JANUARY 15TH, 2024 PLSN MAGAZINE – PRODUCTION SUPPORT AT THE LAS VEGAS GRAND PRIX
WRITTEN BY: Michael S. Eddy
Featured in: PLSN Magazine | CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE IN FOH
PYROTECNICO | Rocco Vitale, Executive Vice President of SFX with PyrotecnicoFX
As part of the events surrounding the F1 race, Pyrotecnico and PyrotecnicoFX, part of the Live Events house of brands, added to the fan experience with dynamic fireworks and special effects during the 4-day event. Legacy company, Pyrotecnico lit up the strip during opening ceremonies providing synchronized fireworks from several casinos within close proximity to the track. PyrotecnicoFX brought the heat to several live performances as part of the concert series providing special effects for fans in attendance and at home watching. Rocco Vitale, Executive Vice President of PyrotecnicoFX recently spoke with PLSN about the SFX solutions and services provided by Live Events companies at the F1 in Las Vegas.
Scope of Work
The F1 event was a massive Pyrotecnico production. For the opening ceremony, we provided fireworks off four casino rooftops— Aria, Paris, Venetian, and Planet Hollywood—and then SFX for the Tiesto concert on the Paddock. On the 17th, we supported the Major Lazer concert at The Sphere. For the race on the 18th, we added three more casino rooftop displays at Bellagio, Caesar’s, and Wynn totaling seven full rooftop displays. Finally, we provided support for the J Balvin concert to wrap up the weekend’s festivities.
At Pyrotecnico we execute about 3,000 fireworks shows a year. I’d say we’re probably the largest provider of fireworks displays in the United States. Our fireworks display company is headquartered outside of Pittsburgh in New Castle, PA, covering the eastern half of the U.S. through to the Midwest. Since I originally started in that business, we now have about 100 full-time people in that company, which is currently run by the fifth generation of my family. I now oversee PyrotecnicoFX, our dedicated SFX company.
The Challenge
We execute thousands of shows throughout the year, whether it’s a concert, private show, or a fireworks display for a local community on the 4th of July. Coordinating seven fireworks displays off seven rooftops on the Las Vegas Strip was logistically one of the biggest challenges we’ve had as an organization. It’s just another level of planning and effort to accomplish such a dynamic project. I was super proud of what our team produced. We basically approached this as seven individual fireworks displays with one person leading the project. Although there were some commonalities in property ownership, it was unique in the fact that we were coordinating details with each casino’s team. Each one had their own nuances of how they handle security for large events. In addition to all the casinos, we also had to work with Clark County, F1, and the FAA —just a lot of different groups to ensure a seamless execution… As one would imagine, it was a heavy lift, but it was very rewarding in the end. It was a full-time project for a good chunk of our people. We had a crew of about 60 for the whole production.
The Right Vendor
We’re extremely proud of the work we did for F1. It’s our family’s legacy business. We have grown from our foundation with the fireworks display company in 1889, and now we cover everything—fireworks, drones, special effects, and all of that. Our versatility was on display during the Las Vegas F1 Grand Prix. I came up working in the fireworks business before branching out into special effects. A lot of our road operators and technicians on the FX side started there too. It’s a good foundation for people to learn the fundamentals of show production. I’m so fascinated by the fireworks business, and I believe it’s an amazing art. For us, it’s deeply rooted in our family and we’re very proud of what we did for the F1 event. To be a part of that was an amazing accomplishment for the organization and the people who work here.
About Pyrotecnico
Pyrotecnico brings five generations of experience and 125+ years of creating oohs and ahhs for audiences of all sizes. Backed by imaginative and hardworking people, Pyrotecnico amplifies excitement with fireworks displays and special effects for sports, music, public and private events. Pyrotecnico is headquartered in New Castle, Pennsylvania, serving clients coast to coast with regional locations across the country. For more information, visit Pyrotecnico.com and LiveEvents.com.
About PyrotecnicoFX
PyrotecnicoFX is headquartered in New Castle, PA with offices in Los Angeles, and Nashville. Formed in 2007, PyrotecnicoFX provides a variety of special effects services including, flames, lasers, cryogenics, atmospheric effects, indoor and proximate pyrotechnics, and drone sky stories primarily to touring, sports, festival, residency, and award show clients. PyrotecnicoFX is part of the Live Events family of brands. Learn more at PyrotecnicoFX.com and LiveEvents.com.
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