Top B v. Smack: The stand off

Over the course of the last three years I have been a regular socialite of the Warwick party scene. Enjoying the odd tipple and bobbing along to top ten tunes, cheesy wonders and alternative mumbo jumbo. Ultimately, I’ve regularly found myself seeing the early hours amongst hoards of sweaty students and funky lights both on and off campus. The majority of these great nights have, however, been the likes of Top B or the legendary body grease pit that is Smack. So I ask why is it that are our student run events are never quite as bouncing? The main and unfortunate reason is student run events ‘aren’t as cool’ because they don’t have the same numbers that mainstream nights do.

You would think as students we would want to support each others’ events. Perhaps we should acknowledge the time and the work that goes into putting on an event, all in the name of certain societies. It might even be that you just go along because you heard someone babbling about it on the U1. But despite the colour and the excitement, some how the event runs its course and all the hours wasted in organising such an event remain unappreciated and unacknowledged.

The most controversial of the Student run events is One World Week, as the _Boar_ discovered a matter of weeks ago when it published the mixed reactions to the event. I, myself, have my own qualms with One World Week, but that is more a question of division as opposed to unification. However, there are lots of events within One World Week that with a negative attitude go missed, for example world Class DJs and performances. Nobody can deny that it’s a shame some of these events, especially the evening ones, don’t sell out. After all, as students, we venture to university to explore new things and inevitably the negative attitudes get in the way of this drive. Why miss a chance to party?

Red Sensation, run by the Russian Society, is another example of a potentially great night. If the Russian’s don’t know vodka, who do? But I went in the back end of my first year and there was no one there. As students, we know what students want, right? Lively, busy spaces, full of festive atmosphere and antics, with a good range of music that doesn’t harp back to ‘living on a prayer’ or ‘like a virgin’ every second song.

Is the problem with the Union? Any event in my first year was either in what was then ‘The Cooler’ or the ‘Grad club’ and it was pretty obvious when such events failed to sell out. The Union didn’t promote these events and therefore most of them fell flat on their arses. A union, which is meant to place students as its central focus, year in year out, fails in supporting student run events- arguably making societies and student run organisations less accessible to those that perhaps just want to get involved as a one off.

So if our big, swanky Union isn’t going to offer us what we will look else where. Last year, I attended ‘Crunk’d’ at Kasbah in Coventry, which was run by the dance group Street Vibe. The event was a huge success, due to the fact that they were able to sell their own tickets, show off their talents through numerous performances, all whilst they included the usual Friday night Kasbah crowd. This year, following its success, it’s happening again this Friday (week 8), same place, under a new name and theme: Jinx. It’ll be a society run must do!

Maybe this is the key? Perhaps student run events should evacuate campus and find other venues to occupy, whilst catering for students and non students alike. After all student run events shouldn’t stand in a bright room naked, awaiting the Union to provide it with clothes. Sometimes societies and students need to team up, support each other and take action into their own hands.