Opening Ball

[CheeseDaddy]

Well... what did people think of it? Was it worth the money?

[Telinar]

No. We left after 2 hours and ended up, in formal wear, in drouthy's (which was amusing since I got photographed by some americans who loved my kilt ) because A) it was packed, trying to get from one end of the tent was near impossible and B) the music they played was RUBBISH. Opening ball? Was more like an opening rave. I went there expecting a ceidilh or at least some kind of formal dancing but no, they tacked a nightclub on the end of it, defying the atmosphere provided by the piper at the quad entrance and the string quartet playing inside at the start.

On a lighter note, the drinks prices were reasonable, £2.50 for a vodka and coke isn't TOO bad.

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[Malcolm]

I think I made the right choice in avoiding it this year....

Seems like the drinks were cheaper though, I paid £3.70 for a double vodka and coke last year, and also paid in the form of a 25 minute wait in the queue.

I know somebody who went solely for the chocolate fountain, which I later heard wasn't even there.

No way it was worth £27 last year, and doesn't seem to have been worth £28 this year either. Just wait for Hall balls to come round, they're free for residents and usually really really good (even the New Hall one was excellent, which really really surprised me given the state of the rest of the place).

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[Ellkie]

Quoting Malcolm from 14:55, 7th Oct 2006
Seems like the drinks were cheaper though, I paid £3.70 for a double vodka and coke last year, and also paid in the form of a 25 minute wait in the queue.

A double nip and mixer was £4.50 this year. So it was more expensive as last. But the bar wasn't busy as far as I could tell. I wasn't rushed at all in serving anybody drinks. I suppose its cos most folk were daft and didn't actually realise the size of the bar and the top end was really quiet.

I enjoyed the bit of excitement when some guy took his jacket and tie off and started serving people drinks for free, very clever that was. But he got caught in the end. Ha ha. Got his shirt ripped open as he tried to run. Anyone know who he is?

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It's all GEEK

[angel_kohaku]

I enjoyed it.

But I have one unanswered question: it's called the "charity opening ball", yes? So what's the "charity" in question? Is it a "Shooting Fish" version of "charity"?

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I have always depended on the kindness of strangers

[Freaker]

I thought last year wasn't worth the money, and went this time, hoping that going with people I knew it would turn out to be more fun.

Being with the people was great fun, and they are probably the only reason I still enjoyed my night. Really looked forward to the ball and was in a great mood, the fire juggling and the piper were an impressive way to greet people. Then the string quartet - great music, but why the hell not amplified in any way, you couldn't hear them if you were any more than five metres away. The bar seemed to be running smoothly, once you got to it - the tents were packed.

Won't complain about people making you spill your drink as they nudge their way past you completely wasted at half eight. I guess that is just meant to be part of it.

Food tasted good, but why so expensive? And why not something with a little more "class" for a ball organised by the gentleman of the KK than an open air burger bar? And yes, where was the chocolate fountain or any other culinary entertainment of the kind?

Musicwise a full disappointment. A 28 pound Bop is really not what I would expect for an "Opening Ball". Ceilidh perhaps?

Were there any breakfast bags this year? When I left at about midnight, there were none out yet - another way in which the KK saved money to have more left for "charity" at the end of the year?

Talking of which, the KK aims to support local charities. Last year they donated something like 7000 pounds to Fife charities. Certainly a good thing, that is. But one does wonder if with two sell-out balls priced at 27/70 pounds each and other events there wouldn't have been a little more left at the end of it?

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I try to take one day at a time, but sometimes several days attack me at once.

[Malcolm]

Are the KK affiliated with the Union/University, or are they a whole separate unit?

Maybe if they opened their books, uncooked, and people could see where the money went, the ripping and bitching might stop. But they won't, and it won't. The "free" champagne must have been bloody good if it cost you £28.

I did go last year, in case you were wondering. To me, it certainly didn't feel much like a ball, or even a ceilidh (which petered out quickly), it felt more like a night out in the Union/Bop, except in a tent and wearing formal clothing - the behaviour of folks was no different. Maybe they should change the name for next year?



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[Frank]

Quoting Malcolm from 01:20, 8th Oct 2006
Maybe if they opened their books, uncooked, and people could see where the money went, the ripping and bitching might stop. But they won't, and it won't.

Private club, I doubt we'll see the books before the General Audit of the Socialist Republic of Scotland sees them.

I don't personally believe they're a boon to the University as it stands but they're an independent organisation who do a fair amount of chairty work from what I can tell. It's really neither here nor there, and fortunately in this matter my opinion is largely irrelevant!

I haven't been to a ball since first year, but I should be attending the FAF this year, so here's hoping it's a good 'un.

Frank



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"There is only ever one truth. Things are always black or white, there's no such thing as a shade of grey. If you think that something is a shade of grey it simply means that you don't fully understand the situation. The truth is narrow and the path of the pursuit of truth is similarly narrow."

[Nymphomanic]

What other balls are there in first semester though?

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I read most of the night and go south in winter - wasteland

[angel_kohaku]

Christmas Ball, medic ball?

I don't know. Some hall balls? or are they all in Semester 2?

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I have always depended on the kindness of strangers

[Jono]

Last year I recall was complete pish. They can't organise for shit.

The best ball I went to last year was by far the AU ball. Good meal, free wine, Celidah, disco at the end. The prices were atrocious, but what do you expect from the Bay hotel?

Simple tried and tested formats are the best. Frills and Ferris wheels just don't cut the mustard!

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[Otis redding]

Yes the lesser known balls are the best. I went to the water sports ball and met a topper of a bird, danced like a maniac and got a delicious meal. Top that KKK.

[AR]

Well, might be a bit biased but the Christmas ball is best. Its only 20 pounds, there's a dj and great live music, you can sit on santa's lap and get a present and then a free drink and then the bar is always union prices. December 10th this year

As to the opening ball: i agree with what people are saying. They certainly wasted money on the rides, which very few people even saw and were quite pointless. Having only a DJ really did make it just a glorified bop. Not to mention that having KK boys patronizingly handing out roses to all females- as though getting a rose from a man in the kk is our greatest life wish - is clearly a waste of money.
To be fair though, the KK do donate quite a bit of money to charities and the procession is always great.

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"Well la de dah... la de dah"
--annie hall

[pea]

I thought I'd go for the first time this year, seeing as it's my last year, and while I wasn't left disappointed, I certainly didn't leave feeling impressed. I was particularly put off by the amount of puke there was by 9pm...

I found it got really boring towards the end, and a whole bunch of people seemed to leave around 12 or half 12, probably feeling the same. I agree with people who say that it needs a bit more to break it up and actually feel like it's something important and formal.

And the amount of people I saw who were certainly not in black tie was amazing. They all seemed to be people who were involved with the KK or dare I say it, yahs. Is there some rule that if you're a yah the black tie rule doesn't apply to you or something?

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I'm a little pea, I love the sky and the trees...

[hmmmhaveabanana]

Even though I support the KK, I am coming to the realisation that there is a better way of doing the opening ball and the may ball: the general student population could have a bigger say in what they wanted, more people would go because (i)people wouldn't avoid it just because it was a KK ball, (ii) tickets would be cheaper (because it wouldn't be for charity), and (iii) becuase there would be more student input it would more likely have what the students wanted.

If I didn't have so much work to do then I would start organsing a different opening/may ball. Maybe there is an arts student somwhere who feels the same who would like to give it ago.

What would the KK do if this actually got off the ground?

I know last year there was a Bay Ball which was The Opposition, but that was quite a small event...I'm think an opposing ball of at least the magnitude of the May Ball is called for!

[Jono]

Why the was the above post deleted? It made a very good point. If they actually had some kind of consultation rather than pandering to what they think the students in general want, they'd be able to put on a much better event!

That way, you could actually have an event worthy of being called the university of st. andrews opening ball, rather than the canvas-the-freshers-because-they-don't-know-any-better ball!

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[Cain]

Quoting Jono from 08:31, 9th Oct 2006
Why the was the above post deleted?

It was deleted by the user.

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I hold an element of surprise

[pea]

Quoting Jono from 08:31, 9th Oct 2006
Why the was the above post deleted? It made a very good point. If they actually had some kind of consultation rather than pandering to what they think the students in general want, they'd be able to put on a much better event!

That way, you could actually have an event worthy of being called the university of st. andrews opening ball, rather than the canvas-the-freshers-because-they-don't-know-any-better ball!

But it's not the Uni's Opening Ball, it's the KK's. They only use the university grounds.

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I'm a little pea, I love the sky and the trees...

[angel_kohaku]

I enjoyed it. And you can canvas all you want, at the end of the day there will always be SOMEONE who isn't happy...

The rose actually made me happy. Not as happy as watching people in their black-tie outfits puking though. There's something seriously special about that

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I have always depended on the kindness of strangers

[Mr Comedy]

I believe that one can ask the KK to see their books and finances if so desired. Although I would love to go along with the popular opinion that the money generated from KK events is used to fund cultish activities that take place in the Castle on a full moon, they actually generate large amounds of money for charities. I had a look at the books once.

I for one like the Opening Ball, as it's a little more 'bling' than most of the balls in St Andrews. Best ball ever has to be the original Scubadu at the Aquarium though. Blinding night.

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"I am in no way interested in immortality, but only in the taste of tea. " -Lu Tung