‘The Gallery at Night’: Where Elegance Meets Reality

There are many tell-tale signs of a ball in St Andrews: a high — well, higher than average —  number of tuxedo-clad men strutting down Market Street, a sparser than usual wine selection in Tesco, or a gaggle of girls with heels-in-hand on their way to pre-drinks. Those in the know  would recognise any one of these signs as the warm up to this year’s annual David Russell Apartments and Fife Park Ball. 

Whether you love it or hate it, DRA is home to the greatest number of students, causing demand and anticipation for the University’s biggest ‘Hall Ball’ of the year to run high. The planning committee clearly seemed to match this level of demand, selling out the event three days before doors opened. On the spectrum of often extortionate St Andrews nightlife, DRAFP Ball fell on the more reasonable end, with non-resident tickets totalling around £26, and for DRAFP residents, a very reasonable £16. The ball was titled ‘The Gallery at Night’, and the event’s Instagram was curated with oil paintings and sculptures like a museum. The night promised a Renaissance aesthetic that wandered straight out of whatever European art gallery you probably spent your holiday traipsing around. 

With this in mind, I claimed my place in the bus queue at the DRA reception with great expectations. As I watched busload after busload of people disappear without seeming to make a dent in the ever-growing line of increasingly impatient attendees, my excitement began to falter. Whilst the high ticket sales were a promising sign of the eventful night ahead, the thought of going felt like more of a burden when waiting in the seemingly endless queue for the bus into town. I am an avid defender that the walk from DRA into town is not the arduous cross-country expedition many make it out to be — though in heels it may as well be. 

Stirred by the promise of free food supplied by local favourites Janetta’s and Blackhorn, I arrived to the event with eager anticipation. Upon alighting the bus to South Street, ball-goers were met with a lap of the starlit quad before making their way down to Lower College Lawn. The experience of standing outside your 9am lecture dressed to the nines is certainly an unusual one. Taking in illuminated gothic arches as ballgowns float by is a striking reminder that, sometimes, St Andrews is exactly what you expect. It’s hard to be unimpressed. 

After a swift coat check, guests entered into the main gazebo-turned-ballroom. The road to the dancefloor was a veritable hall of fame of the European Masters, each side lined with the most recognisable works of art. Evidently, an attempt was made to achieve the elegance of the evening’s theme. However, the strobing lights and mass of staggering bodies somewhat hindered these lofty ambitions. The effect was less ‘The Gallery at Night’ and more 601 on a Wednesday. Doubts aside, musical act The Vibe Sound took the stage and electrified the dancefloor with a stellar performance of guilty pleasures and dance floor favourites from Fleetwood Mac to Wheatus’ ‘Teenage Dirtbag’. 

Despite a promising start, the night began to lose its stamina with the arrival of DJ and former Love Island contestant Jack Fowler. Regrettably, this hire appeared to be all name and no game. Perhaps the odds were unfairly stacked against the reality star as he performed to a restless crowd, impatient and sobered from their hour-long queue in the cold for a burger. Fowler’s set felt unfortunately safe. His medley of cheesy dance and electronic music would have belonged more in the playlist of a try-hard PE teacher than that of a reputable DJ. The set should have been spared from Fowler’s momentum-killing adlibs and cringe-inducing crowd work, not to mention the football chants that strayed close to taunting sectarian outrage. 

Ultimately, DRAFP Ball is at conflict with itself. It draws appeal by its sheer scale, undeniable energy, and value for money, but needs clearer aspirations. The attempt to appeal to the masses held it back from living up to the lofty standards it set itself with the elegant theme. The welcoming event staff and vibrant atmosphere were excellent; however, a night is only as strong as its conclusion. I would recommend a few touch ups — a better DJ, faster wait times, and greater commitment to the theme — before declaring DRAFP Ball 2025 a true masterpiece.

Photo by Amelia Beattie