Finally, exactly 52 weeks after the unprecedented cancellation (due to wildfires in Northern Quebec) of the opening show scheduled on June 29, 2023, we had the chance to attend that very good “Tribute to Boy and Girl Bands” commissionned by La Ronde and designed by Royal Pyrotechnie, while in pretty cold temperatures for the end of June. The people in the central grandstands, where I was, were also lucky that WNW winds moved the smoke slightly towards our left instead of directly on us!
Following a brief opening ceremony (about 10 minutes), where La Ronde president Sophie Emond was the only speaker invited by Michel Lacroix to address the audience, the show promptly started at 10pm, following a countdown in which the lighting of the Jacques-Cartier Bridge and the Grande Roue ride were perfectly synchronized. The start of most shows in 2023 had suffered from various technical problems, but all these things turned to work well last night.
This 29-minute performance on a line-up of popular songs from various bands was very entertaining, well-designed, and its execution was almost flawless (there were a few “holes” here and there, some cakes or candles erupting at the wrong times, but nothing too noticeable). The 24-segment soundtrack was extremely well-crafted with nice transitions which produced a continuous extravaganza, with very few pauses. That being said, the theme of the show was basically limited to this aggregation of popular bands, without further development. Moreover, the focus was definitely on English-language songs, a focus obvious with the title which had no French-language version. Les B.B., Les Trois Accords and Les Soeurs Boulay could have been on the list, just to name a few examples.
Royal Pyrotechnie did use a wide range of products, displayed in ways which fit very well with the musics. The design of each segment was consistent with the lyrics, the beat and the musical patterns. The pace of the show was mostly fast. While the part on I’ll Make Love with a series of white fountains was more quiet, I would have appreciated a bit more variations in the rhythms. Despite the range of products, some effects were somewhat repetitive, for example the smiley face shells which appeared in two segments (We are Family and Step by Step). I appreciated the ignition of low-level barrages of various products, like several waves of multibreak devices producing small clusters of white crackles just over the lake on Dragostea Din Tei. However, I would have loved to get more nautical products.
Overall, it was a very good start for this 38th season of the Montreal competition, which promises to be a competitive and intriguing one, with a great program (beginning with an anticipated Japanese show) and the (re)introduction of the laser technology. I can’t wait to see how it turns out!
Fred
P.S.: A plane having probably taken off from YUL flew just above La Ronde around 10:10pm. Although I have seen aircraft flying nearby before, this is the first time in memory that I saw a large plane over this location during a show. | 
