Siempre España
Torrential rain and low cloud threatened to spoil the display but the weather gods were on the side of Spain as the rain stopped right on cue and the cloud base lifted enough so that nothing would be lost in the mist.
The show began with crossed white comet candles followed by gold star shells above. These were quickly augmented by multi-break shells of tourbillons. As the tourbillons were weaving across the sky, shells of red go-getters and then gold were fired. Then shells of smallish gold stars which appeared to fall slowly and then shells of gold-coloured tourbillons. As these were fading out, a number of rockets containing tourbillons soared into the sky with many mines of tourbillons fired below. These were followed by a number of silver glitter shells and then silver glitter and tourbillon mines. The end of this exciting beginning to Spain’s entry in the 1996 competition was marked by a huge volley of silver glitter shells with large white comet candles below.
Mines of tourbillons were a definite theme to the whole display as the next segment began with such devices. However, as the tourbillons burned out, they turned into red stars. Crossed gold comets and crossed tourbillon mines followed with bright yellow star candles with gold comet trails in front. Above these were fired many tourbillon and whistle shells. The end of this segment was marked with a large number of very large shells of gold comet stars which turned into colour stars at the end of their burn. Finally, a numnber of golden glitter frond shells were fired.
The next segment began with a number of bright white crossed mines with some very nice shells of blue stars with orange charcoal trails above. Symmetry was beautifully achieved by the mines with a centre piece of the, by now, ubiquitous tourbillon mines. Then there were mines of a different type of tourbillon. These appeared much larger than the more usual type and produced much bigger white sparks and a very pronounced whizzing sound and a rather slower rotation. A large number of palm-tree shells were fired, but these were unusual in that they contained blue stars as well. Some of these shells were very large. Then is was back to crossed glitter comets and bright red star candles followed by a large number of tourbillon mines. Then some more mines of the whizzing tourbillons with large red comet candles. As the finale to this segment approach, the music appeared to sweep across the keyboard and simultaneously a number of mines swept from one side of the display area to the other with some large flower shells above.
Bright orange star mines were used to open the next segment with bright yellow star shells above. Then the usual crossed tourbillon mines and rockets of tourbillons. These were followed by some very nice shells which contained very bright small yellow stars with tourbillon mines below. Then there were mines of go-getters with the same in shells above. A number of very large gold comet turning to yellow star shells were fired and the segment ended with a number of the gold comet turning to colour star shells.
The next segment began with some very bright yellow star mines which were very well synchronized to the music. Then tourbillon mines with gold comet turning to colour star shells above. Then glitter mines with tourbillon rockets; then whizzing tourbillon mines. Then there were mines which contained the bright white whizzing tourbillons with some much smaller, much faster spinning orange hummers. Above this were many gold and silver glitter shells and then bright yellow comet candles below. Then there were some beautiful shells containing brilliant gold fireflies. The end of this segment was marked with a very large volley multi-colour change and other flower shells.
The next segment began with candles of blue stars with orange trails, but was slightly spoiled by the fact that it appeared that one battery of candles failed to ignite, spoiling the symmetry which would have been created with the gold glitter mines in the centre of the display. However, a number of shells of gold comets which turned into white fireflies made up for the failure! Some large white fountains with gold comets turning into fireflies shells above ended this segment.
The next segment began in a dramatic fashion with a large number of brilliant red flares actually in the lake itself. These quickly turned into brilliant white strobes. This was a fantastic sight as the whole lake appeared to be covered with brilliantly flashing lights. Behind these were bright white glitter mines with multi-break shells of small, slow falling colour stars. By now the strobes had faded and a large number of tourbillon mines were fired. Then another large number of white strobes were lit across the lake! Then comets began leaping from the lake as palm-tree shells were fired above. These were followed by crossed charcoal comets with some large multi-break charcoal comet shells above and a volley of titanium salutes. After the volley, a large number of colour stars burst out of the lake with blue and orange trail mines behind and shells of the same above. The next portion was absolutely stunning as a large number of mines of tourbillons, glitter and other colours burst forth from all over the lake, some of them being pretty close to the audience – whose gasps of amazement could be heard over the noise! It was a very dramatic effect to say the least!
The pace quickened somewhat for the next segment. Starting with tourbillon and colour starmines; rockets of go-getter above; crossed glitter comets below. Then shaped-burst shells with bow-ties; rings; saturn and ovals and globes. Then there were crackling mines in blue and gold; multi-break shells of the same and bright white comet candles below. Then shells of the whizzing tourbillons and then a very interesting effect. This was shells of bright yellowish flashes – a similar flash to a salute but distinctly yellow and no noise. Then some real salutes mixed in with shells of crossette stars. Then another volley of the flashing shells and shells of tourbillons. The climax of this segment contained two flights of closely spaced rockets – with probably 30 rockets in each flight. These exploded into the yellow flashes. Above this were some very large shells of multi-colour stars, tourbillons and salutes.
This segment was performed to the music “Barcelona” and began with the blue and orange trail mines at the sides with large brilliand white mines in the centre. Then many mines in yellow and orange with some large yellow star shells above and shells of the small, slow falling, yellow stars. Shells of fireflies followed with bright white fountains suddenly bursting out of the water all over the lake. Above these were many glitter frond shells and, on the ground, bright cross-shaped fountains. As these faded, many glitter mines were fired with palm-tree glitter frond shells above. Then many blue star mines and white comet candles. Above this, some remarkable shells of white comets which transformed into white go-getters. Next, more glitter frond shells in silver with blue stars in as well for good measure and finally some really huge silver glitter frond shells.
The penultimate segment began with the usual crossed comet mines with the gold comet turning to colour star shells above. Then glitter comet candles, tourbillon mines and shells and then firefly shells, with big bright comets below. Then mines of fireflies with some very high rising white comet candles. Next, tourbillon mines with gold glitter shells above whose stars turned into gold fireflies. Finally in this segment, a barrage of glitter mines with some extremely bright white long tailed comet shells above – of the sort one would expect to see from Japan.
The finale is very hard to describe. In my notebook, all I wrote was WOW in large letters! It is difficult to think of appropriate superlatives to describe this final couple of minutes. It combined all the elements of the earlier segments, with the exception of the water-based effects. There were huge saturn shells, including some remarkable ones where the core stars were all fireflies. There were enourmous multi-colour changing comet and star shells; enormous yellow star shells. There were some fantastic shells of white stars which all split into myriads of tiny white stars at the end of their burn with a huge crackling effect – giving the effect in the sky of, for want of a better description, a large cauliflower! As the climax approached, the sky was simply filled with a tremendous number of shells of all types with the audience literally screaming in appreciation. Finally, there was a simply thunderous volley of hundreds, if not even thousands, of very large salutes. The effect was simply breathtaking and the audience screamed and shouted their approval.
This was a truly fantastic display. The symmetry, the synchronization, the fantastic use of the lake and the tremendous finale. I am certain this display will win an award. My description really can’t begin to do it justice!