It may have been “A Hard Day’s Night” for students braving the torrential downpour from the remnants of Hurricane Hanna, but the lights still came on in the Sargent Activity Center for the Programming Council’s first ever Laser Light show.
Between 500 and 600 students attended the Saturday night show sprawled out on the dry SAC gym floor instead of the soggy BU Beach to watch images on a large screen as colorful lights cut through man-made fog in time with Beatles and Led Zeppelin music.
“We wanted to add something in addition to the movie night on Nickerson Field, which we also organized,” PC co-president Kristi Donadio said.
Donadio and co-President Sam Minkoff said that while they were deciding what to do for the first weekend, they started exploring new ideas. When the concept of hosting a laser light show came to mind, they said they knew they had a winner.
The “exciting and unique” light show is a first for BU, but it will most likely become a rec. “Not only is it a good stand alone event, but it can be added along to other events,” he said
Lightwave International, the light show production company that made the night possible, is the biggest company of its kind in North America. Lightwave International’s main clients include Madonna and Kanye West, with whom it is currently touring.
Lightwave International Production Manager J. Alan Fuehrer said BU was the first university to approach the company.
The lasers “interact with the audience just like any other performance,” and caused many audience members to try and touch the beams, although there was nothing to feel, he said.
“It is, in fact, quite similar to acting,” Fuehrer said.
The company set the show to music by the Beatles and Led Zeppelin at the request of PC, Fuehrer said.
Each image projected on the screen represented song lyrics. During the chorus of the Beatles’ song “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds,” an image of a drawn girl surrounded by diamonds appeared on the screen.
At the end of the show, a surprise track came on to promote the Girl Talk concert in the George Sherman Union’s Metcalf Hall planned for Sept. 20. The show sold out in about two hours on Friday, its first day of ticket sales, and the advertisement caused confusion as students rushed to the front expecting tickets.
Despite the mix-up, the laser light show ended to applause and cheering from the crowd.
College of General Studies freshman Carolina Ciccia said she went to the show for the music, but ended up enjoying much more.
“I came because I am a huge fan of the Beatles, but I feel that I would have enjoyed this event no matter what,” she said. “It definitely exceeded beyond my expectations.”
