Archive

21/09/2011 In

Bedford River Festival Fireworks 2008

Bedford River Festival Fireworks 2008; Bedford Festival of Fire & Light Fireshow 2008

Bedford Borough Council is the local authority to Alchemy Fireworks’ Bedfordshire HQ, so we were especially keen to show them that they have a world class firework company right on their doorstep. It’s also a town that has several festivals with fireworks, including the River Festival and the Festival of Fire and Light. 2008 was the 30th Anniversary River Festival, so Andy Pidgen was eager for the display to be bigger and better than ever, and when the cue came the skies above Bedford were lit up with a series of well-defined sequences that featured classic material as well as rare effects. Glenn, “Sometimes even when you’re in the thick of cueing a show, and the adrenaline is flowing, a sequence just works so perfectly, that you have a moment of total amazement and happiness. For me the glittering tiger tail sequence with sparkling red and orange shells over the top genuinely did send a shiver down my spine!”

Andy must have liked it too, because later in the year Alchemy were invited to pitch for the contract to produce an innovative large-scale Christmas fireshow for Bedford’s Festival of Fire & Light. So, the smoke signals were sent out and all the chiefs came together: lantern-makers, fire sculptors, LD’s and pyrotechnicians. At 7pm the giant boat-mounted Santa-lantern flickered into life – 12 feet tall, illuminated with bengals and gerbs. From there, Santa became the ringmaster of his own musical pyrotechnic spectacular, orchestrating a series of beautiful illuminations: firework Christmas trees, beautiful blue star-shaped fire sculptures, intelligent lights, scenes of pyrotechnic snow and fire, all culminating with a panoramic firework finale fired from 10 positions and choreographed to music.

“As usual your company was extremely easy to work with … I have had a number of fantastic comments about the show from both colleagues and members of the public, and for myself have to say that was the best, most well-balanced show I have seen for the festival.” Andy Pidgen, Events & Marketing Manager, Bedford Borough Council

Alchemy Fireworks useful links: Bedford Events

18/09/2011 In

Mouth of the Tyne Festival Fireworks 2007

Mouth of the Tyne Festival Fireworks 2007, South Shields, Northumberland

Frank Wilson of Event International needed a professional UK firework company to collaborate with acclaimed French street theatre company Transe Express. He called Alchemy Fireworks, invited Rob Farrow to meet with the Festival Team and discuss a theatrical pyrotechnic approach with Artistic Director of Transe Express. “Although several of the Transe Express team spoke English, communication was definitely easier, more productive and more fun being able to speak to them in French as well”, explains Rob. “It’s a clichéd sentiment but people do appreciate it when you make an effort to speak their language, and that’s especially true on international collaborations – and this production was a World Premiere. Being able to speak franglais together definitely brought us closer, which makes the whole collaborative process smoother and gives everyone a stronger feeling of working together as a team. It helped to quickly develop trust, and so Transe Express were happy for me to edit and re-arrange a mix of several of their percussion pieces into a soundtrack suitable for the firework finale, and for the first time they allowed the firework display to be fired whilst performers were still suspended from their “Mobile”. On the event itself in South Shields there was great team spirit, friendship and respect between the Transe Express team and the Alchemy Fireworks crew. Vive l’Entente Cordiale!” And what did the client think of the Alchemy firework display?

“I just wanted to congratulate you on the brilliant job you did on the fireworks accompanying the performance of Transe Express at the Mouth of the Tyne Festival last weekend. I don’t think I’ve ever seen or heard pyrotechnics better synchronised to a music score and the choice and sequencing of material was excellent. Our clients at South Tyneside Council were delighted, as you may have gathered from their immediate enquiry about November 5th! Alchemy couldn’t be faulted on this event for professionalism, cooperative attitude or value for money, and it reflects great credit on you and your team.” Frank Wilson, Managing Director, Event International.

Download this Alchemy Fireworks Case Study as a PDF

Alchemy Fireworks useful links: Event International

26/09/2010 In

The World’s Biggest Can Can

We’ve used fireworks and pyrotechnics at all sorts of weird and wonderful occasions, and when the phone rings at Alchemy HQ you really don’t know what you’re going to be asked to help with. This was one of those! We were contacted by Scottish event management company Leith’s to produce stage pyrotechnics effects to mark – wait for it – the successful world record attempt for a mass participation Can Can! The event took place in Glasgow and was sponsored by Irn Bru, with Alchemy providing a touch of pyrotechnic razzle dazzle to celebrate the on-stage announcement that a new world record had been officially created.