Fireworks
Was it me, was it the new fenced-off corralling system or were there just loads more people than ever up at the Fireworks last night? Not that it's a major problem - the heath can take 'em all and it was all a very good natured affair as far as I could see (save for the hatchet-faced driver hooting angrily and trying to barge through the crowds afterwards that everyone seemed to be taking great delight in ignoring, tee hee...)
I have to say that once it all got started (I still don't get why it was 15 minutes late - it's not like it was a last-minute thing) I thought it was one of the best Blackheath whizz-bang fests I've seen. And, at 20 minutes, about the right length too - half an hour might have gone on a bit. It seemed a bit tucked over to the east of the heath - happily for me, exactly where I was, so nice clear skies for me - but I did feel a bit sorry for anyone further east who must have just got a load of smoke.
They had several sorts I'd never seen before - I liked the single fireworks that exploded into hundreds of tiny little blue fairies, but my faves were the daisy/flying saucer-like starbursts that seemed to be at loads of different angles. Stevie, as you can see, was busy snapping.
Didn't make it? Here's the finale, courtesy of Michael, complete with the slightly odd little coda afterwards....
posted by The Greenwich Phantom at
09:54
22 Comments:
Thousands of people trampling on our historical heath, sections of it cordoned off for days, roads closed, all that litter, and where is the legacy for the locals?!?
i think i'll start a pressure group ;)
Jesus Christ, I was standing in front of that guy in the car. Where did he want to go so fast? I was with my 8 year old brother and he is revving and hooting. I found it very threatening.
Good fireworks - not so sure about the dodgy fairground music, lots of Queen and Elton John of course with a rousing fascistic finale of Ode to Joy... and why the floodlights all over? Isn't part of the joy of fireworks the fact that they're lighting up a dark sky?
Why were roads shut off all over the place ?
I was walking eastwards along Trafalgar Rd at about 10pm, and a 53 Bus came along travelling westwards!
I don't recall this happening in previous years, why this year ?
Oh yes - those floodlights - so bright that they bleached out the sky. Almost certainly H&S, but we've managed all the years before - I'd happily lose 'em...
I'm with Pedro and his comment about dodgy music. Music doesn't need fireworks, fireworks don't need music.
It's true about the music... I thought the ending was a bit... well like they lit everything they had left over.
Ode to Joy "fascistic" Pedro? There's nothing fascistic about the music, the words or the composer. Perhaps you're confusing it with something else?
Steady on Steve, it's quite a nice little tune...
Yes, it's a lovely tune. Not in any sense fascistic though..
It is a lovely tune. Played to a mass audience, with explosions and flashing lights, it does take on a different dimension; it might not be Wagner but it would still give Woody Allen the urge to invade Poland. Like all of the music, it was unnecessary, and sounded cheap.
Pedro, you've got it right. I was on the organising committee for the fireworks and our plan was for all 60,000 or so spectators to take home with them the desire to invade harmless european countries and feel very cheap and dirty whilst doing so. Sadly, the floodlights which should have been STROBE lights failed to work. And someone will pay, you can count on it...
My Pal had a great idea - to get someone cool to create a soundtrack to go with the fireworks, all specially timed so the bangs actually coincide with the music, and to make it a downloadble MP3 so you can listen to it on an ipod - the first three fireworks can be like a countdown to switching on your player...
My worry would be that it might contain subliminal messages from the council - so that just underneath Ode to Joy you get a mysterious monotonous voice saying "put your litter in the correct wheelie bin..."
I thought they were the best fireworks yet! The only thing Greenwich council is good at!
Although, I have to say, I was up there last night and the rubbish still hadn't been cleared away. I watch people unwrap food and throw their rubbish on the floor - unbelievable that people think this is normal!
I actually like the music! And it certainly wasn't fascistic Pedro!! Just good, traditional music at the end! Great range of music too I thought.
Were you joking about the strobe lighting Bod? I thought the floodlights were a bit much, and if they'd had been strobed - NIGHTMARE!
Yes, I'm afraid the Blackheath Fireworks have been well and truly nobbled by the Elf & Saferty Brigade.
Having been in the centre of the heath for who knows how long they have now been shunted over to the East side and an exclusion zone established around the 'firing zone' that would have a sufficient safety margin suitable for the detonation of a small nuclear device.
What is more crash (crush?) barriers are everywhere and yes, those bloody floodlights!!
Lots of room for the concessions vans though.
The reason for the delay to the start btw was that there was an overspill of spectators on to the busy A2, er, which was CLOSED to traffic, ne c'est pas?
I'm going to the next meeting of the recreation committee of both councils and launching a 'back to the centre' campaign. It's simple common sense to have the fireworks there with access and view points available on a 360 degree basis.
And as for the old bill and the stewards all out with their peak caps. If you were a pedstrian/spectator there were that many places you couldn't go, such as the entire length of St.German's Road. For why?
While, as mentioned, motorists seemed to be able to get to all sorts of unsuitable places.
I just think officialdom has gone mad and is attempting to fix something that wasn't broken. Grrrr!!
RANT OVER!
I have to say that the police I saw were being pretty cool - entering into the spirit of things and turning a blind eye to the odd sparkler.
But yes - the barriers, floodlights and it all being shoved up to one end were unwelcome additions.
I think the A2 is always left open though, isn't it? Certainly in previous years I've seen buses driving along with fireworks going off overhead...
I'm sure the A2 was open for previous years: I can't say I mind either way, but if they're going to close it then they should probably wait until the crowd has dispersed before reopening the road.
I'm not sure which mad driver you were referring to, but there was one on Crooms Hill who was hell bent on forcing his way up the hill against the tide. Did a lot of damage to his clutch, much to the amusement of the crowd :)
I think there were several purple-faced angry drivers, hooting and shaking their fists. I think if I'd managed to miss that the fireworks were on and I had hoardes of people coming towards me I'd have just parked up and waited 10 minutes - but I guess there's no stopping pruple faced angry people - they love the state of being angry...
or even 'purple-faced.' Pruple just seems plain weird.
The angry guys I saw were up by the east side of the park, where the new barriers were, but I expect there were angry guys everywhere.
The angry will always be with us.
Sad to say that some drivers came very close to fisticuffs in my road after the fireworks. There was that much 'effin and blindin' and people lungning at each other.
This is one of the biggest public events to take place in South East London with anything like 50-70, 000 people there. What do people really expect. Tell you what, let's all bring out cars next time.
Does anyone know how much the fireworks cost? Not the whole operation, just the exploding bits. I'd just like to know how much to save up to have a similar display in my back yard
Some of the bill is picked up by a hedge fund. They used to have a bit of grub in the park before hand before pushing through to the front to watch their money being burned in front of their eyes.
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