Wayne Houchin Lecture

[joshrobarts]

I've just returned from an amazing night at the Wayne Houchin Strange Ideas lecture. Let me begin by saying if you can attend any of the remaining lectures, DO IT. The lecture was chocked full of amazingly unique and original ideas. The thing that always impresses me most about Wayne isn't his amazing magical creations, it's the way he presents himself and interacts with everyone around him. Wayne is easily one of the most genuine, humble and friendly magicians I have ever met. The entire atmosphere of the night felt less like a lecture and more like a reunion of old friends gathering to catch up. Wayne performed several pieces of magic all of which we're unpublished save his needle swallowing routine. He walked us through each effect after each performance step by step and fielded any questions or comments afterward. The effects themselves are ingenious. Perfect for a variety of settings ranging from close up to parkour and even stage. They range in subject matter from cards to everyday objects. I can easily see myself incorporating at least 3 if not 5 of the effects into my set IMMEDIATELY! They are that good. Beyond the effects he teaches Wayne also has all the effects he has released for sale at the lecture as well as some lecture exclusives products. No spoilers. They are amazing. Beyond the tricks he taught Wayne also imparted amazing advice and perspective on he art form and our relationship with the spectators. Honestly as amazing as the effects we're it was these bit if tidbits and views that I always enjoy the most and get the most out of. It becomes clear why Wayne comes across as so grounded, his philosophy on the art is a reflection of himself. Wayne and his lovely wife Fran are both very generous and approachable and made the evening one to remember. In short the lecture is amazing, the material is amazing, the Houchins are amazing and you should go to any lecture you can manage. Can't wait until next time I get to see them again.

Side note, the lecture was also covertly attended by our illustrious leader Jonathan Bayme, as well as a forum members named Casey (sorry didn't get your last name, I suck). Both guys were also great to meet and incredibly friendly (love when this community reinforces my faith in humanity) and with the exception of JB making me jealous of his new camera, I hope to cross paths again in the future.

 

[James Wise Magic]

Yep! I saw his lecture in August of this year. Amazing show and amazing man! And I agree, his magic is freaking amazing but the thing that is even more amazing is his thought process about magic. Everytime I hear him talk about his thoughts on magic I leave feeling inspired to go out and do something incredible! And that's awesome you got to meet Jonathan Bayme and Casey!

I even got a chance to film a video of me performing for him, it was so much fun!

 

[CaseyRudd]

This lecture was the first lecture I had ever attended, and I couldn't have been more happy that it was Wayne Houchin's. I have been a fan of his work since I got into magic, and it was a surreal moment to finally be able to meet someone I look up to. The magic scene in Charleston is almost non-existent with the occasional few magicians that perform at parties, but there isn't really a "set-in-stone" community here. It's always been hard to try and meet up with people that share the same interests, so that is where theory11 came in for me many years ago through this forum. Going back to the lecture, it was fantastic.

Everything Wayne performed was something I had never seen before (except A Single Needle, which was absolutely killer seeing live). Being able to learn with him in the same room was an amazing experience for me. Wayne is such a genuine and kind guy, and his ability to perform the effects and connect with the audience in the room was spectacular. You could really feel the energy and excitement build in the room, and everyone was amazed and fooled by the effects he performed. I can tell you this right now, I am definitely going to be adding a few of these tricks into my repertoire immediately. I also got to have dinner with him and his wife Fran afterwards, which was an awesome experience. Both Wayne and Fran are lovely, friendly, and humble people and it was such a pleasure to be able to be in the same room with them. If you have the chance to see Wayne lecture, please do not pass it up. It was definitely a highlight in my career as a magician and I gained so much by attending.

It was also a really nice surprise to meet Josh Robarts at the lecture! For so many years on this forum I had only met maybe 1 or 2 people in person, and to finally meet Josh was absolutely awesome! We had a short Cardistry battle (I lost because humidity is my Kryptonite, cards stick everywhere), but nonetheless it was a killer time. We all had tons of fun being in the same room with one another and being able to talk face to face about magic.

Like I said, if you get the chance to go to Wayne's lecture, please do it. You will really miss out if you don't!