The Survival Research Lab is very fascinating to me.
On one hand they just refuse to grow up, and let the toys get bigger and more dangerous and live out the fantasy of fire and noise and hunks of crushing metal.
At one of their shows they had a rotor like a helicopter on top of a big machine on wheels. They had gasoline in the blades would light the ends of these blades. From the flames pressure would start to turn the rotor and it would get faster and faster. Like a helicopter starting wush, wush, wush, and pretty soon, you would only see a red ring of fire and of course it would be loud as hell.
So I asked the guy who lighted the blades: “How do you stop the thing?” He would just look at me in disbelieve: “Stop it? – Why stop it? – It stops once the gasoline runs out.”
Thinking about it I welcome that change to the overprotection you get all the time here: “Attention, this coffee is hot, it my burn you”.
On the other hand SRL shows have their unbelievable beautiful moments. They are super spectacles, that totally pull you in, like no Star Wars special effect ever will. They touch you and connect you with fears, that you otherwise bury way deep inside.
Of course it isn’t a real Survival Research Lab show if the police doesn’t show up.
After some videos of past shows and some great stories from the people involved, everyone went outside to see and especially listen to the Sonic Boom that they brought next to The Lab.
After the explosion, within not even a minute about 8 police cars blocked the streets and they unfortunately closed the party down. Bummer, I was so looking forward to the Extra Action Marching Band.