Renown laser artist to headline GoFourth festival. Ribbon cut on $13M Beech Street Factory renovation.

POTTSTOWN » This is not your grandparents’ fireworks show.

That’s because there are no fireworks.

But the organizers of the GoFourth festivities planned for Memorial Park are looking to start a new tradition — one that can be held rain or shine and covers a range of music from ’60s and ’70s classics to today’s electronic dance music.

For John Laraio, better known as Mobius8 when he’s onstage, it all started at a Blue Oyster Cult rock concert.

“I thought the light show was just spectacular and at the time, it was the biggest one that had even been done,” Laraio said in a phone call from Canada, where he was performing.

From there, it was no going back.

Laraio has worked on laser shows for bands like Yes, Pit Bull and CeeLo Green and designed a show for a 45-stadium tour with Justin Timberlake and NSYNC.

He was even involved with the old “LasreriumPink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon” shows.

Sometimes he works alone, and sometimes with musicians, like when he provided a laser show for a Cirque du Soleil

That will be the case in Pottstown when he teams up with a group of musicians called Fyre.

Laraio also provides music through an invention of his (visible on video at The Mercury web site) “that allows me to control the music and the lasers with movements of body,” he said.

The Pottstown show will also have vocalists, Laraio said.

“It’s really something that I think a lot of people have ever seen before,” he said.

The only way to find out will be to show up.

Mobius8 and Fyre will perform a sneak preview laser light show on July 3 “and that show is for the kids,” said Laraio, who noted that part of the show will be lasers synchronized to a recording by the Pottstown High School Jazz Band.

The laser light show finale will be on July 4.

“That show is really for everyone,” said Laraio. “People will hear everything from Led Zeppelin to Jefferson Airplane’s ‘White Rabbit’ to EDM and Skrillex.”

The show is free, along with the other live musical entertainment. As in the past, the two-day event will also include carnival rides, art, food and beer tens, balloon rides and artisans selling fine crafts.

But someone has to pay, and that’s why GoFourth organizers are continuing their fund drive to help cover the costs of events.

Here is the latest list of contributors:

· Bause Catered Events — $50 · Jay Lanes — $250 · Mom’s Club Pottsgrove/ Pottstown — $200 · Video Ray — $3,000 · Anonymous — $800 · TriCounty Area Federal Credit Union — $100

· www.Jobs4Nursing.com — $500 · Anonymous — $15 · Azie — $663.13 · Anonymous — $72 · Aram Ecker & Friends — $1,765 · Sanatoga Water — $100 You can make donation by mail by sending checks payable to TCN with “Go Fourth Festival” on the memo line to TriCounty Community Network, 2151 E. High St., Suite C, Pottstown, PA 19464

You can also make a donation online at tcnetwork.org/product/donation/ or help out by buying GoFourth hats and shirts, which are available online at https://squareup. com/store/Tricounty-community-network or at High Street Music, 135 High St. Hours there are 3 to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 10:20 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays.

Now you can also donate in person.

GoFourth organizers have also set up two donation boxes were contributions can be made. One is at the Carousel at Pottstown, 30 W. King St., although this one is open only on weekends.

The newest donation box is at Wolf, Baldwin & Associates, P.C., 800 E. High St., available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MOBIUS8 The music featured in his laser shows covers a broad range, everything from classic rock like Pink Floyd and Jefferson Airplane to EDM.

PHOTO BY ALEX MARKOW John Laraio, known as Mobius8 when he performs, will bring his unique blend of music and lasers to Pottstown’s Memorial Park on July 3 and 4 as part of the GoFourth festivities.

PHOTO BY ALEX MARKOW John Laraio, known as Mobius8 when he performs, says there is something for all ages in the program he is planning for Memorial Park on July 3 and July 4.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MOBIUS8 John Laraio, known as Mobius8 when he performs, has created a machine that lets him control both the music and lasers of his show with movements of his body.