L'International des Feux Loto-Québec 2007
Montréal International Fireworks Competition Report

England Day and Night June 27^th, 2007

Pains Fireworks - designed by Mike Jones Pyrodigital firing; Show Director choreography; 155 FM-16 modules, ~2400 cues

MONTREAL, June 27 /CNW Telbec/ - Tonight at La Ronde, beginning at 10 o'clock, the English firm Pains Fireworks is going to dazzle Montrealers with a pyrotechnic spectacular entitled "Day and night", which will explore the mysterious spheres of day and night, the ultimate metaphors for human beings' duality.

Twilight will be the starting point for the show, which will present a mystic and unusual side of night, with passion at the heart of this first of three sequences. This sequence's finale will evoke the return of day and feature a celebration of the sun.

The second portion of the show will consist of duos of pure gold with blue, green, magenta and yellow, along with an abundance of gold and multicoloured hues symbolizing high noon, creating a truly spectacular effect. Flamboyant red mixing with gold will represent the setting sun and conclude this sequence.

The third and final sequence will spotlight the moon, with silver also pairing with a brilliant blue, a powerful green and an intense red. The gold/red duo will represent passion in its pure state," said firm designer Michael Jones.

The selected accompanying musical pieces by renowned artists, including The Beatles, U2, The Doors, The Pointer Sisters and Dean Martin, will bring forth a wide range of emotions in the tens of thousands of appreciative spectators.

Founded more than two centuries ago, Pains Fireworks is highly sought after for the most prestigious events. The firm gave a memorable performance during the celebration of the marriage of Prince Charles and Lady Diana in 1981, another during the Three Tenors Opera event in 2000 saluting Luciano Pavarotti and Placido Domingo, and yet another at the Arabian Gulf show in Dublin, Ireland this past January.

"Our firm is proud to take part in the Montreal pyrotechnic art competition because it is one of the world's most prestigious pyrotechnic events," declared Guy Deeker, general manager of Pains Fireworks, one of whose main objectives is to thoroughly entertain its audience.

After several uncomfortably hot and humid days, severe thunderstorm warnings set the tone for the evening as one of the oldest fireworks companies in Europe made a return to Montreal after a 22 year absence. Ominous clouds gathered and lightning could be seen flickering across the sky for a good 30 minutes before showtime. At 10:00pm, an announcement was made that there would be a delay due to a warning of severe thunderstorms in the area but the clouds were seen parting around the Lac des Dauphins as the wind dropped and stars appeared. At 10:03, the go-ahead was given to this well anticipated display, complete with a large circular structure almost 24m in diameter suspended from a crane on ramp 2. The English team also added seven floating platforms which formed "ramp 5".

Part 1 to the music Sunrise by Divine Comedy. The display opened with fronts of blue mines and shells of willow turning to blue above. Then fronts of kamuro with gold strobe mines fired at angles left and right. After this, willow-to-blue shells left and right with gold glitter comet shells in the middle, this theme continuing and brining the segment to a close.

Part 2 to the music Feeling Good by Nina Simone. Gold comets fired from the left and right of ramp three met in the centre and then the same fired from the centre out formed a repeating theme as three fans of serpent mines fired from ramp 3. The serpent mines continued as other comet fines fired in a sequence from left to right and then right to left with shells of gold comets turning to green above followed by large shells of comets turning to wiggling serpents in the centre with farfalle shells left and right below. The farfalles continued with crossed gold glitter comet candles below and then gold glitter shells in the centre as a return was made to the angled sequenced mines. These continued as bow-tie shells in silver to blue fired above in the centre with comet shells left and right as pairs of gold mines fired left and right below. This theme continued with more mines of serpents below and double ring farfalle shells above and large gold comet shells with pistils high above followed by shells of comets turning to serpents and more serpent mines below, the segment coming to a close with more silver and blue bow-tie shells and a volley of gold glitter waterfall shells as the music transitioned to

Part 3 to the music Here Comes the Sun by The Beatles. Bright yellow star candles fired left and right from the centre and were augmented by yellow-headed meteor comet spider shells above. Suddenly the suspended ring burst into life in the shape of a large sun in brilliant yellow lances complete with "rays". The yellow star candles and meteor comet spider shells continued above as the audience cheered loudly whilst the "sun" continued to burn. Then shells of crackling willow comets and an out-of-place set of serpent mines at the right. Massive shells of gold headed comets fired above with crackling willow comets below these and then shells of rings of serpents. Fans of gold meteor comets fired below as bombettes of crackling willow comets augmented the same in large shells above as the fans of gold meteor comets continued as the "sun" faded out. The crackling bombettes and the same in shells above continued as barrages of crackling nautical shells burst out of the lake to cheers from the audience. This theme continued with a WOW from your scribe as large shells of crackling pistils burst above together with shells of rings of serpents, the segment coming to a close with a front of large mines to more cheers from the audience.

Part 4 to the music Always the Sun by The Stranglers. Three wide fans of thick comets fired on ramp 5 as mines of gold comets ending in magenta stars fired from ramp 4. Then candles of magenta stars with kamuro shells above and then shells of kamuros with pistils. Fans of "dripping" gold comets fired below as more of the kamuros with pistils fired above. This theme continued and then was augmented by mine sequences that produced very wide fans of pale gold kamuro comets followed by crossette shells above left and right and then shells of strobes as more dripping comet fans fired below. The suspended ring fired out a blast of comets as purple star mines with gold comets fired left and right of this and then in pairs left and right and then again wider as shells of gold glitter fired above. These were followed by crossed dripping comet candles and more shells of kamuros with pistils, building in number and then larges pistil shells above turning to strobes as mines of gold serpents fired below. A return to the gold and purple star and comet mines with more gold blasts from the "sun" and gold glitter and strobe shells above with pistils. This theme repeated and then moved to fronts of blue mines ending in gold serpents as the music transitioned to

Part 5 to the music Beautiful Day by U2. Shells of gold and blue meteor comets fired above as more fronts of blue mines ending in gold serpents fired below. Then more of the shells with gold and blue meteor comet shells above followed by comets converging in the centre from all along ramp 3. Fans of gold comets and shells of rings of comets then took over and more of the blue and gold meteor comet shells, this forming a repeating theme. Shells of crackling willow comets were followed by kamuros above and then blue and green star shells below augmented by alternating candles below in the same colours as large willow comet shells ending in silver strobes fired above as well as kamuros with pale strobing pistils. Fans of stars then took over below as a blast of silver comets came from the ring as double ring farfalle shells fired above. Loud crackling bombettes and screaming whistles then came into play as huge shells of comet rings and shell-of-shells of colour stars burst into the sky and were augmented by crackling comet shells. The intensity increased and the audience started to cheer as huge crackling bombardments filled the sky and then more massive shells of crackle with crackling pistils as well as volleys of star shells and more and more screaming whistles. The music was drowned out as the intensity approached that of a finale to more huge cheers from the audience. Massive crackling mines burst from ramp 4 as blue and green shells burst above and more shell-of-shells of colour stars, the segment coming to a close with roars from the crowd with a front of large mines and kamuro shells above.

Part 6 to the music Sunset by Roxy Music. A more serene start as kamuro comets converging in the centre were augmented by the same in shells above. Shells of amazing peach strobes which turned over into gold waterfalls fired above these as fans of comets fired from the centre below. This theme continued and fitted the "slow moving stars" part of the lyric perfectly. Regular waterfall shells added into the mix and then quick fans of comet mines fired from ramp 5 as the large kamuro shells with strobing pistils above turned to strobes. Fans of comets on ramp 5 brought the segment to a close.

Part 7 to the music Lament by the Moody Blues. Shells of bees and then strobes above were followed by strobes lighting up on all of the ramp five platforms and were followed by silver fountains, continuing to the end of the segment as the music moved directly to

Part 8 to the music Blue Moon by Sha Na Na. The ring lit up in blue lances as candles of blue stars fired (while the fountains on ramp 5 also continued to burn). Above these, shells of blue stars turning to serpents and then blue headed meteor comet spider shells. This theme continued and then crossed glitter comet candles below and the same blue stars turning to serpents shells above. Volleys of blue ring shells were followed crossette shells above bringing the segment to a close as the music transitioned to

Part 9 to the music Moonlight Drive by The Doors. Left and right firing green mines were followed by shells of green go-getters above and flights of glitter comets below and then shells of silver wiggling comets. These were followed by mines of serpents and alternating shells of comets and then glitter stars. This theme continued with well synchronized glitter comet flights. Then farfalle shells and whistling candles below with star shells and then shells of comets in the centre with more farfalles left and right. Glitter mine fronts were followed by shells of crackling comets left and right with star shells in the middle and fans of stars below and Z-cakes of crossettes and then shells of electric comets left and right with star shells in the middle. More Z-cakes of crossettes in the centre with flights of clusters of comets and shells of double rings of tiny stars and more crossettes in the centre, this theme continuing to the end of the segment as the music transitioned to

Part 10 to the music Fire by The Pointer Sisters. Well synchronzied comet shots were followed by meteor comet shells and then a flight of comets converging in the centre followed by shells of double rings of comets above and crossed clusters of star candles below in red. Shells of red stars and waving silver comets above as well as shells with pistils and rings of comets. Another comet convergence and shells of stars turning to serpents above. Mines of silver serpents and shells of silver strobes above were followed by barrages of large shells of red stars and comets filling the width of the display. A move to larger serpent mines and then a return to the red crossed star candles and shells above in red and silver. This theme continued and repeated and was augmented by very large mines and then a return to the serpent mines and red star candles. Very large silver comet shells and fans of silver comets below and then shells of silver comets with pistils and double rings of comets brought the segment to a close with a front of silver glitter mines.

Part 11 to the music Amore by Dean Martin. Gold spider shells and a burst of gold fired inside the ring as five set pieces with strobing lances in a line lit up on ramp 3. The pieces then began to rotate as spider shells with pistils fired above. Volleys of shells of gold bees then lit up as two bright comets fired from the left and right as the strobing set pieces continued to rotate. Kaleidscope shells fired at a high level and then a return to the spider shells and then more kaleidscope shells. This theme continued with more shells of bees and shells of strobes. Then shells of crackling crossettes, more kaleioscopes and shells of spides with strobing pistils. Beneath these, mines of strobe stars with meteor comets were followed by shells of bees and candles of slow serpents and then more crackling crossettes shells. The overall theme continued, the segment coming to a close with mines of strobes.

Part 12 to the music Because the Night by Patty Smith. The ring lit up with strobe lances around its edge as shells of rings of comets fired above. Then large mines of stars and serpents as large pistil shells fired above. Colour changing shells fired left and right with comet and pistil shells in the centre and then shells of crackling pistils and the blue-star-to-serpent shells. Fans of blue stars fired below on ramp 5 as the large shells continued above. This theme continued and was followed by farfalle shells with colour changing shells above and more star to serpent shells. Large shells blue stars and starfish comets added into the silver comet and blue pistil shells. These were followed by lower level electric comet shells and mines of stars and serpents and a return to the blue and silver theme with shells of crackle as well. Silver crossette shells and double ring comet shells filled the sky and then shells of blue alternating with silver, bringing the segment to a close as the music transitioned to

Part 13 to the music Sunrise by Pulp Waterfall shells and kamuros started off serenely as fans of comets fired below and then shells of silver coressets above. Bright blasts from the ring were followed by shells of willow turning to strobes and more kamuros and then a front of bright mines as bright strobing pistil shells fired above. Crossed star candles with shells of rings of kamuro comets above increased in intensity to cheers from the audience as mines of serpents and salutes fired and then huge barrages of crackling shells filling the sky and causing huge cheers from the audience. The pace increased filling the sky and then backed off as a return to serene meteor comts fired below. Then barrages of silver strobe shells and bright silver comet shells started to increase in intestiy to more cheers from the audience. The sky became filled with barrages of star and comets shells at all levels and then huge crackling barrages and mines of salutes, the display coming to a close with two huge shells filling the sky as the audience rose to their feet and gave the English team a well-deserved standing ovation.

This was a magnificent display from the English team. The synchronization was excellent and the variation in pace and intensity was very finely controlled throughout. Brilliant product from Vincente Caballer and San Tai was chosen carefully with particular attention to the colour combinations used. The huge ring was used very effectively and was a great way to weave the theme throughout the display. One small criticism is that there could have been a few more pauses between segments as some of the transitions were a little bit too quick. All that said, an extremely enjoyable display which must be in contention for a Jupiter this year. The English team received an extremely enthusiastic reception at the Salon des Artificiers afterward.

Thanks to the public relations people of La Ronde for the official press release material, shown in white.