koh came in next to entertain the crowd with her belly dancing moves. It would have been much better if she smiled more and enjoyed herself in the process. The routine could also have more variety in the dance moves and music to inject more energy to the performance.

Thereafter, Dean Wong came on the stage. Dean Wong, winner of OKTO’s One Minute of Fame and ConceptMagic’s Own The Stage, charmed the audience with his boyish and energetic routine. His well rehearsed routines, coupled with that cheeky smile of his, melted the hearts of many that day.

Boys and Girls... Kinetic Girl is here!

Last but not least, Kinetic Girl came out to wow her audience away with some fun-filled family magic with a twist – Family Illusion Shows. I know I know, Kinetic Girl’s magic is mainly targeted at kids but I found myself laughing along with the kids. Before you knew it, she had all the kids in the audience, including me, at the edge of their seats, glued to her performance!

Overall, it was an afternoon filled with visual treats, surprises, and loads of fun. Kudos to JC Sum and ‘Magic Babe’ Ning for bringing magic back into the heartlands. I especially look forward to more good magic from Dean and Kinetic Girl

So… Lets begin by saying that this Redefine Magic: The Gathering 2009 is the coolest event ever. There were dealer booths and magic dvds/gimmicks/props were on sale for the cheapest prices ever. However, the flash paper I bought seem to light up really slowly… Does anyone know how to fix it?

The gathering started off with a card history and sleight of hands by Sharkie. (Is it spelt like that?) He gave us a brief introduction on the sleights of hands both a gambler and a magician uses. His technique was impeccable! Everyone had nothing but applauses for both his students and him. Imagine seeing second deals, bottom deals done like it was a piece of cake! Swapping cards, palming them, switching them. He knew it all!

Next, we had the luxury of seeing Paul Romhany’s Charlie Chaplin Act! It was highly entertaining. He was so into character that I could only see Charlie Chaplin in front of me even though logically he is Paul with make-up on! It was performing art at its finest.

After which, it was up to Nique to mind boggle us with his mentalism routine. It was highly thought provoking and left all wandering… He also managed to inject some humor into his act, ensuring that his mentalism routine continue to be engaging and entertaining.

The following lecture was done by none other than Paul Romhany himself. Despite being pressed for time, his lecture provided food for thought. It allowed us to create new and original routines, inspired by his handling of the signature tricks he always performs.

There was a short break before the grand finale, which had many performers, including Alex T, Sherman Tang, Frankie Yeo and last but not least, Jeremy Pei himself, performing a Reed McClintock mega coin routine.

I must give special mention to Frankie’s routine because he was controlling a puppet who was controlling a puppet. That sounds confusing, because it is! I have never seen Rocky the Raccoon performed mini-size before. Well… I have also never seen a puppet do a snowstorm. Boy, seeing is believing. In magic, anything is possible I guess. That is probably why magic is so magical!

(P.S. Even thought there ain’t no photos, check out this video. Thank goodness for youtube!)

Well… What else can I say? See you at the Redefine Magic The Gathering 2010!

Anyways, I was there at Christmas Magic to cover the event. Special thanks to Eugene for spreading the joy of Christmas to me I was on a shoe string budget with all the magic lectures happening in Singapore, it was almost impossible not to overspend. Then came Eugene to save the day! Haha.

The glittering backdrop of the show!

This was the 2nd time I seen Priscilla in action. I have to say that I am always impressed with the level of professionalism in all the acts and how things were well thought out. From the ushering of groups into the place, to providing pre-entertainment to the audiences prior to the show etc. The spirit of giving and sharing was definitely in the air, with all the friendly people and the show’s meaningful purpose.

I have to say that Daniel Khong did an awesome job as the MC for the show cum buffer guy to let them prepare for the next act. His jokes were really lame and funny. I’d remember the pin in his jacket one for a long long time. He was a joke. In a good way!

Welcome to Christmas Magic! I am your host for the evening - Daniel Khong

There were too many acts to name it one by one, I would give my honest feedback if you ask me personally However, I shall try to keep it short and sweet here.

It was overall a decent and good showing from all the performers, especially when it was their first time performing in front of a crowd of such magnitude. I could hear that the music was painstakingly chosen for the act, and how well the routine was choreographed was a testament to how much they wanted to make the show a special one for the audience.

On another note, however, perhaps it was nervousness, most of the performances did not seem to be perfectly executed. No one is perfect away and the way the performers rebounded from their mistakes was commendable. Also, the angles wasn’t so great.

The show just kept getting better. There were performances from Paul Romhany and the afternoon climaxed with the performance by Lawrence and Priscilla. The performance was filled with mystery, warmth, and inspiration. It had a little bit of everything and left us glued to our seats. Their ever so commanding stage presence was magnetic. Their performance ever so professional and precise. They never fail to amaze me.

Priscilla: Bringing us a never-before-seen magic act!

Overall, I guess it was fun filled afternoon that filled my day with cheers and inspiration. It made me really interested in joining Project SMILE! Being able to enjoy what you do and to bring joy to others seems like a win-win situation for me

Tom Devoe, blending in with the Singapore landscape!

Tom Devoe is not your typical magician. Rather he is a mind illusionist. He is currently in Singapore as part of his world trip which began on his birthday this year. He has traveled to India and Hong Kong so far and will continue on to travel to Australia, New Zealand, the Cook Islands and the USA, performing every step of the way.

Devoe decided to embark on this world trip after his last year in University. Why you may ask? “I want to travel the world and I love what I do so why not combine the two?”. he explained. “It also makes me a better performer too” he added.

Leaving Wales, his hometown on his 21st birthday, his world trip so far has not been easy. Adapting to the climate is one challenge. Tom only had three words to describe the weather in Asia and that is “HOT HOT HOT”.

This being his first time in Asia, Tom is amazed with the sights and sounds he saw. The poverty in India and the 24 hour McDonalds that we have in Singapore are some of the few things he mentioned. “Lots of poverty and people sleeping. It was hard to see. I was caught in a monsoon and the steel roof was torn open by the wind…. I was in a boat in a typhoon and I thought I was going to die. Everything that happened so far has kept me on my toes.”.

What’s his take on the Asian Cuisine we offer? Being allergic to rice, Tom has tried out all the possible Traditional Indian Cuisine in India and all the noodles in Hong Kong . WOW! He is looking forward to his next destination which is Australia, where he will satisfy his cravings for burgers and steaks. What does he have to say about Singapore Cuisine?… He likes the Singapore Sling and might be trying the Fish Head Curry.

When asked about the hardest part of this World Trip,  he cites that being away from friends and family is without a doubt the biggest challenge. Tom will be returning home on his 22nd birthday, exactly one year after he left. As Tom continues to pursue his passion during this trip of his, we wish him all the best in his future endeavors!

Tom will be in Singapore till January, performing and doing his mind illusions. You can check out this blog here.

The exlusive screening for Cyril:Simply Magic!

Going inside, it was a comfy setting filled with friendly and interesting people. The place itself was pretty decent. We were told to have a seat, enjoy ourselves and that “drinks were on the house”. Did you say drinks on the house? Drinks on the HOUSE?!?! Pure awesomeness.

So you basically could have anything here! Awesomeness.

Upon scanning around the place, we saw some familiar faces! All the magicians were blending in well in the crowd. New faces, old faces. Well… What can I say? It’s a small world.

Smile! You're on RDM Anyways pass of photos you took to us! Email us at admin@reddotmagic.com. Thanks!

The highlight of the night came when all the TV sets in the place started to show the mini-series Cyril:Simply Magic. As far as I can remember, Cyril show was inspiring. He did really simple tricks but tweaked the presentation to suit the culture of the locals, he used magic to motivate his audiences to believe the impossible and to chase their dreams.

After which, there was a short q&a segment where there was attractive AXN premiums to be won. I was one of the lucky winners of the contest, thanks to the kindness of the crowd who helped me along. Awesome people. Haha.

AXN Premiums (Excluding my pillow)

(PS, if you want to grab your hands on these limited AXN goodies and more, take part in our very own Cyril:Simply Magic contest! Prizes galore, so be sure not to miss it!)

It was a excellent way to wind down from the hectic pace of a working day. Kudos to the AXN team for organizing such a wonderful event. Be sure to check out part 2 and 3 of the mini-series, Cyril:Simply Magic, on 26 Nov and 3 Dec, only on AXN!

Answer these Simple Questions and stand a chance to win these fantastic prizes!

10 Lucky Winners will each stand to win:

1. An AXN Goody Bag (AXN notebooks, AXN Too Sexy Tees, AXN Stringe Pens, AXN Mobile Hanger) and
2. A Cyril : Simply Magic poster
3. A Magic Hamper inclusive of posters, pocket illusions and a cap

Sponsored by JC Sum and Magic 'Babe' Ning

Sponsored by AXN Asia

Here are the questions:

1) When does “Cyril : Simply Magic” premieres? (dd/mm/yyyy) (Answer can be found in Cyril: Simply Magic Poster)

2) Cyril will be sharing his Magic in which of the following regions? (Asia/Europe)

3) You can catch “Cyril : Simply Magic” first and exclusively on AXN. True/ False? (Answer can be found in Cyril: Simply Magic)

Once you have the answers to all of these questions, simply (no pun intended…) email your answers to admin@reddotmagic.com together with your name, age, country, and gender.

DOUBLE YOUR CHANCES!

Under the comments section of this page, write about what you think makes  Cyril and his magic so special and you are twice as likely to win!

All the best!
RDM Crew

Contest ends 4 Dec 2009.

Cyril : Simply Magic Q&A Contest is brought to you by Red Dot Magic, in collaboration with AXN Asia. Prizes sponsored by AXN Asia, JC Sum & Magic ‘Babe’ Ning. For detailed T&Cs, refer to this post.

Update 1: http://reddotmagic.com/cyril-simply-magic-qa-contest-closed/

Update 2: http://reddotmagic.com/cyril-simply-qa-magic-winners/

The Q law: The length of the queue is directly proportional to how good something is!

It was full house for the event Marvels of Magic! Presented by Singapore Association of Magicians (SAM), the event was highly anticipated by the both of us. The show featured a wide array of experienced, well-known, and unique magicians mainly from Singapore.

Learning from our mistakes from the previous free-seating magic performances, we decided to come early to book the good seats! Despite the long queue, everyone was seated minutes after the door was opened for entry. The show started promptly once everyone settled down and Jeremy Tan was the first magician to perform for the night.

His act was smooth and well rehearsed. Consisting mainly of visual stage magic, it was a good opening as it captured the audience attention instantly. Using streamers, cards, appearing wands, multiplying balls and parasol etc. Despite some minor hiccups along the way, his act was dynamic and fun to watch.

Up next it was Alex T’s turn in an act called Transformation. As much as I have seen this perform overseas and in Television shows, it was the very first time I was seeing it in Singapore. Not only that but Alex T’s mask changing performance was of such fine caliber that the audience was left dumbfounded. He also infused a little bit of magic inside his routine with tricks such as appearing canes and snowstorm.

We had good seats in the house! Check out OUR view!

As we were left wanting for more, Gician was up for his act. His act brought the kids in the show. His first act was a linking rings act followed by his version of the Instant Magician. It definitely brought laughter to both the young and young at heart.

A performance by Andrew Kong followed. His version of Multiplying bottles and Metamorphosis (Followed after Jeremy Pei’s act) was a more classic take on the tricks. The vintage looking props gave the whole act a very traditional feel which was really refreshing from all the modern, stylish magic being performed currently.

Daisy Ho was next. She wowed everyone with her really stunning performance attire! It was attention-grabbing! She showed us that you do not need to be a full-time professional magician to deliver a high quality magic performance. As an audience, it was delightful to see someone so happy performing magic and it made me feel happy watching it too!

The mood became solemn when the two-man illusion duo( Danny Koh & Nique Tan) came on stage to perform the classic Spirit Cabinet. It was also the first time I was seeing this in Singapore. A classic in magic. I must say that they performed the illusion flawlessly, but it was rather rigid in terms of following exactly what the original trick was. It could probably be better if they modified the trick to suit their style and the Singaporean context.

It was Imran’s turn to impress the audience. His stage presence oozed mystery and confidence. Throughout his routine, which was so perfectly executed, he never at once seemed to be fazed by the large crowd of people watching him. His dove production was also “steady” as he showed superb dove handling skills by controlling his doves with ease. He was definitely a pleasure to watch.

Jeremy Pei was next. Being the only magician to be representing Singapore in the FISM 2009, we were wondering if he was going to use the show as a practice ground for his FISM routine! He opened the act with his one of his version of the eternal ropes. Both Vogue and I talk to Jeremy occasionally off-stage and we both agree that he’s a completely different person when he takes the stage. When he is on stage, he owns the stage. Magic at its finest.

People always say “save the best for last”. And this was definitely true for the last act of the night, Reach for the Stars by Kiki Tay. The act was taken out of his musical/theater show “Waah! Magic!” and despite seeing it for a second time, it made me envious of Kiki’s originality. Who needs linking rings when you have linking hangers with a SUPER KICKER linking saw? Who needs the standard dlites when you have a handmade super bright white light? And who says magic can’t flow like water with a smooth and touching story line and matching music to boast? Kiki not only lit up the stage but also lit up the faces of all the people watching him! Gasps could be heard when he did his finale. Terrific performer he is!

The real stars in front of a starry background!

To sum it all up, what was $25 dollars when you get to see so many performances by a star-studded cast of Magicians? Marvels of Magic certainly showed us the caliber of the magicians in Singapore! Despite some minor incidents and errors here and there, it was a night to remember. With such talented magicians around, I’m sure that the magic scene in Singapore will continue to flourish and become more vibrant!

On a random note:

Did you know one throw like that $12 bucks? Pain. Haha.

Upon reaching the place, we were really lucky to get good seats even though the whole amphitheater was more or less packed to capacity.

Wahh! So many people behind us?!

As time for the illusion show to start drew nearer, I was getting more and more excited! It would be the first time ever that I get to see another female illusionist, besides Ning, perform. Prior to this, I have heard of Priscilla and Lawrence as the “Father-Daughter” duo. But I have never seen both of them in action personally, missing out on chances like the Magic Box, The Magic of Love etc. due to various reasons. I was relishing the chance to see an experience illusionist perform and hopefully get a tip or two on how to become a better performer myself.

Illusion show with a unique theme, at a unqiue location!

I wasn’t disappointed at all. The opening parasol production routine left me impressed. It was a magical illusion show which glamorously fused elements of music, dance and style seamlessly. It was more of a musical illusion show style, which was refreshing style as compared to the normal purely magic illusion shows around.

Throughout the show, it was a balanced mix of illusions that were meticulously chosen. There were audience interactive tricks to grand illusions, mystifying to comedy effects. In line with the theme of the night, which was birds, Priscilla manged a few bird productions which floored us all, and a really very neat transposition of a rooster! All this ensured that everyone from young children to the older folks were sitting on the edge of their seats all the time. Unfortunately, no photography and video was allowed during the show, we were unable to snap any shots of Priscilla in action.

The stage!

As we had to rush off for the Impossible Record, we didn’t have a chance to get to talk to Priscilla in-depth. After catching her live in action, I have to say that Priscilla is a very charismatic performer. Her charisma exudes from her personality, body posture and moves in the illusions she does. We left the place craving for more. Rest assure RDM readers that we would be keeping in touch with her so that we get to know more about her and her magic experiences.

Ten, Jack, Queen, King, Ace! FULL HOUSE!

Filled with a sense of mission to capture history in the making, we went to higher grounds to recon the place. The view was breath-taking. Our sharp eyes spotted many magicians, most notably John Teo and Enrico Varella, who were both in the judges’ panel to witness the feat. Noticing small gaps in the crowded, we took the chance to jostle in and got the best view we could get!

We took the whole record breaking feat in the highest quality mode ever, which is ironic in some sense because the 5 minute video takes up a whopping 175MB and I don’t know how to compress it and upload to youtube yet. (Give us time, we will learn!) So… I’ll do my best to describe it in words for those of you who missed out the event. We will update this post once the official video from Concept:Magic is up!

15 in 5

J C started strongly with an appearance inside a smoke chamber, and he was calm and composed. Not forgetting his showmanship, he took the time to pause before and after the effect, and the second illusion (Crystal Appearance) took half a minute to complete. After that, things got pretty intense. They wasted no time and proceeded on to do the Crystal Metamorphosis, an instant teleportation of J C and Ning. Their hard work and effort was palpable in the fluidity of the illusion, as they seemingly breezed through the second illusion.

Up next was Full Trottle, the appearance of a sports bike, followed by a production of two lovely assistants. The teamwork between J C and Ning was almost flawless as they executed their moves with such synchronicity that amazed the audience. The illusion was followed up by a body through steel routine from Ning and an extremely visual illusion of J C walking past Ning.

Time was ticking and the fatigue started to set in. They were almost at the half way mark when Ning performed the Spiker, a routine from Ultimate Magic. The next effect they performed was called Light and Space, whereby Ning vanishes and reappears in a blink of an eye (literally!). The crowd was left gasping to catch up with all the action.

In an instant J C and Ning went on to do the Extreme Burn, where Ning escapes from a spear and magically reappears in another illusion, the 360 sawing where her head was sawed off and rotated 360 degress around her body. Poof, and time was up. It was the fastest 5 minutes ever. We could barely even blink!

After the official from the Singapore book of records tallied the total number of illusions successfully performed, we were left in awe as J C and Ning set a new record of 15 illusions in 5 minutes, smashing the previous record by a whopping 5 illusions.

J C: Thank you! John Teo: Nah you deserve it!

John Teo went up the stage to present them the award. After which, the media bombarded them for a long long time. Vogue and I took the opportunity to eat our dinner! Haha. We came back and still didn’t miss out on the meet and greet session, where we took the chance to grab a group shot with them and posters of “The Impossible Record”.

Here's a man full of passion for his art!

But J C and Ning wouldn’t be able to accomplish such a feat without their remarkable crew. The backstage crew which consists of Adeline, Larry, Matthew and Ashraf played a pivotal role in ensuring that the stage was set in place for J C and Ning to do their job!

Concept:Magic Crew Adeline- Don't play play!

All in all it was a night to remember. It was a night where dreams became reality, where effort ripened into results, where thoughts become actions. J C and Ning have not only done themselves but also Singapore proud! I left the place feeling that Impossible is NOTHING.

“If you can dream it, you can do it” – Disney

RDM Readers! You can post your well wishes to both J C and Ning in this post