Rock & Roll Illusionist Bringing Blackstone's Illusion Back!

by Aaron Balcom
(Detroit, MI USA)

Aaron Balcom is a name which has become synonymous with performing large scale magic & illusion in the Detroit area. The 25 year old downriver resident has won many performance awards and appeared all over the country with his uniquely modern style of performing. Locally, he has also appeared in much of the media, including Fox 2, WB 20, The Detroit News, News Herald, Metro Times, Real Detroit and more.

It is also no secret that he has a large rare & antiquarian magic collection, with pieces dating back to the 1700’s and numerous authentic Harry Houdini artifacts. Last year, he acquired one of the illusions personally performed by legendary magician, Harry Blackstone Jr., known as The Clown Jammer.

“I’ve had the prop for about a year”, says Aaron. “When it arrived here, it was in two giant road cases and the entire thing hadn’t been unpacked or performed in about 30 years”.

The first task was cleaning it up and getting it ready to be performed on the stage again, since Aaron believes that these props were meant to be performed, not stored away in some dark warehouse space.

“I have many pieces in my collection which are simply too rare or valuable to be performed”, explains Aaron. “But this particular illusion, I feel is very special and needs to be seen by audiences again”.

Aaron and his team of consultants and dancers have reworked the illusion and given it a modern “rock and roll” presentation, while paying homage to Blackstone and even hinting toward the days of Vaudeville slightly, by titling it “The Striptease”.

“The name and presentation we’ve given it is somewhat risqué”, says Aaron. “But it’s all very tongue in cheek and is still very suitable for all audiences, families included”.

The illusion is set to be premiered on August 29th, 2009 during “Michael Lives! The Michael Jackson Tribute Concert”, which is being presented locally by SGI Productions in Allen Park. It is being held at the Allen Park Auditorium, 16850 Southfield Road in Allen Park, MI. The show will start at 7:00PM and is scheduled to run approximately two hours.

Besides Aaron, who will be appearing numerous times throughout the show, presenting some of his biggest and best illusions, there will also be other local talent, including singers, dancers, impersonators and more.

Tickets are $5.00 for general admission and $10.00 for VIP, which entitles ticket holders to early admission, preferred seating, as well as a meet and greet and other benefits.

Information on the show can be found here: http://www.sgiproductions.eventbrite.com/

While information on Aaron Balcom can be found here: http://www.teenpopillusionist.com