Ballgate: LUSU splash out 23k on headline acts

A source has revealed that the student union have splashed out £23,000 on leading acts for this year’s grad ball.

The total cost for booking four acts (the headliner Sigma and three others) is an eye-watering £23,000.

The source also claimed other acts confirmed for the 21st June are pop monstrosity The Hoosiers, as well as singer-songwriter Rae Morris.

A further three DJs confirmed for the Grad Ball cost another £500, and the riders combined for acts added nearly £800 on top.

LUSU, who pride themselves on the motto: “Always Putting Students First,” have been subject to a hefty backlash from those wanting to attend the event, due ticket prices excluding many who simply aren’t able to stretch their budget.

Headline act Sigma are currently touring the UK and tickets for their recent Manchester gig cost a mere thirteen pounds.

For those without a purple card, tickets for Grad Ball will set you back £59.50 – not including transport to the venue or food.

In retaliation, a cheaper unofficial graduation ball is currently being organised, which in its first 24 hours has received over half a thousand confirmations of attendance on Facebook.

The alternative event is expected to cost half the price, hoping to cater for students who aren’t able to fork out the extortionate price set by LUSU.

Outraged accounting and economics student Alexander Thoupos said: “I’m expecting LUSU to announce Sigma are in fact the supporting act and it’s being headlined by Beyoncé or equivalent.”

In a statement on their website, LUSU announced: “Grad Ball is a totally standalone not-for-profit event and every penny of your ticket price is spent on it.

“We know that there’s an appetite among Lancaster students to have a high-quality Grad Ball with great live entertainment. We could run a cheaper event, but that would mean we couldn’t offer the great acts that we do.”