Jeff McBlog

Greetings Magical Friends,
ON THE ROAD… A DAY ON TOUR WITH JEFF MCBRIDE
Jeff here, in Toronto, reporting from out 2010 Canada tour…  Jordan Wright is traveling with me, as my opening act, lighting designer and assistant.  It’s amazing to watch how Jordan can handle every situation that’s thrown at him, especially in some of the more challenging theater venues.  Each day, we get up early, hit the road, get to the theater around 2pm, set the props and lights at 3pm, do a run through with an all new tech crew at 4pm, take a break at 5pm, and get ready to do pre-show walk-around and meet and greet the audience at 7pm.  Showtime is at 8pm, and comes down around 9:30.  We pack up the entire show, visit the VIP after-party, go back to our hotel for a few hours of rest, then up early the next day and do it again, and again, oh, and again!

We have an amazing tour manager, Jeff Montgomery, who is multi-talented, and has an outstanding gift for communicating with people. On the most challenging day of travel, he was able to get a plane off the runway a half hour early, and later that day, convince another crew to hold a plane a half hour so our props and baggage could make the connection.  It’s a real pleasure to work with highly skilled pros like Jordan and Jeff.

Here is the tour schedule that Jeff Montgomery put together, and hey, every ticket is already sold out!

April 13 Perform in Fort Frances Ontario 500 people
April 14 Perform in Thunder Bay Ontario   1400 people
April 15 Perform in Brandon Manitoba 900 people
April 16 Perform in Manitou Manitoba 500 people
April 20 Perform in Regina Saskatchewan 2200 people
April 21 Perform in Lloydminster Saskatchewan 600 people
April 22 Perform in Saskatoon Saskatchewan 2200 people

STREET SMARTS
Here’s what I’ve learned so far, on this tour.

1) Never play “name that tune” with a professional radio disk jockey.  Our tour manager, Jeff, can instantly name any tune from the 1970’s on.  He always wins.

2) It’s nice to be important, but more important to be nice.  Tour manager Jeff’s philosophy on dealing with challenging people and situations on the road: he never loses his cool, but always manages to find a win-win situation for everyone.

3) Don’t look in the rearview mirror, keep moving straight ahead.  That’s another Montgomery-ism.  There’s no time for looking back with regret when there’s so much to do on the road ahead.

4) Eat more fruit, less potato chips…. ‘Nuff said.

WONDERGROUND, THURSDAY APRIL 15TH!!
If you’re going to be in Las Vegas this week, you are cordially invited to WONDERGROUND!  We have an amazing NEW line-up (yes, the show changes completely EVERY month).  You can see the list of performers here: http://www.vegaswonderground.com

Abbi will be the Mistress of Ceremonies this month, and I hear she’s gonna be doing her “McBondage Escape” which I guarantee you don’t want to miss….

VIRTUAL JEFF MCBRIDE
I will be beaming in via internet, live from Brandon, Manitoba, Canada. AJ Olsen and Jeremy Espinosa fromwww.streetofcards.tv have created a cyber-magic interface that will connect me, live-time, from Canada to all the folks at WONDERGROUND!   Even if you can’t make it to Las Vegas this week, you can see it all as it happens, or on demand, at streetofcards.tv.

As a college professor and magician, I have spent a long time thinking about this profound question.

One reason for my focused attention is fairly obvious: I am in the “education business” and an “educator” so it seems pretty important to get clear about what I should be doing. But another reason is that “education” seems to have become a problem in the subculture of magic.

Why do I say that? Well, for many years I have been bombarded by questions, calls, and e-mails from magicians — young and old, amateurs and pros — who are hungry for education in magic. They seem to sense that, despite all the instructional DVDs and so-called “lectures,” they are not really becoming “educated” in their art and craft. They are frustrated and want something more, but don’t know how and where to go.

I understand this frustration and try to offer my best support and advice. I think they are right that “education” in the best, full sense is lacking in the usual patterns of magic conventions, club meetings, and DVDs. So first, I want to say a few words about why that seems true and then point you in a couple directions to get more and better magical education.

Let’s start with the word itself: “Education” is rooted in the Latin word and concept “educare.” This concept was a central one in Roman life and civic culture. In short, it means to “bring up,” “bring out,” and “bring forth” a hidden potential in someone. To educate then, is to work carefully to bring out the very best that is inside a student; to be educated is to have undergone that process so your own best potentials are shining forth.

Pretty cool, isn’t it? Once we see this, I suspect that each of you will remember a teacher, professor, or classroom in which this discovery of your own potentials happened. To experience this is an amazing and literally transformational thing. And when we don’t get much of it, or we are fed substitutes that have other goals (like getting you to buy something or “buy in” to something), then we start to wilt a little bit, starved for sun, feeling stuck and stunted rather than on the path of growth and development.

So what can we magicians do to get educated? The very first step, I think, is simply to recognize, with great clarity, that a lot of things going on in the magical subculture have other goals than uncovering your best potentials. That doesn’t mean those things are “bad” things. Not at all; they just aren’t “educational.”

OK, then, what kinds of things are educational for us magicians? My first answer is as ancient as those Romans: reading and writing. Not just any old books (the Romans used scrolls), but excellent books that challenge our static patterns of thought and seek to help us find our potentials. My own view is that these kinds of writings are fairly uncommon in magic magazines and online. Most magic writing is descriptive (like news-reporting), reviews, or explanations of tricks. Again, these are fine and sometimes important, but not in themselves educational. However, educational magic books and essays do exist, and I am sure you can all think of some of them. (In a future “Museletter” I will share some of my favorites with you.)

But reading and writing is almost never sufficient for the best education. That’s because virtually everybody needs some person, some “teacher” to inspire, challenge, and encourage growth. The basic truth, long recognized among educators, is that you cannot really “educate yourself” because you are the one hiding your best potentials!

So we need teachers. We need guidance, advice, and insight, not from “screaming heads” on TV, critics, or from people trying to sell stuff, but rather from educators, directors, magic coaches. Where can we find them? Well, you probably already know some of them. They are those rare people in your Ring or Assembly who have that special way of helping you see something new in your work. Or they are those people you know with theatrical or directing experience who can help you develop those skills.

But there is another important resource to which I have always directed my magic students: Jeff’s Magic & Mystery School.

Many of you know that in recent years I have partnered with Jeff on several projects related to the School. For example, I have worked closely on the program for the Magic and Meaning Conference (which is deeply “educational” in its focus). And this past January, I co-taught a weeklong Master Class in Las Vegas.

2009 Magic & Meaning Participants

After these first-hand experiences, I want to tell you that Jeff’s School is genuinely and deeply educational. I have seen it time and again: magicians and magic enthusiasts who come to the School — to its programs and classes — have transformational experiences in which their own hidden potentials and best selves come to light.

I invite you to read that last sentence again. The programs and classes are not about “indoctrinating” people and they are not about turning people into “clones.” On the contrary: they provide content-rich experiences in which a person’s own inner hidden potentials are brought to light. Simply put: people go home from these experiences positively glowing.

As far as I know, there is no other organization or program in magic that is offering this kind of on-going, intensely educational experience for its participants. This is why I have committed my work and talents in the service of the School: because it really is a school. And it is why I am deeply pleased and honored to have been recently named “Associate Dean.”

I believe in education. I think it is one important part of feeling happy and fulfilled in life. We do not have to starve for it in our magical pursuits, and once we clearly see the goal, we can take conscious, strategic steps to experience more education in our magic.

The good news is that your magical education is the explicit mission of Jeff’s Magic & Mystery School. I sincerely hope you will join us some time in 2010 to experience that in yourself.

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We all crave inspiration, and motivation to stoke our creativity.

Our Muse Letter this month is brought to you by Surrealist Illusionist Jordan Wright.

WHO IS YOUR MENTOR?
One of the first experiences I had with Jeff taught me just how a simple gift of magic can make a huge impact on a person. One night we were in the checkout line of a supermarket and Jeff asked the checkout guy if he likes magic. He replied that he had not really seen magic before. Without hesitation, Jeff began doing card manipulations for him and ended by giving him one of his cards. The guy was so shocked that his entire demeanor was transformed into a state of bliss. As we were walking out to the car I realized how a simple magic trick in an unexpected way will almost instantly bring people out of their mundane task. This was one of those unique moments that had I not witnessed, I never would have understood.

MASTERING THE ART OF MAGIC
I often get emails from people asking what advice I can give them on finding a mentor. One of the best pieces of advice I can offer to anyone is to seek out a magician in your area or local market whose work you admire and who is willing to “show you the ropes”. It is not about learning tricks. It is about watching others and learning from the way they work. Having a mentor will allow you to see what real world performing environments are like, to learn what goes into structuring a show, and to absorb all the wisdom that comes from their years of experience. Having someone to not only help guide you but also teach you the life lessons of being a performer is invaluable.

In today’s digital age with so much information on the internet we often feel uncertain of where to turn to for inspiration in our magic. Here’s one suggestion:

THE TED TALKS OF MAGIC
For many years now Jeff, Eugene, Larry Hass, and the other Mystery School faculty have been hosting an event in Las Vegas called The Magic and Meaning Conference. Inspired by the TED conference held in Northern California every year, the Magic & Meaning Conference is an event with some of the most brilliant minds in magic and other fields. Philosophers, writers, filmmakers, and other artists gather with some of magic’s greatest thinkers to share their wisdom and insight to inspire others in their work. We call the talks “PEP Talks” — PEP standing for Performance, Entertainment, Philosophy. We recently posted several of the talks from previous years on the Magical Wisdom website to give people a sense of what the conference is about. You can view them here:

http://www.magicalwisdom.com/infopages/view/mm_talks

I recommend viewing Larry Hass’ talk on Gifting Magic and Payne’s hilarious presentation on Why Must We Repeat Ourselves?

For a little more insight into this amazing conference here is a short video I created:

THE LAS VEGAS NEWS!
I recently got the chance to impart some wisdom on younger minds in magic at the World Magic Seminar. This 2 day workshop brought together 52 teens from all over the world to gain insight from Jeff and Eugene on ways to improve their magic. Many of the teen magicians have studied with Jeff and Eugene numerous times. In fact, the three winners of the Teen Stage Competition are all alumni of the Magic and Mystery School.

1st Place — Henry Vargas
2nd Place — Reuben Moreland
3rd Place — Eric Gilliam

What do these talented your magicians have in common? They all have have attended classes with Jeff. We are all very proud of these young rising stars of magic!

It is always amazing to see what an impact Jeff and Eugene have had on magicians, young and old.

This year’s SARMOTI award winner Nestor Hato was quoted as saying “Jeff McBride was the man who taught me magic.”

HOT NEWS FROM VEGAS: A VIRTUAL MAGIC NIGHTCLUB?
As I write this Jeff is just about to return from touring in the Midwest and we are making the final preparations for our March WONDERGROUND, which will take place this Thursday, March 18. If you are unable to attend we hope you will tune in to the live broadcast on www.streetofcards.tv.

Read more about the magic and film work of Jordan Wright in his new column on www.iTRiCKS.COM.

Dear Magical Friends:

The Magic & Mystery School staff has had quite a ride this past month! While Jeff and Eugene are currently at the World Magic Seminar (please drop in on them there in the special ‘McBride’ room if you’re attending the convention), they’ve each been making their own kinds of news these past few weeks.

A Magical Vision, the film Michael Caplan created about Eugene Burger had its international premiere in October 2009 in Indore, India at the Global Film Festival, which was very exciting. Now, A Magical Vision is available for a limited time to watch on line as part of the Spirit Enlightened Film Festival — it is among the most viewed film currently, with 3800 views last time we checked. So, if you haven’t seen this, do it now, and then spread the word and the link:

http://www.cultureunplugged.com/play/2422/A-Magical-Vision

A DVD release of the movie will be coming soon, as soon as the Spirit Enlightened Film Festival ends at the end of March.

Jeff McBride, of course, has just returned from a whirlwind tour in the Netherlands (Magic GONGA), and Italy (Turin, Venice & Milan). He was hosted by Ferdinando Buscema, one of Italy’s leading corporate magicians. Along-time student of Jeff and Eugene, he has now become Jeff’s Italian Tour Manager, and we’re delighted to have him on the team!

This week Ferdinando will be performing at the Magic Castle in Hollywood. Our congratulations for such a success! If you’ll be in L.A., make sure and drop in to see him. You’re in for a treat!

Ferdinando is our guest columnist this month, and I’m sure you’ll enjoy his description of the fantastic Ballo del Dogeand Jeff’s other adventures in Italy. Enjoy!

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From Ferdinando:

Greetings to you all!

We have just awakened after 7 days and 1171 miles on the road with Jeff and my partner Anna: an unbelievable experience!

This Italian tour (de force) has been a huge success: Jeff performed, lectured, held a Master Class and received outstanding reactions from all the friends in both Torino and Milano!

The highlight of Jeff’s tour has of course been his performance at the Ballo del Doge in Venice, the hottest party of the Venetian Carnival. According to Vanity Fair, it is “The most exclusive, sophisticated and sumptuous ball in the world.” Having been there, we can only wholeheartedly agree! What a magical experience!

The creator of the event — Mrs. Antonia Sautter — is a most refined costume designer, having created the masks and costumes for Stanley Kubrik’s final masterpiece “Eyes Wide Shut”.

Jeff was the headliner of the show, and his masks’ act was highly acclaimed by the 400 masqueraders attending the party! A greatest hit!!

After Jeff’s departure back to Las Vegas, it took Anna and me a few days of “recovery”, after a breathless immersion in Jeff’s energy and enthusiasm. Jeff is a volcano of ideas, information, books, movies, music, stories, laughter and… magic of course!! We got an overwhelming dose of inspiration!

Having had the great fortune of spending a lot of time with Jeff, Eugene and all the Magic and Mystery Tribe, the one lesson that I always get is: Be brave and dare to dream bigger dreams! Jeff sets his own bar very high, and through his own example, gives the other permission to do the same.

Learning from the Masters means learning to dream bigger dreams!

Greetings from all the Italian friends, who look forward for having Jeff here again soon!!

Ferdinando

PS: a small piece of secret knowledge I discovered about Jeff: he looooves to drink Sambuca and Limoncello!

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That’s all for this Museletter. Thanks for continuing to read our news and ideas. If you know a friend who might enjoy keeping up with our musings, please send them a copy and invite them to sign up themselves!

Greetings magical friends,

Abbi found this quote from Jeff Hoke that takes a look at the difference between humor, science and art:

“Humor says: ‘Ha Ha!’
Science says: ‘Aha!’
Art says: ‘ahhhhhh!’”

We were wondering what you, our readers thought that Magic might say….??

February 18th, 2010, is the next WONDERGROUND with an entirely new show line-up. Jordan Wright, our company manager, has updated our website:http://www.vegaswonderground.com with the new information.

Just a tip to you, our Museletter readers, plan to arrive at WONDERGROUND **EARLY** to get a good seat. We sold out last month. If you can’t be with us in Las Vegas, you can watch us, at http://www.streetofcards.tv streaming live on the internet anytime after 9pm (Pacific time) on Thursday night.

My last piece of wisdom to leave you with this month is something a New York City taxi driver told me as he looked through the rearview mirror: “Man, you gotta work with the tools you got.” It was also said by Rousent, many years ago, in a different, not-so-street-savvy way: “Do what you can, where you are, with what you have.”

Yours in the art of wonder-making,
Jeff & Abbi

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FROM TOBIAS:

Greetings, friends. Jeff has just returned from his trip to Holland and Italy. I thought you might enjoy seeing this photo of him, along with his host Ferdinando Buscema and Ferdinando’s wife Anna, all taken at the Ballo del Doge in Venice just a couple of nights ago. Enjoy!

A special thanks to all of you who responded to my recent writings regarding both “what it takes to be a real wizard,” and, more importantly, your wishes and thought for things we might offer at the Magic & Mystery School to satisfy your wildest dreams. I’m still sorting and compiling the latter set in order to pass it on to Jeff and Eugene…but some of your ideas are really fantastic, and we’re truly grateful that you’ve offered them.

Also for those of you who may be attending the World Magic Seminar, know that Jeff and Eugene Burger will be in their usual room just as you enter the convention area. Be sure and drop in to visit and discover all the latest from these two modern masters.

Finally: We have a few spots left for the March master class which follows the World Magic Seminar by just a few days. Sign up now to reserve your space – classes later in the year generally fill up much earlier, so this may be one of your last chances this year to make a last minute decision to attend.
http://www.magicalwisdom.com

Best wishes.
Tobias Beckwith

Il Ballo del Doge

Greetings friends,

I’m off to Europe to do the show of my dreams. I will be the star performer at Il Ballo del Doge, in Venice, Italy. It is the grandest of all the masquerade balls to lead off Carnevale in Venice.

Imagine being among the world’s greatest masqueraders in the mask capital of the world! We’ll be sharing our own photos and stories from that event soon, right here – but for now, here is a photo from last year’s event! (Click the photo for a link to many more…)

Il Ballo del Doge 2009

WHAT INSPIRES YOU?

The following inspirational passage was sent to us by a friend and fan of the Museletter. Thanks to Jeff Fisher.

WORDS FOR A NEW YEAR

Inspire – Me to be great
Perspire – I will and work hard I shall
Aspire – to be even greater than my teacher
Retire – I will and pass my knowledge on
Expire – My work done, my legacy lives on to Inspire once again.

ARE YOU CURIOUS?

Dorothy Parker once said, “The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity.”

I am naturally curious, and my magical adventures fill me with the experiences that I share with our students here at the Magic & Mystery School…. I guess I am a magical messenger, in some strange way.

I’ll return from my adventures in Holland and Italy toward the middle of this month. At that time, I will be preparing for a number of interesting magic experiences here in Las Vegas, including the World Magic Seminar Teen Weekend. Immediately following that event, Abbi and I will be hosting a three-day Master Class here in Las Vegas. We will be joined by our friend and legendary close-up wizard, Eugene Burger.

In his book “The Art of Worldly Wisdom,” the wise sage Balthasar Gracian said:

“Make your friends your teachers, and mingle the pleasures of conversation with the advantages of instruction.”

That is one of the reasons we created the Magic and Mystery School, to share high quality time with some of the brightest thinkers in magic. Many of the teachers here at the school are my dear friends… they will be yours too!

Will you join us?

Your friend in the art of magic,

Jeff

Greetings Magical Friends,

Abbi here, watching the rain coming down in Las Vegas, while Jeff is in Florida doing a corporate gig. I decided to stay home for this one so I could prepare for our upcoming Mysterium event. If you’re going to be in the Las Vegas area, I hope you’ll stop in! Learn more about it:vegasvortex.com.

I thought I would take a few moments to check in with all of you and say hello! This Winter, I’ve been reflecting on the balance of holding on and letting go, balancing the opposites, and staying in the flow. I’ve been going through drawers in the kitchen, shelves in the closet, cabinets, bookcases and cupboards… and moving things out, opening space for the new to come in. I’ve been giving away stuff in great heaps and piles, and have made many trips to the local Goodwill. Out with the old, in with the new.

I find this theme recurring outside in the garden. All the dead plants from last season have been pulled out, and indoors, there are lots of tiny little seedlings sprouting… new dreams and visions manifesting, even as I write. The fruit trees I bought a couple of years ago are now big and strong enough to get transplanted from their pots into the ground, so the orchard at the House of Mystery is underway. From the smallest seedling to the largest lemon tree, everything grows, with the help of the sun, the rich earth, and the sweet water.

In the meantime, I’m excited to tell you that I’ve created a new handling for Gordon Bean’s “Jinks” effect, and I’ve been working on the script. Ask me, and I’ll show it to you when you come to the Magic and Mystery School. I will look forward to seeing you!

Your friend in magic,
Abbi McBride

“A grateful mind is a great mind that eventually attracts to it great things.”
– Plato

Dear Friends:

There’s a popular restaurant group here in the Bay Area called “Café Gratitude.” Their mantra is “I am Grateful.” Their menu is a delightful listing of things you can be grateful for: “I am Creative,” “I am Committed” and “I am Worthy,” are just a few. I love going there — the food is delicious, the service great and I always leave feeling better than when I entered… and always feeling grateful. As I sit down to write this, I find myself asking what I’m grateful for this year, and one of the biggest things I’m feeling gratitude for is the incredible community of magicians I am fortunate to be a part of.

At the Magic & Mystery School, we’re always grateful for the wonderful, talented students who come to spend time with us. We’re grateful for all our special guests, starting with Eugene (who is really more family than guest, of course). Our friends Bob Neale, Ross Johnson, Larry Hass, Randy Wolf and so many more that help us with the school always inspire us and make us feel lucky to be associated with them.

And so we thought we’d send this one last Muse Letter of 2009 to tell you, our readers, how grateful we are for you. This past year has seen readership of the Museletter grow beyond the 10,000 mark. That leaves us both grateful and a bit humbled. To think there are 10,000 of you out there who want to read what we have to tell you — well, we’ll continue to do our best to be worthy.

This brings me to a question for all of you. This is something we often ask the students in our classes — but obviously not all of you reading this have been to one of our classes yet. The question is this: “If we could provide one thing, through our classes and events, just for you, what would that thing be?” Let your imagination run wild for a moment. Imagine a million dollar budget, six months to prepare — and all the resources of our magic school and events completely at your disposal. What would you ask for? And please let us know (tobias@yourmagic.com)! I’m sure we’ll get a lot of ideas we can’t do — but you may be surprised at the things we CAN.

Take The Wonderground, for example. Jeff and an amazing crew of artists, magicians, dancers and more revived The Wonderground this past week, putting on an incredible evening of theater, party, dance and fun for an SRO crowd. The evening was described by one attendee as “The best show I’ve ever seen in Las Vegas!” And it was done on a budget of about $500! The photos in this Museletter were all shot last Thursday night at the Wonderground, in case you were wondering. We’ll be doing it again every month on the third Thursday. You can learn more at www.vegaswonderground.com.

That’s just one of the “impossible” things we’ve been able to achieve with the incredible help from our amazing friends. So tell us YOUR dreams, and let’s see if we can make them come true.

Before I wind up, let me leave you with a “New Year’s” thought. Have you made your resolutions? The coming year promises to be an exciting one. The economy is just now beginning to turn. Lots of new green initiatives in the business and technology words are poised to start coming on line. It’s a time for new beginnings. Time to look at your life and ask “Who do I really want to be? What adventures to I want to have? As a magician, what are my highest goals?” We’re all about helping you reach those goals. We love seeing our students make quantum leaps in developing their own creativity, performing skills and businesses. We love seeing you take big chances, unafraid of falling flat on your faces a few times before you soar to the big successes you deserve.

We have a few spots still available for our extended class in January. Perhaps now is the time for YOU to say, “I am committed,” and sign up. Then next year at this time, you can have one more thing to be grateful for — and we’ll have another friend to be grateful for, too!

If that’s not enough incentive, consider this: You’ll be here for the next Wonderground event — which will feature our new friends ArcheDream for Humankind. Click the link (http://www.vimeo.com/7239361) to see them on video — and come to Vegas in January to see them live!

Jeff, Abbi, Bryce, Eugene… we all send you our best wishes for a magical New Year!

Tobias Beckwith
tobias@yourmagic.com

In a Wonderland they lie,
Dreaming as the days go by,
Dreaming as the summers die:

Ever drifting down the stream —
Lingering in the golden gleam —
Life what is it but a dream?
— epilogue to Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Caroll

Greetings friends,

OK, it’s official, I can now share my magic with you on TWITTER. My twitter name is McBrideMagic. I promise to keep my tweets inspirational, motivational, magical and interesting. One of the lessons I’ve learned on Twitter is how to distill wisdom and compress it into the pure essence…. That reminds me of one of my favorite quotes by Bapuji:

“Consider, before you speak, whether it is an improvement upon silence.”

(A thoughtful moment of introspection for you….)

Well, now it’s time to break the silence…. Ring the bells and bang the drum!

The WONDERGROUND rises once again this Thursday, December 17th, at 8pm at The Olive in Las Vegas.

Overheard at The Wonderground:

“This is what I had hoped to find when I came to Vegas!”

“It’s like the Magic Castle without walls!”

“This is so $#@^%*! cool!”

Here is the official press release from Tobias. Feel free to share this with your online communities and friends.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Tobias Beckwith
tobias@yourmagic.com
(702) 697-7002

MCBRIDE’S MAGIC WONDERGROUND RETURNS!

Master magician Jeff McBride and his company of conjurors, artists and performance artists will bring the special magical nightclub experience, Jeff McBride’s Magic Wonderground, to the new club at The Olive (3850 E. Sunset) beginning on December 17th, starting at 8pm. Promising an evening of non-stop magic featuring strolling entertainers, close-up magic, live art, techno-tribal belly dance, lighting F/X installations, a psychic sideshow with tarot and palm reading, and a 10pm ‘All Star Stage Show,’ the event is hosted by Jeff McBride and features guest stars of magic from around the world.

Master magician Jeff McBride will be joined at each Wonderground by DJ Master Diaz, the Mojo A Go-Go Girls, the Mystery School Magi, Jordan Wright, Scott Hitchcock, painters Areeya, Suzanne and Minnie, and psychic entertainers Danita and Morganne. The Wonderground will happen only once each month, on every ‘Third Thursday,’ for the coming year. New talent will be featured each month.

Jeff McBride is best known for his dynamic fusion of masks, magic, Kabuki theatre and grand illusion. He has been seen in many Las Vegas venues, including Caesars Palace, LV Hilton, Golden Nugget, and most recently in his own show Magic at the Edge.

Jeff McBride holds three Guinness World Records for magic. He is a popular television guest, with featured performances on shows ranging from The World Magic Awards, Masters of Illusion, Mindfreak and The World’s Greatest Magic toStar Trek, Deep Space Nine. He runs the McBride Magic & Mystery School, which is widely known as the world’s top magic school.

The Olive is known to its patrons as Las Vegas’ new stylish Mediterranean restaurant and hookah lounge. It has only recently completed its new addition, an amazing nightclub space adjoining the hookah lounge.

During its previous incarnation, McBride’s Wonderground received glowing notices from both the press (Las Vegas Sun, L.A. Times and many others), and also through a unique “as it happens” online video channel at http://streetofcards.tv. The evening was streamed live, with online viewers able to conduct a running conversation with each other, as well as with performers and club goers. The online link is slated to be an integral part of The Wonderground experience at The Olive, as well. Magic fans who can’t make it to Las Vegas can tune in from anywhere in the world between 8pm and midnight (PST), and attend virtually.

The Las Vegas Sun wrote of The Wonderground, “Walking into Wonderground is like stepping into a parallel universe where mysticism is the currency and magicians reign supreme. Green lasers dart across the dark room and a pair of curvaceous belly dancers perform onstage while a fortuneteller reads Hindu tarot cards and magicians from around the world work the room.”

For further information on Jeff McBride’s Wonderground, now at The Olive, go tohttp://www.vegaswonderground.com, or call the McBride hotline at (702) 450-0021. All events will be broadcast live on www.streetofcards.tv.

Robin Leach interviewing Jeff at WONDERGROUND. Robin was the very first reporter to mention the WONDERGROUND in his column.

We look forward to seeing you at The Wonderground this week!

Best wishes for a magical holiday season!

Jeff McBride & all the crew at the Magic & Mystery School

“Home is a name, a word, it is a strong one; stronger than magician ever spoke, or spirit ever answered to, in the strongest conjuration.”
— Charles Dickens

Abbi and I are just home from tour. Ah, it’s good to be home by the fire.

A PERFECT SHORT MOVIE FOR YOU:
Here’s a little holiday gift I think you’ll enjoy… take the time to look at this. It reminded me what “real magic” is all about. It takes about 10 minutes, so make the time; you’ll be better for it!
http://vimeo.com/2604280

Photo of Jeff and his young fan, Eli, at a recent “JEFF MCBRIDE EXPERIENCE” event near Boston, MA

WIZARDS!
Last month’s Museletter by Tobias generated a huge amount of positive feedback from you, dear readers. Thank you for your comments and contributions to Tobias’ new book.

POP QUIZ
My question to you this month is: What do you feel the “perfect holiday gift” for your friends might be?

HOLIDAY RANT
I am not giving people “stuff” this year! I will get my friends delicious food and enriching EXPERIENCES instead.

Shopping for THINGS? Yuck!

Why give a store bought gift, that will sit and collect dust on the shelf? Give the person you love the gift of magic…not a trick but a REAL magic experience! Each of our Master Classes are handcrafted and tailored to your individual needs. Just imagine the joy you will feel when you go downstairs one winter morning and see Eugene Burger, aka “Magic Santa” sitting under your tree! The perfect gift!

EUGENE BURGER IS THE REAL SECRET SANTA!

We have 2 spots left for the January Master Class
Extended Master Class – Las Vegas
January 18 – 24, 2010

THE BEST IDEA YET!
Magic Lovers around the world agree…McBride’s Master class is the holiday gift of choice! Did I mention we have gift certificates? You can get one for a magic loving friend or get one for yourself!
http://www.magicalwisdom.com/payments/gift

WHAT IS THE BIG SECRET?
There really is a secret to better magic, and it’s different for everyone. The real magic secrets are not to be found in books or videos. They are passed from mentor to student. Our programs cater to your individual performing style and abilities. You get personal attention from many of the world’s top magicians as you enjoy the wonders of the magic capital of the world!

JOIN ME IN SALT LAKE CITY
The next JEFF MCBRIDE EXPERIENCE will be happening in Utah! Make the trip and join the fun!
http://www.mcbridemagic.com/pages/jeff-mcbride—salt-lake.php
Michael Fraughton: (801) 604-2160

WONDERGROUND RISES!
Dec 17th, 8PM until???

The WONDERGROUND premiered a little over a year ago. We’ve taken a few months and found a new home, and a great new home it is! If you can’t make it out for the live show on December 17th, catch us on www.streetofcards.tv. Read all about it and get the inside scoop here:
http://www.vegaswonderground.com

We look forward to seeing you at the Wonderground, or one of our upcoming classes. Til then, have a magical holiday!

Yours in creating the world’s most progressive magic events,

Jeff