Where There's Smoke

‘Torch’ entertains biker crowds with hot moves

Photo courtesy of Sveinn Photography Torch, an insured fire expert, uses a number of props in his fire performance, including his motorcycle. He sticks to performing bike rallies, he says, because they're full of good people.
Photo courtesy of Sveinn Photography Torch, an insured fire expert, uses a number of props in his fire performance, including his motorcycle. He sticks to performing bike rallies, he says, because they're full of good people.

For most people, breathing fire is just an expression. But for Torch, it's a way of life.

Chad Land, who prefers his stage name Torch, tours the country for more than six months out of the year -- usually from March through October at various biker rallies -- entertaining bikers with his fire performance. The audience members come from all over -- just as they will at Bikes, Blues & BBQ -- to watch his high-energy rock 'n' roll inspired show.

FAQ

Bikes, Blues & BBQ

Torch Fire Performances

WHEN — 8:15 p.m. today & Saturday

WHERE — Arvest Ballpark in Springdale

COST — Free

INFO — facebook.com/Torchf…

FYI

BB&BBQ

Schedule

Today

Noon-8 p.m. — Cruise-in for BB&BBQ car show, Arvest Ballpark

6 p.m. — People’s choice barbecue competition, Washington County Fairgrounds

7 p.m. — Lawn mower pulls, fairgrounds

9 p.m. — Miss BB&BBQ preliminary competition, fairgrounds

Saturday

8 a.m.-2 p.m. — Battle of the Bikes, Dickson Street beer garden

8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. — BB&BBQ car show, Arvest Ballpark

9 a.m. — Ozark Vintage Motorcycle Association show, Arvest Ballpark

4 p.m. — Parade of Power begins

7 p.m. — Lawn mower pulls, fairgrounds

10 p.m. — Miss BB&BBQ finals, main stage

Live Music Schedule

Main Stage

Today

4:30 p.m. — Steve Pryor

6:30 p.m. — Dead Metal Society

8:30 p.m. — Uncrowned Kings

10:30 p.m. — Andy Frasco

Saturday

3:30 p.m. — Ocie Fisher Band

5 p.m. — Shotgun Billies

6:30 p.m. — Barrett Baber

8:30 p.m. — Hot Lix

10:30 p.m. — Jason D. Williams

"I call it my rock 'n' roll inferno," Torch says. "Because I work the crowd. ... and cater to riders, motorcycle, mainly."

When he arrives, event staff clear out a 25-foot radius for his performing area, which is never on stage, but is sometimes in front of one. Torch prefers to be on the ground, with his audience close enough to see the nuances of his dangerous performance.

The radius is to keep the audience safe from the big and flashy moves, such as the 8- and 10-foot flames shot from his motorcycle, the 30- and 40-foot curls stemming from his flamethrower and to keep them a reasonable distance from the tall flames he breathes.

Torch also uses an array of nunchucks, a bullwhip and a fire staff (that looks like a baton) to spin, crack and wield fire in circles, arcs and other shapes.

"When you say 'fire show,' you picture someone doing a very slow pace," Torch says. "Most [fire performers] are weird looking dudes trying to look sexy [while performing]. They have their shirt off and have long hair or have girls in hula hoops.

"A lot of the fire performers do one thing at a slow pace and can drag it out for 5 or 10 minutes."

But that's not what you get with his show, because he's not your average fire performer.

"Mine has lots of energy, working the crowd and getting lots of energy going," he says. "It's more in-your-face ... to get the whole crowd's attention."

Rather than a big, long set, Torch will do various acts, usually at 30 seconds to a minute each. Once something stops being interesting, he stops doing it. He feeds on the excitement of the crowd and exerts so much energy with each performance that he usually feels sick afterward, from all the effort spent and the high demand it puts on his body.

While doing a show, "to pump up energy, I'll be running around like a maniac," he says. But the technique of eating fire takes discipline, including high control of his breathing. Going full throttle to an instant stop means a lot of practice.

Torch got his start in 2009 when he learned how to use basic fire performing equipment from a fire-eating go-go dancer at a Dallas nightclub, where he worked. After a few 10- and 15-minute teaching sessions, he bought his own equipment and performed a couple times a night several days a week.

He started touring in 2012 and enjoys staying on the road. It keeps him close to nature, gives him a way to see the country and introduces him to what he describes as a stellar group of people.

"Above all, I'm a biker," he says on his Facebook page. "I love my biker brothers and sisters and what we represent, which is great causes."

It influences the venues he picks for performance, which include plenty of biker rallies.

"You become family with a lot of [people] at these rallies," he says. "Bikers are a close knit group of people. A lot goes into these rallies [including] a lot of good people."

NAN What's Up on 09/25/2015

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