A night out at Goldsmiths

Here's a lil something I wrote for my Uni magazine, for those of you who don't know what Club Sandwich is, think Goldsmiths' weekly equivalent of the most dire freshers event you attended, that promised you 'tunes' and in turn gave you sti's, (although I don't think sandwich is getting that much action).

A night out at Goldsmiths – the demise of Club Sandwich

Arriving at Goldsmiths last September, scrunchie ‘n’ reeboks intact and ready for some arts school’ action, I became quickly disillusioned by what the crazy open day tour-guides had sold to us as the Universities’ no 1 night out. Admittedly, my ideas about Club Sandwich before were somewhat limited; I mean, I didn’t even realise that club sandwiches were really that big of a deal this side of the Atlantic, maybe it was a Goldsmiths thing?

Nevertheless, although losing my club sandwich v is now a somewhat hazy memory after several months on the 2-4-5 wine wave in the big bad city, I do distinctly remember a girl smoking a blunt whilst scoffing ‘she’s cool haha (not)’ at her fellow females to a backdrop of 90s shit-pop (you know who you are). That first awkward student night also paired me with a couple of the people whom I would later embark on my 2 month fresher’s journey with, everywhere but at Club Sandwich, so at least it was good for those life opportunities.

Anyways, after that banger of a night, the sandwich crowd gradually seemed to cool off towards draft essay doom and the only exciting aspect of a Goldsmiths big one became socialising with the local drug lords on the stretch’s tiny smoking area. So, I was altogether ready to throw in the towel and say that grinding to the noughties’ worst anthems with 10 other people on a Weds night was just not my thing despite the cheap booze before 10 (10!?), until Club Sandwich decided to rebrand itself, i.e. it moved to Thursday, and I decided to take another bite. I also spent all my money on a questionable trip to Spain this summer, have you seen Benicassim’s line-up? Sheesh.

For all of you who haven’t yet attended a Club Sandwich THURSDAY, no worries, here’s a bit of a heads up from me and the lads’ experience last week…Strangely enough, despite several cans of Captain Morgan’s n coke to gear up for those sandwich vibes and a vague premonition that a day-change wouldn’t necessarily be revolutionary, the event remains awkward as fuck. When you’re ushered in by 4 v stern bouncers, 3 hours of the almost empty dance floor and aura of extreme soberness from everyone who isn’t on it is almost pitiable.

Over several awkward cigs on that dingy little balcony, I ponder, why is it that even after the expectations of fresher’s have faded away and we’ve all splashed our government cash on chick chicken and a tenner a pop events, most of us continue to avoid the student union like it’s chlamydia even if just for a laugh?

A few reasons spring to mind but I find it appropriate to ask the DJ’s of C.S. themselves – the makers or breakers of any event – just for variety. I would’ve provided some pictures, however, the main guy was really seriously into his art, at this point playing Blink 182 and making hand gestures at me flashing the Kodak. The other is generally a nicer guy, maybe to the point of creepiness, but when I ask him why people don’t go to Club Sandwich (anymore?) he tells me that he went to Brunel which is a real party place and the people here are just too indie for that scene. When he asks me what I would change, I say: where’s the Missy Elliot/Craig David at; he disapproves. Fair game. A few rounds of blundering conversations with people who also have no idea why they are even at Club Sandwich later, and we decide to go get chips instead.

My answer to that pivotal question - perhaps Goldsmiths really is too liberated for a weekly event that keeps chugging along to sounds that most of us didn’t even like when we were 7, however, when I ask my friends about Club Sandwich, after the general opinion that the music, place and crowd are shit, comes the willing hopefulness that more students would go just to lively up their 15 quid budgeted week.

 I’m still of the opinion that the whole thing is an absolute shambles, but I do have faith in the idea that perhaps if DJ Brunel were to be overthrown by an overlooked campaign staged outside of the library, and the hench bouncers entertained, some enjoyment could be gained from Club Sandwich like the guys tagged on the Stretch’s facebook piccy’s seem to get - we too could make more one night only course bff’s.

19/03/2014