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This week marks one year since RISE, the spectacular opening event that launched Bradford’s year as the UK City of Culture 2025—and at the heart of it all was Steven Frayne, the Bradford-born magician best known to the world as Dynamo.
For two freezing January nights—January 10 and 11—City Park and Centenary Square were transformed into a massive open-air stage, drawing an estimated 10,000 people each night for a sold-out celebration of magic, creativity, and community.
For magicians, RISE wasn’t just a cultural event. It was a powerful reminder of how far magic can reach when it’s scaled, reimagined, and rooted in authenticity.
Magic on a City-Wide Scale
Conceived by director Kirsty Housley and Frayne himself, RISE was far more than a traditional magic show. It was a large-scale theatrical production featuring:
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A 200-strong cast of professional performers and local residents
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Aerialists and acrobats
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Live music, spoken word, and orchestration
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Massive projections filling the surrounding architecture
The result was a multi-sensory magic experience, where illusion blended seamlessly with music, movement, and storytelling—proving once again that magic doesn’t have to live only on a stage or in a close-up pad.
A Magician Returning to His Roots
What made RISE especially meaningful was Frayne’s personal connection to the location. Performing in the very place where he once practiced street magic, he reminded the audience—and aspiring magicians—where it all begins.
He told the crowd:
“All of my random ideas started right here in Bradford.
If I can do what I have done, we can do anything.
This year is going to be amazing.”
That message resonated deeply, especially for magicians who started with nothing more than a deck of cards, a borrowed coin, and a sidewalk audience.
Frayne went on to say:
“Let’s enjoy this moment. I am so proud to be from Bradford.
Everywhere I go I tell everybody about it—and I am never losing this Yorkshire accent.”
It was classic Dynamo: grounded, emotional, and unapologetically himself.
Audience Reaction: Magic That United a City
Visitors from across the region described the event as “reflective of Bradford” and praised its ability to bring people together. Families, children, longtime fans, and first-time magic spectators all shared the same reaction: amazement.
One attendee summed it up perfectly, saying:
“Events like this really do have the power to unite. Everyone’s so happy.”
For magicians, that’s the real takeaway. Magic—when done right—creates shared moments that cut across age, background, and experience.
Why This Matters to Magicians
RISE wasn’t just a success for Bradford. It was a statement about modern magic:
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Magic belongs in large cultural conversations
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Magicians can be creators, not just performers
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Community-driven magic has massive impact
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Your hometown story matters
Frayne didn’t just perform tricks. He told a story—his story—and scaled it to a city-wide audience.
A Legacy Beyond One Night
As the opening event of Bradford’s UK City of Culture year, RISE set the tone for an ambitious program that ultimately drew more than three million attendees across 5,000+ events. Highlights included hosting the Turner Prize and dozens of large-scale cultural commissions.
But for magicians, RISE will be remembered as a moment when magic stood center stage in a global cultural spotlight—led by a magician who never forgot where he came from.
Final Thought
Every magician starts somewhere. Sometimes it’s a living room. Sometimes it’s a street corner. And sometimes, if you keep going, it’s a city park filled with 10,000 people watching magic unfold under the night sky.
RISE was proof of what’s possible.
Article source: Yahoo news
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