Opening Ball: Who’s Who

DJs

Asquire: Known informally as Ashton Squires, Asquire is a fixture of St Andrean night life. He can frequently be found playing at the Vic, where his sets range from throwbacks to tropical house music. Last year’s Welly Ball and Christmas Ball also owe him their gratitude for some excellent mixes.

J J: No review of FS 2015 failed to mention the music (particularly notable for that indelible opening guitar riff), courtesy of Joe Jones. Also the first act of this year’s Starfields, Jones has proven himself to be exceptionally talented at handling large crowds. A Lower College Lawn veteran, he ought to manage Opening Ball with ease.

DJ FLO: Having played contemporaneously with Asquire in the past, Folarin Coker can hold his own tonight in addition to complementing the other two DJs. FLO’s music will be familiar to anyone who frequents Ma Bells, and his face will be familiar to anyone who attended the Don’t Walk Charity Fashion Show last year.

With two Don’t Walk models and the talent behind the FS mix at the helm, Opening Ball certainly won’t disappoint fans of house music.

The Main Act

Normanton Street: Based in Brighton, this jazz band colligates hip hop, R&B, and the spoken word to create a contemporary yet vintage sound. With their debut album dropping this autumn, Normanton Street is an impressive booking on the part of the KK: Press & Publicity Coordinator Tommy Vermeir spotted them in Brussels this past summer as they played at L’Archiduc, one of the most historic jazz bars in the world. Sensing that they would perfectly accompany the atmosphere of Opening Ball, he booked them on the spot.

last year’s opening ball; image courtesy of alex massek

In Summary

Thanks to the efforts of Ball Convenor Fernando Maluf and his team, Opening Ball could be called a success based solely on its impressive lineup. For all the committees in St Andrews, the Kate Kennedy Club has certainly proven itself to be a step above the rest as they consistently exceed expectations every year, increasing the scope of their already ambitious events. After this Saturday night, we can all consider the bar for this year’s social season set – and set quite high, at that.