Kessock Bridge, Inverness, 12 January 2008

Fireworks light up the Kessock Bridge (photo - John Paul)

CELEBRATING the old New Year, the end of the City’s Winter Festival and the conclusion of the Highland Year of Culture, Highland Lights attracted thousands of people to the Inverness harbour front. Famed for their large scale pyrotechnic events, Marseille-based company Groupe F provided the centrepiece to this Unique Events production, with the Kessock Bridge as the main stage.

Established in 1990, the group have been responsible for displays at major events such as the Effiel Tower Millennium Celebration and Athens Olympics in 2004. Using “fire to transform monuments and natural landscapes” the company have established a fine international reputation. However, the event as a whole felt less than unique.

Ultimately the lead-in to the central 12 minutes is just as important as this finale and the event lacked consistency. A full radio simulcast with some thought going into the choice of music building up to the main soundtrack would have provided a more coherent framework for the performance.

The evening felt disjointed and the introduction to the fireworks by a government representative was inarticulate and uninspiring. Some announcement as to the level of participation in Highland 2007 or what it may have achieved would have given a greater weight and meaning to the light show. “Let’s all have fun” or words to that effect felt like an empty rallying call.

Musicians collaborating directly with Groupe F to create the five sections of the soundtrack would have had more meaning than the incoherent mixture of high classical introduction, pipes, drums, fiddle and Franz Ferdinand. When it was all over a few tracks of the Peatbog Faeries was piped over the speakers, ironically the liveliest music I heard all evening.

The fireworks themselves were impressive, especially the waterfall of liquid gold dust cascading over the bridge, but there were few gasps from the crowd you would expect from such a spectacle and an inconclusive finale. Elements of street theatre including fire juggling and work on stilts complimented the torchlit procession but didn’t attempt to interpret the Highland environment in any way.

The evening began with a procession from the Ness Bridge in the city centre that made its way to the main viewing area on the shore by the Longman Industrial Estate. Looking back from Black Bridge on Grant Street the sight of the torch lit procession stretching way back to the Ness Bridge as it snaked its way along the river was a beautiful sight.

Along the way pipe, percussion and ceilidh bands entertained the crowd beside monuments such as Cromwell’s tower illuminated in red and Friars Bridge in purple. A scaffold fire dragon sending flames high into the air led the procession from the Black Bridge to the main viewing area.

The opportunity to prime the crowd or create momentum leading into the main performance using radio simulcast seemed totally lost on MFR. Rather than providing a celebratory musical introduction to proceedings and priming the crowd, the audience were treated to a running commentary of presenters trying to find each other in the throng.

A hotch potch of tracks by Irene Cara, Beyonce, Jefferson Starship and the assembled Northern Constabulary Pipe Band followed. A live stage at the main viewing area would have been a better lead in to the event, and helped build momentum. Dancing would have also kept us all warm! The Caley Stadium in such close proximity may have provided a live music focus complimentary to the fireworks. With thousands of people in attendance it was a great opportunity to use some imagination to harness energy and enthusiasm rather than building it up only to actively disperse it.

The logistics and planning necessary to execute such a large public event are considerable. However, the assembled crowd would seem to indicate that the city has an appetite for similar events. The absence of any real Hogmanay celebration in Inverness will hopefully be remedied and an annual street party / fireworks / public arts event established in years to come.

We have a long dark winter in the North and cultural events can be of huge benefit both to residents and visitors. Whether one agrees with the Common Good Fund being used to finance such an event or not, participation in cultural events does enhance quality of life and is of economic benefit to the area. Contrary to sentiments expressed in local press funding, the arts is not at the expense of essential services, it is an essential service.

Though there is much about Highland 2007 that I would take issue with, I am hopeful that the public will encourage and demand greater cultural provision in their own communities and in the Highland capital. If this year helps to illuminate that need and results in greater investment in our cultural industries and infrastructure then it has served a purpose.

© Georgina Coburn, 2008

Links

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