Midweek through Fresher’s, Trinity Ents brings us yet another memorable night, on Wednesday teaming up with DU Snow Sports and DU DJ to present ‘SNOW & SPIN’ in the Opium Rooms. The night began with pre-drinks held in the Player’s Theatre – attendees played beer pong with Finkbrau and Peroni, sporting glitter-dusted cheekbones and impressively hirsute visages. IN the adjoining theatre, DU DJ played sets of gradually increasing intensity and griminess. At its height, revellers were jumping around the dark room – the theatre achieving a vaguely illegitimate warehouse-rave vibe – already sweat-cured before the night had even begun. However, this portion of the night was unceremoniously shut down by college security amid noise complaints and concerns over capacity. Though the dancers were much begrudged, having to down their beers, gather coats and high-tail to the main event to continue the partying, the shut-down does arguably add a degree of cachet and mystique.
Onward to the main event which was, as with most Ents nights thus far, oversubscribed. People clamoured – at times literally – to get in the doors, with Freshers and college veterans alike accosting passers by outside for “spare tickets” while shivering in the cold. The event was mostly sold out days before hand, and any available tickets on the door were snapped up in minutes.
The main act played upstairs, alternating between throbbing mellow house and mixes of familiar artists from The Yeah Yeah Yeahs to Journey, the recognition always being met with gleeful shrieks and attempted drunken singalongs as everyone swayed and blinked to gain their bearings at the unrelenting strobe lights.
However, the smoking area stole the occasion this time around, with DU DJ again manning the decks and impressively incorporating old-school hip-hop while maintaining an infectious pulse which meant the dancing honestly never stopped until people were told they had to leave the venue. While all involved enjoyed themselves, the fact that the smoking area was the most heavily populated section of the Rooms meant that the air hung with an at-times overwhelming perfumes of cigarette and sweat. The walls practically swelled from the mammoth crowd, the place heaving and jostling in one huge mass of people, a flurry of elbows flying, spilled beer and loose tobacco sprinkling the floor. It always teetered on the edge of being overly occupied, but struck a balance, as not one attendee was ostensibly deterred or discouraged, which is a testament to the event in itself.
In conclusion, it seems that this night tops off a three-for-three streak of noteworthy and enjoyable Ents events which are worth going to whether you’re new in the gates or returning for another year of study.