Dear gair rhydd,
Why are Scouting for Girls playing the Summer Ball?
I’ve tried to justify the choice in my head ever since they were announced as the ‘headline act’ in March but still I fail to. I understand that the Student Union doesn’t have bottomless pits for pockets but I really worry whether the money has been well spent.
I’m not going to lie to myself that the Summer Ball will ever be a match for one of the summer music festivals or even a gig that I could see at the CIA but how much were students’ consulted on the acts that are going to play?
I don’t expect as a student to be asked about every single band that plays in the great hall but the Summer Ball is meant to be the pinnacle of our lives at university and for me Scouting for Girls doesn’t quite cut it. Leeds have people like Dirty Pretty Things, Bloc Party and Mutya Buena. Reading have Ash headlining.
Yes, musical taste is a matter of opinion but from talk on Facebook, the opinion for not having Scouting for Girls headline seems to be pretty rife.
I personally think it would have helped to have a headline act with a bit of experience playing big gigs rather than embarking on the first arena tour soonish. I dread to think how much money has been spent on them this year.
Will graduates remember their Summer Ball for the rest of their lives? Most definitely . Will they remember that Scouting for Girls headlined? Not a chance.
Ned, Third year Economics
