Postcrypt Coffeehouse's Return To Campus Flips The Script On Live Music At Columbia

Upper West Side NY

25 October, 2021

1:01 PM

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Columbia Daily Spectator BY MADISON ROSENFIELD OCTOBER 24, 2021 Music has long served as a medium through which Columbia students can gather––and Postcrypt Coffeehouse is committed to using music to foster a stronger sense of community every week. The pandemic took a toll on Postcrypt's connection to campus, but live and in-person events are now back after months of virtual engagement. On Oct. 22, three artists from across the Columbia community took to the stage for one of Postcrypt's first shows since the pre-pandemic days of yore. In lieu of its home in the basement of St. Paul's Chapel, the concert took place on the lawn outside of Uris Hall. Postcrypt Coffeehouse is a student-run live acoustic music venue that gives voice to singer-songwriters throughout the community. Founded in 1964, Postcrypt has long served as a stepping point for the careers of many musical powerhouses, including Suzanne Vega and Jeff Buckley. This fall, Postcrypt offers two shows per weekend: a pre-booked lineup of student musicians on Fridays and an open mic on Saturdays. Its first in-person season since spring 2020 kicked off on Oct. 9, and it has hit the ground running since. Since moving outdoors to accommodate Columbia's current gathering guidelines, Postcrypt has been readjusting to life without the Crypt (the physical space below St. Paul's Chapel), and discovering how to reimagine connection through live music. Concertgoers were bundled up on the brisk autumn evening, but it seemed any weather-related qualms were quickly forgotten as the audience's excitement radiated warmth through the crowd. For those involved, the inclusivity and intimacy of Postcrypt's shows is an integral part of what sets it apart from other musical organizations on campus. "For students to be able to share [music and self-expression] with each other in this intimate way and this casual setting––kind of a low-stakes vibe but also everyone is supportive of each other … is really important to me as an artist," event volunteer Elizabeth Muss, BC '24, said. Friday's first act, Maddie Breeden, BC '24, aka World Princess, jolted the crowd with her electric guitar prowess and poignant lyricism. Mixing in a cover of "Depreston" by Courtney Barnett alongside several original songs, World Princess' set was a raw display of human emotion, especially as she made eye contact with friends and strangers alike in the crowd eliciting smiles and giggles. Highlighting the human condition through music has always been a priority to Postcrypt, and leaders work to ensure the Coffeehouse has remained a steadfast place for people to connect through folk and acoustic music, among other genres. Postcrypt's board members, headed by Ethan Abelar, CC '22, see folk music as a genre that gives a voice to the people. Consequently, they are dedicated to providing an inclusive, community-focused ethos while promoting the diversification of folk music. "We've been reconsidering what it means to book and play folk music, trying to redefine [folk music] to become a much more inclusive genre than just … having a guitar and a voice, but rather having it be something more encompassing of people's lived experiences––the music of the folk," Abelar said. The "music of the folk" was certainly felt Friday night during a performance by Doran Sekaran, CC '23. His cover of the traditional folk classic "Mr. Tambourine Man" by Bob Dylan mesmerized both faithful audience members and onlookers passing by, if just for a minute. Sekaran's closing song "So Close, So Far"––an original composition––even had a few listeners singing along to its earworm chorus. Sekaran, who first played in a show in the Crypt a mere two days before the student body was sent home due to COVID-19, finds that regardless of venue, the coziness and ability to make powerful "soul-to-soul connections" with fellow folkheads remains intact. While there has been much change around campus and in Morningside Heights, students, faculty, and community members have long been able to count on the familiarity of the original stage, mosaic bar, perfect natural acoustics, and refreshments served hot in the Crypt. "I think when you come to the Crypt, you very much get the same picture that you would have gotten if you came downstairs into the basement 20 years ago. Same bar, same setup," Postcrypt's booking manager Margeaux Wolberg, GS/JTS '22, said. "[Our present] is very informed by our history." Continuity is gravely important to Postcrypt, which is why the pandemic has presented a great challenge to its operations. While the team at Postcrypt is hopeful for a return to the Crypt soon, outdoor venues remain the current modus operandi as far as location goes. "Every time you go to a Postcrypt show, there might only be one other person there, but that other person is going to be really fucking enthusiastic because they're just excited to be having a musician playing for them," Abelar said. Staff writer Madison Rosenfield can be contacted at [email protected]. Follow Spectator on Twitter @ColumbiaSpec. Founded in 1877, the Columbia Daily Spectator is the independent undergraduate newspaper of Columbia University, serving thousands of readers in Morningside Heights, West Harlem, and beyond. Read more at columbiaspectator.com and donate here.