The casual visitor to the fair city of Cambridge may have already undertaken the traditional delights of punting upon the river Cam. However, on a Friday or Sunday evening the more intrepid adventurer may have already sneaked their way down into Clare College and partaken of an evening's entertainment in the depths of the crypt.

Often braved by light of day by confused foreign tourists, who inexplicably all seem to have misunderstood the meaning of the words 'Private - No Entry', it is often regarded as a small grimy pit, comparable in state to a particularly poor transport café after a brawl the night before. However, late at night, just after the students have got up, this crypt is transformed by Clare Entertainments into a hot venue with allegedly the finest bands and DJs that the Cambridge student scene has observed.

Fridays

On Fridays, crowds of students come and queue outside in the bitter East Anglian winters wearing strange pieces of clothing in the hope that among the DJs belting out the finest blends of oddly named musical styles they may find their own personal nirvana. While the hip-hop DJs scratch to their hearts content those 'in the know' bob their heads up and down, the deep meaning flowing into their knowing brains. Too preoccupied to notice that they still all appear to have their coats on and the temperature is already in the 90s¹. When the cheesiest pop in the universe is played skimpily clad women dance and wobble in provocative ways, attempting to ensnare an appropriate victim, usually failing.

Sundays

On a Sunday night, all is different - the live band is there to play and the crowded crypt is now overloaded with sitting jazz fans, electrical pieces of PA equipment bursting from every corner. All is quiet except for the random jazz playing in anticipation for the band who have promised to entertain for the evening. Often students play, sometimes the professionals are brought in from London but the standard of performance is usually high and the highly talented musicians in the audience often look on amazed - frequently surprised that what is being played is possible.

Eventually even the most exciting of nights is shut down, students desperately holding off the porters from cutting off the power and leading to an embarrassing finish, the student punters are all thrown out, and the infamous clear up is started, sweat dripping from the walls and puddles of spilled drink provide a sticky floor surface. All is cleaned and packed away into a tiny cupboard leaving the room free for the daily student usage - mostly games on the free pool table.

Other Factual Information

Clare Cellars is a non-profit making student society committed to putting on the highest quality live and DJ entertainment. Entry is only allowed to members of the University of Cambridge and their guests.