Battersea Dogs & Cats Home’s annual Collars & Coats Gala Ball returned for its eighth year, with Hawthorn on hand to deliver full technical production for the star-studded event. Taking place at Battersea Evolution, a unique venue set in the grounds of Battersea Park, the creative technical production expert provided lighting, sound and video for the four-legged occasion.

To create the 'paw-fect' atmosphere, Hawthorn used the event branding as inspiration to deliver a chic and stylish production design. With black and gold making up the key colours for the evening, 60 linear metres of custom black and gold drapes were incorporated into the main dining space, helping to develop the overall style of the event whilst also creating an intimate atmosphere for the 748 guests.

Wanting to create a completely different environment to previous years, Hawthorn used two truss circles with a tracked divide drape through the centre to create two distinct spaces on the large 40ft x 28ft stage. This allowed the presentation side of the event to take place in the front portion of the stage before the big reveal of the band behind.

For lighting, the band side of the stage featured eight bars of six parcans, rigged in a vertical arrangement to provide a classic yet impactful look. On the other side, seventeen Sunstrips were used to create a bright, shimmering effect that radiated into the audience and helped build the tungsten look of the rig. This was further complemented using 24 Martin Mac Viper Profiles, 12 MAC Sharpy Washes and 18 Martin Rush Pars as a floor package around the band.

Heart-warming videos documenting the Home’s success stories were played out across the room on four 16ft by 9ft projection screens using Hawthorn’s Barco S3 4K switcher and eight Christie HD 10k projectors. Audio was provided using a d&b V Series line array with the company’s latest Yamaha CL5 desks providing control.

Despite featuring a guest list packed with some of biggest names from stage, screen and sport, it was Battersea’s four-legged friends that stole the spotlight at the charity’s largest fundraising event of the year. The Home’s legendary Guard of Honour, a red carpet lined with Battersea dogs and their handlers, kicked off proceedings before guests settled down to an incredible dinner by Smart Hospitality.

Guests of the two-legged variety were kept well entertained throughout the evening with an incredible high energy routine from Britain’s Got Talent winners Spelbound as well as a show-stopping performance from iconic R&B legends Sister Sledge.

James Hunter, senior project manager at Hawthorn said: “We’ve been working with Battersea Dogs & Cats Home on their Collars & Coats Ball since 2011 and it’s always a privilege to be involved. It’s a high-end event with a star-studded audience so the production always has to be spot on. We always strive to make each event bigger and better that the previous year and I think, with the unique stage set-up and stylish production design, we really managed to achieve this.”

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