Massachusetts Daily Collegian

A free and responsible press serving the UMass community since 1890

A free and responsible press serving the UMass community since 1890

Massachusetts Daily Collegian

A free and responsible press serving the UMass community since 1890

Massachusetts Daily Collegian

Fantazia kicks off tour with UMass

If death-defying stunts, fire-breathing dancers and electronic music are your idea of a good time, then Fantazia 360 is where you belong.

Rehan Talat/Collegian

With its tour premiering tonight at the Mullins Center, Fantazia 360 promises to make this Halloween a little more theatrical.

The brainchild of NV Concepts and MASS EDMC, Fantazia is an audio and visual production that goes far beyond the realm of an ordinary electronic show. With a 360-degree rotating stage, aerial acrobatics, fire breathers and more, Fantazia is as much a visual performance as it is a musical one. Death-defying theatrical acts by Flambeaux Fire and Natasha Circus are performed to the raging beats of electronic music.

Last April, Fantazia was a sell out in the Mullins Center, which is promising for this year’s Halloween event.

“It was a new concept, so when we started off, we didn’t have very much to sell it on,” said Adam Liderman, founder and director of EDMC. “It’s hard to convey something when you don’t have a picture to look at or a video to show.”

Typical concert goers may be a little surprised at Fantazia’s set up. The show will revolve around a center stage surrounded by the audience.

“We’ve changed a lot of things and refined (Fantazia),” Liderman said. “There’s going to be a lot more going on onstage, a lot more going on in the audience. It won’t be you necessarily standing there looking at the stage, but looking at what will be happening all around you.”

The show will start with VOLTRAN. Bamboora will own the stage next and DSK CHK will end the show in his signature Guy Fawkes mask.

Theatrical performances will be held by Flambeaux Fire, a group of fire performers, dancers and fire eaters based out of New York City. Led by husband and wife team, Flambeaux and Abby Hertz (whose stage name Lady C), Flambeaux Fire has a core group of eight members with a total of 20 rotating performers. They have worked their flaming tricks with big names such as Diddy, Mercedes Benz and David Letterman.

Natasha Circus, also known as Natasha King, will be bringing a blend of burlesque and aerial acrobatics to the stage. Also from the Big Apple, King works closely with Flambeaux Fire and was a part of Fantazia show that was held at the University of Massachusetts this past spring.

Guaranteed to be a unique Halloween experience, doors open at the Mullins Center at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $35, but may be sold out for those who wait to buy them at the door.

“It’s a really cool performance,” Liderman added, “it’s Cirque du Soleil meets party-dance experience.”

Justin Surgent can be reached at [email protected]

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