Douglas Hicks 1
Best Show Attended
The most impressive fireworks performance I’ve ever witnessed was Pyromania 2021, which is
only logical considering the time and effort that was put into the show. Put on by experienced
professionals, they staged everything in order to best highlight the spectacle. We were as close as we
could safely be to the show, so our entire field of view was occupied by the fireworks display. In
addition, each section of the show was well-choreographed, and the music selections were handled very
well. There was definitely music that people of any age could enjoy. I enjoyed the way the fireworks and
the music worked hand-in-hand to create something that was better than the sum of their parts, and
the timing of the pyrotechnics was impressive. This is the only show I’ve had the privilege of seeing that
used computer-timed cues.
In addition, I’ve never seen a show that used such a wide variety of fireworks effects. It kept
things interesting, and each volley mixed together new combinations that kept the viewers engaged.
However, given the length of the performances, there was a definite need for some way to tie
everything into the themes. For instance, during the “Alcohol” show, they used red rings to highlight the
refrain of the song “Red Solo Cup”, which was a clever way to bridge the gap between audio and visual
stimulation and reinforce the theme of the show.
To reiterate, Pyromania 2021 was by far the best fireworks show I’ve attended due to the
positioning of the audience, the staging of the viewing area, the tactful combination of music and
fireworks, and the overarching themes that made such a long show turn into a cohesive, theatrical
performance that will stand out in my memory for years to come.
Douglas Hicks 2
Worst Show
The worst fireworks display I’ve had to sit through was during the Fourth of July Celebration in
my hometown of Freeburg, Missouri in 2017. It was terrible because the show started before dark, it
was staged far away from any available viewing areas, and there was nothing else about the show to
catch the viewer’s attention.
First, the show starting before dark meant that none of the fireworks could be seen to their
fullest extent. This cheapened the experience a great deal. Second, and in my opinion the most negative
quality of the show, was that little thought was given to staging and viewing. Since the show happened
in the middle of town, there was no way to get close enough to enjoy the show. Most people watched
from their lawns, or in my case, the parking lot of a local business. Not having a central area from which
to view the show really took away from the experience, because one of my favorite aspects of fireworks
shows are the social functions that surround them. Which brings me to my third point, the lack of
extraneous details to grab my attention. Oftentimes the best fireworks shows have events involved with
them, like barbecues fairs.
If the Freeburg Celebration had done any of these things right, it may not have been such a bad
time, but unfortunately, all three of these factors combined to result in the most lackluster fireworks
display I’ve ever witnessed.