Brief

Following the success of the MAG Charity dinner in 2024, Sterling were asked to provide AV for the Charity ball again in 2025. The brief included creating a charity ball dinner with a festival theme to create MAG-Fest.

The event was held at the Concorde Conference Centre, so it was essential to coordinate the layout of the room along with the plane to make sure everyone could view what was happening on the stage.

Our goal was to create a lighting design that delivered a striking visual experience, fully immersing attendees in the spirit of the festival.

Solution

As you walked towards the venue, a red carpet was laid with rope & posts and flambeaux to create an impressive entrance, along with 18 uplighters along the side of the building and a gobo projection welcoming guests to the event. This experience was also enhanced through the use of the outdoor PA system which played music while the guests arrived to kick start the party atmosphere.

To further improve on the previous year, we increased the size of the relay screens from 55” to 86” to add extra impact and help those seated facing away from the stage to feel like they still had an immersive view of the action. We also placed two LED totem structures to each side to add visual interest and eye candy to the stage design and nod back to the festival theme. Behind the stage we had a raised LED screen in between the two LED totem structures, where we could add in additional lighting in the gaps between.

We provided profile lights that light up the tables, as well as Well sticks on each table to add to the ambience throughout the space and increase light level for dinner service, under the plane. On the stage we included blinders in between the LED screens to add to the festival theme, as well as colour changing strobes rigged in between the LED wall sections. Then there were also moving profile spotlights to cast a pattern over the dance floor and moving wash fixtures to cast beams of colour across the hangar and static gobo fixtures with full-colour control. These lights were also enhanced using haze to increase the impact they had on the room.

To suit the high-profile performances, we used a high-quality d&b 20 speaker PA system, suitable for both the rider requirements of the headline act, Scouting for Girls, and various supporting performers, as well as for punchy speeches and engaging live auction, allowing the 500 attendees to clearly hear what was going on no matter where they were within the space. There was also a live camera that recorded and relayed onto the screens around the room, this was utilised both when there were speeches and the auction but also when performances were taking place, this allowed attendees to constantly see what was happening on stage even with restricted sightlines.

In addition to the outdoor gobo projection, a second gobo was also used inside on to the nose of the plane, that had a slide show of the sponsors of the event, this was visible from the moment attendees walked into the room and allowed for a clear and impressive way to promote the sponsors, that utilises the surfaces within the room.

Result

The event resulted in a stunning display as it utilized all the screens around the room. The lighting design throughout the venue enhanced the overall atmosphere, effectively reinforcing the festival theme and contributing to the event’s impressive visual impact. From the moment attendees approached the building, the strategic use of the music, lighting and red carpet immersed them into the event experience.