PLNU’s Musoffee creates community onstage and off

Coffee, tea, and music are as natural to PLNU’s campus as a salty ocean breeze. And that’s exactly what students have come to expect from Thursday night Musoffee: a refreshing night of local music and locally distributed coffee and tea.

This last Thursday marked the first Musoffee of the year and showcased the musical talents of PLNU sophomore Nick Giannetto and junior Dani Bartello, as well as PLNU alumnus Jon Runion who graduated in 2012, in the Activities and Recreation Center (ARC). Third wave micro-roasters, Dark Horse and Cafe Moto, provided the coffee and tea.

Micro-roasters like Dark Horse and Cafe Moto are a part of a growing trend in coffee. Coffee shops are paying more attention to the flavor and personality in coffee beans rather than just brewing coffee for the caffeine benefits.

Musoffee coordinator, Randy Hiroshige, prefers to use local brewers and roasters to ensure that the coffee is high quality. Hiroshige is also in charge of arranging interviews with talent. Hiroshige follows senior Curtis Northum this year by trying to start his own Musoffee legacy on campus. Instead of randomized performances from brief auditions, Hiroshige decided to plan the show a new way, around the style of his three acts.

“I like each Musoffee to have a theme if possible,” said Hiroshige. “If the main act has an electronic feel, I’ll try to fashion the other two around that type of music as well.”

This past week’s performance featured a singer/songwriter theme.

“Every night has a flow to it and something connecting the artists,” said Hiroshige. “Dani and Nick performed mostly as singer/songwriters and played covers, while Runion performed all original exclusives from his album Breathe Easy.”

Bartello said it’s Musoffee’s relaxed culture that helps performers play their best.

“Everyone is gathered to hear good music,” said Bartello. “So the people are easy to interact with, which makes [being onstage] less nerve-racking.”

For Giannetto, it’s the community Musoffee creates on campus that makes him a regular.

“The one thing that keeps me running back every month is the family-like night life that I’ve never seen anywhere else,” said Giannetto. “You get to hear beautiful music played by your friends and people you know and see on campus.”
Musoffee is held in the ARC once a month on Thursday nights. Come to hear your peers play music from all different genres and to enjoy locally distributed coffee and tea.