TERESA DULAC
STAFF WRITER
The Brotherhood of St. Francis men’s household put on their yearly coffeehouse this Friday, drawing many students to come and enjoy the music, food and fellowship.
The coffeehouse took place in Sts. Kolbe and Clare Hall’s first floor lobby, with couches and chairs set out for visitors. The Brotherhood’s coffeehouse is different from most other coffeehouses because of the small space. Junior Peter Nguyen, a member of the Brotherhood of St. Francis, said, “Although the seating was crowded, the crowd was more attentive to the music than most J.C. (Williams Center) coffeehouses.”
Because of the smaller space, people focused more intently on listening to the music. Catherine King, a sophomore at Franciscan, said, “Its warm atmosphere that makes you feel at home. … It makes me feel like I’m together with my family, in my living room.”
The cozy atmosphere, along with free food and drinks, was a hit among students and visitors. The coffeehouse became packed at the beginning, and yet more people continued to arrive throughout the night.
Many students participated in the coffeehouse. “The music varied from songs about pancakes to love ballads, comedic poems and instrumental jams,” said Nguyen. There was an assortment of acts ranging from singing to piano playing. One instrument that took part in many of the acts was a Cajon, which is a box shaped percussion instrument that is able to set a good beat once played.
Sanziana Tamiian, a junior at Franciscan, and Magdelena Tamiian, a freshman, sang two duets. The sisters brought many laughs from the audience with their “pancake song” and calmed the atmosphere with their second duet called “The Winter Song.”
Another participant, sophomore Kenneth Fox, sang an entertaining song about his household, Ahim Adonai, encouraging listeners to visit his household commitments and Lord’s Day.
One of the highlights of the night came when freshman Robert Recker presented an original poem. The last line of the poem read that he was now an intent of the Brotherhood of St. Francis household, and the entire household tackled him with cries of joy. It made for an exciting moment at the coffeehouse.
The night ended with open mic, of which many participants took advantage. The homey atmosphere of the night left visitors content.