If there's a rocket tie me to it

Sat 28th Nov 09, 10.21pm
Well done to all our display teams tonight, Paul at Coalville Christmas Lights, Dick at Knebworth, Lewis at Manford Way and especially Steve, Dave & Craig at cold and windswept Dove Stones Reservoir. This last display had a particular poignancy being the dying wish of a young soldier who was killed in Afghanistan earlier this year. Joey Etchells, from Oldham, was only 20 when he lost his life to a roadside bomb. He told his mum and dad that if anything happened to him, he wanted to remembered with a fireworks display in the desolate beauty of one of his favourite haunts. It was a bitterly cold and blustery night when dozens of Joey's friends and family gathered for a fond farewell as his ashes were scattered in a thousand stars. The display was fired to his favourite tunes including I Believe I Can Fly, Spirit in the Sky, Eye of the Tiger and Bullet in the Gun. Aftewards his mum came up and said 'You did him proud.' Our thanks to Fergus Jamieson of Heavens Above Fireworks for asking us to provide the memorial to this brave soldier.

Desert Island Dreams (revived)

Sat 14 Nov 09, 10.42

All is quiet at the FF HQ today, just a few displays out tonight to complete the Bonfire Night season before we start a round of Christmas Lights switch-ons next week. Between all the surges that make up our year I've been asking our team to name the eight discs they'd take to a desert island. My castaway this week is our site superintendent Turney Logan. Turney has been with Fantastic Fireworks for over a year now and has survived two hectic seasons of getting our shows ready for the road. Here are his choices:

Toccata & Fugue in D Minor by Bach, preferably the original ‘Rollerball’ film organ version.

Dooms Night by Azzido Da Bass, and couple of big bass speakers for maximum effect.

Roadhouse Blues by The Doors or Status Quo (before they sold their soul to the Devil). Memories of seeing Quo live at the Glasgow Apollo in the Seventies and the balcony bouncing up and down by about foot in time with the headbanging audience.

On an Island by David Gilmour. Just to remind me of my situation.

Over & Over by Hot Chip… or anything by them.

Café De Flore by The Matthew Herbert Big Band ( or the dance version by Doctor Rockit who is the same guy).

Mas Que Nada by The Tamba Trio. Excellent at summer dinner parties.

Both Sides Now by Joni Mitchell. Year 2000 version used for the film ‘Love Actually’. Her more mature voice gives a powerful version, and also because a friend from Glasgow who I grew up with (Craig Armstrong) became a writer for the music for this, and many other big films.

As my luxury item I would take my beloved Sage fly-fishing rod which would help me pass the time and produce a source of food. Rolling some leaves for tobacco, and drinking some tree sap would provide a heavenly accompaniment to fishing.

Turney, it has been a pleasure talking to you and letting us hear your Desert Island Discs.

Farewell to Sir Tom Clark...

Friday 13th November 2009, 12.00pm
Today Rocket Park is a very sad place. Tom Clark, Logistics Manager, Operations Manager, Chief Mickey-taker and all round office hero is to leave Fantastic Fireworks for pastures new. Tom (pictured here when he was the first person to make it into the office after we were hit by a blizzard) has given FF nothing but solid hard work and loyal service over the last 10 years; after seeing us through his final season (and what a great season it was too!), he is now off to travel the world. On behalf of everyone here at FF I would like to wish Tom the very best of luck in all his adventures... and to say that we will all miss him very much too! x

Midnight Mavericks

08 Nov 09, 00.54

Rocket Park can be an eerie place at midnight, dark, desolate and with the silence broken only by the occasional howl of a feral aardvark. But not these past few nights. With more than 100 shows on the road there have been constant comings and goings of returning vans & departing cars. Last year Dick Budgen likened it to a wartime airbase when he landed tired and drained from his mission, bagged a few hours sleep and then set out on another. Dick was there again last night, chalking up what must have been his 105th sortie. Only this time, as our photo shows, there was the warming welcome of our Senior Aircraftsman Tim Ward to wave him in. Tim has been burning the midnight oil as our nightwatchman these past couple of weeks, guarding the premises and offering warming cups of tea to our returning teams. He has watched more DVDs, read more books and drunk more tea than he would normally fit into a year. Thanks Tim - you are already booked for next year!

Cometh the hour, cometh the dog!

Fri 6th Nov 09, 5.12am
A hero always emerges from our November 5th shows and last night was no exception. From the wet and windy northern lights of Liverpool & Leeds to the clearer skies down south our teams have chalked up another Bonfire Night success. But it was at Ibstock Place School in south west London that the story of the night emerged. As he was nearing ther finale of the show our senior firer Paul Chambers saw a dog racing through the firing site barking excitedly at the fireworks. Fearful for its safety - and his show - Paul ran after it and to a big round of applause managed to wrestle it to the ground. Well done Paul! Fantastic Fireworks hereby bestows upon you the Congressional Medal of Honour for Services to Dogs with the following citation: 'Paulus Chamberius heros est: Cave canem.' which, roughly translated means: 'Paul Chambers is a hero: Beware of the Dog!'

Where to see us in action this week

Tues 3rd Nov 09, 8.34pm
Here's where you can see our public displays this week. Please call us on 01582 485555 to check times.
Thursday 5th November
Liverpool (Sefton, Walton & Newsham Parks); Leeds (Roundhay, Bramley, Springhead, East End, Middleton & Woodhouse Moor Parks); London (Wimbledon Park); Elstree; Redditch.
Friday 6th November
Gravesend Riverside.
Saturday 7th November
Dudley (Himley Hall); Bakewell (Chatsworth House); London (Morden Park); St Albans; Chatsworth; Aylesbury Rugby Club; Woking; Ware.

A night of magic at Drayton Manor Park

01 Nov 09, 00.36

Another late night but worth it to see probably the best multimedia show ever produced in the UK. We started planning Drayton Manor Park's 60th birthday celebration nearly a year ago. Last night it all came to fruition with a flypast of magical fireworks, amazing lasers, flamebursts and a giant waterscreen. We had a perfect evening, dry, still and mild. At 7pm the lights dimmed and with a whoosh of water and a flurry of fireworks the park's managing director Colin Bryan materialised on screen to tell his story. With a soundtrack including Life is a Roller Coaster, Ticket to Ride and Thomas the Tank Engine the huge crowd loved every magical minute. And the good news is we're back tonight and again next year! Well done to our show designer Ian Woodroof and his pyro crew, CMT's Gino Malocca for the amazing lasers and waterscreen and to Jason of Jap Sound for pumping out the volume.

More photos on facebook.