Pyrotek Special Effects and The Throne at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards

The annual MTV Video Music Awards took place on August 28 at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles. The telecast brought in the largest audience to date with 12.4 million viewers and, as is the way with MTV, the show was filled with outrageous and memorable moments including the surprise performance of "Otis" by Kanye West and Jay-Z off their recently released collaborative album Watch The Throne.

The main theme that came across throughout the piece was power and strength, as the pair was framed by the American flag and an array of effects provided by Pyrotek Special Effects of Las Vegas for the powerful performance.

Pyrotek used six Gatling guns to open the performance, shooting 12' flames in all directions as the rap titans emerged from the top of the stage. The energy of the crowd was undeniable and only more palpable as the duo strutted and strolled down the stage while a shower of 31 silver gerbs rained down behind them.

As this was the debut stage performance for The Throne, Pyrotek Special Effects designer Lorenzo Cornacchia collaborated with Gary Lanvy to create a performance that would stand out from the rest. Kevin Hughes, who worked as crew chief and shooter used Silver mines to accent the energy of the song, illuminating the pair from behind, meanwhile twelve cyro jets lined the stage and went off in sequence throughout the remainder of the show stopping performance.