I wish I knew how to quit Booth, and why don’t I?
Booth’s claim to fame is being a sort of first-tier party house that hosts multiple parties each term with accessible, clear themes. Last term, their 2014 Tumblr and 80s theme attracted sweaty masses ranging from Woo house freshman all the way to Seniors in Stokes. The parties are fun when you don’t have someone in your ear telling you “y’know Booth was way crazier in the 80s” before asking you if you’ve read the Esquire article.
Boothback is a cherished cowboy theme, usually hosted in the fall, but pushed to the spring this year instead. Why? The higher-ups at Booth have given no clear answer.
Sadly, even God was against Booth on Friday night when inches of snow came down as the party tried to get going. Some brave souls still lit up in the yard while getting their hair and cowboy hats dusted in snow. It looked like the Miracle on 2nd Street. Except Santa did not deliver any good music nor was he at Booth.
The snow is most likely what dampened turnout to such a depressing level, by almost midnight the common room was still a void of empty space, lined with Booth’s couches for wasted kissing and coats. You know it’s bad when people are more concerned with watching “Brokeback Mountain” on the ceiling than dancing to 212. Eventually the tide turned and a modest group got together in their boots and bandanas.
Booth’s decor was…homemade. Masking tape letters on the walls with country-esque phrases a theater DP would put on backgrounds for a high school production of “Oklahoma!”
“We’re still waiting for Booth to fill up,” a source said to me at the end of the night.
On Saturday night, Welling Townhouse got an even shorter end of the stick. Almost a foot of snow blizzarded onto campus right before the party started. Jodel was undecided on if the party was canceled or not an hour before the start time, leaving the campus cynical about getting over their Booth Juice hangovers to get up there. A Lens investigation found darkened lights and music emanating from Welling Townhouse well into the night saying yes, a party did occur.
Bennington students are picky about the music that plays at parties, even if a party was good, the dining hall debrief always includes a “they played the same music” complaint. Welling Townhouse seems to be the only residence on campus with people who know how to find a beat. An eclectic mix of dance pop remixes spanning cultures and genres boomed out of the small speakers throughout the night while people just off the floor mingled. Music with bass remains scarce outside of Welling Townhouse however, something I hope to raise awareness of.
Students with cars and masochists who braved the snow showed up to a chill house to dance in the sunroom, drink, and experience something different. Bennington parties are all technically house parties, but each time they’re desperate to capture somewhere else—Kilpat wants to be Berghain, Booth apparently wants to be a “Saloon”. Welling Townhouse is just a house—please don’t smoke inside, people live here for chrissake!
If you didn’t like it, maybe it wasn’t for you?
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