The audience was treated to a spectacular display of stunts, precision driving and special effects, with the high energy event including over 100 cars, supercars and modified vehicles.  To add an extra injection of excitement, ShowFX were on hand to deliver flames and special effects to the show.  From flaming cars to large explosions of pyrotechnics, the audience was constantly entertained and surprised.

Hosts of the British Top Gear team, Jeremy Clarkson and James May, delivered their renowned and irreverent humor to eight performances over four days.  Supported by Australian Supercar driver, Greg Murphy, the trio packed a testosterone fuelled punch, showcasing some of the most impressive luxury vehicles available. 

Delighting the crowd even further, The Stig made a special appearance for a world first indoor loop the loop in a buggy.  Audience members were lucky enough to receive a full back of house tour of the vehicles and the show.  Although it’s another year until the thrills and spills will be back, we’re already revved and ready to go for Top Gear Live in 2011.

Flame effects bring the stage to life

Melbourne and Sydney this week played host to ‘Slayer’ with old rock and roll at its best.  ShowFX lit up the stage providing two, three metre long flame bars that stretched across the Marshall speaker stacks either side on the stage.

A huge challenge for the team was that most of the venues were not arenas, however with lots of research and additional efforts for some extra risk management, ShowFX were able to determine the maximum heat generated by our flames to ensure the venues were not going to be flooded with water by automated sprinkler systems!

The Slayer Coat of Arms

The top of the flame bars we adorned with a Giant Eagle displaying the Slayer ‘coat of arms’ with a flame bar across a sword, and a burst of flames that went along the sword and up the centre of the giant eagle.  This was built to impress the 1000’s of fans around Australia as well as be installed in less than 10 minutes!  As Slayer were a headline act, the stage had to be reset after a support act in just 30 minutes.  In this time, the flaming eagle measuring 2.0m high by 1.8m, weighing 500kg needed to be wheeled on to stage, have the motor chains connected and flown up with all electronics and gas systems attached but ShowFX were up to the task.  

Did you know ShowFX custom builds all types of special effects?  Weather it be gas operated systems, for stage or permanent installiations ShowFX have the right effects for your needs.

The award winning fireworks display

ShowFX reinforced their reputation as one of the world’s leading pyrotechnic and special effects companies, taking home 2^nd place in the Fiori di Fuoco - the World Championship of Fireworks.

Held against the beautiful backdrop of Italy’s Santa Maria, a provence in Verbania, the 11^th annual championships included high quality competitors from China, Venezuela, Austria and Canada along with Australia’s own, ShowFX.

Seven performances were delivered throughout the competition, with participants rewarded for their “imagination and creativeness” when delivering their new choreographies, arabesques and coloured shape displays - enchanting guests and filling the night sky.

Anthony Foti collecting the trophy

The award winning ShowFX performance was held at Santa Maria Maggiore in Valley Vigezzo and included a fully choreographed 20 minute display using the latest firework effects.  Anthony Foti was there to collect the award on behalf of the team, and also produced the show.  Congratulations to Anthony and a great achievement for the entire ShowFX team!

Other competitions that ShowFX competed in this season included the Hogueras de San Juan (St John’s Bonfires) on June 28th in Alicante, Spain and the XXXIX Concurso Internacional de Fuegos Artificiales Trofeo Villa de Blanes 2009 on 27 July in Blanes, Spain.  Both competitions saw ShowFX competing with fireworks companies across Europe from Poland, Spain and Italy.

The skipping girl, one of Melbourne’s iconic sights, was turned on in style with the help of ShowFX. 

With an impressive pyrotechnic display, the Skipping Girl, or “Little Audrey” as she is affectionately known, was officially back in her Abbotsford home after a 10 year absence.

Restored with the help of public donations along with AGL, the National Trust & Heritage Council and the Melbourne Heritage Council; Little Audrey will be powered by green electricity and is expected to light up the sky for at least another 20 years.

If Jessica Mauboy’s performance at the Logies contained a little bit more spark than other acts, it may have been because of the special effects added to her show.

Maubouy, who performed her hit ‘Been Waiting’, began the song to a dazzling light and pyrotechnic display. ShowFX started with Mines on the Crown roof top and transformed her in to the room for the remainder of her performance using Silver Jets.

In their first New Zealand performance in 16 years, more than 18,000 die hard Iron Maiden fans turned out to be apart of their Somewhere Back in Time tour. Whilst the band whipped out all of their classics including Seventh Son of the Seventh Son, Fear of the Dark and Powerslave - ShowFX were front and centre with a massive pyrotechnic and Fire FX display!

Typically, Iron Maiden never do anything by halves - and this tour was no different. Whether it be their outlandish set designs including a giant version of band talisman ‘Eddie’ or their customised Boeing 757 christened Ed Force One (captained by lead singer - Bruce Dickinson, of course). Iron Maiden are the consummate performers and ShowFX are the consummate special effects company, what better a partnership?

Head Pyrotechnician, Nick Burcul was the lucky ShowFX representative on tour. Whilst we are sure he put in solid 20 hour days and worked tirelessly to ensure the show ran perfectly, the job did come with its perks including hitching a ride in Ed Force One from the first show in Auckland to the second show in Christchurch. It’s a tough life for some!

29 years after the release of their first album, Iron Maiden are going from strength to strength, taking in a mere 37 countries on this tour alone. It’s this relentless dedication to touring that has seen them be named the Best British Live Act at the 2009 Brit Awards.

Iron Maiden fans were united as one as they experienced their own slice of 80’s metal revivalism. After what was an unforgettable night for all involved, highlighted was the fact that Bruce Dickinson promised to their devoted fans that it wouldn’t be another 16 years before they returned again!

As a part of their Believers Never Die Part Deux tour, Peter Wentz and Co pumped out all of their hits, including America’s Suitehearts, This Ain’t A Scene It’s An Arms Race and Thnks fr th Mmrs. The capacity crowd’s went ballistic for the guys, who really know how to put on a show!

Apart from the undeniable popularity of Fall Out Boy themselves, it was our Gas Dragon Flames that almost stole the show. Their ever increasing popularity is seeing them go out on tour after tour, people just can’t get enough of them. There is no better way to shout, no SCREAM - Rockstar, than to have 6 of these flame units across the front of your stage spitting out 10 metre high flames!

As the crowd bid a sad fairwell to Fall Out Boy for another year, ShowFX bought down the house with an enormous pyrotechnic waterfall. Serving as a spectacular backdrop, to what was an unforgettable night for their devoted fans (and ShowFX!).

Top Gear Australia

We can only assume that Sydney didn’t know what it was getting itself into when it secured the contract to host the Australian leg of Top Gear Live. From the 5th - 8th of February, Acer arena was turned upside down with the arrival of Top Gear UK hosts, Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond. In the absence of their other partner in crime, James May, Top Gear Australia host, Steve Pizzati was along for the ride.

The 90 minute high octane, jaw dropping pheonomenon was a display of 16 acts of automotive tomfoolery. These guys perform the completely obsurd in front of a live audience, night after night. The dare devil trio took part in stunts such as the Cage of Death, Apache Helicopter Gunship and the interactive Cool Wall segment whereby the crowd could vote cars as either Cool or Uncool. Though the highlight for most was - Soccer in a Reasonably Priced Car, where Australia took on England in an Ashes type battle using Hyundai i30 hatchbacks. In an effort Ricky Ponting would have been proud of, Australia triumphed 8-2 after the 10th and final show.

There is no doubt that the absolute rev-head would have been in heaven with the display of luxury cars on site. The Ferrari 360 Spider, Aston Marin DBS, Lamborghini Gallardo and the Maserati Gran Turismo were all on display and ShowFX were there to make them look even better (yes, it’s possible).  The amount of pyrotechnics in this show was insane, Mines, Gerbs, Comets and Silverjets - we had them all! Not to mention our 10 metre high Gas Dragon Flames which we used in various sequences around the edge of the arena. We set the mood perfectly as the crowd sat in suspense, watching the sensational precision driving.

In what was undoubtedly the premier show of Melbourne’s Australia Day Celebrations, ShowFX delivered another spectacular display across 3 city locations - Government House, Eureka Tower and Federation Square.

In the spectacular that was broadcast around the world on Channel 7’s Australian Open coverage, ShowFX ‘wowed’ the crowd with a vast range of new fireworks products that have only just arrived in Australia. Including Aqua with a Brocade Ring Shell, Brocade Ring with a Blue Pistil Italian Style Cylindrical Shell and Farfalle with Green Strobing Pistil Shells. This show comprising almost 5,500 shots of fireworks was set up by an 18 man crew and packed all with in 24 hours!