Freshers Fortnight: Same old same old?

Leicester freshers kicked off again on this Sunday, and for you newcomers it’ll be a fresh, shiny and exciting experience. Returners? You might recognise just a few things from last year.

Basically just a change of skin

All looking a bit similar to you? That’s because it is. Even down to the text at the bottom.

We see a return of all the fundamentally ‘unay’ events including the foam party, full-moon party and school disco, all on the exact same day as last year, as switching anything up was seemingly too much of a riot risk.

Some things always stay the same

No matter though, let’s have a look at what’s changed.

Let’s Disko is the replacement for Red Leicester. As old as we may now feel saying this, these new freshers were born in 1996. T

hey won’t remember the 90’s quite as clearly as the rest of us, and refreshing Wednesday night, the most popular night, to 00’s pop rather than our old favourites was probably a good marketing move.

On Wednesday we’re treated to not just one but two past-it bands in the shape of half of Blue and a third of Sugababes, the lack of complete membership attendance seemingly deterring very few from singing the praises of Rockstar’s booking corps.

But are the sugababes playing your freshers tho? #leicester

— Nathan Stuart (@nathans999) August 29, 2014

Replacing the car-crash that was Westwood on Saturday 4^th is Lethal Bizzle, whose friendship with erstwhile Arsenal knobhead Emmanuel Frimpong and their collective ability to stay eternally “dench” has fans salivating at the prospect of spending an evening with him.

If you’re wondering exactly who Becky Hill is, don’t feel as though you’ve fallen off the cultural bandwagon, because her inclusion in the line-up really is causing a lot of confusion.

We discovered via a friend that she was “on The Voice…She’s the girl that features in Afterglow by Wilkinson?”

So, in summary, the University of Leicester has managed to pull in someone from the X Factor’s weedy little brother, whose CV highlight is a feature on a UK #8 track by a one-hit-wonder. If that doesn’t get you excited for the first Friday night, we don’t know what will!

The Full Moon Party unfortunately hasn’t changed

For the fifth year running, Zane Lowe closes the Fresh Festival.

Whether it’s a case of an undying love for Leicester or an undying love for cash money it’s yet to be confirmed.

The Antipodean DJ plays the penultimate set of his university tour on Sunday 12^th October, and understandably his repeat booking is causing frustration in the Twittersphere.

The closing night is always hugely popular, and Lowe has consistently brought in the crowds, so whilst many would have liked to see something new, you can hardly blame Rockstar for bringing back a mostly popular performer.

But Returners might have to pick and choose to not be hit with wave after wave of the déjà vu that first years won’t experience.