Re-Orientation 2007 has been deemed a success, with the largest line-up of events to date. The week had two more headline concerts than usual, as well as the usual comedy night, plus free concerts and day-time activities – some attracting sell-out crowds.
From the drum and bass group Concord Dawn, to the ‘biggest local guitar party of the decade’ featuring So So Modern & Cut Off Your Hands, Re-Orientation was “a great event,” according to Campus Activities Co-Ordinator Dusty McLoughlin.
McLoughlin says “all the crowd [left So So Modern] with massive grins on their assorted faces”, despite the bad weather which had threatened the week’s events.
McLoughlin says the less-than-capacity crowd at The Black Seeds was unexpected, “being that it was their last show here for a while.” Despite this, he says those who went “certainly sweated more than they got rained on.”
Despite putting on more ticket-entry shows, there were still a few free gigs around the city. “The two free shows we put on at [Mount Street Bar] were for small, but appreciative crowds,” says McLoughlin, who mentions there was “an actual dancing crowd for ska bands Rubix Cube and Leadpipe Larry & the Dangermen.”
Overall, the week has been described as a success – with many of the various women’s and VUWSA events “well-attended” also. One particular highlight for McLoughlin was the Speight’s Big Red Bus of Horror, which toured the city on Friday the 13th – an event which McLoughlin would like to see more of in the future.
Following Re-Orientation’s success, McLoughlin says VUWSA is hoping to organise more early-evening free shows at Mount Street Bar throughout this semester.
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