ANUSA’s Purple Haze Party was certainly as magical as it was messy (in all the best ways, of course). We all know that O Week is basically a nation-wide celebration of what it means to be young, stupid and have no classes, so an evening of vaguely fuzzy good times was the perfect way to end the week with a bang. Certainly, upon entering, one didn’t find that they accidently fell into a rabbit hole and wound up in Coachella or Falls on Fellows, but it was a relaxed and groovy night that ANUSA should be very proud of.

Now, a large part of any festival’s entertainment (apart from the funky fresh tunes) is of course the undeniable high quality of people watching, and Purple Haze did not disappoint. Taking a break from moshing sessions, there was nothing better than getting a sizzled snag and parking yourself on a nice patch of grass to watch the hordes go about their own party business. The success of an event depends on the atmosphere that its attendees create, and luckily the Purple Haze fans certainly delivered. There was many a hipster out and about, and you could feel the communal enthusiasm, from the casual gatherings on the grass, to the jubilant and inclusive d-floor. It was plain to see that people had come to listen to great music and have a great time, forgetting about the upcoming responsibilities of the year and slip-ups of the past week. Whenever that happens, you know that something really exciting and memorable is going to happen.

When you add a line-up as good as what ANUSA coughed up, that’s when the true magic of festival fever and student life really takes place. Starting with SAFIA, the party started on a high note (literally). The vocals of lead singer Ben Woolner were truly a supernatural experience. Watching him set up, you would never expect that such a guy who would seem so ordinary if you passed him on the street, could produce such an awe-inspiring sound. Woolner’s incredible range could undoubtedly stand up to the past and current great singers, from the Righteous Brothers to Sam Smith, in addition to a jaw-dropping sense of power and raw sass, second perhaps to Aretha Franklin – in short, this guy deserves some R.E.S.P.E.C.T. Yet his unique and modern style never overwhelmed the audience, and basically just set us all up for a really good night.

The mood was definitely kept up with the other great artists; Allday and British India. These two provided excellent vibes, and got the mosh party truly started. They had everyone feeling super fine, and made everyone want to ‘know the DJ.’ Then to finish things off, we had the legendary Art vs Science – in the whirlwind of the sweat and the bubble machine, you could definitely lose yourself in the fabulously weird emotional emissions of the trio. Their quirky energy completely infected all those that witnessed their spectacle of a performance, making you ask the stranger dancing next to you ‘parlez vous francais?’.

All in all, that haze is powerful stuff. The overall night scores a solid 9/10, as it was a thoroughly good night had by all. For those lucky enough to be there, it will be a night for their record books, for perhaps the most bubbles caught in one evening, or the most fun they’ve probably ever had on Fellows. So if you missed it make sure you put pressure on that acquaintance you think is involved with ANUSA so they have something just as awesome planned for next year. Whatever you do, make sure that you get all up and around it.