Every Tuesday night at university here is a combined rock and pop night in two different rooms. The rock room, so called “Stoned” is in a larger venue than “Club Soda”, which is in a 100 people capacity tiny side room.
First off all, let me rant about the name change for the rock night. This used to be called “Rock Sox”, for a sort of rock society, but you didn’t have to be a member to go. It used to be in the 100 capacity side room, but was “upgraded” to the larger venue, which is still used today. For this year the university rebranded the night to “Stoned”. The reason they did this, they say, was because “Rock Sox” was unattractive to bands and needed a name change to get more people there. Well I don’t believe they needed more people, and it was failing student wise, as proven by the room change last year. They promised live bands, but so far the night has had 2 or maybe 3 nights max that had a band playing. That’s less than half the nights so far this term.
Secondly, let me complain about the actualy name change. Ask anyone what “Stoned” represents, and they’ll tell you it is related to drugs, more specifically to the smoking of “weed” or marijuana. These people aren’t necessarily “rock” people, just general public. Even Google makes this association…
under the influence of narcotics
\n
The term used to describe the intoxication of cannabis users.
\n
In a state of pleasurable stupor; usually refers to marijuana or hashish use
\n
Now, my university of the other hand, denies this association and pleads ignorance of the drug reference.
The decision was made to name the night “Stoned” as it is based around “Rock” music…
..There is no assumption on the part of the Union that people attending “Stoned” take any type of drugs, purely that they enjoy Rock music…
..I want to reassure you that the idea for naming the night was based purely on the word ‘Stoned’ relating to the word ‘Rock’.
Sarah Cartin, Communications Officer
\n
What a load of horse manure.
Now, on to a rant about tonights night out at “Stoned”… For one, it’s not a good night if you can stand right infront of the speaker and hear yourself sing (which is not a good sound because I can’t sing!). You could even have a reasonable conversation with someone else the music was so quiet. Secondly, the DJs. You request songs by bands that are fairly well known by people into rock music, but aren’t stupidly commercial, and they usually don’t have them! Instead they play obscure rock music that no one apart from themselves, and their friends seem to know, proven by the empty dance floor (and their friends sitting down, quietly singing along). They also play the generic “rock” music that you can hear anywhere. They play this stuff on the student night here every week, and I’ve also heard it in a pop club in Leeds! People come to rock nights to listen to rock music, not to listen to stuff they can hear everywhere.