Lady Gaga designer brings twist to Blackpool Illuminations display
The new features include a 25-metre LED tunnel and two seven metre beach balls
Two of Britain’s leading designers are preparing to bring a unique twist to Blackpool’s annual Illuminations display.
Blackpool-born Jack Irving, best known for creating wildly-theatrical outfits for Lady Gaga, has created Astral Dreams, a stunning laser-mapped show that will be projected nightly on to the front of The Blackpool Tower building.
And Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, the Illuminations’ creative curator and star of Channel 4’s new remake of Changing Rooms, has re-imagined a spectacular water feature at South Beach, turning it into a drag-themed sound and light show, Venus Remixed.
Both of the new features will be unveiled when the Illuminations are switched on by Shirley Ballas, head judge on BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, on Friday 3 September.
The Switch-On moment will be the finale of a live concert in the Tower Ballroom and will trigger the start of four months of free-to-access illuminations, only the second time in history the famous lights have been extended through the Christmas and New Year holidays.
Jack and Laurence’s designs are just two of the exciting features in the 2021 display. Others include a series of interactive new light-based installations on the Tower Festival Headland, the return of the hugely-popular Spitfire Island and a recreation of a historic section of lighting that was first visited by royalty more than a century ago!
The Astral Dreams laser show created by Jack will transform The Blackpool Tower building into a sea of light, sound and colour with five high-powered lasers beamed on to the historic frontage. It will be accompanied by a new soundtrack composed by local music composer and producer, George Cornes.
Jack said: “The Blackpool Illuminations are a huge part of my life and have been since I was a child as I grew up here. The lights were always such a huge driving inspiration behind my work so they mean so much to me.
George, who is based in Lytham St Annes, added: “The Astral Dreams project has brought together a group of artistic-minded people to construct a laser show unlike anything Blackpool has ever seen before - with original musical scores and tailored laser programming to give a unique experience to those who attend.”
The Venus Reborn tableau at South Beach was originally created by Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen in 2008 with Greek gods, a gigantic water tank and LED lighting. Fast forward to 2021 and it has been given a glamorous makeover as Venus Remixed, drawing inspiration from local drag talent and featuring three giant digital screens. It will incorporate a brand new sound and light show every 10 minutes.
Laurence said: “This year, perhaps more than any other year, switching on Blackpool’s Illuminations marks an important moment of brightness as the country moves into autumn and winter. Turning the lights on has always inspired an optimism and positivity of which Blackpool is understandably proud.”
New light-based installations on the Tower Festival Headland are guaranteed to provide some unique selfie and Instagram moments for visitors and include:
Spiro Light Tunnel: An immersive walk-through tunnel of light spanning more than 25 metres created with individually-mapped LEDs that create an extraordinary lighting effect. First unveiled at the resort’s Lightpool Festival two years ago, it returns to the seafront for the full Illuminations season.
Sandcastle & Beach Balls: Two giant pixelated beach balls – seven metres tall to be exact – will be placed on the Golden Mile between the RNLI lifeboat house and the iconic Comedy Carpet. Each ball, made up of 7,000 tiny lights, is a walk-through experience giving visitors a fun photo opportunity. The projection trailer located on the Tower Festival Headland will also be transformed into an illuminated sandcastle and watch out for the giant deckchair too!
I Love BPL Installation: Show (and share) your love for Blackpool with this specially-commissioned installation. It stands eight feet tall and was manufactured at Lightworks, the home of Blackpool Illuminations, using traditional manufacturing methods and lamps.
This year’s Illuminations season will run every night from Friday 3 September, 2021 to Monday 3 January, 2022. It promises to be Blackpool’s biggest autumn/winter season with:
The return of Ride The Lights, a unique opportunity to cycle along a traffic free promenade and get a sneak preview of the 2021 Illuminations. The free event takes place on Tuesday 31 August.
The staging of the annual Illuminations Switch-On concert in the Blackpool Tower Ballroom for the first time. The concert will be staged on Friday 3 September and will feature KSI, Britain’s biggest breakthrough artist in 2020, Wes Nelson, the Wombats and Ella Henderson.
The concert will also be live-streamed on the night and can be viewed free of charge at: visitblackpool.com/switchon, youtube.com/mtvuk and facebook.com/mtvmusicuk