Luminosity (2013) reviews

Well Luminosity premieres tonight so hopefully we see some pictures and reviews!

I wonder how it will be different from last year.

One way is the lighting. It's a new design and there is smaller amount of lights than last year so it will be a better visual show from that aspect.

Perhaps whomever makes the musical selections has been made aware that there are indeed songs that were produced prior to 2008.

Not any good ones. :)

So did anyone see it last night?

One thing different about Luminosity this year is that I won't be watching it. Damn show gave me the worst migraine I've ever had, last summer.

I am looking forward to the show this Friday if we go. We don't really care for the actual show, but enjoy the DJ dance stuff afterward. Funny to see what happens during those little dancing circles lol

New point casts shows a bit of it http://youtu.be/ujZN9kevEbs

There is a reason they use slightly older pop music and not the stuff you are currently hearing on the radio -- they have to pay for every song they use for every performance. Certain music companies are cheaper to work with than others when doing cabaret performance licenses, and no current top-ten songs are going to be in the list of songs that are even permissible for this type of thing...like it or not, they work with what they have. THey actually manage to get a lot of really popular music into Luminosity given the many restrictions that exist.

RonAnnArbor said:
they have to pay for every song they use for every performance. Certain music companies are cheaper to work with than others when doing cabaret performance licenses, and no current top-ten songs are going to be in the list of songs that are even permissible for this type of thing.

That's not quite true. They have to pay ASCAP and BMI performance licensing rights for each year. That covers ALL songs under ASCAP and BMI which is like 98% of all music out there. It's a fee that covers all performance rights for all songs that are used in Cedar Fair parks.

The reason they probably use "slightly older" pop music is you have to remember how long the production process takes for these shows. They start discussing the summer shows starting in November AT THE ABSOLUTE EARLIEST. I know they started discussing Luminosity in January and started picking songs not too long after so the arranger could start working on each section and build the tracks. They then have to send those tracks to the video/pyro guys, the choreographer, and the costume designer so they can start constructing their plans. With the music being one of the first things done so the others can build around that, they've prob had those songs picked out a good 3 or more months and in the current pop world, that's an eternity. The "drop-needle" music, or music with original artist that they use for the fireworks at the end is easier to produce because they just pull it right off the CD so that stuff can afford to be more current.

I love the atmosphere of luminosity, or the at least the atmosphere that CP is attempting to have, but the vocalists while give you a headace! Hopefully its much better this year. I understand that they work hard to put on this show but there were just some song where i thought the singing was going to give me a mild concussion. Another thing, i hope CP can find/found a way to increase the flow of traffic through that area for people who do not want to watch Luminosity. It was always a headace to get through that area when the show is on.

I think it's better this year. I'm not a fan of some of the songs, but the singing and dancing improved a little and the special effects are better this year. Same dj Dempsey...

Yeah, I was going to say, ASCAP and BMI pretty much covers most music. I haven't thought about those agencies in years, but I assume not that much has changed. They're already paying them for performance rights to play music on the midways I'm sure. That's a departure from a few years ago, when I got the impression that they were buying cheaper cover music that has some existing licensing agreement with the original composers. That stuff was awful.

Gplez90 said:
Another thing, i hope CP can find/found a way to increase the flow of traffic through that area for people who do not want to watch Luminosity. It was always a headace to get through that area when the show is on.

You aren't kidding! I tried cutting back through this area with a stroller after Camp Snoopy and it was a disaster. I was just trying to get to my car amongst the crowds, I learned the hard way what a mistake I made :(

So has anyone watched the new version? Any one care to post a review? :)

Just saw the show. I like it better than last year. It's shorter, the singing cast is much stronger, the dancers are better, the choreography strikes me as a little more ambitious, and the lighting and pyro feels more engaging. Not sure what to make of the DJ's costume (he looks like the Count from Sesame Street... ah ah ah ah ah ah). I'd like to see it a few more times before I draw any larger conclusions, but it's an improvement over last year, for sure.

It is indeed a stronger show this year with better pacing (although it is perhaps could still drop a song or two), singing, and just about everything else. It also seems more colorful, if that's possible, and the projectors on the side screens, which have always looked fine, appear to be providing a much clearer image than last year.

Elsewhere on the show front, the new Jack Aldrich show On Broadway is pretty darn good, perhaps one of the more ambitious shows I've seen in that theater in some time. The entire "Strongest Suit" costume number was particularly impressive. The singing is also noticeably strong. They seem to have been casting more for theater voices. Great work all around.

Live E really seems to be stepping up this year, which is saying something because they nearly always do some of the best work in the park. This should be a good season.

I saw Luminosity on Friday night, and largely agree with what Jeff said. Overall a noticeably better show than last year, although I still didn't recognize a single song that they did. Darn kids and their pop music. The lighting and the pyro are both fantastic this year.

My only complaint would be that the vocal mix was still very much "off" in a few places throughout the show. I'm about as tone deaf as they come, and even I noticed it on occasion. The music/choir nerd sitting next to me found it to be almost unbearable.

I'll jump in on the Live E bandwagon here. Saw Happiness is ... Snoopy and All Wheels Extreme on Saturday. Happiness is ... Snoopy is pretty much the same as last year. Still a strong show featuring some pretty talented skaters. The skaters really seem to enjoy performing and playing off the crowd. All Wheels Extreme was terrific and is a "can't miss" show. Very strong cast, that includes two X Games gold medalists. You will leave the show entertained and impressed. I can't speak highly enough of it. Very high level of talent and a show that gets better every year.