The act of operating two mile long "Red & Blue Unit" trains transporting enormous 3-Ring shows around the country made smaller, more isolated venues, like the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor a less viable option for event stops. That changed in 2003 when Feld Entertainment added a new "Gold Unit" addition that would continue until 2015. This new unit would operate as a truck based 1-ring show allowing Ringling to once again take the show to locations
that would have previously not been possible. This new unit quickly became known as the most intimate of the three units.
When dates were announced for the "Fully Charged: Gold Edition" tour, Maine circus fans were delighted to see Bangor was on the bill! From November 7th to November 10th, the show would perform at the Cross Insurance Center breaking an absence of exactly 60 years. The Ringmaster for this tour was David Shipman and the cast supporting the tour along with him were top notch.
Lets start with the Lopez Family who supplied a legitimate trifecta of acts. This family of 11, three children for Johan and Maria and two for Johnathan and Erika, along with Alfonso and his wife, travel in several house trailers. They grew up in Monterrey, Mexico and are the fourth generation of their family to work in the circus. As young boys, Johan and Jonathan began to train with their father, Alfonso, on the high wire and learned to ride motorcycles for the globe act. While they were young children, they would practice five hours a day. Alfonso Lopez and his sons toured all across Latin America. In 2002 while Mexico, Jonathon Lopez met his wife, Maria, who was also a high-wire performer. Soon afterwards, Johan Lopez met Erika, also in Mexico. She was in the audience, and the two instantly connected and fell in love. Johan then trained Erika for two years on how to walk the wire.The first act, "Knives and Whips", is a 50-year-old family act has been passed down through generations. Patriarch Alfonso learned the act from his cousin. He then practiced with his wife to perfect it and preformed the act for over 25 years. The 12 inch long knives are thrown at his daughters-in-law, who trained for five years until they were ready to perform the act.
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| Dean Kelley in Bangor, Maine on November 7, 2013 |
Finally they showcase their globe act. The globe itself is 12 feet in diameter making it at the time the narrowest globe in the United States. This act has been in the Lopez family for over 40 years, with Alfonso performing the act for over 30 years. Maria, Jonathan's wife, trained for two years before she was ready to join the act. Once the Lopez Family are at maximum capacity with all three motorcycle riders within the Globe of Steel and their bikes at full throttle, their gear lights up for a breathtaking viewing experience.
Also on the show is "Mr. Power" Battulga Battogtokh. The Mongolian strongman utilizes a very unconventional prop in his act utilizing large telephone poles that range from 13 to 20 feet long. He twirls them above his head and catches them with his hands and neck. In another presentation of strength and skill, he juggles 16 pound bowling balls, and catches them with his hands, neck and feet.
Other acts on the show included the father-and-son comedy duo of Anton and Viktor Franke, exotic animal presenters Brett and Cathy Carden, clown host Dean Kelley, Duna Alvarez, acrobat Orlando Usan, aerialist Sergey Novikov, the Smaha juggling troupe, the Vavilov troupe and more!
This was a great show enjoyed by those who attended and proved to be a great return to Bangor for "The Greatest Show on Earth".
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