Sorry, I just can't wait! I'm looking so foward to tomorrow night, especially since it's a newcomer firm representing them!

However, I'm hoping they'll do an equivalent, or better, job than the other common Spanish firms usually do!

Regards,

Trav.

It's not a newcomer - they won the Bronze Jupiter in 1998.

Rumour has it that it will be the most complex display ever fired at La Ronde with approximately 450 16-cue firing modules. The previous "records" were ~400 used by Marutamaya last year and 390 used by PyroSpectaculars in 2001.

Paul.

Paul,

Oh...ok then. I must have mixed them up with someone else.

Anyways, if this is going to be a complex display, does that mean that the setup will be very large? Have you seen it yet?

Sorry, I have so many questions.

Regards,

Trav.

I hate to ask you this, but will it resemble to Caballer 2004 or Igual 2001?

Trav, I am going to go at La Ronde in the next few hours, so I should be able to give you some info about the setup... However, as I have written in my comment about Sweden, the setup is not always a reliable indicator of the quality of the show...

Fred

Enkil,

it will be neither like Caballer 2004 nor Igual 2001. Just because they're from Spain doesn't really mean anything - people seem to get very focussed on the particular country competing where it's the individuals who design the displays that should be the focus. As we've seen in the past where people were disappointed by displays from Portugal or Australia because they associated those *countries* with a certain quality of display where, really, it was the actual firms that were the important issue.

I just watched the video of Ricardo Caballer's display from 1998 and it was very good. However, there have been a lot of technological advances since then so there's not much I can conclude from watching that 7 year old display. I did see a fantastic display put on by Ricasa at the Symposium in Valenica in 2003 and hope to see some of the elements used then in the display tomorrow. The press release that was just sent to me said that elements of the Valencian Mascleta will be used in the display. If you don't know what this means, do a google search and you'll come up with some amazing videos taken by the freakpyromaniacs from Holland.

Since there are so many firing modules being used tomorrow, this indicates there will be a lot of low-level effects so, once again, I'd encourage people to go to La Ronde itself. It really is worth it.

Cheers,

Paul.

Fred,

I know what you mean, but still, it's nice to have an overview of the setup of displays. It can give you an indication of the complexity and sometimes overall expectations.

Anyways, I look foward to your comments.

Thanks again.

Paul,

That's true, but from what I can conclude from pretty much all the Spanish firms we've witnessed, it's clear that we get an exciting and very traditional show pretty much everytime we see them with any representing firm, well, from my experience. I know the main focus should be on the representing firm and the quality of a show, which is highly important, and probably the most important concept, but I'm pretty certain that everyone gets as enthusiastic as ever, not to mention getting that impression, when they hear Spain is up.

In all, not to be biased or to say that this is all that counts, but I'm just saying that many people switch moods the moment they hear Spain is up. It's actually pretty crazy, especially to many people that I speak to. But, of course, you're right, just because it is Spain, doesn't mean anything in the sense that it will be what we think it will be and, once again, it is highly mandatory that we pay attention to the quality of a display and the respective firm rather than generalize, even if they're a favorite to the vast hundreds of thousands of people.

Regards,

Trav.

It's Spain's turn to strut its stuff at La Ronde's International des Feux Loto-Québec: Prepare for a fiery, passionate pyromusical performance

MONTREAL, July 12 /CNW Telbec/ - At 10.m. this Wednesday, July 13, the
International des Feux Loto-Québec at La Ronde welcomes the fifth competing
nation at this year's race for the Jupiter trophies: Spain, ably represented
by the manufacturing firm PIROTECNIA RICARDO CABALLER, S.A. (RICASA). For the
occasion, the Spanish team will be out to conquer jury members' hearts with
Spanish Passion, a grandiose pyromusical exhibition that will convey the
passionate yet tender character of the Spanish people.
Led by Chief Designer Ricardo Caballer, the artisans of PIROTECNIA
RICARDO CABALLER are competing for the second time in the Montréal
International Fireworks Competition at La Ronde. At their first outing in
1998, the celebrated Spanish firm took home a Bronze Jupiter.
With Spanish Passion, Montrealers are invited to discover all the fire
and passion of Iberia, as they visit the lifestyles, traditions and beliefs of
its people through a pyromusical spectacle like none other. The team will also
pay tribute to Don Quixote, in this 400th anniversary year of the character's
creation. Specially designed to lend a typically Spanish atmosphere to the
proceedings, the show's musical soundtrack will consist of 10 pieces combining
the two most popular traditional Spanish musical styles, the zarzuela and the
pasodoble.
For this performance, the master technicians of PIROTECNIA RICARDO
CABALLER will be making exclusive use their own pyrotechnical pieces,
manufactured especially for the occasion. Spectators will be amazed by a host
of unique shapes in the sky, from flying saucers to wheels, fireballs, one-of-
a-kind comets, and double-effect pieces. The team from Spain will also be
using a breathtaking array of special pieces assembled to represent a row of
windmills, as well as mascletas - sound and sensory effects unique to Spanish
culture - to stir emotion and wonder among the audience.

Offspring of the Caballer families of Spain, the manufacturing firm of
PIROTECNIA RICARDO CABALLER, S.A. (RICASA) is heir to a centuries-old
pyrotechnical tradition handed down from generation to generation, and a
veteran of most of the great international fireworks competitions, where its
pyrotechnical excellence has been rewarded no fewer than 25 times. The firm
uses approximately 40% of the products it manufactures, and exports all the
rest to Europe, Asia and the United States.

http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/July2005/12/c0869.html

The soundtrack for tomorrow is up on my preliminary report page:

http://www.montreal-fireworks.com/cgi-bin/rep.cgi?head2005,spain05,tai l2005

I predict the Mascleta will be during the Riverdance segment.

Paul.

Enkil,

Sounds promising, doesn't it? I'm sure it's going to be a very traditional show, as they usually demonstrate.

Paul,

Thanks for posting the selected soundtrack. Just one question, I'm not exactly sure what a "mascleta" is. I know you said to do a google search, but I just want a brief explantion, please. I also know that it's been explained in the past, but it's still unclear.

If not, perhaps you can show me some photo links of mascletas?

Thanks again.

Trav.

OK, I've uploaded the video the Freakpyromaniacs took at the 7th International Symposium on Fireworks in Valencia 2003. This is a Mascleta shot by Vicente Caballer at 2pm on Wednesday 9th October 2003. Masceletas are usually seen in the two week period in March in Valencia called the Fallas.

Point your mpeg playing software to:

http://www.montreal-fireworks.com/Downloads/Valencia_2003_Okt_Mascelet a.mpg

This is 64 megabytes long so will take some time to download and please note that the copyright belongs to Freakpyromaniacs - http://www.freakpyromaniacs.com

They have all sorts of fireworks DVDs for sale (including all the displays shown at the 7th Symposium in Valencia).

A good resource with information about the Fallas is http://www.24-7valencia.com/fallas1.html

and you can find more information about Mascletas here: http://www.isfireworks.com/isfireworks/Valencia/fallas_the_triumph_of_ fire.htm

and here's some photos from Ricardo Caballer's Mascleta held this year in Valencia:

http://www.freakpyromaniacs.com/album/showgallery.php?cat=583

The main thing with a Mascleta is you have to be close so you can feel the concussion from the explosions. It is almost impossible to describe how intense it is - I was literally shaking and in tears when I witnessed the one at the Symposium - and I wasn't the only person in this state!

Enjoy the videoclip.

Paul.

Hello guys,

have a look at the ramps :
FEUERWERK-Forum.de

To get a little impression of Valencia, Masclettas and or spanish fireworks-style you could download the trailer for the Valencia-DVD from Markus (Pyro/ FEUERWERK-Forum.de)
This is not only quantity it is real quallity - try it!

Please be carefull the trailer has a size of 49 MB as a .ZIP file :
Fallas DVD-Trailer)

Greetings,

*Stardust*

Hi Guys

It sounds as if you are to have another treat tomorrow overthere

I have a feeling that the last 2 segments will be somehow similar to those shot in "Sueca" by Ricasa earlier this year. The friendly dutch people from Freakpyromaniacs.com have posted clips from this display. Clip number 5 is riverdance and number 6 is ode to joy. I particularly like the ending for Ode to joy with the fast sequences of single shot stars, mines and ground salutes moving from left to right
And as one can see the quality of their vast range of single shots is outstanding.

However, I must comment that in some shows by Ricasa I have been thinking that the cues/FM's could have been used more effectively. I think that a display can get to "sterile" or "clinical" if there's used a very high number of cues without a connection to the music. Though it often still may look impressive I think that e.g. fronts of mines "dancing" from side to side without reflecting the dymanic range of the soundtrack is misplaced and not appealing. If you see some of the first clips from the Sueca-display I think there's used "too many cues" - how insain this statement might sound! But then one can enjoy the nice single-shot candles

Another example:
At the fireworks competition in Tarragona Lidu fired a display using 1900 cues. There were no mines used but every shell had its own e-match. The show did not in any way look as if it had that many cues since the only "stepper sequence"-like impressions were made by the shells with a tail. But 3 seconds after the segments had opened the sky was filled with shells so one was busy looking up instead of watching the effect from using PyroDigital to fire from different launch points etc. They would probably have made as good an impression on the audience with intelligent use of ordinary time delays.

The point is that it's more how effectively you use the cues and which effects you fire with them. This is of course also dependend on how demanding your music is. For instance a drum-solo requires some more cues than an ordinary enya-song

But there's no doubt Ricasa will make a very large display and their products are first class so there will be a lot to enjoy - assuming they won't have the same technical difficulties like Vicente Caballer last year...

I am looking forward to read the response from you guys

Lars

Lars,

I took a look at the video. I think it's actually number 6 that contain both segments.

Honestly, the final wasn't that good in my opinion. Sure the fast ground salutes moving from left to right were amazing, but I think it needs a lot more shells to satisfy me.

"assuming they won't have the same technical difficulties like Vicente Caballer last year... "


Ricardo is well aware of this.

See his interview: http://www.internationaldesfeuxloto-quebec.com/Gallerie/video/2005/Esp agne/entrevue-en.mpg

Finally, I have to say that I have high hopes for this firm.

I, too, have high confidence and expectations of this firm!

Lets just hope that the weather will cooperate for tomorrow evening, as thunderstorms could be an issue, so I'm a bit more concerned with this. More details and analysis in the weather thread.

Regards,

Trav.

I was at La Ronde earlier today. There are a very large number of pieces on ramps 2 and 3. On the latter, I was surprised by the small size of the pieces. Like Paul, I expect a lot of low-level effects. More tomorrow!

Fred

Fred,

Eventhough the single shots on ramp 3 are small in their physical size they are still highly effective

Lars

That's right. Just imagine a Roman Candle divided into 8 or 10 equal sized pieces - that's pretty much what the one-shots are (though some companies use larger tubes, the size doesn't make much difference). For example, a 30mm single shot comet is, well, 30mm in diameter and the composition (including lift charge) is probably no more than 60mm high. With a tight tube, a length of 3-4 times the diameter is probably sufficient.

Paul.

Definetely Paul, and the great bonus is that Ricasa has some of the best chemicals to fill in them. They have almost any thinkable effect available including combinations of e.g. mines and stars...

I particularly like their golden single shots. Some of them have special coloured leaves or glittering effects which combined with a long burning time makes them very elegant.

I guess there's a chance they will be mentioned in your report

Kind regards,
Lars

I hope we'll see some girandolas, too. Sweden used no many variations of them. Every display used them thus far, except Australia, I think.

Trav.

As with the single shot candles, Ricasa is also very good at making Girandolas and they produce them in many sizes, colours and with 1 or 2 ascentions. My favorite is their golden glittering! It makes me think of a beautyful angel flying up in the sky to god the almighty
I write this though knowing the risk of you guys thinking of me as a freaky weirdo

However I must add that also IPON's silver brocade girandola also has a very special place in my heart
(Weco used them in their show last year - as well as IPON themselves, of course)

Lars

Lars,

We did see some nice girandolas! The display was really good and traditional.

Trav.

I saw the show on an online-streaming and those I refer to are those fired in the beginning of Riverdance... Their golden tail has a long burning time and great combination of glittering and golden sparks...

Lars

Lars,

I can understand why some types of girandolas have a special place in your heart.

They truly are loved by the audience and they're one of the most spectacular effects.

Trav.

Trav,

You're right about they are a very popular effect amongst the audience. There's just a safetyconcern to take into consideration when using them in ordinary displays because the 2-ascending ones can sometimes change direction and go horisontally at fast speed and also because of the weight that makes a potential risk so one cannot use them at all shows eventhough it would be nice to

Lars