I hope yall can take a break from having too much fun at the Opryland Hotel to let us outworlders know whats going on. I know they have WiFi at the hotel!!

-=tabman

Greetings, I've been sending out nightly reports for the full day happenings....didn't think of posting them here, but, you've asked so here they are and I'll post them separately so there will be 3 reports back to back.

Keep a dream in the making

Maria Ibanez

Greetings, I've updated on both facebook and twitter but the message capacity there is limited and many of you have asked for updates via e-mails.

If the first day at IBM National is any indication of what the rest of the week is going to be like, we are in for quite a week. Registration ran very smoothly, the attention to details and the countless hours devoted by the organizing committee is very evident.

The hotel has to be the largest I have ever been to in my life! This place is a city within a city. UNBELIEVABLE! There are maps to get from place to place within the hotel which has a river running through it, numerous waterfalls and indoor atriums and gardens, shopping galore, restaurants of any type you can imagine, 24 hour a day room service, it is incredible.

The dealer's room is huge and well distributed. This is one year when one isn't elbow to elbow trying to get to any dealer's table to see their latest and greatest. There are some very innovative items to purchase, some quite pricey. There is a dealer with a sound system which effortlessly allows you to produce any sound you wish from a bullet shot to lightning to thunder and more; he says it is something Disney uses in their shows --- too rich for my need but it is absolutely fantastic. Losander's new floating box is absolutely terrific and certainly will be a complete sellout before the end of the week. Fantasio's new electronic flickering candle is beautiful and should also be sold out before week's end, it is a limited hand-made edition so I'm sure that there won't be any left.

Fantasma once again is giving away a gift per registrant if they bring their card to the booth (the card is included in your registration packet), this year there's a choice of one of three gifts. Me? I chose the token. BJW is here with their jewelry and Gay Blackstone, Robbie Willmarth and Harriet Jacobson are manning that booth which is always a favorite one not just for the ladies . . . some absolutely beautiful new pieces this year.

There's a great deal more going on but I don't want to give it all away, plus, it's time for Losander's lecture....more on the convention tomorrow...

Until then, remember to keep a dream in the making for we create our tomorrows by what we dream today.

Maria Ibanez

Greetings friends; day 2 is rapidly becoming a sweet memory and we are approaching day 3 of what is, thus far, a great convention. An early morning with stage contests starting at 7:30 a.m. culminating with an evening at 12:30 makes for a VERY tired, if pleased, Maria.

Before giving you the report for today, let me tell you about last night and a mishap I had and the honesty of those here at the convention. On our way up to the room, just leaving the dealers room and going up the stairs, my wallet fell out of my pants pocket, without my noticing. By the time we were half way to the other end of town (yes, this hotel is that big), I realized what had happened and went back to the dealers room to search for it since that is the last place I had been. Daniel Herron made an announcement over the microphone and surprise of all surprises, the security guard at the door had it as a young lady had found it and turned it in, money and all. It was only this evening that I discovered that it had been Rick Banman's daughter -- for those who may not recognize the name, H.Rick Banman is the photographer for the I.B.M. I'd like to publicly thank that young lady and congratulate her father and mother on having raised such an honest daughter. THANK YOU for our honesty and thank you for finding my wallet.

The day has been like living in a revolving door and trying to figure out just when to step out, so much to do, all of top quality, that it has been difficult to make choices. The dealers show, organized by dealer chair Daniel Herron, was well received by an audience which packed in every chair in the large area at the foot of the dealers room stage. Lectures today by Juliana Chen, J.C. Wagner, Mark Horowitz and Shoot Ogawa to round out the evening made for a very magic packed day and one which those who were unable to come really will regret having missed.

Today was also the day of the banquet where the gavel and regalia was passed on to the new International President of the International Brotherhood of Magicians during a very lovely ceremony. Jack White looked, as he always does, very debonair up on stage as he received the gavel and accepted the chain which he will now wear for a year as he represents the Brotherhood and its many members and rings around the world. He and his wife were indeed very Presidential looking on that stage. Congratulations to them both and a magical year ahead as they deserve.

I have crossed paths with now Past International President Joan Caesar, but she has been so busy, I haven't had an opportunity to congratulate her on her year.

Entertainment at the banquet consisted of that great magicomical and fantastic entertainer "Tiny Bubbles" a/k/a Steve Daly with the one of a kind MC job that only Steve can do, Dania and her unbelievable hoola hoops routine and a closing by the Charlie Fry and Co show, always a favorite.

The youth members were treated (lucky them!) to an event by Oscar Munoz who served as host of the MYI X-Treme party held for them....one of the times I wish I could turn back the hands of time just to attend that one event.

Some of you have asked about the dealers room and I can tell you that there are 30 dealers in that room and each one is someone you just can't pass up without stopping to pick up something. BJW Jewelers is here with the three ladies of jewelry, Gay, Robbie and Harriet and the latest in jewelry...trust me you would be buying something from them. Phil Willmarth and Trevor Lewis are here and are autographing their new book at the booth, don't miss out and pick one up here while they are together to sign it. Daytona Magic with an unbelievable display a great percentage of which is made up of new items.

Bob Little has it and you can't live without it -- always a booth to spend a great deal of time at with all his one of a kind and some not available anywhere else items. A dealer I've spent a long time at since arriving is Losander, he has a new magic box which is enchanted or "haunted" depending on how you look at it, ingenious levitation and location of a card, an effect I am sure to be taking one home of. Joe Morgar with his knives and now with a great many silks including a new one with a no smoking theme -- bought some for my own show, they are great!

And so, day two is done but there's more yet to come, tomorrow. Until next report, keep a dream in the making for you create your tomorrows by what you dream today.

Maria Ibanez

Greetings, well, here we are one more day down and still two to go.

Today was even more terrific than yesterday, if you can believe that. Preliminary close-up contest took place today in a rotation of four rooms. The contestants were all high caliber and well versed in the art of magic.

Oscar Munoz's lecture this morning was presented to a standing room only Presidential D ballroom. As is usual and customary for him, he wowed the audience and had everyone eating out of his hand by the time he was through. His wife and children were present and manning the table at the side of the stage; a situation which made for very special interaction between them and the audience. Not only is he a very fine performer and lecturer; he also has a lovely family and the love between them is clearly very special

Also lecturing today was Rich Block and Charlie Frye; the names alone will tell you that this too would prove to be full rooms. Both excellent performers and better than average lecturers, something you didn't want to miss.

In the rotation for the badges, the red badges today were treated to the close-up show which consisted of performances by none other than Ed Ellis, Hayashi, Marc Oberson, Shoot Ogawa and J.C. Wagner....could we possibly pick a favorite from that list? Just not possible!

The blue badges took advantage of B.J. Hickman and his presentation of "Best Routines, Bits & Marketing", a presentation which needs to be seen more than once for the information he so willingly shares.

Green badges? Those, which included Jay and myself, were treated to the Special Extravaganza Stage Show which was performances by dealers. Not a dealer show but rather performances by them, and the event was admirably MC'd by Oscar Munoz. We thoroughly enjoyed the show.

The early hour of 4:00 PM brought the annual business meeting and the actual presentation of all the Order of Merlin awards, a very special moment as I well remember, having received mine in 2007. The Board looked impressive up on stage at the dais and the room was full of members from many Rings from many places from around the world. It was wonderful to see the first ever lady President of the IBM, June Horowitz, whom we had the pleasure of meeting back when she was in office. She is a lady in every sense of the word and still the ever kind and gentle soul.

Then came the moment we were all awaiting, the gala show at the Acuff Theatre. What a show!! A well deserved lengthy standing ovation for a FANTASTIC "International Stars of Magic" evening show. MCd by Jorge Blass, the evening had the audience enthralled and mesmerized with the magic of David and Dania, Yuji Yamamoto, Kyle Eschen, Jason Latimer and ending with An Ha-Lim....but, I am getting ahead of myself...

We stepped into a theater where a live group was playing country music to welcome us, toe tapping, foot stomping great music that warmed up the audience but didn't quite prepare us for the feats of miraculous looking magic that we would be soon to witness. After the special recognitions of he Officers of the I.B.M., who were introduced by Don Greenberg and a few words from Joan Caesar, now the Past International President, she presented, as her last act as President, a Presidential Citation to Shimada, in recognition and appreciation for his 50 years in magic. The curtains then opened to shadowed out figures who were standing perfectly still on the stage as a slide show display was projected on the gigantic screen which made up the back wall of the stage. This slide show had photos of the greats of magic including, among many others, Harry Blackstone, Doug Henning, Fu Manchu, and so many others of the legends.

Jorge Blass introduced himself as he performed the first of what would be several excellent effects between the acts before introducing David and Dania, who were supersonic with their changes, even sitting up close and near the stage it still looked like a true miracle; they were followed by Yuji Yamamoto with a very intricate and colorful silk act complete with numerous silk fans, fountains, silk productions, a shower of miniature silks and bottle productions which seemed to come from nowhere, amazing. Kyle Eschen was next up and he literally had everyone in the audience laughing uncontrollably while also sighing and saying, ahhhh....what a pleasant, talented and absolutely delightful young man. Jason Latimer delighted us with his FISM award winning act in addition to a bit of comedy magic followed by a laser presentation, words do not begin to describe him or his act and if you've ever had the fortune of seeing him perform you know how incredible he is. So you say, what an evening, but, not yet....there was one more act to come, the stage winning act of last year's combined IBM/SAM Convention...An Ha-Lim with his one of a kind cards manipulation act, which, just as it did in Louisville last year and each time he performs it, received a standing ovation by the audience.

The evening's performances had come to a conclusion an hour and a half after we had walked into the theater and Jorge Blass brought everyone out one more time to take a final bow. A roaring round of applause, accompanied by a lengthy standing ovation showed them the appreciation of those of us who had just spent a truly magical evening thanks to their talent.

Back to the hotel to attend the previously mentioned lecture by Charlie Frye, to visit the dealers room one more time or to go to our own rooms and attempt to get a little rest in preparation for tomorrow and the wonders that it will bring. Who can sleep with so much to look forward to? It's like a child awaiting christmas morning and looking under that tree....at least that's how this writer feels.

Until tomorrow, pleasant dreams and keep one in the making for you will create your tomorrows by what you dream today.

Maria Ibanez

Wonderful, thank you!!

-=tabman

I think this is fantastic idea and posting it here is good idea. Thanks Tabman and Maria...wish I was there...

Perhaps for future consideration we could have video footage of the "news" reports. A daily reporting on what is happening people to see and other tid bits to entice, inform, and extras for the IBM member that couldn't be there...

Good stuff thanks

The reports from Merlina (love that name) are excellent. I'm looking forwrad to reading the next installment. Friday nights at the Natl IBM are usually great. Better than Saturday IMO.

Looking forward. Keep up the good work!!

-=tabman

Looking forward to this.

Greetings, I do additional updates which are e-mailed out to many accross the globe. There's a weekly newsletter I put out titled "Have you Heard?" and it goes out via email every monday both in English and to a separate list of Spanish speaking magician; between the two lists there are close to 7,000 subscribers. The reports I am posting here are part of the daily reports which are going out to that list but there will be a complete and more detailed report on Monday so I will try to post that one here as well if you are interested. If you'd rather receive the weekly newsletter just drop me an e-mail or PM me and I'll add you to that list. In the meanwhile, here is tonight's installment....
Greetings, the countdown to the end of the convention has started; now there is only tomorrow left and the opportunity to sign up for the next one which will take place in none other than magical San Diego....get in on the ground floor now and register early so that next year you won't have to keep up via the updates.

Today was a little longer for some than for others. It started at 7:30 with a continental breakfast for the TVPs. Even though the first lecture of the day was the at early hour of 8:30 a.m., Marc Oberon presented his "Mark Oberon Lecture" to a full house of very satisfied conventioneers.

As I've told you before, Jay and I are green badges so we had the opportunity today to attend B.J. Hickman's Best Magic Routines, Bits and Marketing Strategies presentation. He held nothing back either from his show or from his marketing techniques and the reason for those, truly very worthwhile attending.

Steve Bargatze and some of his friends presented they MYI X-treme event this afternoon from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. The lucky youth members of the IBM have been attending their own special events by some of the leading names in the industry.

With Rich Bloch as MC, the evening show consisted of the six Gold Medal Finalists. If there is one thing I am thankful for, it is being fortunate not to have served as judge because it would have been a very difficult choice. Don Greenberg, Contest Chair, read the names of the winners and for the first time ever the Karrell Fox Comedy Award was presented this year.

Ed Ellis and "The highly visual....low process" lecture began at 11 this evening opposite the additional charge David and Dania workshop.

Tough choices all day on what to attend, where to go and what to give up on in order to cover something else.

Tomorrow....Shimada, the man and his magic live an in full color will be performing and we can hardly wait. But, that will be in the evening and we still have to get through a day full of magical happenings which for us begin at 8:00 a.m. with the Order of Merlin breakfast.

Until next time, keep a dream in the making

Maria Ibanez

The next year the convention would be in .....?

San Diego, California. It is a great facility and nice town to get around in because of the transit system.

Richard

Greetings, Richard is correct,next year is San Diego and registrations for that will open this morning at the Order of Merlin breakfast.

Headed to the breakfast and we don't want to be late so I'll tell you more about that at this evening's update.

Keep a dream in the making

Maria Ibanez

Thanks again for the reportage from the convention floor.

-=tabman

I'm planning to San Diego now!

Greetings, as the saying goes....the party's over....and all too soon it's time to go home but not before an evening that started with a standing ovation and ended in similar fashion; however, I am getting ahead of myself so let me start at the beginning.

Order of Merlin breakfast this morning with none other than Rich Block as the guest speaker. If you've ever heard the man speak you know of his way with words, his way with people and the vast culture and knowledge that he has which comes through clearly to anyone listening. The speech was on point and target and received a lengthy round of applause from the great many members who attended the breakfast.

The rotation of events for the three colored badges continued today. The three sittings separated by the color of the badges became necessary to accommodate the number of conventioneers who attended this year, I haven't heard the final count but my guess would be right around 800, all of whom will be heading home tomorrow exhausted but very happy for having attended and looking forward to the next one in San Diego.

Last minute purchases and deals were available all around the dealers room although there wasn't very much left on those tables. Both dealer and conventioneer left richer than they came in, one with the new treasures they would be taking home and the other with the money they had made thanks to the wonderful mysteries they had brought for sale, this of course made their trip back lighter in direct proportion to how much heavier someone else's luggage would be....but that is the nature of the beast.

The show put on by the youth members was a great deal of fun. This afternoon event is organized by them, MC'd by them and performed at by them. I can honestly say that there was some good talent there and the young man that served as MC has a good future ahead filling that position -- he had personality and talent to spare.

The evening show started 30 minutes earlier than every other evening and as I stated in the opening paragraph, it was standing ovation to start and standing ovation to finish. We arrived at the theater to the now customary country music played by the live band which had played each evening stage left on their own platform. Four very talented musician/singers who engaged the audience and made us feel not just welcome but also glad we had come to Opryland and Nashville. The final song they played this evening was "Glad to be an American" and they received not just a thunderous round of applause for their rendition, but also a full house standing ovation which seemed to just go on and on. I for one shed more than one tear, just as I do each time I hear that song and think of all the brave men and women who risk their lives everyday so that we may enjoy the peace and way of life that we do...I always remember the saying....freedom isn't free.

The evening's performance opened and closed with the legendary Shimada. Not having seen him perform for a few years, it was a performance that was anticipated and awaited for with baited breath by all present; much like the convention, his performance did not disappoint. He was flawless as only a legend can be, created what to the audience seemed like miraculous productions of doves, moved fluidly and smoothly as he engaged every member of that audience and made eye contact that made every person there feel as though he was performing just for them -- but wait, that was only the opening act.

Shimada was followed by his student and one he has mentored, Juliana Chen with a new act which she performed here in his honor. She opened dressed in a phenomenal kimono doing a series of neon colored, translucent parasols production. Her kimono was "vanished" by the two assistants, dressed fully in black and inconspicuous, who twirled the two side parasols and then "walked" of stage. Following the vanish of the kimono, Juliana proceeded to do card productions, fans and scaling as only she can but not her full length version of this. She followed with a drumhead tube, done using a clear plexiglass tube instead of the traditional one, with a production of a huge multitude of live goldfish instead of the usual silks or streamers; this was followed with the vanish of all the fish in the tank she had placed them in and reappearing in an equally large aquarium at the opposite end of the stage. The fish theme continued as she caught in a net live fish from the air and poured them into a third and even larger fish tank on stage. Her final act was a self levitation as she lay on a bench and twirled foulards, one each on each leg and one each on each hand. Truly a different type of act for Juliana but just as interesting and well rehearsed.

Oscar Munoz was next up and naturally he had Pepe on stage with him. Always a favorite of the crowd, always a gentleman on the stage and always leaving everyone eating out of the hand of that gentle purple dressed performer, we never get enough of seeing him act.

Steve Bargatze was on the bill and served as MC with his usual antics. You had to have been here to understand but when he came out on stage following the four Irish jig dancers, he himself wearing one of their wigs and attempting to do what they did....just too funny for words. If you read yesterday's update you remember that there are over 4,000 dancers in the hotel, all kicking up their heels up and down everywhere you look so this definitely was a brilliant move on someone's part and it was a great way to bring the convention and the happenings full circle.

Scott Land was up next with a presentation of marionettes which is among the best I've ever seen. What ingenuity and creativity and what a show he put on!

Shimada closed the evening with his dragon act. Fire breathing, undulating dragons, all four around that stage. Huge in stature, fantastic flowing moves and a show that brought so many memories of years past. Seeing him perform today showed us that Shimada, the legendary magician, has not lost his touch or his moves. He received a standing ovation which was well deserved and hours later we are still talking about his performance.

Now we can sit back, rest a little and make our plans and reservations for next year's convention in San Diego. From what little I've heard about the hotel, area of the convention and some surprises...it'll be a fantastic one.....we've already registered and will be there, will you?

I hope everyone had a wonderful and safe 4th of July. Thank you for all your wonderful and supportive e-mails and thank you for enjoying the updates.

Until next time, keep a dream in the making for you create your tomorrows by what you dream today.

Maria Ibanez

To add a contrary note, the Opryland Hotel and Resort is poorly laid out in regards to placement and number of elevators and is rough on us old folk. The food in the various hotel restaurants is uniformly overpriced and substandard. Which I guess is typical at this kins of place.

The stage contests-An incredible array of talent from around the world. I was one of the judges for the preliminary contest on Wednesday morning. The variety and enthusiasm of the entrants was impressive. Lots of color and a pretty good deal of entertainment. Exhausting sitting through 29 acts, still I wouldn't have missed it for the world. I only saw the finals for the close-up contest and again there was incredible talent.

As for the rest, I had a great time and don't regret the time or money spent. And meeting Fantasio and Shimada made the week for me.

What a convention this was! Ed Ellis did a lecture from 11 PM till 2 AM, what a nut, but I loved every minute of it! Charlie Frye rocked the house as usual and Shoot Ogawa out did himself yet again in the lecture. The strolling Olympics were as funny as you can imagine with many performers making up a routine 5 minutes before it started; this is something you must experience once in your lifetime (this was my 4th straight IBM convention). The stage show every night was exceptional as well as the close ups. I think the Hayashi lecture was the big surprise to many as a number of persons was aware of his prowess of magic and he most certainly didn't disappoint. To make my point very clear the trick that most talked about from all of the lectures was from Hayashi and believe it or not it was a 21 card trick, yet when performed no one could even begin to determine the method he employed to reveal the card! It was a mentalism effect of a card revelation.

I didn't see anything really new or outstanding in the dealers room that hasn't been discussed here in the Café but still it's always fun to see all of the items performed by the creator.

At this convention location approximately 4000 girls came for the "North American Irish Dancing competition". I can't describe to you men how one felt the serious need for a sports cup when walking from one event to the next as these girls practiced in the hallways (everywhere) and the feet with very sharp points were always up in the air and inches away from that which is most precious to us So on the last night which Steve Bargatzee MC'D he brought on about 5 of the dancers in there costumes and they performed a small dance then went into a 10 minute drama with Steve. It was very hilarious on many levels. At this same location conferences on Vitamins, Black Gospel, Physics and others occurred and when one casually strolled down the hallway to look at the people going and coming and the girls dancing in between the people and the magicians throwing playing cards as they left the Juliana Chen lecture - it was truly a sight to behold!!!!

I was screwed on my registration for the 4th straight year but I'm almost over it however one does feel like they become the unluckiest person on the planet as the odds of such events occurring so many times to one person is very unlikely

I would suggest registering now for San Diego and if you come shoot me an email and we'll session into the AM together!

Cheers,
Brian

Great reports. Thank you for taking the time to write.

-=tabman

Does anyone have the dates for next year's convention in San Diego?