http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php Copyright 2010, Bill Blagg III Bill Blagg III en-US SPHPBLOG 0.5.1 http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry100720-205352
Today is a day that I've been working toward for a very long time. A little over 10 years ago I came up with an idea for an original illusion called the Hoverboard. It was based on the flying skateboard called a "Hoverboard" seen in the popular movie Back to the Future. I was in college sitting in my dorm trying to come up with something really cool that had never been done in a magic & illusion show before. All of a sudden BOOM! it hit me....the Hoverboard!

It's been a VERY long road to finally get this thing off the ground (no pun intended). I've been working with a team of builders and consultants to make this crazy idea a reality. Over the years we've gone through numerous concepts just to find out that they wouldn't work. A few years back we came close to having it all figured out then we hit a major snag so it was back to the drawing board. I was about to give up and then someone told me a quote Thomas Edison said when he was trying to invent the lightbulb..."I didn't fail 2,000 times...I just found 2,000 ways it wouldn't work!" That quote became my inspiration to never give up and to keep trying. Let me just say I know a lot of ways the Hoverboard won't work :-)

I'm always pushing myself to bring original material to the stage to create an experience like nothing that's ever been seen before. Specifically original, one-of-a-kind magic combined with my own unique style. I feel audiences deserve to see something new and unique and as a performer it's extremely rewarding to present your own original illusions that can't be purchased from a magic builder. With that said I present to you my latest creation....the Hoverboard!

(Riding my new Hoverboard)


I want to say thank you to my parents Bill & Debbie, Don Wayne, Willie Kennedy, Jim Steinmeyer, Don Horsley, Kristin Miller, Barry Richter, Ryan Reed, Miles Brooks, Jim Brando, Tim Clothier, Tiffany Cincotta, Hallie Meyer, Nate Richter, Tim Cooksy and everyone out there who didn't think I was crazy, believed in the concept and helped make it a reality. THANK YOU!

If you want to catch the Hoverboard in action it can only be seen in our show! It'll be one of the featured illusions in our upcoming tour (select cities)! I hope you get a chance to see it live!

Here's a quick clip we shot when we tested it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsWPgLB36d4

Stay Tuned!

-Bill

]]> http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry100720-205352 Bill Blagg III Wed, 21 Jul 2010 00:53:52 GMT http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry100714-221837
It's very rewarding seeing these illusions finally hit the stage to be performed in front of live audiences. You can only practice in the shop for so long before you have to put it in front of the people and see how it goes. It's an exciting/scary process but it's the only way to truly grow as an artist and stand out from the other shows out there.

As some of the illusions make their way to the stage others are leaving the shop(s) where we have them fabricated. For example, right now I have a project being built in N. Hollywood at a company called EDF. They are known in the industry for building some of the most cutting-edge magic seen today. My consultant Don Wayne and I actually discussed this original effect over 12 years ago! Recently, Don and I started talking about it again and decided we should go for it and finally make it happen.

Here are a couple of pictures from EDF of it being built. It should be done and on its way to Milwaukee in the next couple of weeks.





I'd love to tell you more about what it is exactly but I'd rather you see it for yourself in our live show! I have a feeling this one is going to be a serious jaw-dropper!

If you're in the Chicagoland area come out and see us this Saturday at 7:30PM at the Metropolis Performing Arts Center in Arlington Heights, IL! We're debuting more new illusions so come check them out.

After the show this Sat. we're going to take some time off to overhaul the show before our tour starts again in Oct.

I hope you're having a great summer.

Bill
]]> http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry100714-221837 Bill Blagg III Thu, 15 Jul 2010 02:18:37 GMT http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry100503-192310

We finished our final show of the season this past Friday night at the Capital Theatre at the Overture Center in Madison, WI. It was one heck of a way to send this banner season out in style! I honestly feel it was the best performance we've ever done! Thank you to everyone who came out and made the show a grand success. There's no better way to close out the season than with a packed house and a standing ovation!

(Getting ready to walk thru steel)


We had some amazing moments on stage with my audience volunteer Doug during my Walking Thru Steel illusion. It's always great when the audience yells out random things that end up bringing the house down! It was such an awesome moment as I was starting to pass thru the steel plate and I could hear the massive "WOAH!" sound sweep across the crowd...it gave me chills!

In addition to an awesome night, my consultant Don and I were working very hard to put the finishing touches on some very large projects we have going on. We were able to complete all of our necessary onsite work and I'll be heading out to Hollywood in the coming weeks to start putting all of the data together.

(Don working backstage)


This year was by far our best year ever! My team and I have worked VERY hard to create and present a show unlike any other show out there today. It's been so rewarding seeing more and more venues take notice at our original production. Thank you to all the local crews, presenters and fans who made this tour possible!

I'm taking this week off! Woo Hoo!

Stay tuned for lots of exciting news to come ;-)

Bill]]> http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry100503-192310 Bill Blagg III Mon, 03 May 2010 23:23:10 GMT http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry100420-203727
This past weekend was a huge milestone for our show. We performed 3 shows, in 3 nights in 3 cities and received 3 standing ovations! Holla! We performed at some amazing venues! Thank you to the local crews and the presenters who made this past weekend possible. In addition, we also successfully tested 3 brand-new illusions! Video and photos are coming soon so stay tuned!

My consultant Don Wayne was onsite with us for the past 5 days. We have a few large projects we're working on and it was great to have him onsite. His insight and knowledge in magic is unparalleled in the industry today and it's an honor to be working with him!

(Don and I chatting backstage)


In addition to staging our new illusions and projects we also had Tom McPhillips onsite with us Friday night. Tom is world renowned in the entertainment industry for his work with acts such as Ricky Martin, Martina McBride, Michael Jackson, Michael Buble', MTV and many more. Tom and I are in the initial stages of a very important project with our show!

(Tom and I going over some concepts backstage)


We have so many exciting things going on right now! Wooooo!! Stay tuned and keep your eye out for many of these great things coming soon!

Up next is Madison, WI, on April 30th! If you're in the area come out and see us!

-Bill]]> http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry100420-203727 Bill Blagg III Wed, 21 Apr 2010 00:37:27 GMT http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry100315-212745
Our first stop was the Sherman Theatre in PA. As we rolled into town the day before we were looking around and BOOM! we found the theatre. Here's a quick pic I took from the car and I didn't even hit the guy stopped in front of me!



The audience here was great and we had an awesome time. A few notable people in the magic industry came out to see our show. It was cool catching up after the show.

After PA we took off to CT for 2 shows on Saturday. We had a few "issues" on the drive there. My assistant and I were following behind the truck in our super stellar blue Hyundai rental car. The long and short of it is the guys driving the truck ended up on the wrong road! Commercial trucks were prohibited from being on the road since there were low bridges (8')! I'm not going to mention any names...(Tim)...but the guys ended up exiting and having to call the state police to escort them off of the highway. Personally, I just think they like escorts. In the end everyone arrived safe and we crashed out since we had an early load in.

My team always amazes me and not just because they let me sleep in while they load in the show. However, on this occasion the venue posed a few minor challenges so my production manager called and woke me up and asked me to come down to the theatre to check things out. We got everything set and before we knew it show time was upon us!

Here's my team (The MOBB) posing for a quick pic before the start of the evening show. I was busy exploring the back stage area while the photo op was going on.



I scored HUGE on my exploration! I came across a conference room that had a large stuffed animal on the table. People in this business always say life on the road is like a rodeo....you bet it is!

(yeeeeehaaaawwww!!!)


Well, for the next few weeks I'm going to be busy in the shop working on a new appearance and a couple of other surprises we're working on for our shows in Michigan. We have 3 shows in 3 days in Michigan coming up here in just a few weeks. If you're in the area come out and see us! The week after our MI run we'll be in Madison, WI, at the Overture Center's Capital Theatre! It's an amazing venue and we're looking forward to performing there!

We have new tour dates and a bunch of other goodies coming soon so stay tuned!!

BB3 ]]> http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry100315-212745 Bill Blagg III Tue, 16 Mar 2010 01:27:45 GMT http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry100307-003623
Tomorrow we are performing our new style cabaret show in NJ! It's an amazing new concept that we've been working on with my consultant Don Wayne. Both of our shows are sold out! It's not everday people get a chance to experience grand scale magic in such an intimate setting! Going to be an awesome time.

Stay tuned!!!

BB3]]> http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry100307-003623 Bill Blagg III Sun, 07 Mar 2010 05:36:23 GMT http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry100131-211317
We had a few extra hours before the start of the show so we decided to do some testing on a new illusion we've been working on. The illusion is called "Departed" and it's an original idea I came up with a few years back. Many revisions later and we finally moved forward with building the actual prop. It came in last week from Las Vegas and I was thrilled to have a chance to work with it before our show on Friday night. This illusion is AMAZING!! It seriously made me jump up and down screaming! It will be in our line up starting the first week of March so I hope you can see it for yourself!

(Testing "Departed" on stage in Green Bay)


Show time came quickly so we packed up Departed and got ready to kick things off. 7:30 came and wham! the show started. The Meyer Theatre is where we performed and it was one of the first true theatres that I've ever performed in when I was getting started in the illusion business. My team always says performing in Green Bay is like coming home to where it all began. A few of my old crew members even made the trip to come see the show. It's amazing how 2 hours feels like it goes by in a blink! In the end it was a great show! Thank you again everyone!

Afterward I had the pleasure of meeting many of those in attendance. I always love to hear what people have to say about their favorite illusion(s), etc. We even had some aspiring magicians in the crowd. One of which even took a minute to show me a really neat card trick after the show. He did an excellent job showing me a card trick that involved some complicated magic sleights.

(The tables are turned...now I get to watch in amazement!)


At the end of the meet and greet line was the luckiest man in the crowd...Larry. He will forever be known to us as "Larry the Beer Guy." I've been doing a routine in my show for years called "Hospitality" which is an illusion with a milk carton that can pour virtually any drink at any time. This was the first show we poured beer from the carton and when it came time to hand it our for a taste the crowd went crazy! It's true what they say about WI and their beer! Hahhaa! Larry was the lucky man selected to taste the beer and he came up after the show and told me it was great and had me sign his cup!

(Larry the Beer Guy!)


I can't thank everyone enough for coming to the show and supporting us over the years. It means a lot to me and my entire crew. Thank you Matt, Tim, Paula and the entire gang up there who made it all possible. Can't wait to see you all again!

-BB3



]]> http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry100131-211317 Bill Blagg III Mon, 01 Feb 2010 02:13:17 GMT http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry100119-221952
Here are a few snaps from the show of my Walking Thru Steel illusion.






We're off to Green Bay for our show on Jan. 29th. We will be debuting 2 new illusions that night! Hope to see you there!

BB3 ]]> http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry100119-221952 Bill Blagg III Wed, 20 Jan 2010 03:19:52 GMT http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry091222-233835
I've received e-mails from many people asking to see some pictures and video of the effect. So, I'm attaching some pics for everyone to check out. However, if you want to see the routine you'll have to come to the show :-)

Here are some pics from a recent practice.












I hope you dig it!

-BB3]]> http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry091222-233835 Bill Blagg III Wed, 23 Dec 2009 04:38:35 GMT http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry091125-140709

After our shows on Friday and Saturday in Springfield, MA, we immediately took off for our overnight drive to Wilmington, DE. The GPS had us getting in just after 4am and our load in at the theatre was at 7am! It wasn't too bad of a drive and we got to see the NYC skyline as we drove by. I've never been to NYC so it was a cool site to see.

After a few quick hours of sleep our day began. We had the pleasure of playing at the Grand Opera House in Wilmington, DE. The building is absolutely stunning! When I came around the corner downtown and saw it my mouth dropped. The organization behind this historic facility has done an amazing job restoring this beautiful space. It was almost demolished!



It's so sad that many of these historic places have been demolished and turned into parking lots over the years. They are so rich in history and it's almost like going back in time when you step through the doors into the lobby. Speaking of that...what was really neat is that the new lobby was built around the original exterior. When you look down the hall you can see the original brick exterior. Here a shot of it below.



We had a great show here which capped off with a standing ovation! We're on a roll with them :-) After the show was done I spent about an hour in the lobby signing autographs and meeting with the fans. Afterward I walked around a took a few more pictures and in one of them I think I caught a ghost! The pic is below....look on the left side on the back pillar by the cart. If you download the pic and zoom in there appears to be a mans face staring at me. Many of these historic places we play are haunted. I'm just fortunate that the spirits must like our shows because they always seem to be cooperative with us.

(ghost pic)


Until next time!

-BB3

]]> http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry091125-140709 Bill Blagg III Wed, 25 Nov 2009 19:07:09 GMT http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry091123-174447

I had the pleasure of performing at City Stage in Springfield, MA, over the weekend. We made the long journey from Milwaukee to perform for a total of 3 shows. All I can say is that the place rocked! It was a different stage style than we are used to performing on but it was so cool! Usually when you're onstage you have to walk down the steps to interact with the audience...but not here! You can literally walk right up to everyone because they are on the same level.

If you've been to my show you know how interactive it is so I loved this theatre. Though I do think I freaked a woman out in the front row when I walked up to her and asked her what she was drinking. She swore it was just coke....riiiiiiight ;-)

My team and I had a great time peforming at City Stage over the 2 days we were there. The audiences were loud and awesome and the feedback at the meet and greets after the shows was amazing! Thank you to everyone who came out! We hope to see you again very soon!

-BB3

(Theater Lobby)


(Yes...this is my favorite shirt)
]]> http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry091123-174447 Bill Blagg III Mon, 23 Nov 2009 22:44:47 GMT http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry091116-134919
(Stage prior to the start of the show)

This past weekend my team and I had a return performance in Maquoketa, Iowa. The staff and crew at the Ohnward Fine Arts Center are an amazing group of people and we always enjoy working with them. They have a beautiful theatre that holds close to 800 patrons. We last performed here just over 1.5 years ago so we were looking forward to coming back.

My crew headed out to IA from our shop on Friday night but I was staying home the extra day and joining them in the morning. My fiance' and I took off early Sat to head to IA to meet the crew and ended up getting stopped coming through IL for not having a front license plate on my car! The cop asked me if I by chance had $75 cash on me...hmmmm...I wonder if Officer Schmidt was looking to make a deal? Needless to say I got my ticket and was on my way.

Once I got the venue I caught up with the crew and started working on polishing up the illusions for the show. I'm very particular on how each illusion looks on stage and spend a lot of time maintaining their appearance. After all it is show business!

(polishing the plate for Thru Steel)


Show time came and the audience was packing into the theatre. I thought it was really neat how they project sponsors and information about the show onto the theatre walls.



The audience was great and the show flew by! Afterward I had the pleasure of meeting with a few fellow magicians who came out to see the show. They had some really nice comments and feedback on the show. It's always a pleasure seeing other performers come out to show their support.

Afterward we headed off to El Cazador for some mexican food and then to the Decker Inn to catch up with our good friend Troy who owns the place. We made friends with him last time we were in town so it was nice spending a few hours catching up.

Thank you Iowa for a great weekend!

-BB3


]]> http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry091116-134919 Bill Blagg III Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:49:19 GMT http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry091108-055931
-BB3

(Illusion testing before the show)
]]> http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry091108-055931 Bill Blagg III Sun, 08 Nov 2009 10:59:31 GMT http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry091101-191505

Last night we performed at the amazing Paramount Theatre in Anderson, IN. My crew and I had an awesome time and thank you to everyone who came out! In addition to a haunted theatre it was really neat performing Houdini's Metamorphosis illusion on the 83rd anniversary of his death. Overall, we had a great show and received a standing ovation to end the performance! Going to get some rest now. We're off to Ladysmith, WI, next!

Stay Tuned!

BB3 ]]> http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry091101-191505 Bill Blagg III Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:15:05 GMT http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090920-202945
We've been in the shop lately putting the finishing touches on a number of projects that have been in the works for some time now. We just completed testing this weekend on an illusion I designed with my good friend Ryan Reed over a year ago. It's been through various design and fabrication changes before finally becoming the piece it is today. I want to thank my dad and Tim Clothier for their amazing fabrication work to make this illusion possible. Now that testing is out of the way we're going to start adapting the illusion for the stage by adding the lighting and the music to bring it all together. Once it's all set the prop will head over to be powder coated and have some last minute additions placed on it before being introduced into the show. It's been a long time coming but the final result is well worth the wait!

Here's a few pics from testing this weekend.




In addition to this illusion we're also actively working on 5 other effects. One has been in the works for close to 8 years now! Mostly because I can't seem to make up my mind on it but I think I've finally got it figured out :-) We did some initial testing with it this weekend and realized the direction we were going just wasn't going to work. With that being said we had to scrap over 2 years of work and head a completely different direction. I feel very confident in this new direction so hopefully I'll have an update on things in the next few months. Sometimes things work and sometimes they don't...that's the joy of creating new material.

With all of the hard work my team and I put in it's important to take some time away to recharge the batteries. We make it a point to have a fun night out from time to time so we can relax and catch up on everyday life. It's so rewarding to not only have a team of great people helping to make this all possible but also being able to call them my best friends.

Here's a snap of us from a recent night out. We were hoping the booth would vanish like in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure but it never happened.



As always stay tuned! We have a lot of exciting news on the way.

-BB3]]> http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090920-202945 Bill Blagg III Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:29:45 GMT http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090902-061223

Hey everyone! Just finished setting up my official Twitter page. If you are on Twitter follow me!

-BB3]]> http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090902-061223 Bill Blagg III Wed, 02 Sep 2009 10:12:23 GMT http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090817-211451

This past weekend I took a much deserved vacation with my fiance' and her family. For our quick 4 day getaway we decided to head up to Wisconsin Dells to take in some sun and water slides. We were fortunate to have plenty of both. We stayed at the Chula Vista Resort and had a blast at their indoor and outdoor water park. I ended up spending a bit too much time in the sun and have the burn to show it.

Saturday night my fiance' and I went in town to see The Magic of Rick & Susan Wilcox at the Rick Wilcox Theatre. It has been close to four years since I'd seen the show last so I was looking forward to catching up with the both of them and seeing their new illusions. If you go to the Dells and haven't seen their show...GO! They present a wonderful 90 minute illusion show that caters to adults and kids alike. Their theatre is beautiful and first class all of the way just like the illusions in their show. Their show is a must see for anyone visiting in the area.

After the show we had the pleasure of heading out with Rick and Susan for a bite to eat and some great conversation. It's always a pleasure being able to catch up with them. They are two of the nicest people in this business and have worked extremely hard to get where they are today.

It was a great 4 days away and now it's back to the grind. Have some very exciting news coming shortly about an effect that has been in the works for close to 9 years!!! Stay tuned!

-BB3

]]> http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090817-211451 Bill Blagg III Tue, 18 Aug 2009 01:14:51 GMT http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090813-150025

We just capped off our summer tour with a SOLD OUT performance at the Metropolis Performing Arts Center. I know everyone is wondering...but Superman wasn't there. I think he had a date.

The Metropolis is located just outside of Chicago and is truly a remarkable facility. They run a class act operation and it was a pleasure working with everyone there.

A big thank you to everyone who came out for the show. To those of you who couldn't get tickets (the waiting list was over 100+ households long) rumor has it we'll be back next year!

My team and I had a great time working with the crew at the Metropolis to bring the show to life. It was a great time and there is no better way to finish a season but with a standing ovation!

If you've been to our live show in the past few months you've seen the new illusions making their way into the show. We have many more we're currently working on that will hit the stage when we return on Oct. 31st at the Paramount in IN. Until then...have a great summer...we're still waiting for it to show up here in WI!

-BB3

(The Mobb Crew and Metropolis Crew after the show)
]]> http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090813-150025 Bill Blagg III Thu, 13 Aug 2009 19:00:25 GMT http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090807-051558

Took a trip to northern Wisconsin for the annual hog wrestling tournament that is held there. It's honestly one of the craziest events I've ever been to! It's not everyday you see a group of grown men dressed up like Umpa Lumpa's from Willie Wonka!

Thousands of people come to the small town of Crivitz every year for "Hog" as they call it. We stayed with my good friends Shelly and Mike at their cabin. We had a great time sitting around the fire singing songs and grilling brats and burgers. This is definately something you can only do in Wisconsin! Can't wait to go back next year!

-BB3

]]> http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090807-051558 Bill Blagg III Fri, 07 Aug 2009 09:15:58 GMT http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090723-053104
I've picked up a new phrase while being on this leg of the tour :-) Here it is..."SNAP DRAGON!" I have no idea where I got it from or what it means but it's driving everyone nuts. Hahahaha! So next time you have the chance give it a try....be like "oh man...snap dragon!"

We have the week off and then next weekend we'll be right outside of Chicago at the Metroplis Performing Arts Center. Last I heard the show was close to sold out so hopefully it is by now. We're definately looking forward to the show!

As always working on a bunch of new toys and slowly getting them into the show one by one. It's always so tough deciding what to take out to make room.

Before I go I have to send a shout out to my biggest fan out east...Donna. Hey Donna! My crew and I thank you for breakfast and hope to see you again soon!

Stay Tuned!

-BB3

]]> http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090723-053104 Bill Blagg III Thu, 23 Jul 2009 09:31:04 GMT http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090709-051415
We were actually in town a few days prior to our shows. This gave us the opportunity to be a part of the Pittsfield 4th of July Parade which is one of the top 5 July 4th parades in the country!

(lining up for the parade)


In addition to the parade we were also featured guests at the Pittsfield baseball game at Wahconah Park which has been hosting baseball games since 1892!! It's one of 2 baseball fields in the country that actually have a sun delay! The game was held for about 15 minutes due to the angle of the sun to home plate and the players not being able to see. We all had a really great time at the game!

We had 2 shows on Sunday (7/5) and debuted my new Walking Thru Steel illusion. I'm excited to say based on the audience reaction...it was a hit!!! We received a standing ovation at both shows which is always a great way to complete a performance.

After the show my team and I met up with my agent Simon to grab a late night snack before we headed to Boston to catch our flight.

(team photo after the show)


We had a great time in Pittsfield and look forward to coming back. Thank you to everyone who came out and made the show such a great success!

Pittsfield you rock!

-BB3
]]> http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090709-051415 Bill Blagg III Thu, 09 Jul 2009 09:14:15 GMT http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090608-100131
Breaking new ground is always a challenge b/c you have to go through a lot of trial and error to find what works and what doesn't. It can be frustrating at times but I always think back to a great quote I heard years ago. Someone said to Thomas Edison while he was inventing the light bulb "You failed over 2,000 times" and his reply was "Of course not, I just discovered 2,000 ways it wouldn't work!" Nothing could be more true. The same goes when creating magic illusions.

We currently have 4 projects in the works right now. Three of these projects are actually fabricated and one is working 100% and will be added to the line up very soon. We're still working out the little details on the other two but with a few more weeks of shop time we should have them all figured out soon.

It's very rewarding seeing these things come together after the investment of so much time. Be on the look out for these new effects in our tour this fall.

-BB3

(here's a shot of one of our new illusions being tested this past weekend)

]]> http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090608-100131 Bill Blagg III Mon, 08 Jun 2009 14:01:31 GMT http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090521-085130
The idea came up over dinner while I was in Vegas last month. We were sitting around and joking about doing an illusion with a levitating cow. Tim Clothier's wife was quick to point out that the effect had already been done by a performer overseas.

Obviously this was all a big joke over dinner but Tim felt it had merit and found me the perfect cow for the job! Check her out...isn't she a beauty?!

Be sure to catch the levitating cow in my tour this fall (obviously I'm joking)!

-BB3



*No cows were hurt in the taking of this photo. This is not a real cow.]]> http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090521-085130 Bill Blagg III Thu, 21 May 2009 12:51:30 GMT http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090510-123817

(Tim and I prior to taking the stage)

I had the pleasure of closing out the performance portion of the evening. I can't even begin to describe what a crazy performance it was. Crazy in a good way though. Let's just say a 1 hour open bar prior to the performance segment made from some VERY hilarious/interesting audience interaction with the lady I had up onstage to assistant with a rope trick. Before I knew it she was tying herself up and grinding with me onstage which brought the house down! Take that Madonna! Hahhaa!

I do have video footage from the performance but I'm going to keep it in the vault for now ;-) Who knows though maybe it'll pop up on one of my behind the scenes DVD's.

The lead singer of the band asked if I could give him a lift...I said sure!



What a night!!!!

-BB3

]]> http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090510-123817 Bill Blagg III Sun, 10 May 2009 16:38:17 GMT http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090505-150700

As many of you know in my spare time I enjoy the motorsport of drag racing. As a car owner and driver, I always look forward to spending some time at the track with friends and family on race days in the summer.

Over 2 years ago my best friend and I sat down one night and talked about getting into racing jet cars. These are drag cars with jet airplane motors in them! So we made some calls and ended up taking a trip to Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, IL, to meet with legendary jet car racer Roger Gustin. We had the opportunity to spend the afternoon with him and learn all about the jet car industry. Roger is to jet car racing what Houdini is to magic. We were very fortunate to have this opportunity to meet with him. We came away from that day with an amazing amount of information and even made a few contacts with some jet car racers who happened to be racing at the event that day.

As I mentioned a few years have passed and I decided to keep the focus on continuing to build my career and expand the illusions featured in my show. I realized with the required financial investment I just couldn't do both to my full potential. However, my best friend followed through and found a racing partner to form a team with and they ended up purchasing a jet funny car. This past weekend I joined them at the track to take the car out for it's first trip down the 1/4 mile with the new name and paint scheme. The entire day was awesome!! I want to thank the team for having me out and for letting me stage the car at the line!

If you've never had the chance to see a jet car check them out on youtube. Nothing beats seeing them live though!! It was such a rush standing directly in front of the car while flames were shooting out the back as it came to the line!! All I can say is woooo!!! Hope you get a chance to see one live sometime b/c there is nothing like it!

-BB3

]]> http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090505-150700 Bill Blagg III Tue, 05 May 2009 19:07:00 GMT http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090426-171447
(Me with Fury, Venom and Mayhem)

This past Friday I had the opportunity to be the celebrity guest MC for Gladiator Ball! The show is basically like the movie DodgeBall but the main team was made up of celebrities from the TV show American Gladiators. 10 local teams took on the Gladiators for their shot at bragging rights to say they beat the American Gladiators.

My friend Barry rode up to the show with me and we had the pleasure of playing the warm up match against the Gladiators prior to the doors opening. The game started and Barry whipped the first throw and took out Mayhem! To ice the cake....on the second game I did the same thing! I think Barry and I are going to try out for the American Gladiators when the have an open casting...haha!

All in all it was a great night and it was cool working with everyone. I always enjoy being a guest at events like this b/c you meet some many cool people that also have the fortune of having a unique job that they love. Not to mention by the end of the night we were all chatting it up, sharing some laughs and exchanging information. I've made some cool new friends and had a blast being a part of Gladiator Ball!

-BB3



(Warm Up)]]> http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090426-171447 Bill Blagg III Sun, 26 Apr 2009 21:14:47 GMT http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090418-122452

Currently we're in the process of rolling out a variety of new illusions into the current show. We'll be phasing them in one by one over the next 9-12 months. I recently stopped in at Illusion Projects to meet with owner Tim Clothier to check progress on an illusion he's currently building for me. It looks awesome!!! It's scheduled to leave his shop and ship to my warehouse in Milwaukee the first part of next month!

We also took some time to meet on other projects that are in the works as well as discuss some new ideas. Lots of great stuff came out of that meeeting.

Stay tuned b/c you haven't seen nothing yet!

-BB3


(Tim Clothier sharing a new concept)]]> http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090418-122452 Bill Blagg III Sat, 18 Apr 2009 16:24:52 GMT http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090414-214131

I've been invited by Ben & Jerry's to take part in their Free Cone Day on April 21st! I will be joining a cast of celebrities as we put on our Ben & Jerry's aprons and volunteer to scoop ice cream for charity. The value of every scoop of ice cream that is served will be donated to local charities throughout the country.

This is a great day to pack up the family and head on over to your local Ben & Jerry's between 12-8pm on Tuesday, April 21st to receive your free scoop! Enjoy a great treat and help your selected local charity at the same time!

For more information visit:

http://www.benjerry.com/scoop-shops/fea ... -cone-day/

Hope to see you there!

-BB3

P.S. As a side note I don't care what the commercials say...CA cows have got nothing on WI!

]]> http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090414-214131 Bill Blagg III Wed, 15 Apr 2009 01:41:31 GMT http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090413-090909

The last week and a half has been a very tight schedule filled with a lot of travel. Just this week alone I've been in OH, PA, MD, MA and NV. I can honestly say that I can recite the flight attendant pre-flight safety annoucement by heart now!

Had a great time in Las Vegas over the weekend. I was there to review a new illusion I have being built. The effect is coming along nicely and will be featured in my tour this fall. It was designed by well known magic designer Jim Steinmeyer who has created some of magic's most notable effects. In addition to reviewing the current illusion I also met up with my good friend Ryan. We had the chance to catch a few magic shows on Saturday night and then meet up with my builder Tim to discuss additonal projects and ideas we're working on.

We all had a great time but my stay there seemed way too short. I look forward to the next opportunity to go back but had a great time while I was there!

Viva Las Vegas!

-BB3]]> http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090413-090909 Bill Blagg III Mon, 13 Apr 2009 13:09:09 GMT http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090404-160228

I was recently approached with an opportunity to work with the stars of American Gladiators in a new exciting show called Gladiator Ball! This new show is similar to the concept of the hit movie Dodge Ball but uses the stars of American Gladiators as one team taking on other "local" teams.

I have the pleasure of being the celebrity guest MC for their upcoming live show in Milwaukee, WI! In addition to the American Gladiators I will be joined by special guest referees Haystacks Ross (formerly of the WWE) and Muhammad Ali Jr.!

It's sure going to be one heck of a show so if you're in the area on Friday, April 24, come check it out!

-BB3]]> http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090404-160228 Bill Blagg III Sat, 04 Apr 2009 20:02:28 GMT