Entertainment Guide for the University of Warwick

TSR Wiki > University > Choosing a University > University Guides > Warwick > Entertainment Guide

A guide to venues, nigths out and union events written by students from the University of Warwick.

The Students' Union

SU Platinum Card / Freshers Pass

A Platinum Card costs £200, and gets you into all Union-run events in The Copper Rooms for no extra cost during the year (this doesn't include events put on by societies or outside promoters - so for example occasional gigs where it says "Such-and-such presents"). From 2011 onwards, it will also get you in to the massive Summer Party in Term 3, which had a £38 ticket price this year.

However, you probably will go out more during the first week or two, in which case the alternative is a FRESHERS PASS - £55, free entry for 2 weeks. I thought that was worth it.

To give you an example, this first week back: MONDAY = £1 entry TUESDAY = Avalanche, £4 WEDNESDAY = £3 entry THURSDAY = £5 (Young Guns live) FRIDAY = £4 (OMG featuring Zane Lowe) SATURDAY = £6 (Pressure featuring Sub Focus) SUNDAY = £5 (comedy hypnotist Tony Lee)

So this week to go to everything = £38 (usually more like £14 in an average week). The Freshers Pass also includes the Freshers Party, which is a £25 ticket.

So x 30 weeks = minimum of £420 usually, but with a Platinum Pass you don't ever have to worry about buying tickets or an event selling out.

So I guess it is worth it looking at the figures, but you don't know how much you are going to get out of it. So I guess it's a gamble. If you don't mind being in the same place a lot, go for it.

Perhaps it may be better to wait until after the 2 fresher weeks to see if you even like the Union before putting down a £200 commitment to it!

Pressure

Drum & Bass and Dubstep event at the union which happens once (sometimes twice) a term.

Awesome night that has been building up its name and popularity over the past few years. They get MASSIVE Drum & Bass and Dubstep DJs in (Pendulum, Andy C, Hype, Roni Size, Chase and Status have all visited in the last few years) and the crowd is always great.

You get a few Cov people but it's always really friendly - I feel totally at ease just going to on my own and dancing around. But yeah my favourite Union event. Its like a little community because you see similar faces - the pressure crew haha. And it's one night at the Union where the focus is beyond more than getting drunk. I think everyone should go to it once and see what it's like. I'd never touched DnB before I got to Uni.

Written by mangomaz.

Top Banana

Every Friday the Union runs its big mainstream club night, Top Banana, where drink prices drop to £1 (for the crucial drinks anyway - beer, mixers, etc).

Entry is £3 and this, together with the drinks prices, means it is a good cheap night out. During busier weeks it's also a 2-room event with RnB/Hip-Hop/Urban DJs upstairs.

Music is a big mix of anything and everything in the main room - if it's contemporary and commercial, they'll play it, so you regularly hear a big mash-up of chart-friendly pop, dance, RnB, hip-hop, indie, rock, drum'n'bass, dubstep and more. All in all, it's a great night for socialising, meeting up with mates and having a bit of a dance!

Pop!

Wednesdays are the cheese night where they play all the old classics like Bon Jovi, ABBA, S Club 7, Whitney Houston etc. It's a big mix of retro tunes from the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s, perfect for having a few drinks and singing along to. They also do giveaways and competitions where you can win things like TVs, computer consoles and spa retreats, and have fancy dress themes some weeks.

Sports teams circle from 7pm to when doors open, but the night is equally popular with people who don't do sport and usually has a good fun atmosphere!

Crash

Rock & alternative night which happens three times a term on Saturday nights in Copper Rooms 2. Plays a wide mix of contemporary and classic rock, metal, alternative, punk & ska tunes, and has a really fun atmosphere which regularly manifests itself in full-room Conga Lines and other madness!

Also has a pre-event social run by Rocksoc and Bandsoc between 8-10pm (included in the ticket price), where you can usually see decent student bands performing, with Rocksoc DJs playing more specialist metal between acts. The event has a Facebook community group where you can request songs, share recommendations or post funny videos here.

Non-Union Venues

Varsity

Varsity is a bar that is basically a slightly more expensive Wetherspoons (but without the Beer & Burger). It is situated next to University House, so 5 minutes walk from Westwood, 15-20 mins walk from central campus.

To be honest, its only value comes on Thursday night, which is student night, where entry is £1 and selected drinks cost £1. This night is really popular, so it gets very busy very fast, so if you want a table inside make sure you get there early. If, like me, you turn up with 20 of your mates at about half 10, don't expect to get a seat or served fast, and you will end up sitting on benches outside in the cold/rain. Don't worry though - this is all part of the Varsity experience, and there are lots of those outdoor heaters dotted around.

It does serve basic pub grub, and it works out as a nice social occasion to go thursday afternoon and grab a burger, then camp in your comfy, warm seats indoors for the rest of the night and enjoy your £1 drinks!

Written by aza484.'

Evolve, Leamington Spa

Evolve is one of Leamington's two major nightclubs, and an extremely popular choice for Thursday nights out amongst all students living on campus or off. Located on Spencer St (from campus get off the bus at the Jug & Jester pub past the Pump Rooms), Evolve has one major dancefloor with a balcony overlooking it, a second smaller dancefloor and a "VIP" area that is selectively open to the public. Each area has bars and sofas nearby. Entry on a Thursday night is generally £4 with an NUS card, vodka Redbulls, Fosters and Smirnoff Ice are £1.50 each. The DJ for the main dancefloor is the same as the one at Wednesday night Score! in the Union, so expect a similar range of music from cheese to dance with one or two spells of RnB. The smaller dancefloor plays mostly indie music and then cheese later on through the night. Queues on a Thursday night peak from around half past 10 till half past 11, and are particularly bad at the ends of terms. Expect a taxi back to campus to cost in the region of £25, plenty are available directly outside the club. In terms of dress code, casual wear is fine, hoodies probably ill-advised but trainers should generally be OK. Getting on the wrong side of bouncers in Evolve is a particularly bad idea, as they have been seen to be particularly aggressive at times.

Tuesday nights at Evolve also provide a decent alternative night to the more popular Smack, with cheap entry (£2) and foam parties about once every three weeks. It's best to avoid Evolve (and indeed clubs in general) on a Saturday night as it tends to be full of 30-40 year old guys out to grope anything with breasts, and prices are expensive for the privilege.

Comments

Based on TSR thread started by aza484.