Growing up magic was my hobby. I had made a few tricks. A few of us Magicians in Raleigh, NC were working on a hand held device that shot out a ball of fire from your hand. Then I wondered how big a ball of fire could I shoot without having to conceal a device.
I made a few devices and took them to a Magic Convention in Harrisburg PA. While at the convention I heard someone say something about a band staying at the hotel. Wow this would be a great device for a band. A fire effect with NO SMOKE! I asked the hotel who was the band..... Thinking it was a local group.... It was infact the Doobie Brothers!
I located their road manager's room and went and knocked on the door. After explaining what I had his eyes lit up and asked if I could come to the concert and demonstrate the effect during the concert. If the effect did what I said it does he would buy it.
This was my first time backstage at a rock concert. The effect went off as planned and the Doobie Brothers became the first band to use the Flash Cannon.