The Volcano at the Mirage Hotel Las
Vegas
The Mirage once
again set the standard for Strip-front attractions today
as its redesigned signature Volcano premiered to the
world. When The Mirage first unveiled The Volcano in 1989
the landscape of Las Vegas was forever
altered.
This all-new audio/visual spectacle again raises the bar with
never-before-seen fire effects and an exclusive soundtrack
composed by Grateful Dead drummer and Rock and Roll Hall of
Fame member Mickey Hart, and Indian tabla virtuoso Zakir
Hussain.
Celebrity
impressionist, singer, comedian, ventriloquist and soon-to-be
Mirage headliner Terry Fator acted as Master of Ceremonies for
the historic re-ignition, which took place on the Las Vegas
Strip at dusk. Fator was joined on stage by Grammy Award-winner
Hart, as well as Mirage President Scott Sibella and Las Vegas
Mayor Oscar Goodman. Following the inaugural eruption, the Las
Vegas sky was lit with celebratory fireworks from the top of
The Volcano.
"I would not be the
musician I am today if I had not had the opportunity to embrace
music at a young age," said Hart. "And now I get to do things
like put percussive sound to the image of fire and have it
dance around a lagoon. That's not something one gets to do
everyday; to birth a volcano. Zakir and I immersed ourselves in
the legends and myths and studied what really makes a volcano
work. The result, a true union of the senses, will rattle your
bones, just like a real volcano."
Tasked with bringing
the latest innovations to the project, WET forged a primal
volcanic environment of sound, light, music and heat. WET's
choreographed FireShooters - which send massive fireballs more
than 12 feet into the air - were designed specifically for The
Mirage Hotel using the latest developments in flame-expression
technology. The FireShooters™ punctuate the performances with
eruptions of fiery "lava" that flow down the mountain's
fissures in a series of lively flames. As the eruption ignites
the surrounding lagoon, the FireShooters bring Las Vegas'
signature blast within feet of
spectators.
"In its prior
incarnation, the action stayed primarily on top of The
Volcano," said WET's Director of Special Technologies Jim
Doyle. "We've not only created a much more realistic eruption,
but we've taken the action down into the Lagoon, where
spectators will feel the heat on their
faces."
Further enhancing the
overall experience, The Volcano features a new Meyer Sound
state-of-the-art sound system. An award-winning industry
innovator, Meyer Sound is widely recognized for providing the
gold standard in audio systems, as heard in theaters throughout
the world, including The Mirage's own LOVE Theater. With more
than 60 Meyer Sound cabinets strategically placed throughout
the lagoon, Hart and Hussain's invigorating composition
immerses guests in the volcanic
rhythms.
The new Volcano is the
crowning jewel in a transformation project that began at the
property in 2006. During the past three years, The Mirage has
introduced new amenities including The Beatles' LOVE by Cirque
du Soleil, nightlife outposts JET Nightclub and The Beatles
Revolution Lounge, the luxury adult pool BARE, and restaurants
created by the world's most acclaimed restaurateurs and
designers. A recent $110 million room and suite redesign has
further enhanced The Mirage's leading-edge
position.
"Technology and the Las
Vegas Strip have come a long way since 1989, making for an
increasingly competitive tourism market," said Sibella. "With
tonight's rebirth of our Volcano the exterior of the resort
reflects the energy and excitement found within the new
Mirage."
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