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DSU stepping up the Grawood’s game

More than just a pub/club/lounge/bar/restaurant

 

Scene at the Grawood, from Frosh week. Photo by Paul Balite.
Scene at the Grawood, Frosh week. Photo by Paul Balite.

 

Within the kingdom of Halifax, where the campus-per-student statistic is topped only by the notorious pub-per-student ratio, it’s hard to understand why the Grawood Campus Pub is not king. Even cheap drinks and a dangerously convenient location have not been able to consistently tap into Dal’s young and tireless drinking community. Now, with another record-breaking year of enrolment under the university’s belt, the DSU wishes not to waste any more time in harnessing the true potential of the Grawood (pronounced Grey-wood).

The DSU’s new VP (student life) Jamie Arron says that there has been a consensus among the DSU members regarding the pub/club/lounge/bar/restaurant’s lack of identity. Improvements have been made over the years aesthetically and acoustically. Brand new comfy couches are now in place for more intimate shows while there is talk of purchasing brew tenders to accommodate thirstier customers. “It’s built to be a live music venue. Not only that, but it can compete with the best of Halifax if we focus on its original purpose,” says Arron.

It’s not like the Grawood can’t throw a party. Among students, St. Patrick’s Day remains the Haligonian Christmas. But Arron was motivated to run for the DSU executive because of more than the guaranteed slam-dunk events. “We’ve got the first class bash and the last class bash, but how about some bashes for the classes in between?” With the help of other creative student sources, such as the New HFX, Arron’s team has already made it happen. A five dollar ticket to the Grawood’s first ever dub-step concert was being scalped in the SUB lobby for fifty bucks last Saturday night.

The space seats 160 and hits capacity at 476. However, it only hits that capacity several times a year. In the past, showing up to a society fundraiser on a Friday night felt like showing up to a stranger’s birthday party. “Friday nights have been a missed opportunity in the past,” says Arron. “It’s tried to be everything for everybody but as a result has been nothing to anyone.”

Fridays have officially been dubbed “Feel Good Fridays” and will feature a steady lineup of east coast bands throughout the year. The Mellotones and Slowcoaster are among the type of affordable acts that we will be able to enjoy week after week. “If you show up, I guarantee you at least one ‘WTF? That was awesome!’ moment,” says Arron.

Meanwhile, Thursdays will remain faithful to trivia, while Saturday’s willl be a good time to celebrate after a Tiger’s football game. Wednesdays are reserved for the third season of Dal’s Got Talent, the odd Jameroke (Karaoke with a live band instead of a CD) and, of course, 30-cent wings. At the very least, you can always make a night out of gently forcing one of your friends onto the stage at Open Mic. If this does not sound like a Grawood you can see yourself attending this year, Arron has one final statement: “I can drink, I can listen, I can learn. If you can do that too, we can make it happen.”

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