A family friendly fireworks display in Gloucestershire raised eyebrows when members of the public realised the music played alongside the show contained some X-rated lyrics which were not for little ears. Some of the lyrics mentioned strippers, drugs and there was also some choice expletive language in songs on the playlist.
In videos which have been uploaded on to YouTube, you can clearly hear the saucy language and swearing. These song choices did not go down well with a member of the public who has contacted Quedgeley Town Council who paid for the fireworks company to showcase the display in Fishers Meadow.
The company called Apex Fireworks which ran the event, has apologised for the incident. The company director has said the issue has been down an unfortunate error as the company uses ‘AI-driven music obfuscation technology’ which resulted in not so family friendly music being played.
An anonymous email from a member of the public details the issues on the night with the expletive language in the songs used during the fireworks display. The email from the member of the public says there were some ‘appalling’ lyrics contained in the soundtrack that accompanied the Quedgeley Town Council fireworks display on Saturday night (November 9).
The email also states it was the same fireworks display that featured a poignant nod to Remembrance Sunday, which just two minutes later contained controversial lines and words played at full blast in front of a family audience.. There were lines about hardcore drugs in Sprinter, by Central Cee and Dave; an expletive in First Person Shooter by Drake and part of a female stripper’s anatomy in Ferrari Horses, by D-Block Europe and Raye.
In the letter sent to the town council, and also copied in to Gloucestershire Live, the complainant wrote: “One song included lyrics such as, ‘I’m in Paris baby, got stripper’s t**s in my face’ which is hardly fitting for a family audience. “
The letter added: “Additionally, another song included explicit language with phrases such as, ‘big as the super bowl but the difference is it’s just guys playing… sh*t [expletive] that they did in the studio’
Director at Apex Fireworks, Thomas Grant , said: “At Apex Events Team Ltd and Apex Fireworks, we pride ourselves on creating fireworks displays and events that are not only spectacular but also give back to the communities we serve. Our core commitment is to make fireworks more acceptable, accessible, and beneficial to charities, community groups, and other organisations we can help, such as local businesses, all while keeping costs down.
“By maintaining a small, dedicated team and leveraging modern technology, we enable these groups to redirect funds into their missions, maximizing the positive impact within their communities.
“Our creative approach allows us to deliver events with broad appeal, introducing fresh experiences to audiences while supporting local charities, such as James Hopkins Trust, The Redwell Centre, and Heart Heroes, as we have this year. Additionally, we work with youth sports clubs to boost fundraising, collaborate with PTAs facing insurance challenges, and involve local businesses to keep our events deeply rooted in the community.
“We’re also pioneering a youth initiative, the first of its kind in the UK, that educates young people on fireworks safety through STEM-aligned sessions, underscoring our commitment to safety and awareness.
“In this recent event, an unfortunate error in our AI-driven music obfuscation technology allowed some inappropriate language to pass through. Despite extensive precautions and manual checks, this oversight occurred, and we sincerely apologize for any offence caused.
“As a family-oriented company, we fully understand the importance of maintaining family-friendly standards, and the families of our team, including our young children, attend these events.
“We are actively reviewing our processes to prevent similar issues in the future. We strive to provide experiences honouring the community and uphold the highest safety, creativity, and respect standards. While we occasionally make mistakes, our focus on community, safety, and giving back remains unwavering, and we are committed to continually improving.
“An example is the nearly two minutes of remembrance segment in the Quedgeley display. Delicate red-hanging fireworks gently cascaded through the sky to the haunting yet poignant tune of the last post.
“This display has always given a nod to those brave servicemen and women, and we wanted this display to highlight that respectfully but more obviously than in the past. Overall, we would like to be remembered for our positive and inclusive actions rather than the honest mistakes we regret.
“Thank you to everyone who has supported us this year as we work to bring joy, innovation, and positive impact to our communities. Lastly, I apologise to anyone who may have been offended by the regrettable inclusion of language that has fallen short of our family-friendly standards. We got it wrong, and we are sorry.”