Spicin’ up the Hub

The Hub is a boring bar. This isn’t to say I greatly dislike the Hub. I have been a student at Mount Royal University for two years, which, coincidentally, is the same amount of time The Hub has been an establishment. I go there enough to have bartenders ask me if I want the usual. I like the staff and they give me a great service.

As a drinking establishment though, it could be a little more exciting.

The three constant themes the bar puts on for entertainment are Student Night, Live Music Tuesdays and Friday Afternoon Jazz. With all due respect to everyone who currently performs and attends these events, there is so much potential that could be used to bring students into the Hub.

First off, get rid of the current student night. The DJ is mediocre, is too loud for the small amount of students who attend, and the night feels like a pale attempt to give MRU students something similar to Thursden at U of C. This night is in need of a dramatic overhaul.

Next, bring back Living Room Mondays. This was an option last year, and I regret not attending more — especially since it isn’t offered now. Mondays suck because you have to come back from your weekend, so if there was a nice spot of comfort on campus, that would go a long way.

Live Music Tuesdays is a fun, cheap way to find new music. This is the Hub’s best current piece of entertainment, and the only change that should be made is the amount of students who attend.

Karaoke Night has been an event that has happened scarcely at The Hub, but every time it happens, the music is fun and the bar has to kick us out to close. It’s clearly a student favourite, and should be offered more.

Along the lines of entertainment that other bars offer, Trivia Night would be a welcome addition the Hub. Students need to argue and prove their smarts at the bar and with smartphones being so popular, Trivia Night is the only option we have left.

Friday Afternoon Jazz is a great event, and I’m glad it happens weekly, even though I don’t attend as much as I should. However, my sole gripe with it is that it ends too early to be considered nightly entertainment. That’s okay, though. I can appreciate that those student musicians have higher hopes on a Friday night than to entertain me as I drink up.

The other nights are not as important, but would be fun to see once in a while. I’ll be drinking in The Hub next year no matter what, but I just hope that maybe next year I’ll have more reasons to come than the people and most importantly, the booze.

Here is a nice, compact wish list of everything that the Hub could potentially be offering to lure in students throughout the week.

Illustration: Michelle Vaniersel