Hello everyone! Owen McDonnell here, bringing you another installment of In The Know. At the University of Minnesota, students have the amazing opportunity to engage in a plethora of hobbies. From sports clubs to movie and game groups, and even a lettuce eating club (yes, it exists!), there's something for everyone. One of the key hubs for these student activities is Coffman Union, which serves as a gathering place for events. This week, I had the pleasure of attending The Whole Music Club's Open Mic Night, an underground music venue inside Coffman.

Discovering the Whole Music Club

The doors opened at 7:30, and I was immediately impressed by the venue. It had a great atmosphere, but it was the voices that truly made the night special. I sat down with some of the performers to learn more about the crowd and what makes the Whole Music Club so unique. Sophomore Haidyn Lounsbery has been writing songs since she was 10 and started playing them on instruments at 14. She writes for fun and as a way to express herself. She's been performing at open mic nights since her freshman year and loves the friendly and non-judgmental atmosphere. Her musical inspirations include Ricky Montgomery and Chloe Moriondo.Another performer I talked to was freshman Molly Ward. She started singing at 9, inspired by the first Frozen movie. She's been involved in choir and musical theater and dreams of being a singer. She finds the music industry hard to break into with the internet, as it's easy to get your music out there but hard to get people to notice.Communications major Quintin Rippiebakke has been in music since he was 11 or 12. His family is artistic and musical, and he started performing on campus as a freshman. He sang "Take On Me" and although he thought he did poorly that first time, he's learned to take music seriously.

The Power of Community

When I walked around and talked to people, I found that most were there because they had a friend performing. Lounsbery and Ward said it could go either way - some people were there to self-promote, while others just wanted to have fun. Rippiebakke thought it was more a place to find community. It didn't matter if you were a serious musician or just starting out; everyone was welcome.During the performances, there were many memorable moments. A group of guys got everyone to stand up and crowd the stage. Another guy sang acapella when he had technical difficulties. The support and vibes in the room were remarkable.Walking out, I realized that the sense of community is what makes the Whole Music Club special. It's a place to show your passion and be supported, whether you're plugging your band or just playing for friends. And on campus in general, there really is something for everyone. So go out and do what you're passionate about!This episode was written by Owen McDonnell and produced by Kaylie Sirovy. Thanks for tuning in! If you have questions, comments, or concerns, feel free to send us a message at [email protected]. I'm Owen McDonnell, and I hope you enjoyed the episode.