Local magician plans comeback

Evan “Brightside” Voss has been spotted doing card tricks all over Bloomington: at house parties, the Sample Gates, Harmony School and the Lacore Valmon, a circus  at the National Guard Armory on Walnut Street.

The 21-year-old Bloomington native began studying magic six years ago while attending Harmony School.

“I haven’t done a show since May 2010,” he said. “I’m really looking forward to getting my name out there again.”

The Venue Fine Arts and Gifts will showcase Voss’ comeback with “The Art of Magic by Evan Voss” at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Voss said he has spent the past year organizing events for Stay Up!, which provides nightlife entertainment to Bloomington with electronic dance music.

Voss said music plays an important role in his magic performances.

“I don’t speak. I let my actions speak for me,” Voss said. “Music helps tell a story and makes it more entertaining.”

Voss specializes in slide tricks, where he rolls objects through his fingers, and he uses music from The Killers in his performances.

“I call myself Evan Brightside,” he said, explained by The Killers’ single “Mr. Brightside” from the album “Hot Fuss.”

The Venue curator Gabriel Colman sponsors a show every Tuesday in a series he calls “The Art of...”

“I enjoy having families come in, sit down and participate in the arts,” Colman said. “It’s part community service and part business plan.”

Colman opened The Venue in January 2009 after studying art at Indiana University. His Tuesday evening series promotes local artists and keeps art enthusiasts coming to The Venue.

“A regular visitor may ask if a piece is new just because I changed its location,” he said. “There’s always something new to find.”

Colman found Voss through another Bloomington business owner, Jim Keplinger.
Keplinger runs That’s the Rub Massage Therapy Center, but he used to be a professional, full-time magician.

“I worked with (Voss) at the Lotus Festival,” Keplinger said. “He’s young, enthusiastic and quite good.”

Keplinger performed at The Venue twice in the past and recommended Voss.

“He’s definitely an up-and-coming magician,” he said.