Global superstar, Ed Sheeran joined TV favourite, Dermot O’Leary this June for an exclusive fundraising evening, which took place at The London Irish Centre (LIC), Camden. Saville was proud to design and deliver the event production for ‘An Evening with Dermot O’Leary and Ed Sheeran & Special Guests’, together with creative concepting and dynamic set and staging fit for the musical megastar.

Ed Sheeran took time out of his ÷ tour, which played to more than 1.5 million people globally, to perform at the exclusive event which welcomed just 400 guests, VIPs and celebrities including the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, Courtney Cox and Alan Carr. The evening saw Ed Sheeran perform an acoustic set and sit down for an intimate conversation with X-Factor’s Dermot O’Leary on stage. Up and coming Irish acts also played, with DJ sets by Annie Mac and Sara Cox rounding off the event with a celebratory afterparty.

Saville overcame tough competition to secure the prestigious title of production partner for the event, working closely with the London Irish Centre from day one to create a world class event which would ensure a truly memorable VIP experience for all. From creative concepting and visualisation, right through to security and technical production on show night, the Saville team worked in collaboration to deliver the spectacular show, which raised a staggering £250,000 for the LIC.

The guest experience began at the approach to the venue, which was lined with fans that had come from far and wide to catch just a glimpse of their musical hero. Exterior lighting, green floodlights and green carpet lined the entrance setting the tone, before the VIP guests were transported to a luxury reception where they enjoyed canapes from Michelin-starred chef, Richard Corrigan, washed down with Irish-themed cocktails; all this whilst they enjoyed an intimate acoustic set from Ed himself.

Room styling, together with set and stage design were key to ensuring guests felt part of the action, and helped both Dermot and Ed connect with the audience. The show was seamless as the team expertly managed the transition between Ed Sheeran’s performance and his informal conversation with Dermot O’Leary, as well as a live auction and afterparty DJ sets.

Gary Dunne, Director of Culture at the London Irish Centre, explained: “This was a hugely exciting event for the London Irish Centre, and one of the biggest live shows we’ve ever hosted. The scale of the evening called for a production company that really knows their stuff, and Saville certainly does. The reaction from the guests on the evening was amazing, and we well and truly pulled off a world class production fit for our VIP guests. What a night!”

Rob Morrison, Client Director at Saville, commented: “To be involved in this event was a huge privilege, and we had a fantastic experience working closely with Gary and the team to design and create this once-in-a-lifetime show. Having played to thousands of fans each night at Wembley, this gig was quite a different for Ed Sheeran, so we needed to make sure we created something special. Everything from the set and graphics right through to the lighting and sound on the evening was perfect; but it was the audience’s reaction that we’ll remember for years to come.”

Adam Parry
Author: Adam Parry

Adam is the co-founder and editor of www.eventindustrynews.com Adam, a technology evangelist also organises Event Tech Live, Europe’s only show dedicated to event technology and the Event Technology Awards. Both events take place in November, London.