Joe Conrad Magic

[lufc74]

Hi,

Does anybody know if this magic show, by Joe Conrad at patong jungceylon has started. Went to his web site and this has been suspended.

I was under the impression it was starting pretty soon.

Any info appreciated.

Ta.....

[ricknroll]

Joe is a personal friend and so far things look good for the opening... He stops in R N' R on occasion so I will ask him later today for an update.

[ricknroll]

I think they give group rates so if you have a group of friends or family that want to go... I can check into that as well.

Edited May 6, 2011 by ricknroll

[lufc74]

I think they give group rates so if you have a group of friends or family that want to go... I can check into that as well.

[lufc74]

If you can get an update, that will be appreciated .

Thanks again,

[thaigerd]

Joe is a personal friend and so far things look good for the opening... He stops in R N' R on occasion so I will ask him later today for an update.

Thanks for that update Rick.

2 days ago I did check where you place is, now I know.

Will come next couple of days with wife for dinner and a cold Heineken...may be 2.

Gerd

[tomhuayyai]

His web site is working now!

[stevenl]

His web site is working now!

Nothing at all about Jung Ceylon shows on the website though.

[insertcoins]

700 seats nightly show 555+

[falkan]

wont laaaast long!

[thaigerd]

Just called them.

They have 2 shows every night, first one at 6pm. 900Baht for adults, 30% discount for expats.

Will go with my wife tonight.

[seriouseats]

he has a deal with all the tourist agencies? to get that many people each night theres no way hes doing all of this by himself.

[thaigerd]

just come back from that "show".............forget it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[LivinginKata]

just come back from that "show".............forget it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mmmmm .... no surprise to hear that. Many people there in the 700 seats ??

[thaigerd]

just come back from that "show".............forget it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mmmmm .... no surprise to hear that. Many people there in the 700 seats ??

16 or 17

We even bought VIP tickets(free softdrinks!), we had the choice between water or a can of Coke

Very noisy air condition.

After the "show" they asked me if we would like to come back-stage to meet Mr. Conrad...I replied: "Better not!!".

[seriouseats]

Did you check the video on his website first? From the video it looks like he's a small time magician doing birthday parties and small business events. Most of these tricks would get XXX'd on Britain/america/australia's got talent.

[geriatrickid]

just come back from that "show".............forget it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What? According to the promo video he has a cast of western dancers and is Asia's premier magician. Are you sure you were not under the influence of kirschwasser?

Any master entertainer that stresses the presence of a cast of western dancers must be good!!!!!!!

[thaigerd]

just come back from that "show".............forget it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What? According to the promo video he has a cast of western dancers and is Asia's premier magician. Are you sure you were not under the influence of kirschwasser?

Any master entertainer that stresses the presence of a cast of western dancers must be good!!!!!!!

[merijn]

I watched the show about 2 weeks ago and to say it in one sentence.

Waste of money.

The average children party entertainer is much better then this guy.

I’m not surprised that their where only about 20 people during my visit.

[phuketrichard]

Another Phuket Success story.....

[FrankBlunt]

From the comments here, plus other reports I've heard, it sounds like he needs to conjure up some bums on seats otherwise he'll just disappear in a puff of smoke.

What gets me is the number of such ventures which seem to start up here in a blaze of publicity and large investment (eg. this magic show, the brewery opposite Tesco Lotus, Sound nightclub......etc) and then simply either fail to deliver and/or fail completely in a very short period of time. When people are investing so much, you kind of wonder how they get it so horribly wrong?........or is it other people's money that is being spent and they have simply fallen for all the hype surrounding such ventures and invested accordingly? A 700 seat theatre with 2 shows per night?......kicking off in low season? Even someone as ignorant in the ways of business as I am can see that providing 1400 seats per night is overkill to a massive extent and the overheads must be massive.....I bet the rent alone is over 500,000 baht per month.?

Why do people do it - is it an ego thing? Do they just like to see their face plastered all over the local newspapers during the initial hype and publicity period?

I actually think that on a smaller scale, there is a market for this type of show in Phuket but I think this guy is going to struggle to keep things going on the scale he's started on - I hope he proves me wrong.

[seriouseats]

Usually in Thailand if there is no one else providing your service within 50meters for food and 1km for entertainment, you can open anything and completely suck and it'll make you money as people will find it conveniently there.

But there is a limit to this.. Fantasea is about as close as you can get to the limit(4hrs waittime walking around 3 small shops? and watching people sit on elephants? then a crap show but with loud noises and music to keep simple minds busy) Thais are definately not dumb enough to pay 900baht for a guy shooting pidgeons out of his cape and watching a bunch of dancers from the nearest eastern european gogo.

[falkan]

check out how Fantasia do business you have much to learn from them if you want to be left to the next high season

[LivinLOS]

Prediction the first time this was mentioned..

Top floor of Jung Ceylon.. Huge staff (so massive ongoing to add to the JC rent).. And that price per ticket..

Not a prayer.. 18 months depending on the depth of losses hes prepared to take.

The 18 month timer might have to get reduced to 9.. One high season.

2 mil USD invested.. sheesh..

Edited September 1, 2011 by LivinLOS

[hkt83100]

2 mil USD invested.. sheesh..

I guess he will be about as successful as the Oktoberfest.(If someone can still remember that one.)

Typo corrected.

Edited September 1, 2011 by hkt83100

[LivinginKata]

I guess he will be about as successful as the Oktoberfest.(If someone can still remember that one.)

Oh yes, I remember that one. Leased the land for 10 years (at big cost), bought a second hand big tent structure, lasted a year. Now the land has been cleared waiting for the next one to come along.

[TheWalkingMan]

USD 2mil? He could have invested in 30 to 50 beer bars in Pattaya and at least got some daily cash.

TheWalkingMan

[barka]

A fool and his money are soon pated..here in PARADISE PHUKET.. the land of dreams eg,PURAVANA,THE STUNT SHOWand now MR JOE CONRAD..And many other Atractions,does nobody ever do a bussines plan or risk assesment ..this is not Las Vegas..

[LivinginKata]

Mmmm ... we still muse about the Stunt Show every time we pass by the derelict site. lot of money spent building the stadium and pool. Little spent on marketing, transport, etc.

[LivinLOS]

With the magic show I can fully understand a short run and seeing the reality of ticket sales reassessment.

But the one that baffles me, is how many businesses invest so much on the startup, but seem to have no budget to allow for the growth or expansion phase when they are not know. Open, 3 months later closed. Surely the vast amount of investment some of these things put in, has a lead time to achieve profitability.

BTW whats the status on the Kathu water park. Work appeared to stop about 18 months ago and I never heard if it restarted. Big money was being put into that site.