4D Projection-Mapped by Drive – distributed by Al Haptoor – The Bentley Continental GT

Kinda takes your breath away doesn’t it? And that’s just the light show

A big thanks to Christian and all the Drive team, who did a great job out in Dubai – and, indeed, to the guys on the ground from Bentley Middle East Africa & India. It was a real pleasure.

We’re getting some fantastic feedback coming in from Bentley and the UAE press. Chris Buxton
, Bentley Regional Manager MEAI says: “The light show was the icing on the cake – it was ‘on brand’ and something Dubai had never seen before – it really made the launch”.

Now. Enough about cars. Back to Britain! Isn’t there something going on this weekend??

More from our man in the desert

Arrived. And what more magnificent a tribute to Dubai’s heritage – and styled to resemble an ancient Arabian citadel – than the Madinat-Jumeirah Hotel. Perfect venue for the car launch of a lifetime, courtesy of Al Habtoor, the United Arab Emirates exclusive distributor for some of the worlds’ most coveted names in automobile industry.

Local Temp: 39°C (102.2°F) Local Time: 12:18:1 AM

Plan: Five shows a day, with five separate audiences. The schedule has already begun, opening with an exclusive ‘Ladies Only’ launch. Each show, aside from the sleek lines of the Bentley Continental GT, already out of wardrobe and ready to roll – quote “is that car actually moving??” – is opened by a traditional belly dancer and features a Kalahi dance troupe. You can see the venue here: yfrog.com/h3cy7bpj Blurred opulence.

Latest discoveries:
According to Fedel Handhal, a researcher in the history and culture of the UAE, the word Dubai may have come from the word ‘Daba’, which means to creep; referring to the slow flow of Dubai Creek inland. The poet and scholar Ahmad Mohammad Obaid traces it to the same word, but to its alternative meaning of ‘locust’. [http://bit.ly/TKH9X thankyou wikipedia].

Must visit: The Orient Guest House, Bastakiya

There is also a petrol shortage in Dubai.

4D Projection-Mapping Bentley Launch Tour hits Dubai

Our thanks to Christian (Sumner, Head of Drive New Business) for what promises to be the start of something wonderful. Monkey-wrenched from family and friends in order to go East for Easter, we asked him to take some pics of the latest Drive mission.

To fly the 4D projection-mapped light show launch tour of the Bentley Continental GT to Dubai.

We so far have access to an image, snapped en route to the United Arab Emirates, of a fellow passenger’s head http://yfrog.com/h3m3iorj; a carpet http://yfrog.com/h29fyjtdj and most recently one of those clever, reflective Athena posters http://yfrog.com/h0uabuuj

Clearly, the car is the main star.

Extraneous to his tasks as Producer*, Christian – unbeknownst to himself at this point – is also charged, not only with creating a filmic narrative of the event, but with discovering something new behind the polished facade of this global city & business hub, its revenue built on real estate, tourism and financial service: Dubai. Often seen as Stop-Over Central, wrestled from the desert, a malled Mall, an oil emirate, an expat paradise. 45 degrees in the shade and counting. We [Hope] to Differ.

So watch this space and follow us on twitter for more: @wedrive

We teamed up for the sixth year running with our long-term partners CRUK to produce the annual musical heritage event and charity fundraiser of the year, ‘Sound & Vision’, at the world famous Abbey Road Studios to help raise money for Cancer Research UK.

This year’s event was hosted by the esteemed BBC DJ ‘Whispering’ Bob Harris, event patron alongside the ‘fifth Beatle’, Sir George Martin, raised a whopping £340,000 – a 28% increase on last year’s £266,000, once more beating the target figure.

Drive oversaw the entire event production including stage and set design, lighting & sound and stage management since the inauguration of Sound and Vision in 2005. Now a solid fixture on the quality fundraising event agenda, this high-profile evening sees an incredible collection of iconic music, photography, art and memorabilia put up for auction, combined with intimate performances by leading musicians to an exclusive celebrity audience.

Sound and Vision 2011 was no exception, with music fans given the opportunity of a lifetime to see the legendary Tom Jones and Brit-nominee pop band The Feeling perform live. The highest bid in for a single item came in the live auction, where a plectrum belonging to the great Jimi Hendrix came in at a staggering £23,000. A David Bowie picture made up of lyrics came in second at £20,000.

This year’s innovative Ebay auction saw over 30 hand-written lyrics by artists including Kasabian, Paul Weller, Paloma Faith, Seasick Steve, Editors, Happy Mondays, Plan B and Pet Shop Boys up for grabs. A private tour of Abbey Road with record producer Giles Martin, whose production and mixing credits include Kula Shaker, Jeff Beck and INXS, was also on the prize list.

The 2011 event saw Bob Harris receive a lifetime achievement award, presented by Bee Gee Robin Gibb.

“Our sincere thanks for all the work Drive put into Sound and Vision, it was an amazing night that surpassed all our expectations – and it wouldn’t have happened without all your hard work & dedication, you’re all stars! It was a brilliant event, and the money we raised was astounding – altogether a truly special night.Thanks again – what say £400,000 next year then?!”

Commendation from The WBBC (Whispering Bob Broadcasting Company)