The 30th edition of the competition is, sadly, very soon coming to a close, and we are all already finding ourselves making predictions as to who the winners will be. That being said, I am more than proud to announce that by the end of this Saturday (August 2nd), I will have completed
25 years of attendance at the Montreal International Fireworks Competition! Also, it is interesting to note that by the end of this season, there will have been an equal number of fireworks seasons in the 1900s (1985-1999) and 2000s (2000-2014), and next year’s competition, therefore, means that the number of displays in the 2000s will begin overtaking that of the 1900s.
Noticeably, though comparatively short, this has been a very enjoyable season, as it offered an increase in the number of exciting displays, as well as somewhat more thrilling finales. Personally, 2014 was not quite as memorable as the 20th edition held in 2004, but I thought that it featured many creative and traditional displays that frequently brought much delight to the often large audience that was seen for the vast majority of this year. Particularly memorable this season was Canada’s phoenix structure, as well as its laser comets (Australia’s, too) during its catchy "Legends of Fire". Germany’s pyrotechnic sun and France’s lit twin cables were also very captivating. We had also seen many exciting displays that reminded us of 90s-style structure, with Italy, Spain, Canada, the United States, and Australia being the most distinctively fast-paced and frequently intense (Australia leading the pack). That said, nearly half (three) of the displays this year began with an anti-climactic openings (Germany, Italy and Spain). Canada, however, put an end to that pattern and delivered the most dramatic opening this season. It was also a little disappointing in not seeing much attempts for more "precise" synchronization this year that was comparable to Portugal 2008, Sweden 2010 and, more recently, Italy 2013. Fortunately, no display, so far, suffered from terrible weather conditions (please see the following paragraph), and there were no major technical issues that occurred (unlike 2013, which was notable for technical issues). In terms of schedule structure, I am still left baffled by the fact that this season was so unusually short (only eight displays), and that Germany did an off-competition display, rather than being a part of the competitors. This meant that only six competitors comprised this year’s schedule (thus, half would receive an award).
Nevertheless, I continue to be most appreciative of the competition’s organizers for all of their hard and tireless work in allowing yet another edition to be possible to begin with. Though the competition was shorter this year, I am more than grateful to have had the privilege to see weekly to sometimes bi-weekly performances – we always need to remind ourselves just how lucky we are, here in Montreal (especially in the city), to be able to see these displays consistently! I would also like to extend my deepest thanks to all of the designers, and their respective teams, for their incredible work in the creation of their magnificent displays, as well as all of the labor involved in setting them up altogether! It always amazes me, year after year, as to just how much work and dedication takes places behind the scenes for each 30-minute presentation that most people simply take for granted! My thanks also very much extends to Paul and Mylene for kindly and diligently taking the time in supplying us with excellent inside information following each of the interviews. Special thanks to Paul for continuing to keep his website active and running for yet another year (just over 11 years is incredible, Paul!) and allowing us to indulge in various discussions for our passion of fireworks! Thanks to Robert Burch for, yet again, faithfully posting his full-length videos of each display (especially for those unable to attend the displays), as well as all of his exquisite photographs. Many thanks to Steve Austin and Rachel Bilodeau for their beautiful photos, too! Finally, I would like to thank all forum members, including Fred, Dan, Enkil, Roger, Duncan_S, Pat, Pierre, and Vander for all of their continued contributions and insightful commentaries (I am sure that Rovira is still faithfully reading our postings, as well), and Fred for sharing his various setup photographs this season!
Just a “few” words concerning the weather. Though not quite as inherently “perfect” as the 20th edition’s infamous weather record, all of the displays so far this year avoided the threat of severe thunderstorms and /or rainfall. That being said, severe weather coincided on the same day (early-morning) as the French display on July 23rd, and the Australian display evidently faced the threat of rain, although no rainfall occurred during that display, fortunately. No significant delays occurred this year with respect to the weather, although a slight delay occurred for Italy’s show due to the marginally strong winds (according to Rhythme FM). There also weren’t any fireworks nights where conditions were excessively hot, but they were all generally pleasant, with Canada’s show taking place during the coolest evening and the Spanish and American teams’ conversely being the warmest, with Spain’s evening being the absolute warmest and most humid. Several displays this year were actually quite breezy, with Italy and Canada having the strongest winds and also were directly blowing towards the audience at La Ronde, though audience members at La Ronde welcomed higher wind speeds during the Canadian display since it seemed to have added another dimension to that display. Then, headlines were created with respect to France’s performance, as breezy NNW winds quickly pushed long-burning effects (horsetails) towards spectators on adjacent sections of the bridge. For the German, Spanish, American, and Australian displays, winds were blowing the smoke to the right of the audience at La Ronde, with some periods of smoke accumulation along low-level.
Adhering to my projections for this late-Spring and Summer, indeed, we have seen an overall cooler and wetter late-Spring and Summer than recent years, even though the May-July running average has worked out to a near-normal temperature distribution. This was characterized by fewer opportunities for heat waves and less days reaching or surpassing the 30 C threshold (only four such days for the island of Montreal thus far, with similar numbers for major locations across the country and the central and Eastern United States – the hottest it has been in Montreal, so far, was 33.2 C, which took place on Canada Day). For Montreal, and surrounding locations, this has also been the coolest July since July 2009, and I suspect that periods of below seasonal temperatures could continue into August, unfortunately. This was due to the overall jet stream pattern remaining often in a somewhat similar manner to this past Winter’s, as broad upper-level lows continued to circulate enduring episodes of cooler weather across much of the country, preventing maximum temperatures from frequently achieving excessively high values. The warm season (defined as May to early-September) was instead more humid, with an increase in the number of humid/sticky days. Across Southern Ontario to Southern Quebec, more thunderstorm days occurred, although actual number of occurrences really depended on where you reside. In Montreal, specifically, even though rainfall has been well-above average (including seeing the second wettest June in recorded history in Montreal) this Spring and Summer, thunderstorms successfully managed to avoid the island on consecutive opportunities following those severe storms that took place on the afternoon of June 3rd. As a result, rainfall amounts, at this point in time, could have been excessively higher had thunderstorms transpired directly on the island on those opportunity days (June 17th, June 24th, July 1st, July 8th, and July 15th). Regardless, the number of thunderstorm/severe thunderstorm development days has, in reality, been relatively high. The near-perfect weather conditions so far this fireworks season also may have produced the illusion that the warm season, in its entirety, was relatively dry, but given the wet conditions that characterized the season, it was more of a reminder as to how lucky each fireworks night has been, especially when they became more bi-weekly.
Below are my summaries of each display, highlighting what I assessed as strong and weak aspects of the shows. Following this, you will find my personal predictions for the jury's decision, as well as my personal choices for the winners. Afterwards, for the fun of it, I have added subsequent sections for various criteria (such as best choice of music, best finales, best sequencing, etc.) and place those participants best suited for each, in accordance with my personal tastes. Note that I've kept the grading evenly weighted for simplicity, so I am using a total out of 50, instead of 45 (synchronization is, therefore, out of 10, not 5).
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Participating country: Italy
Company: Pirotecnia Morsani
Date of presentation: July 5th, 2014
A warm Summer evening set the stage for this highly anticipated first competitor of the season. However, wind gusts were often nearing the 40 km/h threshold and blowing towards the audience of La Ronde directly. Before the show, Rhythme FM stated that it would be delayed until the winds died down to more suitable levels (although, at the same time, it was also stated by Michel Lacroix that the display would be delayed to allow people more time to get seated). The delay was about four minutes in length, but, fortunately, winds were not overly breezy during show time and resumed to gusty standards almost immediately after the show had concluded.
This was a very enjoyable performance by the Italian team. The show featured very high product quality, color and a great diversity of effects, especially the fabulous variety of shell of shells and multi-breaks. The nautical shells were particularly well used and were some of the most memorable this year. Synchronization was also very nicely executed and was accompanied by a nice selection of music (“Heart of Courage”, for me, was the most passionate musical selection used this season). However the theme was not particularly very evident through the pyrotechnics, and I felt that the connection was more understood in relation to the soundtrack alone, including with respect to the emotional feel. Consequently, the show extensively lacked creativity and gave the appearance of a more simplistic pyromusical design. This was a little disappointing, especially with such a fascinating theme to explore altogether. The finale was very good, but it was on the short side, and the opening was somewhat anti-climactic with the narration. All in all, a good effort from the Italian team, but because of the lack of a more complex design (compared to other shows that we have seen this year), I do not believe that Italy will receive an award, unfortunately.
Pyrotechnical pieces: 8.5/10
Pyromusical design: 7.5/10
Technical design: 8/10
Soundtrack: 9/10
Synchronization: 8.5/10
Total: 41.5/50<---83%
Participating country: Spain
Company: Vicente Caballer
Date of presentation: July 12th, 2014
The warmest evening temperatures and highest humidity this fireworks season were present for the Spanish team, with a late-evening temperature of 26 C. Winds, by contrast to the Italian display, were much lighter in nature, leading to some smoke build up but adequate enough to push it gently to the right of the audience at La Ronde.
What a fantastic and traditional display produced by the popular Vicente Caballer of Spain. The show was rich with vivid colors (especially the traditional Spanish colors), high-quality products and provided some very exciting sequences. I also found the available space to be well utilized, and the structure of the display allowed for some interesting firing angles and patterns. The music was unfamiliar but largely enjoyable and effectively coordinated with the fireworks. In general, though, I found the theme to be particularly weak, and some segments appeared somewhat redundant, where some firing patterns were similar. The use of drooping effects (notably horsetails and falling leaves) also became too common for my tastes. Like Italy, the opening segment felt anti-climactic due to the narration, and the finale started very well but ended much too soon (much different than their legendary 2004 version). Perhaps the display might have also benefitted from less full-length musical selections. The show stands a good chance to collect an award this year, though I believe it is most suitable for the Bronze, if anything.
Pyrotechnical pieces: 9/10
Pyromusical design: 9/10
Technical design: 8/10
Soundtrack: 9/10
Synchronization: 9/10
Total: 44/50<---88%
Participating country: Canada
Company: Royal Pyrotechnie & Fireworks Spectaculars Canada
Date of presentation: July 16th, 2014
The coolest (and least humid) evening of the 2014 fireworks season settled itself in time for Team Canada’s display. However, winds were fairly strongly blowing towards the La Ronde audience, although the winds seemed to have added a different dimension to the display!
The highly anticipated Canadian team duo delivered a very engaging and thorough performance. The display featured so many interesting firing angles and made very good use of the available space. Product quality was high and there had been a vast array of effects used to represent most of the elements of each musical track for the theme “Legends of Fire”. Synchronization was virtually flawless and technical issues remained at a minimum. The choice of effects to highlight certain aspects of each soundtrack was clever, and the interplay between effects was very creative – the laser comets, phoenix structure and nautical shells during the finale being the most memorable of effects (perhaps the most memorable of the entire season). While the nautical shells were not so numerous, as compared to Italy, there were some massive sequences of nautical shells of red stars, the force being so strong that some water may have been lifted and sprayed onto some spectators at La Ronde! Best finale of the season. My only real criticism was that the show did not seem as emotionally enticing as I previously envisioned, by contrast to both Canada 2009 and Canada 2010. Definitely a strong contender for an award, but most favorable for the Gold, in my mind.
Pyrotechnical pieces: 9.5/10
Pyromusical design: 9.5/10
Technical design: 9/10
Soundtrack: 8.5/10
Synchronization: 9.5/10
Total: 46/50<---92%
Participating country: United States
Company: Melrose Pyrotechnics
Date of presentation: July 19th, 2014
The second warmest evening of the season took place for the American team, with temperatures as high as 25 C in the metropolitan area, coupled with moderate humidity. Winds were breezy from the SSE to SE and generally pushing the smoke to the right of the audience at La Ronde (but sometimes towards those on the far left on Notre-Dame street).
This was a very enjoyable display delivered by the American team, being the loudest of all competitors this year, and the most concentrated towards high levels of sky. The low-level sequences were very enjoyable and used the allotted space very well. Product quality was emphasized by brilliant colors and very expansive and symmetrical effects. The music was also familiar and mostly enjoyable, especially Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”, and the narratives did not really detract from the show. That said, the theme, “Fright Night”, did not seem to produce that feeling of despair and dread as it probably could have through the pyrotechnics. I am also not certain why “Thriller” was used twice. As much as I enjoyed the display, the firing patterns with the mid- to high-level shells were repeated fairly frequently, which showed a more simplistic design. The finale was lengthy, but it needed a little more with respect to build up. Still, this was one of the more memorable finales this season and was certainly a nice, early birthday present.
Pyrotechnical pieces: 8.5/10
Pyromusical design: 8/10
Technical design: 8.5/10
Soundtrack: 8.5/10
Synchro;nization: 9/10
Total: 42.5/50<---85%
Participating country: France
Company: Brezac Artifices
Date of presentation: July 23rd, 2014
The only fireworks day to experience severe weather, although the (severe) thunderstorms largely took place during the morning hours, and conditions quickly improved beyond 2:30 p.m., leaving partly cloudy skies for the evening and low humidity, though it was a touch cool. However, winds were fairly breezy from the NNW, pushing smoke (and long-burning effects) towards those on the bridge nearest to the park (making headlines).
Team France truly showed a novel performance dedicated to Nelson Mandela and created a very unique atmosphere by making use of a generally different selection of music. The effects were excellent, and the low-level sequences were fabulous (particularly the utilization of nautical flares and fountains to emphasize certain musical elements). I also thought that the emotional feel of the display was apparent, both through the music and fireworks. The effects had also been carefully selected in order to creatively portray each segment and highlighting musical elements (such as when using whistling comets or ghost shells). The theme was, in my opinion, the best represented of all competitors. It is unfortunate, however, that the technical problems resulted in multiple points of asymmetry at low-level, although these appeared as minor. I also found the color selection to be somewhat more restricted than what other competitors exhibited, though the product quality was excellent. It was also unclear as to how the lit cables related to the display. Overall, a contender for a Jupiter this year, and I believe the team will be fighting with Spain for the Bronze.
Pyrotechnical pieces: 9/10
Pyromusical design: 8.5/10
Technical design: 9/10
Soundtrack: 9/10
Synchronization: 9/10
Total: 44.5/50<---89%
Participating country: Australia
Company: Foti’s International Fireworks
Date of presentation: July 26th, 2014
A return to more Summer-like weather rightfully took place for the final competitor, with late-evening temperatures of 22 C, moderate humidity, and somewhat breezy SSW to SW winds, pushing smoke mostly to the right of the La Ronde audience. However, some scattered convective showers were taking place around the island during and just after display time, but fortunately, conditions remained dry and pleasant during the show itself.
This was very likely the MOST exciting/intense display of the season this season and in recent years. This Australian team truly knows how to excite the audience and were true to their word in that they would like to deliver an interesting display. The opening sequence at low-level was fantastic, and the show really continued with generally fast-paced sequences of mid- to high-level shells, creating what appeared to be a series of false finales! The low-level sequences were fantastic and were often supported by much upper-level activity. Again, product quality and color richness/diversity were superb. Many of the musical selections were familiar and worked so well with the fireworks. The transitions to more serene moments had also been effectively implemented, but the short breaks given between segments were welcomed because of the overall speed that the display featured. The complexity of the show, however, seemed more constrained due to the light nature of the theme, but the thematic connection was obvious. Because the display was already so intense, it was likely that the finale was eclipsed by previous segments, being somewhat on the short side. The Australian team stands a strong chance to collect an award this year, and I also agree that it could be the Silver.
Pyrotechnical pieces: 9/10
Pyromusical design: 8.5/10
Technical design: 9/10
Soundtrack: 9/10
Synchronization: 9.5/10
Total: 45/50<---90%
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Adhering to the above summaries, and consistent with other posters of this forum, I am also confident that Canada will be awarded with the Gold Jupiter this year. The show was the most “complete” and offered so many vibrant segments that were so dynamically pleasing. Synchronization was the most creative, and the music was enjoyable and well represented. No technical problems were observed. My prediction for Australia in second place is similarly due to their display offering the “full package” while being very effective and memorable as a final participant. This show was just so exciting and fairly complex that spectators with any kind of taste would become satisfied. However, the degree of complexity was generally more limited than the Canadian display’s. France’s display is a sure contender for the Bronze because of a large amount of creativity exploited, unique soundtrack selection, and showing, in my humble opinion, the best thematic representation this season. Spain equally had a creative display and a novel/traditional soundtrack selection and did not suffer with technical issues, as compared to France. It also showed a little more exemplary color selection, even though Spain was also restricted in color diversity. However, Spain was somewhat less complex than the French display, was slower to begin, had a little more monotony with firing patterns and had no real thematic premise. That said, I enjoyed Spain’s musical selection a little more than the French team’s (not to say that the French team’s was not good!), and the show excited me more with its sequences, especially later in the display. We have also seen in the past that the lack of a sound thematic connection is not always a decisive factor that overlooks all other aspects (i.e. Canada 2009). So, it really comes down to personal taste when considering both France and Spain! As such, here are my personal jury predictions and choices (followed by other criteria that I considered):
Trav’s jury prediction:
1st: Canada
2nd: Australia
3rd: France
Green Achievement Award: Australia
Trav’s personal choice:
1st: Canada
2nd: Australia
3rd: Spain
Best choice of music:
1. France
2. Canada
3. Italy
4. Australia
Most intriguing effects:
1. Canada
2. Australia
3. France
4. Spain
Best quality products:
1. Canada
2. Australia
3. Spain
4. France
Highest color richness:
1. Canada
2. Australia
3. United States
4. Italy
Best devised and represented theme:
1. France
2. Canada
3. United States
4. Australia
Best sequences:
1. Canada
2. Australia
3. Spain
4. France
Most powerful/energetic displays:
1. Australia
2. United States
3. Canada
4. Spain
5. Italy
Best opening segment:
1. Canada
2. United States
3. Australia
Top finales:
1. Canada
2. United States
3. Italy
4. Spain
Let us see what the decision will be, as nothing is ever certain (learning especially from 2008). Other than that, I am hoping for a strong Panzera finale, much like in 1996 and 1997, to appropriately close the 30th edition of Montreal fireworks!
Trav.
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