When the Mirage first unveiled The Volcano in 1989, millions of tourists and locals would walk or drive by just to see The Volcano erupt and marvel at its design.  It is truly an icon of Las Vegas.   

On Dec. 8 at dusk, The Mirage premiered The Volcano after months of reconstruction.  The all-new audio/visual spectacle offers never-before-seen fire effects and an exclusive soundtrack composed by Grateful Dead drummer and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Mickey Hart, and Indian tabla virtuoso Zakir Hussain.  

Celebrity impressionist, singer, comedian, ventriloquist and soon-to-be Mirage headliner Terry Fator acted as Master of Ceremonies for the historic reignition and eruption on the Las Vegas Strip.  Fator was joined on stage by Grammy Award-winner Hart, as well as Mirage President Scott Sibella and Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman.  Huge crowds gathered outside on the sidewalk to witness history.

“Technology and the Las Vegas Strip have come a long way since 1989, making for an increasingly competitive tourism market,” Sibella said.  “With tonight’s rebirth of our Volcano the exterior of the resort reflects the energy and excitement found within the new Mirage.” 

“This was the model, the icon for everything that was good, for everything you see on the Strip, for all that has been developed here, making us the ultimate tourist destination in the world,” Goodman said. “When I was told that the Mirage was going to do something with the Volcano ‘that is going to blow your mind,’ I said ‘the Volcano is great. You can’t do better than the Volcano,’ but I was told it was going to be 10 times better than before.”   

“The Volcano has become a symbol of energy and excitement that Las Vegas has to offer. It has not only become an icon for The Mirage but for the city of Las Vegas and of course the Las Vegas Strip. And tonight, 19 years later, we are creating an energy and excitement on the Las Vegas Strip,” Sibella added. 

Fator introduced some his new characters that will be part of his show at the Mirage debuting in February and then Robbie Knievel, the son of the late famous stuntman Evel Knievel, rode on stage on his motorcycle to announce that shortly after midnight, he will attempt a death-defying 200-foot jump over the recently renovated Mirage Volcano. Knievel’s New Year’s Eve jump marks the 41st anniversary of his father Evel Knievel’s bone-shattering jump at Caesars Palace. 

“How better to draw the world’s attention to the new Mirage and our fiery main attraction then with a spectacular stunt on one of the hottest nights of the year?” Sibella said. “Having Robbie jump our new Volcano on New Year’s Eve will provide the perfect cap to our multi-million dollar transformation.” 

After that announcement, everyone counted down and The Volcano erupted to the applause and delight to all.  Following the inaugural eruption, the Las Vegas sky was lit with celebratory fireworks from the top of The Volcano, letting the world know it is “active” again. 

In addition to commemorating the renovation of The Strip’s most enduring landmark, The Mirage used the opportunity to shine light on the value of music programs in local schools.  In honor of the new Volcano and the exclusive soundtrack composed by Hart and Hussain, The Mirage made a donation to the Clark County School District to be used to support music in schools. 

“I would not be the musician I am today if I had not had the opportunity to embrace music at a young age,” Hart said.  “And now I get to do things like put percussive sound to the image of fire and have it dance around a lagoon.  That’s not something one gets to do everyday; to birth a volcano.  Zakir and I immersed ourselves in the legends and myths and studied what really makes a volcano work.  The result, a true union of the senses, will rattle your bones, just like a real volcano.” 

Creating the latest innovations to the project, WET combined a primal volcanic environment of sound, light, music and heat.  WET’s choreographed FireShooters© - which send massive fireballs more than 12 feet into the air - were designed specifically for The Mirage using the latest developments in flame-expression technology.  The FireShooters© punctuate eruptions of fiery “lava” that flow down the mountain in a series of lively flames.  As the eruption ignites the surrounding lagoon, the FireShooters© bring Las Vegas’ signature blast within feet of spectators. 

“In its prior incarnation, the action stayed primarily on top of The Volcano,” said WET’s Director of Special Technologies Jim Doyle.  “We’ve not only created a much more realistic eruption, but we’ve taken the action down into the Lagoon, where spectators will feel the heat on their faces.” 

Further enhancing the overall experience, The Volcano features a new Meyer Sound state-of-the-art sound system.  An award-winning industry innovator, Meyer Sound is widely recognized for providing the gold standard in audio systems, as heard in theaters throughout the world, including The Mirage’s own LOVE Theater.  With more than 60 Meyer Sound cabinets strategically placed throughout the lagoon, Hart and Hussain’s invigorating composition immerses guests in the volcanic rhythms while experiencing the eruption.   

The Volcano at Mirage will erupt nightly each hour from dusk until eleven with schedules varying by season

For more information, visit www.mirage.com.