Jesus May Ball

Jesus May Ball

Revelry: World of Festivals

Monday 18^th June 2012, £122

Everywhere you turn, festivals and parties will appear out of the dark. This is how the Jesus committee described their ambitious theme in the programme. The spacious setting  certainly helped convert the college into a fantasy world for the night; there was so much on offer that it was near impossible to see, do and eat/drink everything. However, the ball itself didn’t quite manage to hit the heights on all fronts.

The food and drink was pretty spot on though. The Chinese New Year themed fellows’ garden provided some decent enough noodles, though the milkshakes and chocolate fountains didn’t quite seem in line with this Oriental mood. That didn’t stop me stuffing my face though; the fruit salad milkshake was a particular highlight.

The hockey pitch, temporarily converted into a Mayday party, was my favourite area of the ball. I became rather well acquainted with the staff at the doughnut and candy floss stalls by the end of the night. And what better way to compliment these sweet treats than with an ice cold Hendrick’s G & T. Especially when you consume all of these items whilst sliding down a massive helter skelter.

Rizzle Kicks’ set was pretty much as expected: energetic, yet ultimately a bit disappointing. They played some interesting covers and have a few catchy tunes, but perhaps weren’t the best choice for a headliner. Sadly I arrived too late to catch Brothers & Bones, but Faith SFX and Kings of Queen, a Queen tribute act, kept me pretty contented for the evening.

I felt pretty bad for Jaymo & Andy George, the DJ headliners; the tent was near empty for most of their set. Due to sound constraints, the tent had to turn into a silent disco after 12, and as everybody knows, silent discos suck. The sound quality was grim, and it all seemed just a little bit tragic. But, it was still a good laugh and some cracking dance moves were on show throughout the night.

Russell Kane was a popular choice, and various student and acoustic acts lit up secluded areas of the college, creating a calm and relaxed atmosphere that beautifully complemented the hedonism of the ball proper.

Maybe there wasn’t much that really stood out at Jesus, but as I played my final round of crazy golf before leaving, I felt it had been a night well spent. The ball was well organised, professional and a great start to my May Week.

Food and Drink:

[rating: 4/5]

Wow Factor:

[rating: 3/5]

Value for money:

[rating: 3/5]

Star Attraction: Varied and diverse food and drink.

Biggest Turn-Off: Average headliners.