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NOVEMBER 2012
•
HEMISPHERESMAGAZINE.COM
THISMONTH, SIMONDRAKE
will deliver the
marquee lecture at London’s International
Magic Convention. One of the U.K.’s more
illustrious illusionists, Drake was the star
of the hit British show “The Secret Caba-
ret” and now runs Simon Drake’s House of
Magic, a sprawling London entertainment
complex. He has also worked with a slew of
high-profile clients, from Richard Branson
to Ringo Starr; however, not all of these
ventures have gone smoothly.
1980
Opening at a Peter Gabriel
concert in London
“
I missed my footing and fell through a
hole in the stage. The audience thought I
had just vanished into thin air. There was a
huge reaction. I hadn’t vanished but instead
landed on the base ofmy spine on a scaffold
bar in the orchestra pit. I eventually came
back onstage, having found a ladder at the
side, only to find roadies with flashlights
looking down the holes.”
1986
Advising on the Nicolas Roeg
film
Castaway
,
which involved coaching
famously hard-living actor Oliver Reed
in sleight of hand
“
Oliver’s entourage included, among other
red-nosed comrades, a farmer who
drank away his farm. Trips to the
dreaded ‘cider shed’ entailed having
to sip cider, which was like brandy
and had mold floating in it. Oliver
insisted you drink it, and he was a
hardman to arguewith. The tricks I had
to teach him involved palming cards, coins
and other objects. However, my best trick
was the waterproof ‘poacher’s pockets’ I
made insidemy jacket, which I would chuck
the cider into while Oliver wasn’t looking. I
literally squelched when I walked.”
1993
Co-starring in IronMaiden’s
“
Raising Hell” TV special
“
We put [lead singer] Bruce Dickinson in a
huge, iron maiden–style torture device. His
hair got caught in a hand-cranked worm
drive, even a er repeated warnings to keep
his head to the other side. This resulted in an
egg-size bald patch. But in time it grewback
and Bruce held no hard feelings.”
nov. 17
SARAH LEE/CAPITOL RECORDS (COLDPLAY)
Rolling Rock
Five shows to help you
cope with the torments
of autumn
For a fewmisguided souls,
November is a time to don
cozy sweaters and bask in the
technicolor explosion of fall
foliage. For the rest of us, it
represents, well, itchy sweaters
and dead leaves. Fortunately,
November also happens to be
a great month for concerts.
Coldplay
’
s barnstorming tour
in support of their album
Mylo
Xyloto
wraps up this month
with dates inNewZealand and
Australia. Seminal grunge-
mongers
Pearl Jam
continue
their U.S. tour, heading from
the Southwest to Florida, with
GlenHansard (the incurably
heartsore Irish troubadour
from the hit movie
Once
)
in
tow.
Green Day
’
s touring rock
opera
American Idiot
does a
monthlong run in England,
while legendarymetal band
Motörhead
will do 10 U.K. shows
with fellowheadbangers
Anthrax
.
Finally,
Dweezil Zappa
,
son of weirdomusical genius
Frank, will be performing his
father’s work this month in
venues acrossWestern Europe.
(
Did we mention all of these
shows will be safely indoors?)
culture
||
THEMONTHAHEAD
RudeAwakening
Amanners maven plays
ref in le field
For
New York Times
etiquette specialist Philip
Galanes—whose column
“
Social Q’s” has inspired a
namesake book (forthcoming in
paperback)—no question is too big or
too small. Or, as this sampling of actual
queries reveals, too loony.
NOV. 27
“
My grownup brother eats with his
hands. Last week he picked up his steak
in a white-tablecloth restaurant. I was
mortified. What to do?”
Steer clear of
spaghetti restaurants. And if you want to
speak with him about his table manners,
best do it when you’re
not
at the table.
“
I go out with a terrific guy who has
an identical twin. Lately, I find myself
fantasizing about his twin brother. What
do you make of this?”
Fantasizing about
a carbon copy of your beau is just plain
lazy. Switch to Channing Tatum, like
everyone else.
“
When my wife and I separated last year,
her mother emailed me, ‘I hope you eat
rat poison and die.’ Though my wife and
I reconciled, I still feel uncomfortable
with her mother. What should I do?”
Let it go. People say crazy things when
they’re angry. (But I’d avoid Thanksgiving
at her place.)
Abracadabraaargh!
A Britishmaster magician reveals a few sleight mishaps
