If you walk near the United Wesley building on a Thursday night, you’ll hear live music and see a large gathering of UM students underneath fairy lights cheering their fellow musicians on. This weekly coffeehouse happens every Thursday at 8 p.m., starting with an hour-long headlining performance and an open mic immediately afterward.
Though rain in the forecast pushed Wesley’s opening coffeehouse on Aug. 31 indoors, the downpour didn’t bother the nearly 80 students who packed Kreske Hall, one of Wesley’s indoor venues.
UM sophomore and coffeehouse headliner Dawson Fuss opened his set with a lively performance of Rihanna’s “Only Girl in the World,” teasing afterward that it should be “only boy in the world.”
Supporting the singer, Fuss’ band included junior Daniel Coppola on guitar, sophomore Maddy Grant on bass, sophomore Miles Montgomery on drums and sophomore Dylan McNulty on electric guitar.
The young musician’s set included both covers and original music, with standouts including a punk rock rendition of Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream,” a stripped-down version of Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For?” from the “Barbie” movie and a heartfelt acoustic original called “Say the Words” reminiscent of pop star Joshua Bassett.
Fuss also performed previously-released originals like “Right Place, Wrong Time,” “Upper Hand” and a song inspired by the movie “The Breakfast Club.”
“It’s a song I wrote about not fitting in 100% in high school,” Fuss said. “I had certain dreams that didn’t align with my friends’ goals and aspirations…wouldn’t that be cool to be part of a group where everyone is cool with each other?”
After original song “Nothing’s Fair” switched melodies halfway, the crowd cheered as McNulty and Coppola each performed a long guitar solo and Montgomery wowed the audience with expert drum fills.
Closing his set, Fuss ended with an unreleased song planned to drop in November alongside a new EP, which he said explores learning how to see the glass “half full,” a trait his father taught him from a young age.
No stranger to the stage, Fuss was expressive with his facial expressions and movements, playing with dynamics by kneeling on the stage and jumping during loud moments. His honest, unfiltered lyrics and performance even reflected his wardrobe, as Fuss donned a graphic tee that read “My Life is a Soap Opera!!”
First-year students Riley Greenwald and Claudia O’Neill, who study modern artist development and entrepreneurship, enjoyed their first coffeehouse experience. Greenwald called Fuss’ set impressive and noted how the environment felt “friendly and open.”
“Everyone can come and share their music no matter what kind of style,” O’Neill said. “I love how there’s a headliner and you can meet people and see what kind of music they’re making, then share your own music. It’s just a supportive environment.”
Both Greenwald and O’Neill signed up for the open mic to play original music on the acoustic guitar. Their performances, reminiscent of singer-songwriters like Lizzy McAlpine and Clairo, illustrate a promising future generation of Frost musicians.
If you’re not a musician, don’t worry — non-Frost students also attend the coffeehouse to support their peers and enjoy a free night of live music.
“I have a lot of friends in Frost who do music and I’m just really excited to see them perform and support them,” said Georgia Apazidis, a first-year student studying psychology.
Cecilia Stuart, a first-year student studying marine biology, signed up for the open mic to sing an original titled “Home.” The coffeehouse crowd sat in stunned silence as Stuart executed vocal riffs with ease.
“I love performing, so it’s really cool that I have a place to not be in Frost and still sign up and share [my music] with my friends,” Stuart said.
Of the 10 open mic performances, standouts included an acapella rap by graduate student Jaren Jozondi, an acoustic performance by first-year student Jess Caso and a Florence and the Machine-esque original song performed by first-year students Anakeesta Ironwood, Violet Beller and Ian Liu.
Ending the night with a piano rendition of “Escape (The Piña Colada Song),” music composition senior David Caldarella played the song for a fourth year in a row as the coffeehouse crowd sang along.
Kamryn Charles, a senior studying music engineering and technology, has been a member of United Wesley since freshman year. Now on the executive board as the Coffeehouse Manager, Charles has seen the coffeehouse evolve over the years from behind the soundboard.
“It’s rare to experience such a welcoming community for creation on campus,” Charles said. “As I have spoken to previous performers, they always talk about how relaxed they felt at the coffeehouse.”
Interested students can swing by the Wesley building on Thursday for another round of live performances, refreshments and a community of fellow music lovers. For more information about other events, follow the organization’s Instagram page @unitedwesleyum.