by Alexis Giglio
Biotech’s Arts & Entertainment Club hosted its Winter Coffeehouse on February 18, 2021, after school. While we miss being able to see everyone’s amazing acts in person, holding our Coffeehouses virtually has proven to be a successful way to showcase the skills and accomplishments of our club members. Our lineup featured students performing music, dance, poetry, and visual art in a mixture of both live and pre-recorded formats, with Joyce and Alexis (me!) MCing.
First Half:
Alex Brennan began our Coffeehouse with a reading of two of their original poems, “Liquid Stardust” and “Melting Moon.” This pair of love poems was truly ethereal (dare I say out of this world?), the perfect calm opening to the evening’s performances.
Dalal Ijeh’s unique submission featured a music-box version of “Zelda’s Lullaby” accompanied by an animation. An amazing part of hosting a virtual Coffeehouse is that it has allowed us to expand the variety of acts that we can have, and Dalal’s work is a perfect example of this!
After a bit of a comedic interlude involving wild herbs and Joyce playing “Secret Tunnel,” Kyle Arend performed his spectacular rendition of Fleet Foxes’ “Tiger Mountain Peasant Song” on guitar.
Following a word or two on the dangers of taking strange plants, a brilliant cover of “Hate Everything” by GSoul was performed by Jessica Fauder, her use of riffs highlighting her vocal ability.
Alexis Giglio gave a reading of their poem “consignment,” a piece about the entanglement of the past lives of a thrifted tweed jacket.
Kavya Jain then gave her captivating live performance of Caro’s “i don’t miss u,” her unforgettable voice making the song especially touching.
Next came Shannon Huang’s soulful dance performance to “Take Me to Church” by Hozier. Her innovative use of flowing cloth uniquely accentuated the flow of her movement.
Second Half:
After a brief intermission, Sanjana Iyer gave a performance of “La Vie en Rose.” Although a bit impromptu, this rendition with Sanjana singing in both French and English was nothing short of beautiful.
Next, Kathleen Castner played “Midnight Rhapsody,” a piano piece by Melody Bober. Her performance, at once intense and delicate, was quite literally rhapsodic and enrapturing.
Introduced by a string of lyrical puns, Ricky Montgomery’s “Line Without a Hook,” sung by Zexi Gui, was full of energy. Supported by guitar, Zexi’s soaring vocals were wonderful to listen to.
Alexander Rausch’s guitar performance to “Donna Lee,” by Charlie Parker, was a jazzy addition to our lineup. Clean and precise, his playing was the epitome of “smooth.”
A loaf of Alexis’s bread made a surprise appearance in introducing Bhakti Patel’s reading of her poem “icarus rising.” This piece was rhythmically perfect, its reimagining of Icarus’s flight potent and memorable.
Nearing the end of our acts, Rohan Lokanadham gave a performance of “Waving Through a Window,” from the musical Dear Evan Hansen. Rohan’s powerful voice, as much of the audience noted, is fit for a Broadway stage.
As a farewell for the evening, Joyce Lee performed “Imposter Syndrome” by Sidney Gish. With this soothing, heartfelt piece and Joyce’s iconic vocals, Biotech’s Winter Coffeehouse 2021 came to a close.
A defining feature of Biotech’s Coffeehouses has always been the overwhelming support that the community gives for each and every act, no matter the form or style. Luckily, the advent of our virtual Coffeehouses has not changed this fundamental aspect of them; in fact, it has strengthened it in some ways. With the use of the Chat feature on Google Meets, the audience is able to communicate with one another and with the performer even more effectively than at a traditional in-person coffeehouse. This has allowed for an incredible outpouring of support in real-time for each performance, as well as a space for humor, small talk, and just about anything else.
With snow glistening outside and night beginning to set in, the atmosphere of this year’s Winter Coffeehouse served as a perfect complement to the weather — a chill, but incredibly warm, end to the day.