Balloon debate: what’s the greatest protest song?
This year, the Battle of Ideas Balloon Debate tackles the greatest ever protest song.
Six participants will argue for their choice, in a light-hearted debate with a serious intent. Audience participation encourages you to agree, disagree, challenge, assess and dismiss those arguments and the songs that you think strike a bum note.
The panel will have a few minutes only to convince you of their choice. Could it be a Platinum Jubilee victory for the Sex Pistols, or will this finally be the year to ‘Give Peace a Chance’? Does the appeal of Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Born in the USA’ to Democrats and Republicans alike mean it’s an agitprop hit or a dud? Are you more Billie Holiday or NWA? This balloon debate will be informative and fun. There will be outrage as apparent frontrunners slide down the charts and less-obvious challengers make a charge for Number One.
The discussion allows just five minutes for each panelist’s defence before you, the audience, takes them to task. You can challenge or reinforce their choice. The audience then votes to chuck three contenders out of the virtual balloon before the remaining candidates make a final plea for your vote. Who knows, we might even ask the winner to lead us all in Battle-style karaoke singalong of the winning song!
Get your tickets to the 2022 Battle of Ideas festival here.
