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Close-Minded

The magic convention season is just starting to get underway. I've just got back from a couple of weeks in America to attend the TSD Convention and to spend some time with friends in various parts of the US and am really looking forward to attending a few more conventions in the coming months.

I've been attending conventions on a regular basis for at least five years now, so thought I'd jot down a few hints that I've picked up to help you survive conventions and more importantly; make the most out of them.

Sessions are just as valuable as lectures

Many of the magicians I know travel to a convention, religiously go to the lectures and performances and leave it at that. Lectures are great, but if you really want to learn some great magic, you need to get yourself involved in a session.

Sessions happen all over the convention and are a great way to learn new magic from your peers as well as perform some for them. In fact, several of the smaller conventions focus more on sessions than lectures and this helps to generate a great atmosphere.

There's no schedule or organisation for sessions; they just happen. A couple of people will sit somewhere, start talking and as time goes on, more and more people join in and perform, teach and share their magic.

Get some sleep

At the recent Blackpool convention, I worked out that I had less than nine ours sleep in the space of over a hundred hours of being at the convention and at the latest TSD convention, I probably had even less. My roommates had to pretty much force me to get some sleep and they were right; if you really want to be awake and experience the convention you should try to get at least a couple of hours sleep a night. Two words… pace yourself!

Visit the convention hotel

Most conventions have a headquarters hotel that is normally fully booked with magicians. If you can't get yourself booked into the convention hotel, make sure that you visit it as it will be jam packed full of magicians who are more than willing to show you their latest card trick.

Let the stars breathe!

Some of the larger conventions have up to two or three thousand attendees. The stars of the convention will be more than happy to spend some time with you; but bear in mind that with so many people wanting to chat with them, that they should be given a little breathing space every now and again.

Don't wear your name badge outside the convention

Seriously. You look stupid.

Get away from the convention

My friends and I always spend at least a night away from the convention and get out and have some fun. It gives you chance to take a breather and enjoy the company of your friends without being surrounded by magic… and believe it or not; sometimes that's a good thing!

See the city

I went to New Orleans; I spent some time in the French Quarter. I went to Chicago; I spent some time in the city. There's nothing worse than returning from a convention (especially if you've travelled a long way), only to realise that you forgot to actually leave the hotel and see some of the city. Try explaining that one to your friends when you get home!

Give the lay people a break!

Lay people at magic conventions normally get jumped on everywhere they go. For example, if there are lay people staying at the headquarter hotel, you can guarantee that magicians will be having them pick cards, borrow coins and steal their watches. I'm not suggesting that you don't perform for them; I'm just asking you to remember that they've probably seen a thousand tricks already that weekend!

Buy lecture notes

Lecturers don't get paid a massive amount for conventions so, if you enjoyed a lecture, it's good to show your appreciation by purchasing a set of their lecture notes. The notes will also be massively more detailed than any notes that you can scribble on the back of an old Starbucks cup. Of course, there's absolutely no obligation to buy the notes, but I like to use it as a way to show my appreciation to the lecturer.

Finally… have a great time

I don't just go to conventions to learn or perform card magic. I go for the fun and to meet up with some of the best friends I've ever made. Conventions are a blast… if you don't take them too seriously.

I hope I get the chance to hang out with you at a future convention! Drop me a line, anytime at andi@andigladwin.co.uk.

Andi Gladwin