Pyrotechnics pioneer Tommi Niemi reveals secrets of staging for global stars

Finnish pyrotechnics expert Tommi Niemi has detailed his experiences creating fireworks and special effects for major international acts in his new memoir, Räjäyttäjän päiväkirjat (The Pyrotechnician’s Diary), published by Like in 2026.

Niemi, a pioneer in Finnish concert pyrotechnics, has worked with artists including Lordi, Rammstein, and Paul McCartney. His career took a defining turn with Lordi’s 2006 Eurovision win in Athens, where the elaborate pyrotechnics he designed with colleague Markku Aalto became a focal point of the performance.

Recalling the event, Niemi admits the project was far from straightforward. Organizers required that all pyrotechnics and effects be replicated exactly during rehearsals. With Finland’s final performance minutes away, Niemi discovered his pre-placed chair—intended as a launch platform—had vanished. A green plastic bin was rushed in as a last-minute replacement.

“Once Lordi’s show started, all the noise faded away,” he said. “After firing the first pyrotechnics, I knew it was going to work—and work brilliantly.” The victory remains emotional for him: “When I hear ‘Athens’ and ‘Hard Rock Hallelujah,’ I still get tears in my eyes.”

Niemi’s early career included a memorable mishap at the 2002 Raumanmeren Juhannus festival, where he was tasked with effects for Eppu Normaali. Misjudging the cue during Voi kuinka me sinua kaivataan, he accidentally triggered three consecutive bursts. “The band didn’t mind, but the audience might have wondered about the off-beat timing,” he recalled.

His work with Rammstein, whom he calls “pyro gods,” pushed boundaries further. For their 2005 Ruisrock performance, Niemi served as the local pyrotechnics lead, coordinating a meticulously planned spectacle of flames and explosions. “Their equipment has reached such a level that it’s exciting to see what they’ll do next—or if they’ll stop at all,” he said.

Niemi’s book underscores the precision required in large-scale productions, where solo improvisation—especially with pyrotechnics—is never permitted. “Everyone, from camera operators to crew, must know exactly where they can and cannot be when major effects are triggered,” he explained.