Beyond 601: Why Karaoke Night is the Most Underrated Event in St Andrews
If I asked you which events are essential for any Fresher’s first week in the Bubble, you’d probably suggest something like Sinners or Starfields. Now, I won’t argue that these events aren’t a great introduction to St Andrews nightlife and our beloved 601. However, the flashing lights and thumping music of a club is most certainly not the best atmosphere for making friends. That’s why I suggest Karaoke Night, which is too often overshadowed by the the week’s headline events.
With some of my friends not being particularly drawn to the clubbing scene, we opted for karaoke as a perfect way to spend our first Monday evening back in the Bubble. As we arrived, the Union’s underrated Beacon Bar brimmed with students of all year groups, waiting for the entertainment to commence.
At first the room felt cautious, as only a handful of performers braved the mic while others kept to their corners, nursing pints and drowning the music in polite chatter. For a moment it looked as though the night may stall in this awkward limbo. Having survived my own Freshers’ Week just last year, I couldn’t blame the first years for wanting to keep to their tables rather than make fools of themselves in a busy room on one of their first nights out in uni.
This collective hesitation did not last long, however. After a few rounds of drinks the scattered huddles quickly began to swarm towards the center of the room. The silent hums grew into a chorus, singing raucous (albeit occasionally off-pitch) renditions of karaoke classics such as “Shut Up and Dance”, “Don’t Look Back in Anger”, not to mention plenty of hits by ABBA, Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga and the like. It was not long before people began drifting between neighbouring tables. A first year student took the opportunity to compliment my friend and me on our choice of Hamilton’s “My Shot” for a tipsy, rather breathless duet, to which my friend responded by joining him at the mic for a performance of “Love is an Open Door”. It was refreshing to see how easily we struck up conversations with each other regardless of year group, degrees and the fact that we may have never met without this night.
As midnight approached, the crowd slowly dispersed. Some made their way home to rest their sore throats, while others, armed with liquid courage and some new friends, went downstairs to brave the endless 601 queue together.
With all this said, would I say that karaoke night is the perfect night for everyone to attend? If you’re chasing a night of sheer escapism and alcohol-soaked bravado, or if you can’t stand cheesy pop songs, probably not. But if you’re ever looking for a different way to spend an evening, where you can meet new people, share some stories, or discover that you and your friends actually know an insane amount of 2000s pop songs, give karaoke night a go next week.
Comments