Sky Monkeys had the daunting task of firing first. After a suitable build up over the PA and a countdown from the crowd, they opened with a very apt screech-bang salvo which any firework enthusiasts in the audience would have associated with the infamous "Sky Monkey" firework.

Following this was a beautifully executed candle fan which saw pretty yellow stars cross each other over the firing area. This type off effect, created by multiple small bore candles, is widely used by professional displayers. From yellow then to blue, as fish effects dissolved in the air leaving blue stars behind them.

Time now to increase the noise level with the first big-bore bangs of the display. Blue stars exploded to bright crackling clouds, leaving the blue star to shoot off in a random direction. You can see this lovely effect in the pictures below.

- Click on any picture to enlarge it -

As the crackling clouds stopped, coloured comets followed, creating a column of glitter and various effects at the top of this - the screeching and banging from the opening salvo was still going at this point too! The crackling theme then returned this time with crackling comets launching upwards to maintain the level of noise, then joined above this by clouds of gold glitter. Then there was a pause which lasted a little too long and the crowd started to clap, but this was cut short by the launch of silver glitter comets and very loud bangs, taking Sky Monkeys into the second phase of their display.

After making a suitably large amount of noise, the team used another pro-like effect with bigger bore candles angled across the firing area to give a fan of brilliant breaks of gold and silver glitter, going then up another gear to supplement this in the centre with coloured mine sequences.

As impressive as this looked, things just got better with the addition of coloured crossettes and this section was easily on par with some pro displays I have seen - and all with category three fireworks!

Bright fans of magnesium comets lit up the hall and the spectators before an artistic return to the yellow fan sequence, which added symmetry to the whole display. Another barrage of noise and colour then, with crackles at ground level and big breaks of glitter above. To quicken the pace a number of other effects were then thrown in, filling the area above their display with a wonderful sequence of continuous colour and crackles.

This sequence consolidated into a barrage of well coordinated red and blue effects accompanied by bright titanium salutes. Red and blue were then replaced with green and mauve with the pace steadily increasing towards the finale. This faded slightly to be replaced by gold effects and then WHOOSH a big eruption of red which flooded the hall in an eerie crimson light before an explosion of noise at its peak. A few stragglers from the gold cake out-stayed their welcome at the end before giving way to silence then well deserved applause from the crowd.

Well done Sky Monkeys for a brilliant display. Perhaps more than any other competitor, Sky Monkeys used imagination with simple components such as small bore candles and from these made dynamic sequences.