Alpe d'Huez Apres Ski Report: 31st March 2009
We really are at the business end of the season now…with tomorrow being APRIL!!! How scary is that! Soon enough us seasonnaires will all be returning to the economic crisis, credit crunch and a summer of rain in the UK… So it's time to make the most of the blue skies and late nights until the end of the season.
As I write this, Alpe D'Huez is heaving with students! Around 2000 of them actually, as BUSC (British Universities Snowsports Council) are in resort and partying hard. More will be said about the happenings of hundreds of students in next week's report – but for now we'll concentrate on the week just gone.
Last week too, we had students. And lots of them! Around 600 to be precise and they gave Alpe D'Huez a good taster for what BUSC will be like, with a hell of a lot of partying. Monday's bar crawl was completely taken over by students, and Smithy's with DJ SAM was absolutely rammed with people dressed up in bin bags. In what can be the hottest and sweatiest bar in resort, the choice of bin bags as their attire had much to be desired. But as we all know, students just don't care!
Straight on to Tuesday and it was Sphere bar's turn to be packed to the rafters, with eagerly anticipated punters queuing up to watch Still Nameless fill the bar with some hardcore rock ‘n roll – led of course by Bono himself - Jez! John, Jez & Morse have built up quite a following since they first started gigging and it's a compliment to them that the majority of bars are now waiting patiently in line to book them in.
Wednesday down at the Underground saw Torchey Harbour return after a long absence, while Sphere returned to après ski acoustic music with Steve B playing from 4pm (every Wednesday for those interested. Also on WednesdayO'Sharkey's was packed due to the live sport and the rest of resort piled into Smithy's for DJ Northey (fresh from his gig in Smithy's Deux Alps…
Bluefunkt played yet another superb gig in Smithy's on Thursday – they really have been a plus for Alpe D'Huez this season after a break last winter…and the Etalon had to deal with 150 very polite and sober students rinsing them clean of flavoured rum all night (a slight irony intended there). The same night saw Gaz and Hands doing their best Elvis impressions in front of a lively crowd at the Underground - there really is no better place in resort for a royally good smash up than the Underground!
Friday was the calm before the Saturday storm… A relatively quiet night full of seasonnaires getting their last taste of the Alpe D'Huez nightlife before all of their drinking holes are taken over by rowdy under-graduates next week. A quiet night was made busy for the last hour as DJ Northey made everyone smile with a few choice tunes – notably the controversial decision to include Will Smith and Take That in his set – but it seemed to go down OK!
Dr.Bruce is playing in Smithy's ce soir and if you are trying to get in any bars this week…good luck! Make the most of every day if you're a seasonnaire as there's not long left and if you're on holiday…do exactly the same! I'll return later in the week with news from BUSC…
Love, peace and hair grease,
DR10 xxx
