As he got older, Brandon’s pyro passion got bigger and his celebrations got better as his imagination was only limited to his own budget. He discovered electronic firing within just the last 5 years and quickly decided to do “whatever it took” to get his hands on Pro Line products, which allow more precision in displays. He sought shooter’s training, invested in a great firing system, and got to work. His first e-fired show was an 18-minute Disney-inspired backyard pyromusical fired on Labor Day weekend in 2019.

His wife Lindsay has caught the pyro bug, too! She’d known Brandon had a passion for pyro when they got married. After the two attended Sky Wars for the first time in 2020, a switch flipped for her, and Brandon says she started to see it “on a whole different level.” The two are now pyro partners and often bounce ideas off each other. Brandon says Lindsay’s a huge help on deciding musical ideas and aesthetics, and he describes her as an “interior decorator, but for pyro.”

Brandon’s Favorite Pyro Memory
One of Brandon’s silliest fireworks memories was from when he was around 12 years old. He was outside playing with bottle rockets (“Black Cat Silver Fox”) and the sun was just setting before dark. “I’d just discovered the trick of testing fuse timing on bottle rockets… I wasn’t paying attention to cars that were driving by. One bottle rocket went out, hit a car, exploded on the windshield, and when I looked up, I realized it was a State Trooper.” He laughs. “He flipped his lights on, and I ran inside, shut the door and locked it, and ran under my bed.” Mercifully he didn’t actually get in trouble and no one was hurt, but the memory gives Brandon a chuckle to remember.

His latest favorite memories are his pyro “firsts” with his wife, like the first time they went to Thunder over Louisville or their first time at Sky Wars.

Brandon’s Past Sky Wars Experience
For years Brandon had watched YouTube videos and “dreamed” about going to Sky Wars, and in 2020 he finally decided to make it happen. “It was an absolute blast.” 

Not only did he attend in 2020 to watch the Saturday show, Brandon actually participated in the Friday night Blind Pyro competition and even took home 1st place. That’s quite impressive for a first-timer! His team’s name was “Whistling Kitty Chasers” and it consisted of himself, Lindsay, Ty and Amber Phillips (who own local pyro shop K&K Fireworks), and Kevin Hodge (another Indiana-based pyro).

Brandon came back to Sky Wars in 2021 and participated in Friday’s Blind Pyro competition again, this time coming in 3rd place out of 4 against “top tier shooters” Mike Allen, Paul Burcham, and Shaun Hauter. In 2022, Brandon returned and helped Paul Burcham on his Pro Am competition display.

This year, Brandon’s shooting the 1.4 Unlimited Show. He says “shooting a show of this caliber has been a dream” ever since he discovered pyromusicals several years ago. “It’s absolutely unreal.”

Brandon’s 2023 Show
Brandon is not one for pyro-crastinating. When asked about his show just one month after being confirmed as our Unlimited Shooter this year, Brandon said “the funny thing is, I think it’s done!” He and his “secret weapon” Lindsay dove into their music selection and choreography immediately after they learned he’d be shooting the show. It took them just a week to decide on the music, and while they’re still playing with the script, he thinks they’re “pretty set at 2200 cues.” 

Inspired by this year’s Pro Am Championship of Champions, Brandon is dedicating this year’s Unlimited show to all the past, present, and future Sky Wars pyros. “Our show is welcoming everyone to the best pyro event in the U.S., and my team and I are going to light it up for them.”

Need a good laugh? Check out Brandon’s winning 2020 Blind Pyro display prepared by him and his team, “The Whistling Kitty Chasers”: