Opening Ball in Review
Attending a ball is a freshers’ rite of passage. To make this expectation even trickier to fulfil, ball tickets become competitive; don’t expect to grab a Welly Ball ticket at ease, or a Christmas Ball ticket on your first go.
One ball, however, which normally has enough tickets for the tonnes of freshers it attracts is the Opening Ball, run by the Kate Kennedy Club, which also hosts May Ball at the end of the year. Snagging a spot at the black-tie dinner is more difficult and much more expensive than the after-party, for which tickets are available the day before. These after-party tickets started at £50 but soon reached £57 by the last drop. That price might come as a shock to some freshers, but certainly not to returning students, who are used to extortionate ticketing. These absurd prices are, perhaps, justified by the fact that proceeds are donated to charity, including the cash used for coat check. Their current cause is the Cosmos Community Centre, which supports the St Andrews community and surrounding areas.
As a third year, this was — shockingly — my first Opening Ball. The date just creeps up on me, and it always seems like there will be time for more balls. But the years are running out, and I can confidently say I am glad I attended at least once before leaving this University. Although this event tends to market to freshers, I was impressed that I did not feel like I was in the older age group at Bowhouse. It helped that when we got off the buses there were two lines of people making a walkway and handing out free champagne for the newcomers.
Along with the even spread of ages, there was a physical spread of people at the ball. Bowhouse is a vast space, one that has been used for fashion shows like DONT WALK. I did not get to see what the venue looked like before the after-party, but when the bands took to the stage, there was almost too much room on the dance floor.
Normally, at these types of events, I feel claustrophobic, not to mention regretful to be wearing a dress that inevitably ends up with alcohol spilt all over it. Luckily, that did not happen at the Opening Ball. I was able to navigate through the crowd and all the way to the bar with ease. Unsurprisingly, the drinks were expensive, but again, I did not find myself waiting upwards of 30 minutes for a drink stuck between people as often happens.
I always appreciate live music at these events and thought that having two bands perform at the peak of the night and a DJ come on after was a perfect mix for people who might prefer one over the other. The bands played older classics that were perfect to dance to, like ‘Dreams’ and ‘Linger’ by The Cranberries. One in particular that got the crowd most excited had to be when The Bell Street Collective started those first very recognisable piano notes from ABBA’s ‘Mamma Mia’.
The spacious venue allowed for much wandering and socialising. People sat to rest their feet from their heels or dress shoes on benches outside. There was a convenient burger truck for those who did not get to eat at the dinner (or for people who did), which was so popular that, by the end of the night, orders were suspended.
As people were swarming the burger stall, a line started to form which most people joined in typical sheep fashion. After about five minutes I realised we were waiting for the second bus to come to take us back to South Street. The wait was long and the physical line even longer, but the half-hour journey home went by quickly. The event had been so full-on that I was ready to crash out having only gone to the after-party.
I suggest the Opening Ball experience for everyone at least once, to kick off the ball season in seldom-worn formalwear. But good luck getting a ticket.
Photo: The Kate Kennedy Club
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