Powerful and beautiful voices, moving poetry, and technically difficult instrumental pieces are hallmarks of Hackley coffeehouses, and the first Coffeehouse of the year was no exception.  The fall Coffeehouse this year was composed of twenty-three acts from original pieces, to slam poetry, to current pop songs.

At 7:30pm sharp, the house doors opened to the audience and the crowd is running up the PAC stairs vying for the best seats.

The first act of the night was the Hackley House Band with Doc Smith on piano accompany Mr. McColl in the song “Happy” by Pharrell.

The featuring of a faculty member in the first act was something Mr. Tonken added to the coffeehouse when he took up leadership last year. Mr. Tonken said he wanted to showcase, “other people on campus that [the students] didn’t know were musically talented.”

“I’m fired up,” Mr. McColl said after his sound check while waiting to perform, “I’ve been wanting to do this for years.” Despite the excitement of the night, he claimed he wasn’t suffering from any nerves. “There are no better audiences than the coffeehouse audiences, so I know they will be behind me,” he said confidently.

The audience is the main reason that most of the performers love the Coffeehouses. Coffeehouse performer Olivia Giacomo, who performed a Michael Jackson medley, said that “the audience makes it really fun. You can play off them, and when they get excited, you get more excited.” Her piece, which drastically transitioned from “Man in the Mirror” to “I Want You Back” was a crowd favorite.

The support of the audience was also the best part of performing for new freshman Christina Wang. “They were an audience who listened to all of my words and really understood my message,” she said after reciting the poignant slam poem “If I Should Have a Daughter” by Sarah Kay.

The majority of the performers were in agreement about the worst part of Coffeehouse – nerves. “You get really anxious. Waiting to go on is the worst,” said Florrie Arnold. Florrie sang “Eric’s Song” by Vienna Tang, accompanied by Aurora Strauss.

Along with playing and singing a self-written song “Beautiful Nothing,” Aurora also supported another five acts as a part of the Hackley House Band. The other members of the House Band include Josh Greenzeig on drums, Jackson Corrigan playing the keyboard, and Mr. Tonken on the guitar. The House Band was an extra addition created by Mr. Tonken that offers full band services to coffeehouse singers.

The feedback from the audience about the coffeehouse is overwhelmingly positive. No person who went to the coffeehouse left feeling underwhelmed, and the performers can tell. After every act, the cheers and applause the crowd gives to their classmates are nearly deafening.

To students who didn’t go to coffeehouse – why should you go? Lila Wolfe, who performed, “The House of the Rising Sun,” by the Animals with the House Band said, “I thought this coffeehouse was amazing, they always are. Everyone is so insanely talented.”