The band Help Wanted preforms at Coffee House.
ANNA SEGOTA/COURTESY
By Anna Segota, Staff Writer
Coffee House, a monthly event where talented performers in the Manhattan College community come together to showcase their skills in an intimate venue, held another successful performance the Thursday night before students left for spring break.
Juniors Matt Regaldo and Jill Tuthill host the event monthly in Thomas Hall. While most Coffee House events have previously occurred in Cafe 1812, towards the end of last semester, all of them were set in Thomas 5.17, a space used by many music groups on campus due to its easy access to instruments and other necessities.
For some attendees, it was their first Coffee House. Some students came to support their friends and roommates, while others came after seeing different postings for Coffee House, both around campus and online.
“I like seeing others’ talents, especially because I only sing with big groups, like during Singers here at MC,” freshman Mary-Kate Palaremo said. “I’m also here to see my roommate perform and support her great talents.”
While Palaremo initially told The Quadrangle that she was just there to show her support and enjoy the music, she found herself singing alongside Coffee House regular Melanie Johnson by the end of the night.
“It was a welcoming environment,” Palermo said. “My friends were really pushing me to go, and I wanted to face my fears because performing in front of people, by myself, is not something I normally do. So, I just decided to do it.”
Some notable performances included William Reed, a member of Pipes and Drums, who gave the audience a sample of the drumming they do with the group. Another was the band Help Wanted, which played an original song in its first live performance. The band is composed of four members: John Devaney, Lucia Kobayashi, Ben Domingo and Alex Parra.
“It’s a super cool forum to step back and listen,” Kobayashi said. “We can hear other musicians at MC, and they can hear us. It’s cool.”
The band is one of many who perform at Coffee House each month. Many of these bands also come together to play other on-campus shows, occasionally in association with WRCM.
While Reglado and Tuthill are the main hosts of Coffee House, other students from MC help set up the equipment and ensure the event runs smoothly – such as junior Landen Scofield.
“I love Coffee House because it gives a lot of people opportunities,” Scofield said. “Opportunities not just to sing and recite poetry, but to have a stage, a small intimate setting, so people can express themselves.”
Many performers are part of on-campus clubs such as Manhattones and Jazz Band, though Coffee House creates a unique opportunity for those who don’t usually play in such a venue.
“Coffee House brings together people who aren’t necessarily members of campus music groups, and they can come out and play music and meet other people who they otherwise wouldn’t have been able to meet before,” junior Mark Dusovic said. “So I think it’s pretty great.”
Coffee House continues to flourish as more and more people come out each month to watch and listen. The hosts of Coffee House plan to continue holding this special event, with a few more dates to be announced before the end of this semester.