UKA i Ås in the 1970s

Royal visit and inauguration of Aud.Max.

When UKA i Ås entered the decade of disco, hippies, environmental awareness, and psychedelia, it did so with great renewal. UKA i Ås 1970 would, for the first time, take place on the new stage and in the rest of the newly completed Auditorium Maximum, to the delight of the growing number of students and so that the festival's events could be gathered in a larger Society building. This brought greater sound and lighting possibilities, as well as challenges for the UKE revue actors to fill the large stage, with the revue 'EXÅS' receiving much attention as the only major student revue in Eastern Norway. The revue focused on a constantly changing society, with reflections on the war 25 years ago, current events, and the opening of the new Mossevei and environmental conservation. The older parts of the Society building were also actively used during UKA i Ås, and in the spirit of the 1970s, the old gym was transformed into a discotheque.

In 1972, UKA i Ås took a new step towards a more equal society by appointing the first female member to the UKEboard. At the same time, there was a major reorganization of the administration of UKA i Ås, with the establishment of committees to distribute focus and decision-making. A UKEfilm was made this year, described as a 45-second short film that humorously predicted high pressure over Ås throughout October. This UKEyear was also marked by political and environmental engagement, with a 'No' to the EEC, similar to NLH as an institution. The 1972 UKErevue 'Vill Vext' was also influenced by these themes, featuring segments on topics such as foreign aid, the consumer society, and population growth.A milestone was approaching as UKA i Ås was set to be held for the 50th time in 1974, accompanied by renovations of parts of the Society building and a grand celebration in the newly renovated bodega. There was also a lot of buzz around UKA in 1974 when a procession of Ås students marched from Østbanehallen to Universitetsplassen with a goat, led by police on horses with oat bags marked with 'UKA i Ås.' Many jazz evenings were organized, in line with the emerging Norwegian jazz scene of the 1970s, featuring artists like Jan Garbarek and Jan Erik Vold. The UKErevue of that year, 'Kutt-i-kula,' also addressed relevant topics such as the booming 'oil adventure' and land conservation. It was also during this UKA i Ås that the song 'Ein skigard kan ikkje vara evig ...' by Stanley Jacobsen was created.

The 'hype' around UKA i Ås with imaginative parades in the capital’s pedestrian streets didn't end in 1976. On the contrary, the parade stepped up with carrots, UKAcolor orange, and offered carrots to everyone on the train to Oslo and along Karl Johans Gate. They even attempted to bribe their way into the Government Building with the orange root vegetable. The revue 'JETT-ATT-A,' UKA i Ås 1976, was marked by a great deal of political engagement among the student body. Unequal conditions in the UKEadministration’s earnings and recognition of work efforts were a topic of discussion. This engagement continued into the next UKEfestival.

The first royal visit took place during UKA i Ås 1978, after an open letter was sent to several major newspapers. King Olav V attended the Ur-premiere of the UKErevue 'KA-SKA-DE' and was served whiskey specially procured from the Systembolaget. The political engagement was taken into account during the creation of the 1978 UKErevue, and it was deliberately designed not to take sides, as the UKEspirit was meant to remain inclusive. Therefore, the main theme of the UKErevue was the transformation of society into one that was dependent on plastic and superficiality, and 'KA-SKA-DE' received several positive reviews.