On the evening of Friday, Oct. 7, the lighting was warm, the music was cool and the pumpkin chai flowed at the Ronj. The vibes were very “Bates” indeed. The student-run cafe hosted a coffeehouse concert featuring a variety of student performers as its first event of the year preceding its opening on Sunday Oct. 9. 

Full disclosure before I proceed; I am no musical genius and I hold absolutely no authority to review anything. But, I do have the audacity and thus I will be giving my opinion on the music, the ambiance and the people (just kidding) that pulled up.

While the crowd was sparse at first, within the first ten minutes of the concert, the room filled up. Every seat was taken such that people had to stand and sit on the floor.
The intimate setting was conducive to the majority indie folk music that was played. Tamrin Ghai ’26 kicked off the concert with her original songs and a couple of covers, including “Rivers and Roads” by The Head And The Heart. Her earnest and soft music, punctuated by the twinkling fairy lights behind her, emanated good vibes only. 

The next performance was by the band True Chartreuse whose members include Emma Sietz ‘25, Isa Shapiro ‘25, Ava Clancy ‘25, Liam Dun ‘23, Aidan Richman ‘24 and Jessie Gross ’23. A welcome contrast to the previous set, the cover band had everyone dancing in their seats. Their groovy music and strong instrumentals were a delight to experience.

Next up was Audrey Cole ’26, who also sang covers and a few of her original songs. Her music was gentle, slow and heartfelt. One of my favorite lyrics of hers was “What you say you mean and what I say is mean.” 

To round out the night Owen Gammill ‘26 and Jonah Yaffee ‘26, a duo called Stones Throw, jammed onstage. They continued the theme of indie folk music with both covers and original songs. The pair even pulled out harmonicas for some of their songs. Their set did run longer than it probably needed to, but the crowd didn’t seem to mind their additional songs. 

In all, I would call the concert a success. The place was packed with supportive students, whose entrances would get a smile from the performers during their sets. The setting was a great opportunity for student musicians to show off their talent for their peers and get used to playing gigs. For others, the event was a wonderful opportunity to spend time with friends and meet others looking to support their classmates.

For those that couldn’t make it, I hope the Ronj continues these coffeehouse concerts where the vibes match the drinks – warm and sweet.