Glowing Drummers And Smoky Shipwrecks Illuminate Sea Front For Shimmer Festival

By Jenny Wotherspoon Location: Whitley Bay
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VIDEO: Some of the electrifying highlights of Shimmer 2012

Skeleton-like skateboarders, flourescent windmills and a troop of gleaming drummers are flooding Whitley Bay sea front with colour and light.

The second Shimmer digital arts event sees the return of light installations centred around the Spanish City in the run-up to Guy Fawkes.

It is a two-day display held between 5 and 8pm on November 3 and November 4, 2012.

The centrepiece is light show Diversion, featuring digital images of dancing girls and circus scenes projected on to the landmark Dome building.

Created by Newcastle-based designers Novak, it was originally designed for the building's centenary in 2010 and has been shown annually since.

The audio-visual show has been updated for 2012 and now features a performance from Worldbeaters Drummers.

Light Show Diversion by Newcastle-based designers Novak

Light Show Diversion by Newcastle-based designers Novak

The North Tyneside group perform their act Spark, which sees mystical illuminated characters beating drums on the roof of Spanish City.

Other installations include an apocolyptic, fog-generating shipwreck called Flash Fog designed by artist Colin Priest.

There are also three glowing, rainbow-coloured spinning wheels by Byker-based artists Aether and Hemera, inspired by the Spanish City fun fair.

As each wheel spins words are formed that refer to Whitley Bay's heritage, and the Dire Straits song Tunnel of Love which references the fair.

The Panama Skatepark has also been transformed with projections of surfers and skateboarders, over which gleaming, costumed performers cycle and skate.

The event is the third in a series of digital light events held at Whitley Bay during 2012, including Global Rainbow and Mariner 9.

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