Atmosphere draws students to Poetry and a Beverage
The simple name might make Poetry and a Beverage sound like a small café poetry reading with cappuccinos and finger snapping rather than clapping. But, ASUSU’s event doesn’t have much in common with that image.
Some students sat on the floor next to the stage, feet away from performers. Others leaned against the walls and talked or sat at tables and drew on the paper table covers and played board games.
While the event does feature some poetry, it has typically become much more of a performing venue for acoustic musicians, said Kevin Crouch, Poetry and a Beverage chair for ASUSU and a junior public relations major.
Saturday, Sept. 8, marked the first Poetry and Beverage this academic year. The event featured performances from five acoustic musicians and three poets while the audience played board games, socialized and enjoyed free Italian sodas.
Morgan Rindlesbach, a senior in journalism, was the featured performer for the event, playing two multiple song sets. The other performers signed up to perform as they arrived to the event. While most performances featured acoustic singer-songwriters, there were also several poems read, including a few in Japanese.
Lisa Watkins, Arts and Lectures director for ASUSU and a senior social work major, attributed much of the event’popularity to its laid-back atmosphere and the originality of its performers.
“It’s different than any other USU activity,” she said, adding that the event sells itself. “It’s the easiest event to plan, and it has the best turnout,” said Watkins.
Many students seem to agree with Watkins. Brian Watts, a junior public relations major, said he loves the atmosphere of the event and the opportunities to meet new people.
Jacquie Snyder, a freshman business major, said she also enjoyed the fun atmosphere and getting to color on the table. She said the event’s “not quite poetry, but (she) liked it better that way.”
The event is also an attractive venue for musicians and poets. Rindlesbach said she enjoys having such a large crowd and how “everyone cheers every performer.”
Bruce Moulton, a junior liberal arts major who has performed at multiple Poetry and a Beverage events, said he also enjoys playing for a large crowd and he likes the relaxed atmosphere of the event.
However, multiple performers choose Poetry and a Beverage to make their performing debut.
“We came to a bunch last year and (performing) looked like fun,” said Megan Thackeray, a sophomore majoring in music therapy, who performed with Owen Hullinger, a sophomore piano performance major.
“It’s a perfect place to take a chance with music and see if people like it,” Hullinger said.
The event has gone on for several years now, but its popularity has increased recently.
“Last year it just exploded,” Crouch said. He attributed the increased popularity of the event primarily to word-of-mouth advertising among students. Last year’s popularity of Poetry and a Beverage forced ASUSU to change the location of the event from the Skyroom to the Hub.
A similar change from the Skyroom to the Hub is anticipated for the next Poetry and a Beverage event, Watkins said. Poetry and a Beverage is organized by ASUSU once a month, with the next event on Saturday, Oct. 6.
-tom.liljigren@aggiemail.usu.edu