Many folks thrill to witness a skilled variety artist at work — be that person a plate spinner, torch juggler, ventriloquist, sword swallower or sleight-of-hand magician. But there is something about seeing a mystical performer of large-scale stage illusions that brings out the Copperfield, Houdini, or Siegfried & Roy in all of us. Nashville’s own Sammy Cortino will surely regale his audience as he magically elevates and cuts/restores a lovely assistant. For the performance, Cortino will be backed by local hard-rock outfit Omega Swan, a pairing that will likely render the festivities all the more enthralling. Though no tigers will be used (thankfully), we’ll be interested to see if Cortino undertakes the nail-biting needle-swallowing and bullet-catching-with-teeth illusions.
— William Williams