As a senior, I’ve attended my fair share of coffeehouses at Eastern. The talent is really surprising for such a small school, but I now have a new found pride in my school’s musical ability! This past Coffeehouse on Sept. 5 was a different experience for me since I’ve never attended one on the Walton Patio. It felt cozy, with strung Christmas lights and a small stage erected by the picnic tables. The patio was packed, students were sitting at tables that had been brought out from Jammin Java and spread out on blankets in front of the stage. To add to the charm, plenty of students were sitting on the roof of Walton. I went to check out the scene, but decided to stay away from the roof for fear of falling off. Standing on solid ground, I watched a variety of students become performers.
The line-up was wonderful as expected. Shannon Wilcox, a returning MC for the night, entertained everyone in between acts with her quirky comments: “That was DEEP!” She also gave her own spontaneous rendition of “All About That Bass” and “Lipgloss”.
The performances were varied, ranging from a singer-songwriter vibe, to spoken word, to having a whole ensemble. Becca Lehman, accompanied by Vivian Lawrence and Jordan Chavous, brought some soul to the evening, with their jazzy renditions of “Try A Little Tenderness” and “Blue Moon”. I was surprised by the first year students that performed; that must have taken some guts! The evening ended with “Only Hope” by Switchfoot and “Ain’t it Fun” by Paramore covered by a large crew including 2 guitars, a piano, a viola, an upright bass, and a cahun. The performances felt different than they had in the past; I felt as though the community of students were included in the music instead of just being an audience. This Coffeehouse was a great way to start the semester and I look forward to what Eastern’s talent will bring next!
If you are interested in performing in future Coffeehouses or would like more information please contact Megan Serrill, SAB Chair of Performing Arts, at mserrill@eastern.edu.