Safeword Bop: Like Berghain On a Budget
Safeword Bop, the so-called kinkiest night of the year, returned this Friday at Club 601. It acts as the culmination of the university’s annual and aptly named SHAG (Sexual Health Advice and Guidance) week. Nearly as big as Fright Night on Halloween, the event offers clubbing with a sense of community. Self-expression and creativity are paramount, and it is an emphatically judgement-free zone. After entering hell (the Main Library) in a pair of old sweatpants and being greeted with some especially withering looks, Safeword Bop seemed like the ideal night to forget all about studying alongside 10,000 Anna Wintours.
The joy of dressing up is a major sell of the event. In a Dundee costume shop, I came across a first-year student bearing fishnets, bunny ears and pink fuzzy handcuffs. She told me she was going to pass on buying a wig because she “thought it would be too much”. Unfortunately I left my gimp suit and ball-gag at home, so I decided to go for a more sedate all-black number. If Berghain bouncers are notorious for deciding who looks like they belong before they’ve even got through the door, Safeword Bop does the complete opposite. The spectrum of outfits at the Union was fantastic to see – there was tamer going-out fare, but also leather, leashes, harnesses, ties, feather boas and lots of lingerie.
The atmosphere was fun and convivial. People were indeed open and chatted readily around the bar and on the dancefloor. Safeword Bop is a sell-out event, and as I walked through the venue, I was surprised by how it didn’t feel oppressively crowded. This changed the minute I stepped into the club proper. It seemed as though the entire St Andrews population had descended there and morphed into a jumping, screaming, swaying hive. My friends and I stayed on the sidelines of the mosh pit/cesspool and eventually retreated upstairs to the Beacon Bar, where a karaoke session was being held. For the few people that were there, all I have to say is that I’m sorry and I’ll keep away from plugged-in microphones for the foreseeable. If you could ignore my singing, the bar offered a valuable space to decompress and sit before throwing yourself back into the dance floor's crowds.
The comparison of Safeword Bop to Berghain extends, however, to the theme alone. As is consistent with the Union, the music was disappointing. There were a couple of slip-ups in the DJ sets, the transitions were abrupt, and the choices made of what to play were uninspired or unrelated to the event. Perhaps I’m a fourth-year that’s been here too long, but on the stumble over to Shawarma House, speaking to two partiers that had also left confirmed what I had been thinking: they said that the music was confusing and felt like a playlist rather than a set. It’s a vibe-killer — good music is absolutely vital to a good night out.
Was the sexiest part of my night my cheesy chips? Yes. But Safeword Bop is still a must-attend. It’s an excuse to put your deadlines to the side, dress in something you’d normally never have the nerve to wear and spend an evening surrounded by people who are equally committed to just having a good time. Unleash your inner freak! The Union compels you!
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