What's on? - Page 2

liveross · 16th August 2007, 2:02pm

But one positive thing... headphone disco is awesome, i've been to one before... but you'll need to let the freshers know what it is. Hardly anyone I know, young or old, knows what the hell it is...

katinacooker · 16th August 2007, 2:14pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by liveross

My point being, why don't we just invite GLC to return each year, they've been here, what, 2 years in a row now? Well done on making it 3! I was 18 when they released their album, with the average fresher who is turning up this year being 15 when GLC first came out - its not rocket science to work out that maybe, just maybe, this stuff is going to be boring to them.

We need fresh stuff man. I mean, the venue at the QM is capable of so much more than a band who were dropped by their record label and last played at a leisure centre for the Burberry Workers' Benefit Gig! I love the venue, I love some of the bands we get playing, but, we need to try and pass this success into freshers week!

Hmm. Maybe i'm just naive, but, I think most freshers at the moment will enjoy the musical genius that is Dave Pearce and MOS Cut Up Boys. Unless of course the QM pull of a cracker of gig with someone who is... interesting.

I hate feeling negative about the QM, but I can't help but think the Guardian will yet again read "GUU Tops Fresher's Podium".

P.s. I'm a QM Membership Holder. Not GUU.

hmm i disagree. im not even a fresher and i'd love to see GLC. they seem up for a laugh, and i reckon they'd put on a good show.

i went to see the vengaboys last year, now that was AWESOME! and i was in primary school when they first came about

liveross · 16th August 2007, 2:17pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by catinacooker

hmm i disagree. im not even a fresher and i'd love to see GLC. they seem up for a laugh, and i reckon they'd put on a good show.

i went to see the vengaboys last year, now that was AWESOME! and i was in primary school when they first came about

Obviously everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and I am just giving mine. I want the QM to do well, but, the market at the moment is pretty bad and more and more students are drinking elsewhere due to cheaper prices and more centred entertainment, so, tackle the prices, tackle the entertainment... and hopefully you'll succeed. Its simple for me to say, and I would hate to be in any of the organisers shoes because you'll always come up to criticism.

**djtoast** · 16th August 2007, 2:20pm

The Guardian can, will, and do write what they like; I don't think the QM has ever planned its services or entertainments program around what the Guardian response might be. They seem to have decided to take pot shots at the QM at every opportunity; it looks like that's based on personalities rather than, um, news, but so be it; university students have their own eyes and ears and brains, thankfully.

I still don't get why you say GLC will be boring to freshers because of prior gigs they've done that those freshers weren't at - or indeed because they're not at the bleeding edge of music. If you stick 1200 freshers in a room and play The Beatles' version of Twist and Shout at them, they dance; I know, i've seen it. And that record was made not three years ago but 43. Yeah, there's a time and place for up-front music, but not every aspect has to be.

I suspect that when it's announced the line up for the FreshersFest on Saturday will be more to your taste; but over the course of the week we wanna provide some variety... if GLC don't float your boat, cool, but they're mainstream, and mainstream's gotta be a part of the lineup.

the curiousity · 16th August 2007, 7:33pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by djtoast

I still don't get why you say GLC will be boring to freshers because of prior gigs they've done that those freshers weren't at - or indeed because they're not at the bleeding edge of music. If you stick 1200 freshers in a room and play The Beatles' version of Twist and Shout at them, they dance; I know, i've seen it. And that record was made not three years ago but 43. Yeah, there's a time and place for up-front music, but not every aspect has to be.

I suspect that when it's announced the line up for the FreshersFest on Saturday will be more to your taste; but over the course of the week we wanna provide some variety... if GLC don't float your boat, cool, but they're mainstream, and mainstream's gotta be a part of the lineup.

wait, the QM are doing another freshersfest? is this one at least going to be part and parcel of the freshers pass? because i don't think the QM wants (nevermind needs) a shitstorm based on what happened with last years freshersfest.

Hammer · 16th August 2007, 9:47pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by the curiousity

wait, the QM are doing another freshersfest? is this one at least going to be part and parcel of the freshers pass? because i don't think the QM wants (nevermind needs) a shitstorm based on what happened with last years freshersfest.

What happened with last year's Fresher's Fest?

I quit two or three days after it, so i have no idea about any of the fallout from last year

Dunno how Silent Disco will work out. We discussed it a couple of years ago and we didn't reckon it would float then - but I could see it appealing to the indie crowd. Not my kind of thing though.

Rev Scapegoat · 16th August 2007, 9:48pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by liveross

But one positive thing... headphone disco is awesome, i've been to one before... but you'll need to let the freshers know what it is. Hardly anyone I know, young or old, knows what the hell it is...

Awesome, freaky, aye

When someone bursts into song as you walk past them in an otherwise silent room..

triggerhappy · 16th August 2007, 10:14pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rev Scapegoat

Awesome, freaky, aye

When someone bursts into song as you walk past them in an otherwise silent room..

Ha ha, I cacked myself when that happened while I was taking photos at a silent disco in the Arches a few months ago. In fairness, it was also partly down to the fact that hearing someone singing Oasis at Death Disco was pretty surprising.

the curiousity · 17th August 2007, 11:44am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hammer

What happened with last year's Fresher's Fest?

I quit two or three days after it, so i have no idea about any of the fallout from last year

Dunno how Silent Disco will work out. We discussed it a couple of years ago and we didn't reckon it would float then - but I could see it appealing to the indie crowd. Not my kind of thing though.

Basically, by advertising it as 'freshers fest' it suggested that it was included within the freshers week entertainments, which would be covered under the freshers pass, so the cross campus groups, ie, src etc, went a bit mental when the QM charged everyone for getting in.

Basically, false advertising caused them a fair bit of shit for it.

**djtoast** · 17th August 2007, 11:53am

? Do the SRC consider Saturday to be a part of freshers' week? Is any of the money collected from freshers for FW allocated to the unions for entertainment on Saturday?

The term "fresher" as I understand it applies to anyone who is in first year, for the duration of their first year... (cf freshman...) So "false advertising" doesn't seem like an applicable term. The SRC certainly don't have a monopoly on words in the English language.

I can't see any reason for the SRC to have any interest in what the unions put on with the interntion of entertaining freshers outside of freshers' week...

Or, to look at it another way, I'm pretty sure that The Garage and Campus will have "Freshers blah blah blah" all over their flyers. Using that word isn't subject to permission of the SRC.

Elspeth · 17th August 2007, 11:56am

Quote:

Originally Posted by liveross

So taking a quick look at the Events Guide, i see...

...Monday 17 September; 20:00: QMU: Goldie Lookin' Chaim (is that a spelling error??? or some weird tribute band?!) + Support

...Tuesday 18th September; 20:00: QMU: Rock Vs. Metal Quiz w/ Revolution & XFM DJ Martin Bate

...Thursday 20th September; 21:00: QMU: Headphone Disco, Qudos

Please don't tell me that Goldie Lookin' Chain are coming - the GUU did that 2 years ago....

Hopefully there will be some better entertainment yet to be announced.

I'd go see Goldie Lookin' Chain

0x21 · 17th August 2007, 11:57am

Quote:

Originally Posted by liveross

But one positive thing... headphone disco is awesome, i've been to one before... but you'll need to let the freshers know what it is. Hardly anyone I know, young or old, knows what the hell it is...

It sounds like quite a pish antisocial idea. Mind you it'll probably go down well with indie kids and people on drugs I guess

mysteron · 17th August 2007, 12:43pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by djtoast

I can't see any reason for the SRC to have any interest in what the unions put on with the interntion of entertaining freshers outside of freshers' week...

Except that it wasnt just the SRC who were pissed by this GUSA and GUU were also. But more importantly this isnt about whether or not passing off or false advertising took place but about the the freshers' perception of the event- and this was not positive. Yes those who went thought it was a good line up but if you look at the freshers survey the belief that they had been duped by the freshers fest event was noted by a very high proportion of respondents. In fact statistically it was the most disliked aspect of the week.

Whether its what the BoM intends to do or not, freshers' assume this is paid for by their pass and they react negatively when it turns out its not. I dont know what the solution is, but lets not pretend this is a good scenario or that once again its the fault of the SRC.

**djtoast** · 17th August 2007, 1:34pm

I'm still not seeing a legitimate objection here.

The GUU and GUSA were pissed off that the QM ran an event? They were pissed of that the event was aimed at freshers, and thus had the word "freshers" in the name?
They were pissed off that we charged admission for an event that happened after freshers' week finished? What conceivable business is that of GUSA's?

None of those seems reasonable.

Freshers felt duped? That an event existed, which they weren't required to attend? Which wasn't mentioned when they paid for their pass and happened on a day outwith the week the pass relates to? I think that might be more the fault of the SRC than anyone else, if they don't make clear to freshers what it is they're selling them, when they pimp out the passes.

I'll believe you if you say that some freshers didn't understand that it wasn't part of freshers' week, and thus that their pass didn't cover entrance; I'm sure that any publicity they saw alerting them to the fact it existed had an entry price on it, but nonetheless...

It does look to me like the objections mostly come from an unhealthy bitterness though: that some organisations are inclined to believe that their neighbours must fail for them to succeed. Yeah, the unions are competing for busines, and competition is tough, but bickering of this nature just takes up time that could be spent more positively, I think.

mysteron · 17th August 2007, 2:54pm

The idea that we have some form of westphalian system where the interests of the student bodies are confined only to defined areas is laughable. The interest of GUSA et al was in the freshers' being as happy as possible with the week. The freshers' survey showed that Freshers' Fest (or the way it was handled) had a negative impact upon this clearly then it is of interest to all of the student bodies. Whether you believe it to be purely a non-FW event, whether you believe it to have been made clear on publicity, whether you believe the SRC is at fault matters not a jot, toast, as you are not a fresher and they have said repeatedly that this was confusing to them. They didnt make the distinction and clinging to the mantra that it wasnt intended in this way doesnt change that perception.

Now given that the SRC's PR was clear about what was covered by the pass system, perhaps we can accept that as soon as anything is branded by any student body with the term "Fresher" (or any other selection of words) that there is a clear connection with the official pass programme. This is inescapable- there is even evidence for this (see freshers survey). Now this differs from the garage et al, as they are not part of the programme and thus there is no belief of having paid for its events already. Once again you can blame this on what ever you want but it doesnt change that in practice Freshers dont like it- not the event but how you gain access to it.

Also if this really isnt part of Freshers Week, why use the freshers brand at all? Why not use something else? Clearly then there is a marketing advantage from using the term (just as when G1 uses the Freshers' Friendly brand) so lets not pretend that there is no relationship between Freshers Week and Freshers Fest. Otherwise Gary Brown wouldnt have mentioned it in his "Freshers Address" as on of the weeks events. Or maybe I missed where he said "we have the automatic on monday etc and then on sautrday Freshers Fest...but that isnt actually part of Freshers Week its just an event we hold which just happens to be be branded 'Freshers'".

I dont think that any of these criticisms are bitter in fact they are motivated by a desire to improve the whole of FW, not just for a particular institution. If Freshers say that this event damages the brand of Glasgow's FW then everyone has an interest in this as everyone invests cash and time into creating as strong a brand as possible. How many Freshers were put off using the Unions or the SRC because they felt they had been swizzed and instead use only clubs in town? I dont know, but even one is too many. Incidentally, given the lack of warmth freshers' felt for this branding exercise and payment system last year, surely it would be (if toast is correct about the other bodies thinking they need the qm to fail) in their interest for the QM to hold this event- given how it damages the union's image? Clearly if this was about wanting the QM to fail we wouldnt be arguing against this policy....that would be utterly illogical.

This isnt bickering, this is saying that the people we are marketing to have told us that they didnt like the way sales/marketing was conducted. To ignore that is pig headed and damages us all, they think we're trying to exploit them and that surely is the antithesis of what the student bodies are about?