Steam wands hissing in the background, an acoustic guitar is being strummed on stage. The Underground Coffeehouse underneath Western’s Viking Union is the place to be for good tunes and a pick-me-up.
From Jazz Jams to music, poetry and comedy open-mic nights, Karaoke and trivia, the Underground has it all.
“All of these nights are free, except for the dollar charge for students who want to participate in trivia game night,” event coordinator, Karimeh Daneshmandi said.
The AS Productions Underground Coffeehouse has a Facebook page in which all of the upcoming events are listed. Paris the Songwriter Williams and Vervex will be the next two musicians to perform on Wednesday, Oct. 14 at 7 p.m.
“Both offer a unique synth-pop sound to the audience, which differs from the popular but still wonderful folk/indie genre in Bellingham,” Daneshmandi said.
Students are encouraged to perform at open-night mic every Tuesday. Whether it is cracking jokes, belting out a ballad or playing the harmonica, all talents are welcome. There is also a pool table at the Underground Coffeehouse that many students do not know about.
As the official coordinator, Daneshmandi is in charge of planning the events held at the coffeehouse including booking bands for the Wednesday-night concerts.
“There are many positions offered within the AS and all are impactful on campus and cater towards the Western student body, Daneshmandi said. “The AS Productions, which is the section I work in, offers positions for students to get involved in planning different events on campus.”
Many of these positions include pop music coordinator, special events coordinator, and various marketing coordinator. Each position entails its own job description, for example, the pop music coordinator is in charge of bringing big names to Western’s campus.
Aside from the great shows, the Underground Coffeehouse serves a great cup of coffee. With the relaxing atmosphere and places to relax all around, the coffeehouse lives up to its name serving everything from teas, pastries and espresso.
“My favorite beverage-snack combo is the Sesame Snaps and an Americano with coconut syrup and cream,” Daneshmandi said. “They also offer a great variety of beverages including a soothing and rich Lavender flavoring if you ask for it!”
The Underground Coffeehouse is a place where all kinds of people with different tastes in music as well as coffee, can kick back and relax. The comfy couches make for a great place to meet up with friends or simply chill out and do some homework.
A fun fact, according to Daneshmandi, is that there is a red box in the Underground Coffeehouse on the blue side table next to the stage where students can put band suggestions for future Wednesday-night concerts. Daneshmandi says she will consider them because it’s a good way for students to tell the Underground Coffeehouse who they want to see perform!
Next time you’re feeling like some indie or folks tunes, stop in to the coffee house and soak in the Bellingham vibes. Maybe you will find yourself becoming a part of the performance one night!