Legendary performance

Student Activities’ Coffeehouse showcases student talent with classic style

Colossal roars shook the ground of the Vines Center April 10 as opening band Smooch, decked out from head to toe in black apparel, metallic spikes and painted faces, prepared the crowd to “Rock n’ Roll All Night” at this semester’s “The Legends” themed Coffeehouse.

Hosted by Liberty’s Student Activities (SA), more than 5,800 students enjoyed the night set to honor some of the most influential performers in music, television and film according to Director of SA, Stephanie Ward.

The Coffeehouse stage welcomed returning performances from dance crew the Peacemakers, Swing Dancers and D-Trex, who creatively remixed songs made famous by legends such as Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston and Elvis Presley to showcase their thrilling moves.

“In my four years at Liberty, that was the greatest performance D-Trex has ever done,” Liberty student Makayla Maddox said. “They are always amazing, but they absolutely killed that routine tonight.”

The night also featured returning bands such as Jake Zeigler and the Locals, who rocked Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” and got the crowd up and moving with their energized performance.

“Jake and Rachel are incredible performers,” Liberty student Jason Wells said. “The way they hit those notes and just the level of personality they have on stage blew my mind.”

Throughout the evening, students heard a range of genres from R&B, pop, rock and heavy metal from bands such as the Undecided Majors, Punch Face Champions, Stewie Dew and the Crew, LU2, High Hopes, Prior Knowledge as well as Harry and the Champions for Christ.

Students were encouraged to tweet during the event using #SACoffeehouse to share their thoughts on the many acts prepared for the night as well as take to the concourse, where scenes from movies, shows and bands were staged as picture booths.

Acapella group the Trebles in Paradise took the crowd by storm in their rendition of Billy Joel’s “The Longest Time,” receiving a standing ovation for their harmonic medley.

“Treble in Paradise had me swooning today,” Liberty student Katey Roshetko tweeted. “They were simply phenomenal!”

The shining lights of camera phones swaying from side to side filled the auditorium as members David Duque and Abby Muller of the band Stained Glass Windows serenaded the audience with a Civil Wars cover of Michael Jackson’s “Billy Jean.”

“This Coffeehouse was unique for me,” Duque said. “In previous coffeehouses, I’ve played with a full band, (but) this time I liked the intimacy of it being a duet, and I think this song suited Abby and I well. I also felt that the stage being in the crowd added to the intimate nature of the song (and) it allowed us to really connect with the audience. I would say tonight ranks up there as my first or second favorite experience.”

In between acts, videos submitted by students depicting “Legends of Liberty” were displayed on the screen. One video called “What Liberty University Students Say,” featured some of the most common and humorous things students discuss in their weekly routines on campus from Convocation to adventures at the Reber Thomas Dining Hall.

Other videos such “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” and “Liberty Legends” showcased some of Liberty’s most beloved faculty and staff singing along to “I Wanna Dance” by Whitney Houston and “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell. Liberty President Jerry Falwell Jr. and wife Becki Falwell even joined in on the fun in “I Wanna Dance.”

During “Liberty Legends,” appearances from former professor and co-founder Dr. Elmer Towns, Evangelism professor Dr. David Wheeler and Liberty Flames Men’s Basketball Coach Ritchie McKay had the crowd screeching sporadically with excitement. However, when former campus band leader Justin Kintzel surprised the audience with a special cameo on the video sharing the message, “#Imissyou,” screams from the crowd could not be contained.

“The video clip of @justinkintzel at #SACoffeehouse made my night #wemissyouJustin,” Liberty student Cameron Thacker tweeted.

Justin Kintzel, a recent member of Liberty’s Campus Band moved with his family during the 2014-2015 school year to Colorado and now lives in Oklahoma according to his Facebook page.

“Screamed a little too loud at that @justinkintzel appearance and felt heavily judged by the freshman around me #missyoutoo,” Liberty student Brittany Shearin tweeted.

Throughout the night SA also presented awards in between videos and performances for “Best of” categories, which featured best male and female actors, best country artist, and best rock band as well as best male and female artist. They also offered a chance to win gift cards by playing a game of “Name that Celebrity,” showing various pictures of well-known legends to students retrieved from the audience.

After a long night filled with laughter, dancing and some guitar smashing, Coffeehouse ended even more intensely than it started.

While all the performances showcased incredible energy and talents, the last act of the night astonished listeners with its musical ability. The Vegan Llamas ended the evening with a legacy all their own after the group’s mind-blowing guitar solos during its cover of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird,” according to Liberty student Will Grahams.

“I cannot even put into words how incredible their performance was,” Grahams said. “The riffs from the bass guitarist left me absolutely speechless. I don’t know that it’s possible to play “Free Bird” better than Lynyrd Skynyrd, but if it is, they definitely did it.”

As the spring semester reaches its close, many students will look ahead to the fun awaiting in December’s Christmas Coffeehouse while graduating seniors will reminisce about what some students called a legendary night.

“My last #SACoffeehouse was nothing short of Legendary,” Liberty senior Amanda Baldwin tweeted. “I wouldn’t have wanted to go out any other way.”

Elliott is a feature reporter.