What is a “Coffeehouse”?
It’s a performing environment that rarely exists outside of the college campus. Briefly (and vaguely), it is a venue designed for an intimate performance for a small audience. That means a small act (rarely more than 3 performers) utilizing minimal sound equipment (small PA) performing for a small audience (generally less than 100) in a small space. The idea is that the performer puts on a show (as opposed to just singing songs, etc.) and the audience actually pays attention (as opposed to chatting and drinking). It is actually much more fun than it sounds on paper. Most people rarely get the opportunity to see an entertainer up close in an intimate setting, instead of being in a concert hall with several thousand other people. It is a wonderful experience. Where did they come from? They began as alternative performance sites in the 1950s, as musicians, poets, and other avant-garde performance artists sought out places to perform. In the 1960s, students brought them on campus. They don
