Remember I’m an old guy and I can only review from that perspective. I could throw a bunch of “dudes” in here and try to sound like one of the street guys, but it would be transparent. (Is “dudes” still even viable? I’m so out of it!)

The Theory 11 site itself is OK. It has the obligatory black/ellusionists type theme and has enough noise to give it a little bit of a Web 2.0 feel. Personally, I find it too busy, but I’ve seen worse.

The videos of the tricks they are selling are like everyone else’s videos – bad music – too loud – filled with street bums and space queens acting like the L&L crowd on steroids and giving no idea of what the trick actually looks like. Structured to sell the experience, not the effect. I doubt any of these tricks will actually get you laid, but that’s the implication. Again nothing new or unusual here.

I ordered Digital Dissolve to test out the process and the item itself. I must say the ordering process was painless and professional. The order was acknowledged promptly and sent the next day. I should get it this week. There’s been a LOT of discussion of whether this is merely a repackaging and routining of Steve Dusheck’s classic Copper/Silver. If it is, I think they made a serious mistake in using this as one of their lead products. Some of the excuses and rationales I have seen from the producers are robustly L-A-M-E. We’ll see!

I’m a big fan of Aaron Fisher and wanted to try his trick, but frankly it didn’t even look good in the video and it smells of angles big time. I could easily be wrong, but if I am, the video should be re-shot.

They do show that a number of the tricks aren’t available yet right on the description. Something that is SORELY lacking on many of the big sites that pretend they have everything in stock.

The forums are nice and seem to have a little momentum. I hope it continues. Unfortunately, most tend to die and only Brooks goes on. Something I’ll never understand.

Not a bad start. I doubt it will spawn a new worldwide religion that one would have expected after reading the pre-release hoopla. At this point it is just the web version of Brainstorm in the Bahamas and other think-tank commercializations – nothing new. No one else has ever fulfilled the promise. I wish these guys the best.

Gentlemen – keep it real and you have a chance.

Take care………

Let’s get this out front:

I HATE JOSHUA JAY

He’s young, good looking, talented, single and doing exactly what he wants. In short, he’s everything I’m not and never will be.

Even in his very earliest writings, h’s shown an incredible ability, for someone of his age especially, to select quality tricks and sleights. This collection of 3 DVDs represents his favorites – not necessarily the best, of his columns from Magic Magazine.

There’s 7 hours, or so, of enjoyable magic. Moves, routines, tips etc. It’s always fun to see stuff in person that you’ve only read about. Most looks better – much better. Some doesn’t.

A few nits:

• Rick Maue’s Riding the Wave was tedious – so tedious I flipped over and watched the White Sox. It lasted two excruciating innings!

• One of the best tricks on the DVDs was by Paul Cummins and it was performance only – something I find inexcusable on a magic instructional DVD

• Some of the banter was sophomoric, but, then again, they’re sophomores!

• The usual L&L crowd. Josh, to his credit, actually made a few L&L jokes. Personally, they never particularly bother me and the women are certainly a pleasure to watch – so much so that I can tolerate the dork always on the front row.

• At times, I was so distracted by the gal in the short blue jean skirt – wondering if she would ever reveal the promised land (she didn’t) that I lost track of some of the tricks.

In summary – I’ll watch these more than once. Something I don’t believe has happened in 2007.

Well done!

Take care….