TUXEDOS, COCKTAIL dresses and plastic bags for balaclavas: while not the usual fashion parade for the Trinity Ball, The Rubber Bandits, who cut a dash of their own, were due go on stage in the early hours last night at the all-night event.
The Limerick duo, who scored a big hit with their controversial single Horse Outside,were a huge draw for the Trinity Ball attendees, according to Trinity students union entertainments officer Darragh Genockey. "We actually put out a questionnaire to see who everyone was looking forward to seeing and the feedback for The Rubber Bandits was just incredible," he said.
This year’s ball encountered none of the drama of the 2010 event, when the Icelandic ash cloud meant that some of the main acts had to be ferried into the country while others acts couldn’t make it.
Mr Genockey said the entertainment team had put an extra push into promoting the 2011 ball as it was expected uptake might be slow; however, the 7,000 tickets sold out after just a day and a half, a new record. So why is the Trinity Ball so popular?
“It’s a rite of passage, really,” Mr Genockey said. “It’s like a mini-festival except everybody’s there in black tie – it’s the most bizarre thing.”
The line-up for this year’s event included the usual good mix of home grown and foreign talent. Apart from the aforementioned comedy duo, other Irish acts included Bell X1, Fight Like Apes and Royseven.
Performers from across the Irish Sea included Jesse J, the English singer/songwriter who has had a stellar rise to fame over the past year, and The Streets, who have announced that this year’s Computers and Blues will be the act’s last album.
Other acts included pop star Katy Bm and a DJ set by Simian Mobile Disco.