Ben Train returns to join Jonah in another check in with the Toronto Magic Company where they discuss the changing dynamics of the magic industry during the pandemic, the launch of their YouTube programming, and their fears about the future of virtual magic.

The global pandemic changed everything when it came to live events for magic and Ben and Jonah break down the different stages that they’ve observed the magic community going through since the start of the pandemic. First there was panic, then followed optimism, and finally opportunity. And as magic has, by and large, shifted to virtual events they’re noticing another stage creeping in. The plateau. 

At first, virtual magic was new and untested and there was a lot of anxiety mixed with anticipation. Nobody had attempted stuff like this before! Now one year later you might be performing seven shows in a row every single day and with that routine comes a restless sort of boredom and a sense of being stuck in auto-pilot. What Ben and Jonah talk about is how they throw each other “for a loop” to change things up and keep their performances fresh, if only just for themselves, so that they don’t fall into the trappings of routine and everyone gets more accustomed to virtual shows becoming the new normal. 

Ben and Jonah have also launched their YouTube channel where they’ve started documenting more of their work and putting on fun shows and testing out new ideas. One of those ideas has been the Tarbell Challenge, where they each challenge the other to go through one of the Tarbell magic books and learn a trick from it and see who wins in a faceoff against each other. It’s been a lot of fun and because the Tarbell books are all in the public domain you can easily get a copy for yourself online and join Ben and Jonah in the Tarbell Challenge yourself!

Hot off the heels of Unconventional.fun: Magic Land, Ben and Jonah have since announced three more Unconventional.fun events happening in 2021, with the next one coming up in May. You can also upgrade your experience by signing up for the Unconventional.pass where Ben and Jonah promise that you will be able to play Magic Land like it’s a real video game complete with points and prizes. 

Snag your pass now and check out the Unconventional.fun site for all the details on the events happening and the guests who are attending.

Finally, Ben and Jonah break down their predictions about the future of Virtual Magic as parts of the world slowly start returning to in-person events. Will there still be a need for virtual shows as halls and theatres begging to open up? Do magicians even want to return to gigging on the road now that they’ve had a taste of what virtual events have to offer them? Only time will tell but both Jonah and Ben believe, and hope, that virtual magic isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. 

If you’d like to learn more about what the Toronto Magic Company is up to be sure to check out their youtube channel at youtube.com/torontomagiccompany 

And don’t forget to snag your Unconventional.pass today at Unconventional.fun

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