Hawthorn brings Vegas to Battersea for Waitrose
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Not only providing an opportunity for the company’s suppliers to network with the executive board, commercial directors, category directors, and senior traders, the evening also raised vital funds for the charity GroceryAid.
With 1,500 guests seated across 147 tables, Entertee made the most of Battersea’s large versatile space. Decorated with crystal chandeliers, entrance tunnels made from Hawthorn’s lavish blue velvet drape and thirty-two palm trees wrapped in fairy lights, guests were transported back to the golden age of Vegas. Hawthorn also created ten custom-made uplit columns, specially constructed on site during the day of the event. A proscenium arch theatre style stage made using the company’s red drape completed the luxurious aesthetic, setting the scene for an evening of fabulous food and excellent entertainment.
The key focus of the lighting and video design for the evening was to enhance the Vintage Vegas theme whilst also being able to adapt the look within the room and on the stage. For this, Hawthorn designed a split 10mm LED wall that consisted of seven 1m wide by 5m high strips. In between these strips were two bars of six par cans with very narrow lamps, producing powerful beams to cut through the band.
To frame the LED wall Hawthorn used three Martin Viper Profiles either side with a further 10 used as a floor package. Ten Clay Paky K20 B-EYE provided strong backlight and mid-air effects whilst 14 2 Cell Molefays and seven SGM P-5 also featured within the floor package. Key lighting for the stage came from 10 Martin Viper Wash DX along with two Super Korrigan follow spots. In the main dining space, a tungsten breakup and sixteen Clay Paky Alpha Spot 700 fixtures provided texture and slow animation over the tables.
Featuring performances from the Sanddorm Balance Act, comedian Jack Whitehall, disco legends Chic with Nile Rodgers and Craig David, guests were kept well entertained.
Tasked with incorporating all the acts’ specific riders and ensuring audio for the evening was on top form, Hawthorn installed two hangs of six d&b V-series for the main system, along with a further two hangs of four boxes used for delays. The team also ran three of their new d&b B22 subs each side in a cardioid formation, with the main awards run on a Yamaha CL5 console. Putting revellers well and truly in the party mood, Hawthorn supported the legendary music acts for the evening using a DiGiCo SD5 for Chic’s monitors and an Avid Profile for Craig David.
Michaela Campbell, project manager at Hawthorn, said: “It’s been a pleasure to be involved with the Waitrose Supplier Gala Dinner and work alongside the fabulous team at Entertee. The production values for the evening are very high which allowed us to get really creative. Waitrose are a household name renowned for delivering quality products and we wanted to ensure that we kept this ethos at the heart of our production, creating an exceptional brand experience for all those attending.”
Deborah Shilling, co-founder and creative director of Entertee Events, said: “When it comes to technical production, Hawthorn provide us with the peace of mind we need to handle the global artists that have become synonymous with the Waitrose Gala. This year we invested in stage dressing and were blown away by the split LED backdrop wall which they designed, made up of seven strips equidistance apart. It was a fantastic focal point and it was used very creatively. Hawthorn are our 'go-to' technical production company and we would recommend them in a heartbeat.”
(Jim Evans)
