UCD Ball......sucked

squeakyduck

Hey Everyone,

I'm guessing a few of ye here were at the UCD ball the other day. I just wanted to know how ye all got on because I for one ended up having a **** day. I'm planning on writing a snotty letter to ENTS over it too.

€35 for a ticket to see a few bands is a bit of a bargain I think, I was really excited as were my friends who were going. We got there at like half 3 or 4ish and it was a really nice atmosphere, there was a nice COMFORTABLE amount of people in the area and all was good.

5pm struck, closing time for the gates. The place filled up out of nowhere. There was space to walk but there were huge crowds to be expected at the bar, the toilets, the food stalls etc. My friend went to the bar to get a few pints and came back with a massive bump on his head, some fecker had head butted him for not letting him take HI (my friends) pint. Another friend got punched full force into the back of her head, and I got started on by some idiot because I was in front of him and the crowd surged and he couldn't get in front of me (this was for food).

Security were so relaxed, fights were starting all around them and they just didn't give a toss. The place could have been better laid out. The area was too small for 8000 people. Several of the things promised didn't turn up. Supposedly there was supposed to be some kind of mini carnival which wasn't there. And the fact that Jedward "cancelled" the night before because of "airport restrictions" pissed off a good few of my friends who had paid for tickets. Personally I don't remember lying as a part of the ents officers manifesto for being elected.

In the end myself and 3 friends left after all that stuff happened and we ended up having more fun dancing in the football field beside the ball area. The fact that is was my last year in UCD really annoyed me too. :mad:

Did anyone have any similar reactions to the ball? Sorry about the wall of text but Christ almighty it REALLY annoyed me!

Bluefox21

Sorry to hear that! To be honest I had a great day found everyone in the queues to be relaxed and friendly, usual banter but nothing serious. I thought the security handled themselves very well, had just the right amount of leniency and I really enjoyed the music.

Still feeling the effects of it now though

parker kent

Sorry to hear you had a bad day. All of us that went had a great time, the cheesiness of the music playing a large role in that! I agree some organisational aspects that were lacking that could easily have led to a day like yours.

Simple things like making it obvious via posters or something what the setlist was. When The Saturdays came on, it felt like there was a stampede of people over to the main stage. Having made it happily through Metallica and Pantera in the past, I didn't think I'd see The Saturdays outdo them for chaotic crowds :D If people knew what order the acts were in, that would not have happened. Then after The Saturdays finished, lots of people left as they thought it was over, despite there being about an hour and half left.

So I had a great day thanks to friends, hot girls and a bit of luck!

delta_bravo

I thought it was perfectly sized for the crowd. If you felt uncomfortable you could move away from the stages. Near the drinking water area there were loads of people just sitting down and listening to the music.

There were problems initially with the bar area but it was redesigned and it wasnt too bad. The food areas were pretty **** because there were no proper queues, just a mass of people.

I didnt see too much trouble, few people getting kicked out towards the end for throwing cups and a few rows at the bar but apart from that not much. I had a great time and really enjoyed it

Blut2

It was far less packed than the Trinity ball, I thought it was a grand size. Easy enough to find people if you lost them too because it was just one big area. The urinal things were awesome too, way less ques at the portapotties than at the UCD ball last year or at most Trinity balls.

Every person I've talked to had a great time really, the only complaint anyone I know has had was the moshpit to get into the area at 5pm and the lack of a published setlist. Dunno why they couldnt have just given us rough draft of the timetable, surely they had some idea.

delta_bravo

The setlist was viewable on the massive tv screens and appeared fairly regularly on it.

antomorro-sei

Bad form. I'd a great fookin' time at it!

I broke up a fight with some mad culchie who was starting on everyone at the Vengaboys. Funny tbh, he went and shook everyones hands when he realised he was acting the bollocks.

errlloyd

I agree with some of the OPs concerns. There was a lot of fighting like. Moshing and **** is all in good fun, but some of it was fairly vicious. Security could have been tighter.

Bar queue was too long, I didn't even bother drinking cause of it. This is not only an organisational issue, but also a severe loss in profits. I left the ball with 45 euro in my pocket, that I can guarantee would have been blown on booze and food. (I came straight from work without pre-drinking, enough beer to keep me laughing for 10 hours would have probably cost at least 45).

I actually really enjoyed the early bands who just played covers, the two before the saturday's playing their own stuff were just boring. Like I realise artists like playing their own music (seemingly with the exception of Calvin Harris) but they should throw in one or two covers just to get the crowd on their side.

I was right in the middle of the collapse at the start of the saturdays, was fairly sick... It was caused by that metal step going toward the stage with the wires in it... Basically the crowd was moving, but people obviously couldn't see the step, they would trip and it would collapse. I saw a couple of people get fairly badly mashed.

All in all, I would say a good event, let down by some proper dickheads in the crowd and lack of bar space... But meh.

Mikeyt086

I didnt have problems with the bar at all, odd that I have heard a few people complain because in total i went for 4 pints (locked from pre-drinks so just needed to top up) and all 4 times I went over, there was no queue and I strolled up, paid and got my pint.

misslt

I got caught in the crowd at the Saturdays and passed out. Lost my phone, purse, passport, shoes and glasses.

Was taken to the medics who wanted to send me to Vincents, I said no just send me home, so the guards put me in a taxi.

apart from that it was a really great day!

ChocolateSauce

So it sounds like a violence filled drink fest....sure glad I didn't go. But then again, statistically you put that many students into a room with drink, you're going to get a nasty situation.

keepkeyyellow

It needs to be in a bigger venue and it needs more security.

Sierra Oscar

ChocolateSauce wrote: »

So it sounds like a violence filled drink fest....sure glad I didn't go. But then again, statistically you put that many students into a room with drink, you're going to get a nasty situation.

To be honest, didn't notice any violence that would not be present at your typical festival myself.

I had a great time!:)

Offside

Sierra Oscar wrote: »

To be honest, didn't notice any violence that would not be present at your typical festival myself.

I had a great time!:)

Yeah from what I can see was a small minority who had a bad experience, that's some nice selective reading of posts from Chocolate sauce! Looked at that pitch again today... I just still can't understand how it fit so many people... didn't feel cramped at the gig at all just can't figure it out - it seems so small!

RandolphEsq

I don't remember much from the UCD ball but the crowd right in front of the stage was messy and did seem a little petty with being physical. Don't remember actually watching the stage, around the facepaint area it seemed chilled I think

P_1

Did you actually have to be in the gates by 5? Yikes

Kirnsy

Had a great day. There was moshing but if you went just outside that area the crowd was just jumping around a bit but mainly just enjoying the music. Behind that again then people were sitting down and chilling.

If you wanted maniacal dancing there was a place to find it and if you wanted a bit of space to bust a move there was space there too.

Music was brilliant. Big choruses and everyone I saw in a good mood. Really enjoyed picturehouse and Iglu and of course the Saturdays!

Urinals as mentioned before were a fantastic addition and imo security were brilliant. Stepping in if needs be but not going OTT

As for the bar and food. I ate before and got the sneaky drink in so no need for either for me.

Im sorry to hear you had a bad time OP but from my point of view this was a brilliant success and would be happy to pay €35 again.

Gingy

keepkeyyellow wrote: »

It needs to be in a bigger venue and it needs more security.

According to Jonny Cosgrave's manifesto the ball will be in the 'Natural amphitheatre' of the running track area, That would allow for more space.

I was down around UCD yesterday and in fairness it was well cleaned up, but the poor pitch is in bits, that'll take months to re-grow.

Blut2

I cant imagine the UCD admin would let it be held on the running track next year, would it not absolutely destroy it? Its probably more expensive to have to replace the track than resow a field (that isnt even used for any big sporting events as far as I know).

360 days til UCD ball 2011...

stop

Blut2 wrote: »

I cant imagine the UCD admin would let it be held on the running track next year, would it not absolutely destroy it? Its probably more expensive to have to replace the track than resow a field (that isnt even used for any big sporting events as far as I know).

360 days til UCD ball 2011...

No need to resow the field, new law school is going there!

Fad

pithater1 wrote: »

Did you actually have to be in the gates by 5? Yikes

Nah, I didnt get in till like 20 past......

Lost my ticket on the way to the ball (somehow) so I had to source a new one >_<

Nichololas

squeakyduck wrote: »

Hey Everyone,

I'm guessing a few of ye here were at the UCD ball the other day. I just wanted to know how ye all got on because I for one ended up having a **** day. I'm planning on writing a snotty letter to ENTS over it too.

..

Security were so relaxed, fights were starting all around them and they just didn't give a toss. The place could have been better laid out. The area was too small for 8000 people. Several of the things promised didn't turn up. Supposedly there was supposed to be some kind of mini carnival which wasn't there. And the fact that Jedward "cancelled" the night before because of "airport restrictions" pissed off a good few of my friends who had paid for tickets. Personally I don't remember lying as a part of the ents officers manifesto for being elected.

I don't see how an act 'cancelling' can be construed as lying by ENTS.

.. And you have friends who in all honesty wanted to see Jedward?

Chucky the tree

Having never booked Jedward and then saying they cancelled is lying.

Tchaikovsky

Gingy wrote: »

According to Jonny Cosgrave's manifesto the ball will be in the 'Natural amphitheatre' of the running track area.

Nah, that's being used for the public executions of anti-Brady dissidents

misslt

Just got a call from my gym who said UCD first response in ucd contacted them looking for me - they found my purse and the gym card was the only thing with a contact number on it.

My bank cards and bus tickets etc are still there, only thing thats gone is the money, which is to be expected! Very happy

muffinman

Best day ever. Had no problems at all

theboat

I enjoyed the day, for the most part. Thought Picture House and Mundy were good, though the rest of the line up didn't do much for me.

I think the main cause of a lot of the problems is the fact that people start drinking so early. I was on stage with the musical society at about 4 and the crowd (well, the couple of hundred that had turned up by then) were in great form, and really nice to play to. The problem is that people are well oiled by this time, so by the time 10 o'clock rolls around, things are pretty messy. I'm all for having the craic, but it's hard to pace yourself over such as long time. You're bound to get aggro and whatever when there's that many people in one place with so much drink on them!
Then again, maybe I'm just getting old...

Reincarbonated

I was annoyed about the tickets! I got there at about half four, went up, and when they scanned my ticket it came up "ticket already in use". And the guy on the gates said he wouldn't let me in, his words were "sorry, someone copied your ticket so you can't get in". And I was just like, "I paid 35 euro for that ticket, and you won't let me in 'cause someone else copied it". But he just pushed me out of the way. Then I saw Gary Redmond, the SU president, who was at the gates too. And he walked away as I came over!
Then the cider and wine kicked in... Tears were shed...
And Chris Wong my class rep rescued me, and brought me to one of his friends on the gate, who just accepted my ticket.

But seriously! Such bad organisation if that's able to happen.
I heard rumour that a lot of the people on the gates stopped scanning tickets because that kept happening.

Totally agree about the long queues for drinks being a deterrent!

Have to say, loved the atmosphere! But the gaps between bands got crazy by the end! A lot of my friends got fed up waiting, and we ended up leaving before Iglu and Harty. I'd definitely go again next year! But I'm having trouble convincing them it's worth it

Sorry for the little rant about tickets...

Offside

Really don't get the bar complaints... Longest I queued was 5 minutes and that was when the place started to pack up at about 5 and everyones first port of call was the bar, after that I just looked for the shortest queue, went into it and had my drink within a minute, was very impressed with it.

team_actimel

Wouldn't have had a good day if it weren't for the pre drinking! Ya need to be very drunk to put up with the rowdy crowd.
Steered well clear of the front of the stage after getting trampled on when the Saturdays came on.
Only real downside was that they only sold beer at the drinks stand. They could have at least sold cider or vodka or something.

antomorro-sei

team_actimel wrote: »

Wouldn't have had a good day if it weren't for the pre drinking! Ya need to be very drunk to put up with the rowdy crowd.
Steered well clear of the front of the stage after getting trampled on when the Saturdays came on.
Only real downside was that they only sold beer at the drinks stand. They could have at least sold cider or vodka or something.

No.

Blut2

I thought the bar was very quick personally, they had so many prepoured pints and such a limited selection of things to buy it really sped things up. The 5e for pints was a bit steep but also at least helped speed things up. The one time I went up (god bless predrinks and brought in naggins) I got served in about 2minutes I'd say

Vodka/other spirits might have been nice to have but a) probably would have slowed down the bar service significantly and b) it mightnt have been the greatest idea ever serving people spirits given the amount of predrinking most people did before they went in and the rowdyness that took place with only beer being served as it was.