The weekend before last, I attended the annual IBM convention, held in Hinkley this year. The IBM “Keyring” magazine will undoubtedly feature reviews of this packed day, so instead of reviewing the convention shows and lectures, I wanted to share my experience and focus on the social aspects of the event, meeting up with my magic family.
On this occasion, I was incredibly fortunate because the convention was just a 30-minute drive from me. I attended alone, but that never bothered me. I already knew so many magic friends, so I never felt far from a friendly face. Even though I’ve only been a member for about 2.5 years of the IBM, I’ve quickly gotten to know many. What other event do you get a hug from the incoming president upon arrival and greet you? (Thanks, Moira.)
Magicians generally love conferences because we get to see dealers, attend lectures, and socialise with our many industry friends. I can’t think of anything better than socialising with magic mates, and even before the day started, I bumped into friends on their way to the theatre (Andrew Sherratt and Mike Price).
The theatre was a great size and an ideal location, complete with bars, a function room (dealers), and of course, the theatre itself for lectures and shows. There were plenty of places for us all to mingle and catch up. It was an excellent space to view lectures, and it was lovely to see a packed day of events.
While I did bump into some local magicians who hadn’t been to an IBM event before, I also got to catch up with many IBM friends I’ve met through this club. We’ve become friends and get to meet at events like the convention and picnic every year. Between events, we often get in touch and help each other out when needed.
A great example of new friendships has been formed through the IBM. I’ve now got to know Robert Moss and Lawrence Addison, and we catch up at the annual picnics and conventions each year. We discovered that we’re all going to Hullusion next month, so I’m looking forward to seeing them then. When chatting with Lawrence, he summed it up nicely. He said that family and friends don’t always get our magical passion without them being bored, so it’s nice to meet at magical events like the IBM. I’ve also met other local magicians, like Jayne and Pete Osborn, through the IBM.
Each event also allows you to reconnect with artists you may not have seen for a while, or even occasionally. This year, I was able to catch up with Kane & Abel, who I may not see unless at a convention. I also got to know Danny Lee Grew through these conventions.
Then you see other faces that sometimes make you rack your brain, unable to quite place them at first. I recognised “Raymond and Cannon” from the stage act “High Jinx,” but I didn’t know why. Eventually, I worked out the reason. It was lovely to speak to Kazia (Cannon) and get a signed card.
As I collect signed items, everyone is lovely and accommodating when signing them for me. Lawrence even kindly brought some signed items, and I was able to view his book of pictures, which catalogues his career.
The event also presents opportunities to see special guests perform. This year, we had the incredible Anita Harris, whose voice was truly captivating. It was a brilliant chance to witness her performance, and of course, it was organised by Richard Cadell and IBM. This alone made the ticket price worthwhile.
Many IBM members are familiar with regular dealers who support the event. It was lovely to see Neo Magic and Tricked Magic in attendance, along with others, alongside Red Dragon magic.
Last but not least, it’s always lovely to see our IBM President, council, and event organisers. Big congratulations to Aidan for his successful year promoting IBM, and to Moira, our new president for the forthcoming year. The IBM team makes every event very special, and past presidents like Oliver Tabor, Richard Cadell, Alan Maskell, and Philip Partridge have all contributed to its success. There are too many people to mention, but they’ve all been amazing.
I apologise to those I didn’t get enough time to catch up with (Wayne Trice and others). I guess the main disadvantage of a single day is that it makes it hard to do everything. If you would like to know more about the British ring or join, please https://britishring.org.uk
And if you want to learn more about this day, do watch out for reviews and write ups in a forthcoming IBM keyring magazine. You may even see a write up that I have contributed about the stage magic competition!
