The International Relations Department saw 2012 off to a great start at its New Year’s Party on Friday 13 January.

The party, held in the LSE Students’ Union basement bar, hosted two bands.  The Margot Light Brigade featured three IR staff members and two research students, with Chris Emery (guitar), Joe Hoover (drums), Paul Kirby (bass), Meera Sabaratnam (vocals, guitar), and Elke Schwarz (vocals, percussion).  See photos behind the cut!

The Distractions featured Paul Chapman (guitar, blues harp and vocals), Mark Hoffman (staff member – bass), Mark Wallis (guitar and vocals) and Set Wallis (drums).

Both bands were hugely popular with party-goers, who demanded several encores.