The Last Uncoffee House

By Travis Lott

November 2021 marked Southern Virginia University’s, in collaboration with the Songwriters Club, first Un-coffee House, located in the Garden Place. These events are similar to coffee house open mic nights, but instead substituting hot chocolate for the coffee.

Un-coffee House became an opportunity for anyone on campus to either sing a song they wrote or to sing a cover of a song that they wanted to perform. Over the last few months, Un-coffee House nights have occurred every other Friday, with the last one occurring on April 9.

Un-coffee House events gave individuals in the Songwriters Club, as well as those who are in the songwriting and composition classes, a chance to perform their songs and receive feedback from friends, as well as the opportunity to share their talents with their peers.

One of the teaching assistants in the music industry (who is also in the Songwriters Club) said this about her experiences with the Un-coffee House,

“It’s been beautiful to see all the different types of artists we have at this school. Each night, we set up sound for the guitar, ukulele, and piano, and we have performers in every genre from alt rock, to bluegrass, to quirky songs about limes. We’ve managed to create a safe space for any level of experience, which provides singers with the opportunity to be comfortably vulnerable.”

As the school year is coming to an end and there won’t be any more Un-coffee House nights this year, hopefully next year you will give them a chance and go watch your friends perform the songs they’ve prepared.