Going into my first Cholmondeley's open mic night, I didn't know what to expect. Would the gang from Friends be there? Should I snap instead of applaud? Are scarves a requirement or just a suggestion? When I walked in, I realized that while scarves were definitely not required, the night would be anything but typical.
The Oct. 18 coffeehouse featured a cappella, slam poetry and other musical performances. People milled in and out, watching performances, conversing, eating and even getting impromptu haircuts from Chum's employees. Students were encouraged to bring their own instruments for a final inclusive jam session at the end of the night. Add Nutella hot chocolate, grilled cheese and sweet potato fries, and you've got the unique combination of people, music and food that creates the quirky atmosphere of Chum's.
Josh Berman '15, a Chum's employee who helped organize the event, was especially pleased with how the night went. He described that "there was a huge turnout, which I was really happy about. I think that everyone had a good time with the set performances, but I was especially pleased about the jamming. Brandeis does not have enough outlets for people who love to play music. Hopefully Chum's can fill that role and provide a space for the Brandeis community." More jamming sessions to come, Berman plugged.
The evening started off on a pleasant note (pun intended) with three lovely songs by Manginah, one of the University's Jewish a cappella groups. Soloists included Matt Sidell '14 and Jess Pullen '12. Pullen's sweet, melodic voice and Sidell's earnest tenor made for an enjoyable performance.
Next was a surprise slam poet described by Melanie Steinhardt '13 on the event's Facebook page as "socially challenging and thought provoking." The man himself turned out to be none other than Brian Slepian '14. Slepian delighted audience members with two whimsical poems. He began with "Consent," which included saying the word "consent" about fifty times with different emotions. Following "Consent" was "The Adventures of Mancat and Dogwoman," a conversation between-you guessed it-a mancat and a dogwoman. The poem ended with Slepian on the floor, screaming profanities in an emotional uproar. Maybe it's just because of my love for drama and silliness, but this was undoubtedly my favorite performance of the night.
Following Slepian was a remarkable five-song set by Blunt Logic, a two-person male rap group not unlike Outkast-if Outkast had been two liberal arts college students, specifically Coleman Mahler '13 and Nick Polanco '13. At first I wasn't sure if they were serious or just being ironic, as rappers sometimes are. However, their final song, titled "Registered Motherf*cking Sex Offenders," convinced me of their ironic intentions to satirize rap culture. Even so, the length of their performance was definitely overkill.
Ayan Sanyal '14 took the stage next, playing guitar and singing original songs. Sanyal was a natural and talented performer with breezy, enjoyable melodies. Next was Matt Sidell '14 on the keyboard with Clay Williams '14. The performance, while not in any way bad, was not particularly memorable either. Unfortunately for the performers, by this point in the night, most people were socializing instead of watching.
The night concluded with a spirited jam session which depended on audience participation-not an issue in a school with so many creative and musical students. One musician would start off, and slowly people would join in, creating a jazzy fusion.
This event is definitely not meant to be viewed in its entirety; most people stayed for a few performances and then left. Due to the disparity in performance quality, along with the 10-minute gaps between each performance, the event would be best enjoyed in small doses. Overall, while the quality of the performances greatly varied, the atmosphere proved to be supportive, cozy and fun.