Knowledge is magic

No supernatural powers here, insists
illusionist, only hard work and flair

by CHRIS BARRY

Name: David Lion

Age: 22

Occupation: Master illusionist

Bio: This slinky Snowdon stud says even though he was a huge fan of David Copperfield as a kid, he’d never considered going into magic until one fateful evening some two years ago. While watching TV with his mom, David Blaine hit the screen “and I immediately became addicted, I fell in love. I realized magic is what I had to do, I wanted to get reactions from people like David Blaine gets, hearing them scream and all that kind of stuff.” Dedicated as all get out, David soon started studying tapes of Blaine and Criss Angel in the effort to figure out their tricks, eventually developing his skills well enough to start doing magic as a street performer. Now sporting a rock solid rep in Internet magic circles via a series of YouTube clips, David will be doing his “Lionism” thing at Club 1234 (1234 de la Montagne) Thursday, Jan. 29. “I’m taking this to the top. Watch me. I’m going to compete with Criss Angel, team up with David Blaine, I want to be famous for my magic, but I also want to be respected for being David Lion.”

So what exactly is Lionism then? “That’s just what I call my brand of magic. It’s not a religion or a cult or anything, like some people think.”

Is he really magic? “Nah, I don’t have magic powers or anything like that. For me, magic is more an expression of imagination. What I have is knowledge, knowledge you might not have. When people ask me, ‘Is magic real?’ I tell them it depends on your definition of magic. If you think it’s about supernatural powers, then no, magic isn’t real, but to me magic is an emotion, what I give to audiences is an art, an expression of my imagination and my talent, and the feel you get out of that, well, that’s the magic. And that’s completely real.”

Nevertheless, when he’s doing his tricks, do people often believe he must be bigger than life? “Oh yeah, definitely. I’m just a regular, normal guy, you know, but people think that all the time, for sure.”

When he’s performing, are there a significant number of chicks who come up afterwards looking to perform a little magic of their own between this larger-than-life stud’s legs? “Oh yeah, for sure. It’s unbelievable sometimes.”

The “life-threatening” stunt he’ll be attempting at Club 1234: “I don’t want to give it away right now, but I want you to know that I will be risking my life. It’s an incredibly dangerous stunt. I can’t help it.”

Might this dangerous stunt have something to do with pulling a nickel out of somebody’s ear? “No.”

Pulling an aggressive rabbit out of a hat then? “Uh, no.” To get a better idea of David’s schtick, go to his Facebook page, Lionism: Reality, ReDefined or his Web site, davidlion.ca.

One late great Montreal magician David has never even heard of: Magic Tom Auburn.

Last book read: Mindfreak: Secret Revelations, by Criss Angel.

Musical preferences: Tupac, Lil Wayne, Michael Jackson.

Words of wisdom: “If dreams are locks, ambition is key.”

Comments: dimwit@hdot.net