East Campus should be crowded this Thurs., Nov. 12 as the Duke Coffeehouse brings in artists Girlpool, Alex G and Eskimeaux to perform at the venue—one of the Coffeehouse’s two largest shows of the semester.
Although Girlpool is not exactly a household name, this show is a big deal for the Coffeehouse. The duo, consisting of Cleo Tucker and Harmony Tividad, hails from Los Angeles, California and formed in 2013 when the two were teenagers. They self-released their debut EP Girlpool on their Bandcamp in 2014. With their unique and entrancing sound, which some have cited as reminiscent of the early-90’s artists Shampoo and Liz Phair, it was just a matter of time before the duo got some recognition. Since the release, the folk punk band has paired up with British label Wichita Recordings, with whom they released their second album Before the World Was Big June 2. They’re currently on tour and have performed internationally as well.
Accompanying Girlpool will be up-and-coming solo act Alex G, a lo-fi indie multi-instrumentalist and bedroom singer/songwriter who, like Girlpool, got his start through DIY releases on Bandcamp, and Eskimeaux, a dreamy-sounding indie band hailing from New York, New York.
The venue’s main concern is not if people will come—it's in making sure the Fire Marshal will not as well, a very real possibility if the show goes over capacity.
“We have plenty of experience running shows,” said Coffeehouse manager Sharrin Manor, a senior. In the past the venue has brought in acts like Mac DeMarco, Mykki Blanco and Kool A.D. “We will need to have a tighter door policy and will have to limit the number of tickets we sell… but I’m sure it will be an awesome night overall.”
Even though these artists are more popular than the typical Coffeehouse act, Manor said that this does not mean that Coffeehouse will be focusing on bringing in a higher amount of well-known artists.
“The Coffeehouse will continue to concentrate on bringing a wide range of artists that vary significantly in terms of their current level of fame. It’s good to have a balance because the larger shows are a lot of work to put on and the smaller shows are an awesome way to support smaller yet equally talented artists,” Manor said in an email.
Despite the fact that these large shows require more planning and work on behalf of the venue’s staff, both Manor and Lauren Feilich—the Coffeehouse’s booking manager, a senior and former Recess editor—agree that the end result is worth it.
“It’s an awesome feeling to make cool things happen, and it’s an awesome feeling to see people having a great time in your own venue,” Manor says. “It’s an amazing gift to be able to see our favorite bands live playing shows that we booked.”
So if you’re not up for Thursday night Devine’s but want to experience that same level of closeness with your fellow Dukies and Durhamites with an added bonus of great live music, the Coffeehouse will be where to go.
“There’s always this sort of all-or-nothing ‘teamwork makes the dreamwork’ vibe among staff when there’s a really big event going on," Feilich said. "I think it’s going to be cool to experience the chaos that goes on when you have so many people in such a small room."
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