Nouveau Classic
Strong winds and ominous looking storm clouds threatened the shoot site to the left and right but completely cleared away by the time the display was due to start. The crowd was very large since this display was tipped as the “one to watch”. I think they were right to think so – I ended up taking 17 pages of notes compared to between 11 and 13 for the other displays! It is a very difficult display to describe because there was just so much happening; I doubt my descriptions here can really do it justice … however, I will attempt to convey at least a flavour of the delights experienced.
The display began with a number of bright red flares followed by orange strobe pots. Then a barrage of mines with stars which burst into small cracking stars at the end. At the sides of the display, crossed comets with some huge shells of colour stars and glitter comets above. Then more mines of the crackling stars and shells of the same above. This was followed by crossette comets and bombettes with big shells of colour and glitter above and some very big shells of colour stars which had small firefly like glitter in the core of the burst. Then there were shells of small, very closely spaced, stars which fell quite slowly followed by more of the shells with the crackling type of white stars and then more of the really large colour shells with glitter cores and finally, in this segment, a volley of titanium salutes.
The next segment followed with barely a pause with a tableaux of fountains across the shoot site. There were followed by charcoal comets and palm-tree type shells and then golden glitter frond shells with colour stars at the ends of the fronds – unusual and effective. Then there were charcoal comets fired in fan shapes with more glitter frond shells above. Next large shells of brilliant blue stars and golden glitter comets with blue star candles below and moving to go-getters above and finally moving into another group of strobe-pots which provided the link into the next segment.
A number of large mines with colour and glitter shells above burst into life as the strobe pots faded. Then more shells of the crackling white comet stars and then some very interesting shells which had charcoal comets which turned into colour stars and then into crackling comets. Then some very high shells and a volley of titanium salutes and another mine barrage.
The next segment began with some very nice colour candles and also tourbillons terminating in salutes. Above this some excellent multi-break shells producing a sky-filling criss-cross of glitter comets and then lots of shells of tourbillons. On the ground, crossed mines of really unusual colours such as lime green, chartreuse, orange purple (in fact, these special colours featured throughout the display), combined with glitter. Above this, shells of small colour stars and glitter and also bombettes of the same. The synchronization to the music was excellent (more on this later) and very effective with mines moving from left to right and then right to left in perfect time. Then shells of very slow turning tourbillons which wiggled across the sky and shells of colour stars ending in salutes. Then big shells of very bright white comets, followed by shells of colour stars and glitter comets and colour stars and tourbillons and then shells which shot out rings of tourbillons. Next shells of charcoal comets turning into colour stars, then colour and glitter comet shells, some of which were huge. Now on the ground, crossed mines and colour candles, then colour mines and mines of slow flashing strobe stars, then tourbillons with salutes and more strobe stars which then lead into big bright white comet shells with some really big ones. Next shells of charcoal comets into colour stars, then the same in mines, then again in shells, then big glitter mines and shells of multi-coloured go-getters, then more big mines and multi-break shells above, including more go-getters then really big comets and comet mines, more big multi-breaks, then a volley of salutes, then go-getters, another salute volley, more go-getters. This sequence repeated a few times followed by whistles which I think came from mines and then white crossette comets and mines. These were followed by big colour shells and then lots of shaped-burst shells producing rings, then lots of multi-break shells of go-getters, more rings and then some very unusual go-getters. These were quite dim, very small and appeared to dance around in the air like small fireflies, but not flashing. Finally, in this action-packed segment, some big yellow mines.
The next segment began with some yellow coloured vertical spinning wheels with crossed crossette comets. Above these were big colour star shells then big white comet shells. This was followed with a repeating theme of colour star candles, shells of small white comets and then big colour shells. The segment ended with tourbillons and then very large colour shells leading rapdily into the next segment.
This segment began with golden yellow glitter comes and shells of crackling comets and with serene music playing slow falling white stars in close groups when then lead into shells of golden glitter fronds. There were many shells of this type, some of which had colour stars at the ends of the fronds until the sky was completely filled with golden threads. Due to the wind, some of the thread came down to ground level and from where I was seated it was as if I was somehow in the burst of the shell itself since I was completely surrounded by fronds, some of which landed on the ground in front and behind my seat! The segment ended with a barrage of large mines.
The next segment began with a number of fountains fired from within the lake and some fountain set pieces on the ground behind. There were also small star mines fired out of the lake as well and whistles which were apparently fired at the lake. The segment ended with some brilliant orange and blue mines.
The next segment began with sliver glitter comets and then another barrage of mines including some very nice green stars. Above these, big shells of blue stars and white comets and glitter comets. Then shells of colour and glitter comets, some of which ended up in the crowd. Then a rapid sequence of large colour and glitter mines, white comet shells, white comet shells with small slow falling stars, and some crossette comets from candles and then colour and glitter shells. This was followed by a barrage of big mines with white comet shells with small bright white comets and larger more yellow comets and then some great multi-break shells of crossette comets – giving effectively a multi-multi-break! Then mines of tourbillons and white stars. Next candles of colour stars and very big colour and glitter mines with charcoal comet shells terminating in salutes above. Then glitter and tourbillon mines and multi-colour changing big shells above and the blue star and comet shells. This moved rapidly to white crossette comet candles and glitter and colour candles with colour and glitter shells with the special new colours described earlier. Then another great multi-break crossette comet shell and some big colour shells.
The next segment began with glitter comet candles with smallish shells of fireflies above. This repeated with the firefly shells getting larger and larger and then finally some very serene silver glitter comet candles.
The next segment began with colour flares which then strobed with some very big crossed crackling comet mines with shells of the same above and then shells of fireflies. This was followed by more mines and some big colour shells above with bombette colour candles below. Then some really large mines and very large golden glitter frond shells. This mine glitter frond sequence repeated several times and then firefly shells with comets at the side from the ground, again repeated several times. Then crossed glitter comet candles and glitter comet shells above, also repeated, with some very large shells finally ending in firefly shells. Next a mixture of slow falling bright white comet shells and shells with large white comets, followed by big mines and very large colour and comet shells. These were followed by firefly shells.
The finale followed on seamlessly with a barrage of enormous mines and then masses of flower shells and all sorts of shells above – too many to note down – until finally there was a large volley of big titanium salutes and a huge barrage of very closely space dazzlingly bright white comet mines errupting from the centre of the display – so bright that I couldn’t see anything for a few seconds afterwards. The huge crowd roared their approval.
This was a truly excellent display. Particularly outstanding was the synchronization to the music, a single piece by Yanni. Also outstanding were some of the colours, some which I haven’t seen before. According to Eric Tucker, the president of PPA, many of these were new formulae this year. Another outstanding feature was the sheer complexity of the display. My descriptions really don’t do justice to just how much was going on at once. The display was completely digitally controlled, composed of 162 modules which are controlled by a FSK wireless system. This accounts for the flawless synchronization. The only criticism I can think of is that the finale was rather short in comparison to the rest of the display and unfortunately there was a flowerpot of a big shell at the end. This display must certainly be a hot favourite for the gold Jupiter this year.