Roger, the convention itself is quite a thing to experience. It's massive, even for FISM vets used to 2,000/2,500 people, another 1,100 people is hard to imagine.
Once you are inside the Winter Gardens, the town of Blackpool seems distant (at least until dinnertime). The registration fee for the convention is minimal, and frankly the dealer room alone is worth that price for 3 days. Lots of shows and lectures, too. A large number.
Which is why I'd like to be able to attend the convention again.
Palace revolt at Blackpool Magicians Club ? Derek Lever off committee
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Richard Kaufman
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Re: Palace revolt at Blackpool Magicians Club ? Derek Lever off committee
It always amuses me when other magicians make derogatory comments about the general Blackpool accommodation.
And yes, much of it does leave at least something to be desired. Most of the hotels within a five minute walk of the Winter Gardens are more like boarding houses, and many are a few houses knocked together with wandering passageways and stairwells.
However the only times you are in your room is when you are going to bed. Once the room is clean, warm, and with a bathroom, that's all you need for the few hours you will be asleep.
You can catch trains direct from Manchester Airport direct to Blackpool North. Unfortunately there is no direct train from London to Blackpool, you have to change at Preston, and that combined journey is less than three hours.
Blackpool town centre has received some upgrading in the past few years and there are some decent restaurants around now.
If you don't like large crowds, forget it, but overall the Blackpool weekend is an addictive experience.
And when Derek Lever took over organising the event in 1994, it was still a one day convention with an average attendance of 1500.
And yes, much of it does leave at least something to be desired. Most of the hotels within a five minute walk of the Winter Gardens are more like boarding houses, and many are a few houses knocked together with wandering passageways and stairwells.
However the only times you are in your room is when you are going to bed. Once the room is clean, warm, and with a bathroom, that's all you need for the few hours you will be asleep.
You can catch trains direct from Manchester Airport direct to Blackpool North. Unfortunately there is no direct train from London to Blackpool, you have to change at Preston, and that combined journey is less than three hours.
Blackpool town centre has received some upgrading in the past few years and there are some decent restaurants around now.
If you don't like large crowds, forget it, but overall the Blackpool weekend is an addictive experience.
And when Derek Lever took over organising the event in 1994, it was still a one day convention with an average attendance of 1500.
Re: Palace revolt at Blackpool Magicians Club ? Derek Lever off committee
Oh, John Bowden is just being Irish. They say one thing and mean another. It happens all the time. You have to be there for a very long time to understand them. When they say "yes" they actually mean "no" and insincerity is part of their DNA. It takes an awfully long time to get used to the bogtrotters. If you ask someone directions there and they don't know the answer they will make up a story so as not to disappoint you.
The Irish themselves understand each other. They ignore the words said and observe the body language and of course they know the code. If you visit an Irish home and they offer you a cup of tea you are supposed to say "no" knowing full well that the response will be, "Ah, you must have a cup of tea" and you are supposed to say "no" again whereupon they will INSIST you have one and you are supposed to reluctantly consent. It is a game they play among themselves and they realise that this is what you are supposed to do. If however, they ask if you would like a cup of tea and you immediately say, "yes" or "that is very kind of you" it is considered very bad manners. However they might forgive you if you are a foreigner and do not understand their eccentric behavior.
They are very friendly to Americans to their face when they visit Ireland but [censored] at them behind their backs, particularly if they are Irish Americans who think they are Irish because they had an ancestor at the time of the potato famine. The saying that if British people come to Ireland the longer they are there the more foreign it becomes. I have found this to be perfectly true.
They are the best punters in the world and love to spend money. I find this their most sterling quality. I used to sell 400 svengali decks a day there. Mr Bowden himself must have made many magic dealers rich including myself. The place is a goldmine no matter what the economy is. Don't say I told you so though.
The Irish themselves understand each other. They ignore the words said and observe the body language and of course they know the code. If you visit an Irish home and they offer you a cup of tea you are supposed to say "no" knowing full well that the response will be, "Ah, you must have a cup of tea" and you are supposed to say "no" again whereupon they will INSIST you have one and you are supposed to reluctantly consent. It is a game they play among themselves and they realise that this is what you are supposed to do. If however, they ask if you would like a cup of tea and you immediately say, "yes" or "that is very kind of you" it is considered very bad manners. However they might forgive you if you are a foreigner and do not understand their eccentric behavior.
They are very friendly to Americans to their face when they visit Ireland but [censored] at them behind their backs, particularly if they are Irish Americans who think they are Irish because they had an ancestor at the time of the potato famine. The saying that if British people come to Ireland the longer they are there the more foreign it becomes. I have found this to be perfectly true.
They are the best punters in the world and love to spend money. I find this their most sterling quality. I used to sell 400 svengali decks a day there. Mr Bowden himself must have made many magic dealers rich including myself. The place is a goldmine no matter what the economy is. Don't say I told you so though.
Re: Palace revolt at Blackpool Magicians Club ? Derek Lever off committee
The word s-n-i-g-g-e-r above came out censored obviously because the software did not see the letter S at the beginning of the word.
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John Bowden
- Posts: 180
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Re: Palace revolt at Blackpool Magicians Club ? Derek Lever off committee
Sure Mark aren't we known for our sincerity..................
How often did we tell you how wonderful a performer you were?
You can rest assured we meant every word of it. [Censored]....................we must have the same software.
How often did we tell you how wonderful a performer you were?
You can rest assured we meant every word of it. [Censored]....................we must have the same software.
Re: Palace revolt at Blackpool Magicians Club ? Derek Lever off committee
Nobody told me I was wonderful. That is how I knew how good I must have been!