Laurier’s annual Year End Celebration took over campus last Saturday to celebrate the end of another school year. True to WLU (We Line Up) tradition, students braved the enormous lines to get into Wilf’s and the Turret and to get beer in the Quad.
A Turret regular, DJ Ghost got the party started in the Quad and once the beer started to flow, a massive dance party ensued. He warmed up the crowd for DJ Scratch, who boasts an impressive resume, having worked with everyone from Busta Rhymes and 50 Cent to Talib Kweli and the Roots.
At Wilf’s, DJ Disgrace – known for spinning at the Vault on Fridays and retro night at Phil’s – took the stage and got students dancing. Ontario-based band Nights & Weekends also played, showcasing their unique blend of hip-hop, rock and electronica.
The highlight of the night for many students, however, was the show Arkells put on in the Turret. They opened with a new song called “Whistleblower” and won over the audience with songs like “The Ballad of Hugo Chavez”, “Champagne Socialist” and “John Lennon”. For the encore they were joined onstage by openers Sans Sebastian and Sweet Thing for rousing renditions “Oh! The Boss is Coming” and covers of the Beatles’ “Don’t Let Me Down” and Bruce Springsteen’s “Dancing in the Dark”. The band was received by a thunderous crowd, who clapped, jumped and crowdsurfed throughout the entire show.
Max Kerman, the lead vocalist in the Arkells spoke with The Cord about playing to university audiences and said that it was an especially great experience since the band members aren’t “too far removed from the university lifestyle” themselves. Arkells formed at McMaster University a few years back and despite opening for Pearl Jam last summer at a festival in Calgary, still claim that they are still “most comfortable” playing in “dark, hot, sweaty bars”.
The night ended with the skies opening up and dousing the partygoers with rain – something that seems to be becoming a Year End Party tradition. Nevertheless, Laurier students left satisfied with the night’s large array of performances and even larger amounts of beer.
To see Photography Manager Elli Garland’s photos from the Year End Celebration click here.
