Laser lights, fireworks and music
The company which provides the spectacular laser light show for the annual Sky Tower New Year’s Eve event is returning to Morrinsville for the Diprose Miller Fireworks Extravaganza.
The Morrinsville show is one of only a few left in the Waikato region featuring fireworks and possibly the only one with a laser show as well.
This year, it would feature a 30W laser similar to ones used at major international music concerts.
It’ll be operated by Ben Lawrence who heads Soulstorm Lasers, and for the second time they’ll work alongside Van Tiel Pyrotechnics at the annual event.
Lawrence said he was excited about returning to be part of the event which will be held at the Morrinsville Recreation Grounds on November 4.
He explained how last year’s laser lights featured as the introduction to the pyrotechnics display.
It was co-ordinated with the fireworks through out the night.
A smoke machine was set up and cordoned off with the laser sitting at the back of the field.
The smoke machine was turned on for about 10 minutes to fill the area with an ‘‘atmospheric haze’’.
‘‘Once the laser hits the smoke it reflects light.
‘‘It creates oily patterns and the effect is known as a liquid sky,’’ Lawrence said.
‘‘From there we’re able to create different colours and patterns, like aeroplanes, triangles, squares, circles, just above the heads of people.’’
This year the plan was to provide a laser light show to music.
‘‘We’d like to do something choreographed to music because that’s where the lasers are most effective.
‘‘It provides for more dramatic moments and you can move the lights faster over a larger area.’’
The laser show will open for the event and then work in with ❚ What: Fireworks Extravaganza ❚ Where: Morrinsville Recreation Grounds ❚ When: Saturday, November 4, gates open, 5.30pm ❚ Entry: $25 for families and $10 for adults ❚ Free parking, polo grounds ❚ The event will also be used as a fundraiser for David Street School the pyrotechnics display to build up towards a grand finale for spectators.
Lawrence said it was not difficult to co-ordinate the lasers and the fireworks.
‘‘Van Tiel Pyrotechnics, we’ve worked with them before, for about four or five years, so we know each other well, our styles and what works.’’
Lawrence said Soulstorm Lasers had the biggest lasers in New Zealand.
The lasers were built by German company Archtos and their products were often used by big shows for performers such as Rihanna and Coldplay.
‘‘We saw a gap in the New Zealand market and decided to invest in the lasers.
‘‘We’ll be bringing one to Morrinsville, it’s a 30W laser which is very bright and not common in this part of the world.
‘‘Even international acts don’t bring ones like this here because of the shipping costs and I can say people would not have seen anything like it before.’’
Lawrence said the laser produces red, green and yellow colours, just like a computer monitor.
The laser combines the three colours so the operator can make ‘‘all of the other colours in between’’.
‘‘We control it from a computer and have a lot of preset patterns that we know work and look good.
‘‘Normally we take control of the patterns so we can match the best ones to the fireworks display.
‘‘When it’s with music, it is a prepared show, so the timing is perfect.’’
Hamilton and Waikato Tourism chief executive Jason Dawson said the Morrinsville Fireworks Extravaganza is currently one of the few fireworks displays left in the region.
‘‘... which is why it is significant for the Matamata-Piako District and the wider sub-region,’’ Dawson said.
The tourism group was developing a regional major events strategy over the coming 12 months to define the types of events operating in the Waikato region.
It had already completed a full regional events audit of what the Waikato had to offer, including arts, community, sport and commercial for example.