Kevin Quantum, Flaming Canonballs at Edinburgh Castle stunt
At 1pm today (Thursday 29th April), the global premiere of a daring stunt at Edinburgh Castle by scientist and magician Kevin Quantum was unveiled on YouTube.
Article Source: Kevin Quantum
Last Updated: 29 April 2021 15:14
At 1pm today (Thursday 29th April), the global premiere of a daring stunt at Edinburgh Castle by scientist and magician Kevin Quantum was unveiled on YouTube to celebrate Scotland’s journey out of COVID-19 adversity.
Broadcast worldwide on YouTube, and now available for all to see, the 6-minute film premiere of Flaming Cannonballs at Edinburgh Castle shows Quantum relying on science, self-belief and hope as he walks blindfolded through nine flaming cannonballs swinging from a huge pendulum on the ramparts of the capital’s iconic landmark.
Relying on scientific studies of the pendula’s patterns and calculations of the precise magical moment the cannonballs harmoniously aligned, Quantum emerged unscathed from his feat at precisely the moment Edinburgh’s famous One o’Clock Gun was fired.
Internationally acclaimed magician Quantum, also known as Kevin McMahon, lives in Edinburgh and his last performance was as a semi-finalist on ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent. He gained exclusive access to Edinburgh Castle to stage his dramatic performance in the shadow of Mons Meg, the famous Medieval Bombard and one of the largest cannons in the world.
His stunt was designed to mark the moment the country begins to open up after life in lockdown and the chance to reconnect with friends and experience the joy of live performance.
Edinburgh Castle, which reopens to the public on Friday 30th April, was chosen because the One o’Clock Gun once connected the city to Leith Docks where ships’ captains would set their maritime clocks by the gun. The soundwave travels at around 760 miles per hour, the speed of sound which was studied by Austrian physicist Ernst Mach.
Mach also created the Harmonic Pendulum; a beautiful, hypnotic visualisation of harmony. For his performance, Quantum created his own industrial-sized version of Mach’s pendulum. The 12ft-high steel structure featured a gauntlet of nine swinging, flaming cannonballs each weighing 15 kilogrammes.
Commenting in his stunt, Quantum explained: “I’m proud to unveil the premiere of this stunt and would like to thank Edinburgh Castle for allowing me to perform in this wonderful internationally recognised historic location.
“My background is in science and with this performance I wanted to highlight the role science has played in helping us emerge from the global pandemic. I also wanted to demonstrate how self-belief and courage can get you through extremely challenging circumstances at this significant moment in time as we start to emerge from such a difficult period.”
Quantum originally studied Physics at the University of Edinburgh but his life took a new turn into the world of magic after he appeared in Channel 4 programme, Faking It, in 2005. In the show, which was watched by around seven million people, he convinced a panel of judges, including Paul Daniels, into believing he was a professional magician after just four weeks of training.
After later being trained in Las Vegas by the world-renowned magicians, Penn and Teller, Quantum went onto to perform at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2006. In 2010, he founded The Edinburgh International Magic Festival, also known as MagicFest, and has worked extensively in Edinburgh and around the world.
In addition to reaching the semi-final of Britain’s Got Talent in 2020, Quantum also reached the final of Italy’s Got Talent, and his YouTube videos have been viewed millions of times. Earlier this year, he educated children about gravity on BBC Bitesize during home schooling lockdown.
Flaming Cannonballs at Edinburgh Castle is a Kevin Quantum event conceived and produced by The Derring-Do Partnership and filmed by Edinburgh video specialists Heehaw.
Sponsored Links
Latest Renfrewshire News
Santa clocks in early: Scotland shift heroes among 30,000 invited to claim free festive meal
Greene King pubs is raising the spirits of Scotland's hardest workers this festive season, hosting 'The Big Christmas Shift' across 700 pubs nationwide, giving away 30,000 meals on Monday 1st December
READ MORE
Festive days out to make the most of the season
From wreath-making workshops through to New Year’s Eve street parties, here's a rounded up some of the best events to help make the most of the season with loved ones in a fun and creative way.
READ MORE
SAY Award winner announced as Kai Reesu
Kai Reesu’s ‘KOMPROMAT vol.i’ was tonight announced as winner of The Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award, as the country’s national music prize Ceremony took place in Dundee’s Caird Hall.
READ MORE
Public vote opens for Scottish Jazz Awards 2025 as scene flourishes
A stellar lineup of nominees has been announced for the Scottish Jazz Awards 2025, showcasing the exceptional talent flourishing across Scotland's vibrant jazz scene.
READ MORE
Heroes call on Scottish rugby fans to vote for the greatest Murrayfield rugby moment
SCOTTISH rugby fans have been called upon to cast their vote for the greatest ever Murrayfield rugby moment as part of celebrations marking the national stadium’s centenary.
READ MORE
The Christmas tradition of the year is back...
Scotland's biggest Christmas drive-in returns: 11 days of Elf, Home Alone & more at Loch Lomond Shores!
READ MORE
First Bus gives Remembrance free travel for all Armed Forces, veterans and cadets
First Bus is offering free travel for all veterans and UK Armed Forces personnel travelling to Remembrance Day activities of Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day.
READ MORE
Scotland Meats Germany
Scotland's favourite beer, Tennent's Lager, has unveiled the world's first ever Square Wurst - a Scottish classic with a German twist - to mark the launch of Tennent's Bavarian Pilsner.
READ MORE
Scottish Ensemble brings warmth to wintry nights with Concerts by Candlelight tour
Concert by Candlelight, Scottish Ensemble's celebrated long-running winter tour, returns for eight awe-inspiring performances in intimate settings around Scotland this December.
READ MORE
Feel the festive cheer at Dobbies Charity Christmas Shopping Night
Dobbies is encouraging customers to come along to their nearest store and to be the first to shop exclusive Black Friday offers at its late-night shopping event, in aid of Alzheimer's Research UK.
READ MORE
Autumn Offers at Marine & Lawn Hotels & Resorts Collection
Marine & Lawn Hotels & Resorts Collection have launched new offerings designed to inspire cosy autumn getaways and early festive escapes across Scotland.
READ MORE
The Scottish Excellence Awards are open for entries
Nominations are open for the highly anticipated Scottish Excellence Awards 2026, a celebration of Scotland's hospitality, foodservice and tourism sectors.
READ MORE
Paisley Halloween Festival delivers a frightfully fun weekend for all
Spooky season descended on Paisley at the weekend as thousands of visitors turned out for the annual Halloween Festival!
READ MORE
Dobbies Garden Centres hosts free to attend winter gardening workshop for kids
Dobbies is hosting a free-to-attend monthly gardening workshop on Sunday 2 November, for children across the country to discover how they can encourage winter birds into the garden.
READ MORE
A decade of cultural impact to be celebrated at anniversary concert
Celebrated traditional music and Gaelic arts charity, Fèis Phàislig, has announced details of a major anniversary concert to mark ten years of providing cultural opportunities for young people.
READ MORE
Paisley Halloween festival shows visitors a wicked good time!
Paisley Halloween Festival is back at its spooky best as thousands of visitors attended the first night of the festival.
READ MORE
The Beat the Street Renfrewshire winners are announced
The winners of the latest Beat the Street challenge in Renfrewshire have now been announced!
READ MORE
Paisley crowned as Town Of The Year
Judges in the Scotland Loves Local Awards awarded the title after being impressed by the critical point reached in the town's 'resurgence' amid unprecedented investment in its future.
READ MORE
Potential changes to permitted development rights are putting beloved live music venues at risk
The public are urged to take part in the Scottish Government's consultation on planning laws, warning that the changes could put the country's live music venues and pubs at risk.
READ MORE
Braehead just got cooler as Snowflake Gelato debuts in Scotland
Scotland's leading retail and leisure destination, Braehead Shopping Centre, is delighted to announce the arrival of Snowflake Gelato.
READ MORE
Community curated film festival brings world class cinema to Greenock this Galoshans Festival
Free and low-cost screenings showcase Horror, Heritage, and Homegrown Talent selected by local curators and young people.
READ MORE
Aldi to open a pop up pumpkin patch in Renfrew this Halloween for one day only
Families are in for a spook-tacular surprise this Halloween, as Aldi is transforming part of its Renfrew store into a pop-up Pumpkin Patch on Saturday 25th October.
READ MORE
Halloween takes over town this weekend
Paisley Halloween Festival will return this weekend with a packed programme to fright and delight visitors!
READ MORE
The Saltires 2025 Shortlists Announced
The shortlisted titles for this year’s Saltires, Scotland’s National Book Awards, were announced at Blackwell’s bookshop in Edinburgh.
READ MORE
KT Tunstall wins Modern Scottish Classic Award, plus SAY Award Shortlist reveal
The Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award has unveiled the 10 Shortlisted albums now in the running for 2025’s title and £20,000 prize, as well as five Sound of Young Scotland finalists.
READ MORE
Horror Con Scotland takes over Paisley Town Hall this Halloween Weekend
Scotland's scariest convention is heading to Renfrewshire for a two-day Halloween spectacular!
READ MORE
Help Provost Cameron light up Renfrewshire this Christmas
Renfrewshire's Provost, Lorraine Cameron is once again inviting children of primary school age to design a Christmas card for 2025.
READ MORE
Grab some Buddie Good Deals here in Paisley town centre this October!
Grab some Buddie Good Deals in Paisley town centre from Saturday 11th October until Saturday 25th October.
READ MORE
Loch Lomond Shores has got the October school holidays sorted
There's loads to see and do – from pet friendly days out to breakfast with dinosaurs, loch tours and much more!
READ MORE
Scottish Wedding Show turns up the heat as it returns to the SEC
Scotland's largest wedding showcase, The Scottish Wedding Show, returns to Glasgow this weekend, ready to welcome thousands of couples from across the country looking to plan their dream day!
READ MORESponsored Links
Sponsored Links