Battersea Power Station's first annual event took the festival experience out of the fields and into the urban landscape. Samantha Edwards sampled the upmarket innovation.
What was the event? Battersea Power Station Development Company (BPSDC) hosted its inaugural annual party on Wednesday 30 April at the 42-acre former industrial site. Approximately 2,500 guests, including VIPs and celebrities, attended the invite-only event, which had an upmarket festival feel and featured performances from Tom Odell and Sir Elton John.
What was the guest experience? This was no ordinary festival, for two contrasting reasons. The first was the raw state of Battersea Power Station as it undergoes phase two of its development: the construction of 254 luxury apartments. And second, the lavish setting was a million miles away from what you'd normally expect at a festival, with not a pair of wellies in sight.
On arrival, guests were greeted by performers in elaborate feathered outfits who enticed them into the venue's lawned area, which contained food and drink outlets. Among them was Veuve Clicquot's champagne bar and gin maker Hendrick's Carnival of Knowledge - a 'travelling parlour of enlightenment'.
Edible treats came from You Doughnut - serving miniature versions of their treats with a salted caramel sauce - alongside panko-coated fried chicken tacos from Luardos and hearty pots of Anna Mae's macaroni and cheese with a truffle topping.
Beneath a large white canopy, which provided a chill-out space, feathered performers climbed into a large birdcage covered with fake foliage and hung from a suspended metal hoop in numerous poses. Guests could bid for deluxe goods in a silent auction, raising money for four charities - Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, Storm, Battersea Summer Scheme and Caius House.
From 8.45pm, attendees were invited to walk into Battersea Power Station where a temporary glass structure acted as the setting for the two main acts. Singer-songwriter Tom Odell performed several tracks with his band, including Long Way Down and Another Love. After Odell's performance - plus the reveal of the silent auction's winners and a live auction hosted by British jewellery brand Boodles - Sir Elton John walked on stage to rapturous applause. Performing solo behind a grand piano, he treated guests to tracks from his 2013 album The Diving Board, as well as classic hits such as Rocket Man, Tiny Dancer and Your Song.
To round off the evening's proceedings, guests were ushered back to the outdoor lawn area and handed headphones to witness a four-minute light-and-projection show on the building's facade, created by Drive Productions. The 4D creative chronicled the venue's history - as well as showcasing its future.
BEHIND THE SCENES
Organiser: Wasserman Media
Group Experience: wassermanexperience.com (020) 7079 2540
Venue: Battersea Power Station batterseapowerstation.co.uk (020) 7501
0707
Pick of suppliers: Coloursound Experiment coloursound.co.uk (020) 8965
9119
Dobson Sound Productions dobsonsound.co.uk (020) 8545 0202
Rob Lawrence robertlawrence.co.uk (01793) 852066
Star Events stareventsgroup.com (01234) 772233
ORGANISER VIEW
Paul Southby, Project director, Wasserman Media Group's Experience division
- Describe the theming of the event
It was an interesting journey, creatively speaking.
We worked closely with lighting designer Patrick Woodroffe and BPSDC to create a VIP festival experience. We wanted it to be a real wonderland, but still highlight the industrial feel of the setting.
- How long did it take to set up the event?
We were on site for quite a while before the actual event, and had the challenges of constructing stages around the ongoing phase-two development. The large temporary structure built on the lawn specifically for the event was erected nine days before the party. However, much of the work was done 24 hours before.
- What were the most successful elements?
The highlight has to be Sir Elton John's performance. Again, we worked with him and the team at BPSDC on the production of his show. The projection also provided an extra dimension to the event, and although initially we were not planning to do it as a silent performance with headphones, this actually made it a fantastic finale to the night.