Review: Kasernebaren’s Shrek Rave featured magic dust shots, swamp water, and an All Star vibe

Disclaimer: This text was translated using machine translation / AI and post-edited by Maria Nielsen Pedersen

To the sounds of Smash Mouth's 'All Star' hit, swamp water and magic dust shots were served over the counter at Kasernebaren – in collaboration with ÆKKO – inviting everyone to a Shrek Rave with high spirits and low prices.

Before stepping inside Kasernebaren, home to all the aesthetic subjects at AU, you can sense the green glow through the windows, setting the mood for the evening’s ‘Shrek Rave’ theme.

It's already a huge plus that you avoid the harsh lighting from bright lamps that kill the party mood in many of the other Friday bars at the university.

We arrive at 6:00 PM, just in time for the Shrek quiz to start.

“You can still join,” exclaims one of the two hosts, handing us a meticulously prepared quiz with 16 Shrek-related questions.

We barely have time to realise we need something to write with before we're asked if we would like a pencil. Yes please, we'd love one. On the table in front of us and around the room, there's a long array of Shrek memes from the extensive Shrek meme literature, spiced up with the unique touch of the aesthetic subjects in the text.

However, it's clear that the evening's theme is challenging when it comes to decorations and costumes. One attendee, however, is sporting a very convincing Lord Farquaad wig, and a few others have pulled out their best green outfits.

The quiz progresses smoothly. Spirits are high among the approximately 30 attendees, and the questions are actively discussed at the tables – such as where the annual Shrek party was held for ten consecutive years.

Meanwhile, more people are joining the Friday bar, which is understandable. Kasernebaren is an ideal Friday bar if you're looking for a natural progression for your party without having to change locations.

Tonight's theme drink: Swamp water for the self

In the meantime, we’ve acquired a so-called swamp water, a green concoction that resembles a champagnebrus gone wrong. It tastes like a mix of iced tea, or at least peach liqueur, the cheap green juice from REMA 1000, and a dash of vodka, probably one of the Cuba brands. The price is a modest 15 DKK. You could also have bought a magic dust shot, which we certainly could have used, as it would take some magic for us to have a chance of winning the quiz.

At the end of the quiz, we swapped with the neighbouring table, which managed to get 14 out of 16 correct. However, that wasn't even enough for a top 3 placement. The teams 'Shrek Babes', 'The Three Blind Mice', and 'Hold My Beer' ended up in a tie and were called for a decisive lightning round consisting of four questions without multiple choice, with each group sending a representative to answer. But we'll get back to who won the quiz.

What does the bar say?

Pouline Raasted helped organise tonight’s bar. The idea to host the Shrek Rave came from her two friends.

“Shrek Rave is perfect for a DJ,” says Pouline Raasted, adding that later in the evening, at around 10 PM, Kasernebaren will be visited by DJ Dogmother. Before that, there’s karaoke with the student association ÆKKO (Aesthetic, Cultural, Creative, Experiences, ed.), which also serves coffee Baileys.

However, fewer people showed up to sing 'I'm a Believer' and drink warm swamp coffee with beastly Baileys than usual. The last time Pouline Raasted was at a Friday bar at Kasernen – and wasn’t behind the bar – she could barely find a spot at 8:30 PM. Jakob Vakalis, who helped produce the many Shrek memes, and several of the attendees agree with this tale.

“You should see it as two facets of the evening, where the atmosphere typically shifts around 8-9 PM.” At that time, the bar becomes packed with a dance floor in one end of the room, replacing the more conversation-friendly start to the evening.

What do the guests say?

Back to the quiz and the final round, the first question is: What is the name of Lord Farquaad's executioner? It's a tough start to the final, and none of the teams can manage to utter 'Thelonious'. The next questions proved to be more manageable for one team in particular.

“How many years has it been since 'Shrek is love, Shrek is life' was released?” For the uninitiated, it's worth mentioning that the macabre, fan-made short film is borderline NSFW. But the answer doesn't cause Shrek Babes much trouble. It has indeed been ten years.

From then on, Shrek Babes dominated the show and won the Shrek trivia in grand style to the tune of ‘All Star’.

Shrek Babes consist of three aesthetics and culture students Gudrun, Rebekka, and Caroline, the latter being the group's Shrek expert. They all agree that there’s always a great atmosphere at Kasernebaren when they visit.

Their explanation for the lower turnout than usual is, paradoxically, that the theme might have been too niche to attract a broader crowd. Additionally, with exams approaching rapidly, some students are prioritising studying over hanging out at the Friday bar.

How we work

We send out two reviewers who start by hanging out in the bar for a while without making themselves known in order to get an impression of the atmosphere in the bar and facilities.

As a Friday bar typically evolves from afternoon to evening, we make ourselves known and talk to guests and volunteers to get an impression of how the bar usually changes and what sort of mood the bar is hoping to achieve.

We don’t grade on a scale. The Friday bars at AU are very different, so it can be difficult to compare and judge using the same criteria. Instead, we summarise our review in plus and minus sections.