Criss Angel throws support behind Hans Klok — and no one else

Brandishing his characteristic grandeur, Criss Angel has named his top two Las Vegas Strip magicians.

One is Criss Angel. The other is (pause for reveal) …

Hans Klok!

Klok posted a video with Angel on Monday night after Klok’s show at the new Thunderland Showroom at Excalibur. From the start of the clip, which runs 21 seconds, Angel seizes the narrative.

“Check it out, I’m here with the legendary Hans Klok, and this is the second time I’ve seen his show,” Angel says. “There’s only two magic shows you need to see in Vegas. Forget about everybody else. It’s Criss Angel, and Hans Klok. That’s all the (stuff) you need to see. Forget about all the rest, and see the best!”

“Love you, thank you, Criss,” says Klok, a major box-office draw in his native Netherlands who is making his second run at a Strip residency. He also performed at then-Planet Hollywood for the Performing Arts in 2007.

Klok’s production company has invested in the new show and 425-seat, $6 million venue along with Adam Steck’s SPI Entertainment. Steck, the SPI Entertainment’s founder, said Tuesday, “I appreciate the support, but I prefer not to alienate other magicians.”

Upwards of 20 magic shows regularly run in Las Vegas, and many current and past magic stars have visited Klok at ExCal. The legendary Siegfried & Roy, two-time “America’s Got Talent” champ Shin Lim of the Mirage, highly touted touring magician and author Rocco Silano, and and longtime Vegas headliner Murray Sawchuck of Laugh Factory all have stopped in to Klok’s show at Thunderland.

Klok also has taken in David Copperfield’s production at MGM Grand.

Angel’s interest in Klok effectively crosses corporate lines, as Angel headlines in a Caesars Entertainment venue and that company stages many top-level magic productions, including Penn & Teller (Rio), Mac King (Harrah’s), Mat Franco (Linq Hotel) and Piff the Magic Dragon (Flamingo). Caesars has also this week announced The Magic Attic at Bally’s, where Xavier Mortimer and Frederic Da Silva are regular headliners. Klok, meantime is an MGM Resorts International performer.

As Steck himself has said, Angel’s contract with MGM Resorts in his decade at Luxor did not permit a magic show the scale of Klok’s to perform in the same neighborhood at ExCal. But it’s a different day in Vegas, where magic really is boundless.

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His PodKats podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.