Partied in concert venue getting to grips with a dreadful setback (3,1,4)
I believe the answer is:
had a ball
'partied' is the definition.
I don't know anything about this answer so I cannot judge whether it can be defined by this definition.
'concert venue getting to grips with a dreadful setback' is the wordplay.
'concert venue' becomes 'hall' (as in a concert hall).
'getting to grips with' is an insertion indicator.
'dreadful' becomes 'bad' (similar in meaning).
'setback' is a reversal indicator.
'a'+'bad'='abad'
'abad' reversed gives 'daba'.
'hall' placed around 'daba' is 'HAD A BALL'.
'in' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for had a ball that I've seen before include "raised the roof" , "Enjoyed oneself enormously" , "were greatly entertained" .)