Balls, balls, balls, balls, balls, balls...
THE BATTLE OF the balls is on. Four balls took place across the city on Saturday night and the High Street was peppered with half-eaten pancakes, stray feather boas, the odd shoe and the odd black-tied individual attempting to hopscotch down the road.
The competition is fierce and nowhere more fierce than in the battle of the bands. Wadham's 'Massive Band to be Announced' advertising campaign involved sticks of rock imprinted with "Odd Ball" being distributed on Magdalen Bridge at 7.00am on Mayday. Supergrass have just been revealed as the headliners of the Saturday 9th Week Ball.
Rumours are rife that S-Club 7 will perform at the joint St John's and St Anne's Ball, but the band's agent denied to the Oxford Student that the pop sensation will strut their stuff at the 1,250 people event. Rob France of the St John's Ball Committee is not giving anything away, as he "wouldn't like to mislead people." The shroud of mystery has caused a roaring trade in ticket sales; only non-dining tickets are left.
Magdalen is a college renowned for attracting crème-de-la crème celebs, which in the past have included The Rolling Stones, The Kinks and Shed Seven at events that have been covered by Tatler and The Times. This year's Commemoration Ball on June 30th is no different. Judge Jules will rub shoulders with The Honeyz, James Taylor Quartet and The Bootleg Beatles. Contortionists, torture chambers, palm trees and a gospel choir are the rather alternative entertainment at Oriel's 'Discover a New World' Ball, which takes place on the same day as the Magdalen Ball. It boasts a "contrast between the England of Sir Walter Raleigh's time and the 21st Century culture of the lands the great explorers discovered."
This weekend heralds St Hilda's Underwater Love Ball, which will be graced by a pre-Glastonbury Elastica, supported by the Llama Farmers. The event is sponsored, along with Lovehearts and The Daily Telegraph, by Hilda-girl Lucy Aitken's internet company oxbridgejobs.com. The ticket price includes a discount on disposable cameras and dry-cleaning at Sketchley's. Perfect to capture or clean those champagne-and-memory-soaked satin dresses.
More at: www.ousu.org
4th May 2000