Enter into the metropolis Will Tupman

Trinity Hall June Event was definitely a night that won’t be forgotten in a hurry. The Metropolis theme was well executed, the decorations classy, and for the seven hours the party lasted there was always something to do, see, or experience.

The committee had definitely thought out of the box with the theme. Lights everywhere transformed the college into an ethereal and dynamic city. Use of space was maximised and it felt like there was a lot to see while not having to walk very far for anything. Entertainment highlights were disco pods (bouncy castle and disco party all in one!), spinning tea cups, the classic shisha, and an underground arcade that included the much loved Dance Dance Revolution. Thankfully queues for these were generally short all night.

Food was classic may ball fare with noodles, sausages, and rice, as well as waffles and ice cream for dessert all on offer. Shots and cocktail bars seemed to appear around every corner. My particular favourites were the absinthe bar and Baileys coffee, which was much appreciated come 2am.

The music and student acts were a mixed bag. The Bandstand provided a great central space right by the entrance: Joji Hirota and the Taiko Drummers set the perfect tone for the night as people filed into the event. Disco Biscuits were another hit, with their energy infecting the crowd and leading to chants of “one more song” long after they had played one more song. The Footlights gathered a large crowd, who at 3am were ready for a bit of a sit down and laugh, but unfortunately the general consensus was that of disappointment with the renowned comedy group. The Igloo provided a rest area with blocks of “ice” for people to sit on and listen to some more chill music. The Panorama Bar (which, funnily, had neither a view or a bar) had four different DJs playing throughout the night, providing another space to either sit or dance.

Puzzles performed, proving to be one of the highlights of the eveningWill Tupman

The main stage was impressively big, but strangely only had about four hours of action over the seven hour ball. Route 94 was a house lover’s dream, but I found that some dance hits and Taylor Swift were sorely missing from the event, especially later on in the night. This is where the silent disco stepped in. The formal hall had been transformed into a ‘Hall of Mirrors’, cleverly executed using black fabric and hundreds of silver CDs. With two channels to choose from, people were dancing away with more enthusiasm than they were at the main stage!

At £90 for a first release ticket I definitely got my money’s worth. This is much cheaper than most May Balls, but the June Event was not significantly less extravagant or enjoyable than the May Balls I have experienced and heard about. The definite down side was the extremely long queues, which meant that the only food I ate all night was what I grabbed right after getting in with my queue jump ticket, which was therefore definitely worth the extra £10. At one point people were having to queue for over an hour just to get two small donuts!

Overall the June Event surpassed all my expectations. The design was incredible, there was so much to do all night long, and it really did feel like a dream. I only hope that for next year a way can be found to keep queues shorter and moving faster.