Plebiscite- free pizzazz
Connor Wherrett attended Glitter Gala
While still deciding whether to attend this year’s Glitter Gala I asked a trusted friend what the event actually was. When she described it as “gay formal” my ticket purchase was swiftly completed.
I can comfortably say that the event completely matched that description.
The Glitter Gala is a formal ball hosted by the University of Sydney Union in partnership with SHADES. The evening exists both as a celebration and a collectivisation: a chance for those inside the queer community to celebrate the steps we have taken, as well as coming together to make the next steps easier.
Upon entry, guests were greeted with two of my favourite things: a range of fabulous people from a range of gender and sexual identities, and alcohol.
Just as we all began to wrestle with how much more fabulous everyone’s recycled Mardi Gras outfits were than ours, the doors swung open to reveal a gorgeously decorated sit-down dinner scene. What was lacking in quantity of attendees was made up for by quality, as each table sat down and started revelling in each other’s wonderful company.
Apart from me wishing I had marked myself as a vegetarian to receive the gnocchi, the food was delicious and excellently paired with the atmosphere. This atmosphere was then lifted by the speeches given by some of the University’s sharpest tools in the (queer) shed. Particular mention must be given to Andrea Zephyr, who managed to fiercely advocate despite deleting her speech, and Marcus Wong, whose words shone as bright as xyr dress.
Once the meals were finished, the incredible crowd hit the dance floor and were absolutely not afraid to reveal their best. The group then continued to the SHADES-hosted after-party at The Bank, which provided more potential Snapchat story material.
I’ll save you from the terrible concluding puns of a “gay old time”, but the event really was a triumph in what it set out to achieve. My only possible criticism is the fact that Ariana Grande’s superb hit Into You wasn’t played at all throughout the evening.
A black tie function with no clerkship offer at the end
Adam Ursino attended Glitter Gala… but also Law Ball, which is what this review is about
After an unexpectedly long night at Glitter Gala, I rocked up at Law Ball on Saturday ready to fall asleep. My sleep cycle has worsened, but Law Ball was well worth it.
Four Points by the Sheraton is a stunning venue. Its vibe was aptly compared to the feeling of walking into an expensive store with the knowledge that everything is unaffordable. Darling Harbour’s fireworks provided a picturesque backdrop as the 700+ guests ploughed into meals that sounded much more impressive on the menu (it’s amazing how well a PR team can sell “chicken and potatoes”) but satisfied nevertheless.
The guests were seduced into one of the three spaces Law Ball spanned across by the smooth tones of a jazz band. This, in coalition with the sea of expensively-dressed students and the constant provision of wine set the tone for the night.
As the night progressed, though, the music regressed. The DJ playlist consisted of somewhat lacklustre R&B, punctuated with occasional pop hits that failed to enthuse.
I wondered whether the poor music choices explained why I was approached and asked, in something of a stage whisper – no doubt an attempt to be heard over the pounding music but maintain some subtlety – whether I was sell- ing, or knew anybody who was selling, cocaine or MDMA.
Regardless of the music choices, people seemed to make do. Special mention must go to the group playing limbo using a tie, ushering each other underneath it to the tune of 2010s pop.
There were only a few attempts to embrace the “Film Noir” theme; the most notable was the seldom-used Snapchat geofilter. (I can, of course, conclusively confirm that it was seldom used, because amongst my near encyclopedic list of Snapchat law school friends, the geofilter featured in stories a measly two times).
Ultimately, Law Ball struggled to transition between Nondescript Fancy Event and Raging Dance Party, but the after party helped bridge this gap. Cargo Lounge had a sticky floor to rival Bar Century (RIP) and its playlist was an exponential improvement on Law Ball’s.
Law Ball, for all its missteps, was a solidly enjoyable night. It was both glamorous and groovy, but perhaps the most valuable moments were those that money can’t buy, like the rare opportunity to see law students outside of the library.
