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QE2 Visit 2007
Date: 4th December 2007 Client: Culture 10 - NewcastleGatehead Initiative
Audience: 30000

Event International won a competitive tender to organise and produce the welcome event for the QE2 when she visited Tyneside as part of her 40th Anniversary tour round the United Kingdom. The creative response was based on a highly original and dramatic use of music and sound effects typical of a nautical environment; and on highly visual, arresting daytime pyrotechnics appropriate to the scale of the environment and the event.
The event had three distinct strands:
The Pier Heads -While the QE2 was still offshore but steadily approaching the Mouth of the Tyne the signal for the start of the event was given by the appearance of the sirens boat, an impressive 4 masted vessel. The first stirrings of the Song of the Sirens creates an aura of anticipation for the waiting crowds: a combination of the sight of the approaching cruise ship and the eerie notes of the sirens themselves. Within the Bay a flotilla of vessels from local sailing groups waited on either side of the main channel. As the QE2 drew close, a Northumbrian Piper positioned on the Sirens boat played a specially composed welcome which swelled into a concerto for pipes and sirens. As the legendary liner entered the Pier Heads, the blast of the ship’s fog horns triggers spectacular panoramic daylight fireworks along the length of both piers.
The Journey Up River - The QE2 made its stately passage up river preceded by the Sirens boat and 2 smaller, faster outriders. Musicians and sirens accompanied this progress with fantastic music as Aqua Red Flares positioned on both banks of the river create a highly visible virtual red carpet. The weaving outrider boats added further visual interest with pyrotechnic effects synchronised to the music of the sirens. As the QE2 began to manoeuvre at Jarrow Slake the now stationary Sirens boat introduced a subtle change in the music with repetitive musical phrasings creating anticipation and suspense for onlookers.
The Welcome Ceremony at Tyne Commission Quay- As the QE2 began to berth the Northumbrian Pipes and the Sirens struck up a joyous and unearthly medley of traditional Northumbrian airs and military band music. When the welcome ceremony was over a close proximity finale involving quick fire signal shot chased sequences of daytime pyrotechnics using highly visible colours brought the public event to a close.