On seeing QBar packed to the rafters on a Friday evening in mid-November, any Cambridge student could be forgiven for assuming it was a bop night. Yet November 13th will be remembered at Queens’, not for the so-called “iBop” that had been scheduled to take place before its subsequent cancellation, but rather for one of the most enjoyable evenings of live music, theatre and spoken word that college has seen in recent years.
Resurrecting Queens’ old open-mic night, “Candle Club”, QAmnesty (Queens’ College Amnesty International Society) in association with BATS brought together dozens of Queens’ and other Cambridge students in QBar to support refugees fleeing conflict in parts of the Middle East and Africa. With talent coming from inside and outside college, those who came along were treated to twenty acts packed into nearly three hours of entertainment.Highlights included; Zoe Lakota Baldwin (Christ’s), Jonah Hauer-King, Clara Collingwood (both John’s) and Husna Rizvi (King’s), as well
as Queens’ very own Dan Bulman, Joscelin Dent-Pooley, Anya Doherty, Matilda Wickham, Bobby He, Fin Williams, Ellie Coote, Amber Dillon, Lauren Downing and many more besides. The variety of acts was especially impressive, with live music, spoken word, stand-up and theatre that showcased the breadth of artistic talent Cambridge has to offer.
The night was certainly a success, bringing students together on what would have been a bop night and raising Queens’ profile as one of the most friendly and sociable colleges. Just as importantly, we raised upwards of £200 in donations for CalAid, a charitable fund dedicated to helping those living in the Calais refugee camps. Special thanks must go to the QAmnesty Committee (especially President Lilly GC who did the bulk of the organizing), BATS, the tech-team, the staff at QBar and the artists themselves, all of whom contributed to a great evening of entertainment.
If you would like to donate to CalAid, please check out their website: www.calaid.co.uk/
Photo Credit: Quang Ha