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~m~BRONZE Member
member
67 posts
Location: Nottingham, UK


Posted:
So, on Saturday night, I and a few friends did our first ever organised fire display.Although "organised" may be too strong a word!

I arrived at the venu, later than I wanted to, but expecting that we would do the display after dinner, so thinking I had plenty of time. Then one of our number announces that he'd really rather like to be able to drink at dinner (not unreasonable), so could we please do it before. Which was fine, but meant the whole thing was really rather rushed.

We had music, a sounds system (okay, a portable CD player and an amp, but it was better than nothing!), and a vague plan for who was going to do what, when, and no time to run through things in any details, which wasn't ideal, but we figured it would be okay.

Having gathered our audience out in the freezing cold (actually, for december, the weather was pretty mild I'm pleased to say!), I lit my fans (since I was first on), and the technical difficulties promptly started....

We had 2 copies of the music we were using, one at 15 mins long, one at 10 mins long, and we'd decided to use the 10 min version as we didn't really have the material to fill 15 mins and we didn't want our audience getting too cold. It wasn't until after I'd lit the fans that the 10 min version decided to throw a wobbly, and refuse to play. After some few minutes of fiddling, while I was being gently roasted by my merrily burning fans (which I find are really very hot when they're not moving!), we decided to perhaps let the poi guys light up and kick off to keep the audience entertained while we sorted the music out. Just as I went to light the poi for them, the guy who was doing the music gave in and switched to the 15 min version, which would at least play!

So, I finally get to kick off, with some slow graceful fans stuff, which was somewhat harder than it had been when I was practicing, due to the rather uneven ground that kept conspiring to trip me up! But I got through it, the next couple of guys lit their poi, and the fast music started up. Sadly by this point the fans were almost dead (due to all the waiting around for the music to start!), so I had to bow out earlier than expected.

To be honest I have no idea how things went for the next bit, as I was busy re-dipping the fans and sorting myself out, while the others got on with various poi and staff stuff. By this point someone told me we now had 15 mins of music to fill, so I started racking by brains for other stuff to do.

Once the poi died, I stepped back in with the fans, expecting the guys doing staff to be acompanying me, but after a couple of mins I ended up on my own - not quite sure how or why, but I suspect it's because I left it longer than I would have to re-join them, because I was aware that we had more time to fill, but then of course their wicks burned out so they departed. But I did what fast fan stuff I can, accompanied by some fire breathing, which all went fine, at the end of which no-one else had stepped back in to join me (gits!), and I was right out of material, so despite the still-playing music, I decided it was better to end things there and then, and put the fans out. Not quite the nice ending I'd mentally envisaged, but we had a very sympathetic audience (who are all mates), and got a nice round of applause anyway.

So, that was that. It was an interesting experience, but it's hard to really know how it went. The main problems were obviously the technical difficulties, but also that we hadn't had any chance to practice together - we'd just discussed how we wanted it to go via e-mail, etc - which meant things didn't quite go to plan, I suspect mostly because we all had a different view of how it would go. I guess in future more practice and an opportunity to test out the technical equipment would help!

I imagine we'll do another one at some point, but having been the driving force behind getting this one organised, I'm not sure I have the energy to do it again for a little while!

~m~

"Come to the edge", he said. They said "We are afraid."
"Come to the edge", he said. They came.
He pushed them..... and they flew.
- Apollinaire


Mr MajestikSILVER Member
coming to a country near you
4,696 posts
Location: home of the tiney toothy bear, Australia


Posted:
well, although not what i think u wanted at yeast you gve it a go, maybe a more organised routine would help next time?

"but have you considered there is more to life than your eyelids?"

jointly owned by Fire_Spinning_Angel and Blu_Valley


~m~BRONZE Member
member
67 posts
Location: Nottingham, UK


Posted:
Yes, I imagine it would. Sadly there are only a couple of us who I think would be willing to put in the time and effort to get a proper routine sorted out - some of us are happy to turn up and twirl, but not really into being organised.... I think the good thing is that having tried to wing this one they probably also see the advantages that being better organised would bring.

Perhaps when I'm over this one and get my enthusiasm up again, I'll have the energy to try and persuade them.....!

"Come to the edge", he said. They said "We are afraid."
"Come to the edge", he said. They came.
He pushed them..... and they flew.
- Apollinaire


Flame BoyGOLD Member
veteran
1,508 posts
Location: Out, United Kingdom


Posted:
ditto If you want a really fancy show you're gonna need to organise a while before hand and prob even fit in a rehersal. But I reackon just doing what ever you want is just as good - go with flow! weavesmiley

AAARRRGGGHHH!!! My giant stick broke!!! In two!!! My stick broke in two!!! ubbcrying



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