Grad Ball Act RUMOURS

It’s finally (or not) here: SUSU’s big announcement regarding Grad Ball, taking place on Monday 9th June. As ever, there are rumours running around all over the place as to […]


It’s finally (or not) here: SUSU’s big announcement regarding Grad Ball, taking place on Monday 9th June. As ever, there are rumours running around all over the place as to who will (or, more often than not, won’t) be performing at the main black tie, ‘not-a-club-night-in-a-nightclub’ event at Oceana. 

The event caused outrage for many final years last year as Example, the main act, failed to turn up and hit back at Southampton University students after a load of abuse on Twitter. Last year’s event was described by one attendee:

Example’s tweets were the only thing worth paying £50 for. The uproar the next day made up for me finally divulging into my overdraft for the first time on my last night as a student after spending all my job seekers allowance on vodka and jager.

With controversy behind the decision on the act  every year, here are a few people who either wouldn’t be surprise announcements or that we wish would be the announcements.

Rudimental have previously graced a Southampton University event, S.H.A.D.E back in 2012, when they reached their first number one. Now, they have taken dancefloors by storm and we would be chuffed if we could see them (and then forget the entire night) at Grad Ball come June!

Example

Example RETURNS to make up for last year and to promote his new album…but after the abuse he got last year we highly doubt he will ever come back to Southampton again.

Southampton resident Craig David makes it onto the rumours list every year, but we would love to be serenaded by the 90’s R&B/ Soul legend.

New and exciting albums are coming from Katy B, Ed Sheeran, Azelia Banks, Lily Allen, Kaiser Chiefs, U2 and Professer Green all before June, could it be one of these lucky lot gracing the luxury of Oceana Southampton?

Emeli Sandé will probably pop up somewhere as well… where doesn’t she?

Emeli Sande – thanks to Elvert Barnes

2013 was year of the quite frankly sh*t boy bands, but will one of them make the cut? One Direction wouldn’t be so bad, but we suspect we would be more likely to be listening to One Direction covers by Lawson, Union J or The Vamps.

Labrinth has had an exceptional couple of years with a mix of club bangers and songs that we cry to when we’re lonely, perfect for those ’emotional’ graduates wanting to forget about the worries of unemployment.

Labrinth – thanks to Chloe Chaplin

The Backstreet Boys have recently reformed and announced a tour with the support of All Saints in November – another potential for the headline act. The thought of spending our last night as wild students frolicking around to 90’s classics from our childhood is something no one would want to miss (or go home before because they’re too drunk). Robbie Williams is also on tour in June – another big contender for the Grad Ball headliner.

Robin Thicke‘s ‘Blurred Lines’ was banned from campuses across the country, but live performances were suspiciously never mentioned. We would love a surprise appearance (and twerk) from Miley Cyrus and Pharrell too!

Robin Thicke will please male and female graduates all round if he re-enacts the video too…

After last year’s rage from poor, poverty stricken students about the extortionate price SUSU have brought in the ‘Priority Sign Up, launching on Monday the 27th January for just 3 days. This enables first access to ticket sales, a guaranteed ticket price at £49 and a first glimpse of the special announcements on acts and other features of the night.

Last year there were complaints that the ticket price was too much, particularly as drink prices were also above average at Oceana. We asked students what they thought of SUSU helping us to break down the cost of the ticket over 3 instalments; one third year Engineer, who has apparently never ventured beyond Bevois Valley, told us:

Do they do Jesticles? If they don’t, I’m not going.

One seventh year said:

I’m getting Twitter just for Grad Ball: not to see updates, but just to troll whoever performs ’cause I am sure they will be crap anyway… when are they not?

The Soton Tab will keep you updated with more information on the ball announcements and you can also follow the thread #SUSUGradBall on Twitter.

Who do you most want to see at Grad Ball? Who do you think its most likely to be? Let us know in the comments.