Pyrotek Special Effects Adds A Blast To Iron Maiden Tour

Apr 7, 2008 3:33 PM

Iron Maiden’s Somewhere Back in Time world tour is bringing back some of the band’s classic looks with a touch of new effects. VP of Pyrotek Special Effects, Lorenzo Cornacchia, worked with Iron Maiden’s production manager Dick Bell to incorporate the pyrotechnics into the show design. Cornacchia explains, “The request from the band was to implement a fuller and thicker look of effects while adding in some new aspects of pyro to the show. Between the selection of songs played and the stage set we really focused on re-acquainting the classic 80s look.” Lighting designer Robert Coleman synchronized the lighting.

Pyrotek came on board to start the second lag of the North American tour. Shooter Keith Maxwell, along with pyrotechnicians Renato Salmon, Gary Bishop, and Eric Muccio implemented the design into fruition. Working together with production manager Jason Dante and stage manager Bill Conte, Pyrotek became involved during the last three shows in Los Angeles, New York, and Toronto. Pyrotek, along with the band, the entire 50-man crew, and the 12 tons of equipment and stage set, will continue the North American tour when in San Antonio, Texas on May 21st at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater. The tour runs through to June 21st, closing off at the Bell Center in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. After completion of the North American tour they will then transition into the European lag.

The design for the song “Number of the Beast” demonstrates Pyrotek’s propane dragons into the show with asymmetrical chases and all fire cues igniting the stage and exhilarating the audience. Aside from the implementation of the propane dragons also used on “Aces High,” the tour’s introductory song, the opening guitar riffs lead into one 25 all-fire cue of gerbs that ignite from the upstage, stage right, and left, while fireballs erupt on the downstage edge. “Rime of the Ancient Mariner” begins with a succession of airbursts while low-lying smoke flows from the upstage to down stage toward the floor, creating and eerie atmosphere. The design for “Powerslave” starts off with one 25-gerb fan that ignites across the entire upstage, stage right, and stage left. A powerful red-flame wall located stage right accents lead singer Bruce Dickenson as he appears on stage. The look has Dickenson emerge through the flaming wall which also incorporates two fire balls cued on either side, creating a fuller look. Also included in the show are a number of all-fire dragon sequences. The final song, “Hallowed Be Thy Name,” implements red flash with crackle mines cued to the rhythm that closes the show.