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The Linfield Review

The student news site of Linfield University

The Linfield Review

The student news site of Linfield University

The Linfield Review

Open mic night reveals students’ talents

Junior Max Milander performs an original piece titled “Frost Bitten Grass” at the open mic Cat Cab on Feb. 28 in the Fred Meyer Lounge. Sarah Mason/Staff writer
Junior Max Milander performs an original piece titled “Frost Bitten Grass” at the open mic Cat Cab on Feb. 28 in the Fred Meyer Lounge.
Sarah Mason/Staff writer

The lights dimmed in the Fred Meyer Lounge on Feb. 28 as a crowd gathered for the Cat Cab. This wasn’t about to be a normal Cat Cab, Thursday’s show was “open mic,” inviting students who wouldn’t normally step up for their own show to showcase their musical talents.

 
Twelve different Wildcats performed raps, strummed the guitar, sang, played the keyboard and even got a few laughs out of the audience. Needless to say, a medley of harmonious talents were showcased throughout the evening.

 
The first performers of the evening were sophomore Jessica Newton and the master of ceremony senior Jenny Morgan who sang “Just The Way You Are” by Bruno Mars.
Junior Max Milander, the vice president of Linfield’s concert choir, performed an original piece on the keyboard called “Frost Bitten Grass.” Milander sang while wearing his signature, shiny aviator shades in honor of Ray Charles.

 
Next up, the crowd was honored with an appearance by the legendary Real Cal Hal. The sophomore performed snippet a capella flow versions of his two unreleased songs, “The Realest” and “Bass Go Boom.” The raps talked about Northwestern culture flannels, cargo shorts, shopping at REI and the rain.
Sophomore Katricia Stewart, who had a Cat Cab during January Term, performed a solo next. Stewart strummed her guitar while belting out an Otis Redding song “Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay” and “Like A Star” by Corinne Bailey Rae.

 
Barefooted senior Lucas Cook was next in the Cat Cab lineup. Although he “felt nervous in his belly,” Cook delivered his “intuitive work” on the keyboard almost effortlessly. He played only the pentatonic scale, the black keys, which allowed him to make up the work on the spot.
The next number was unlike any performance the crowd had seen, or rather heard, all night.
Junior Gavin Broussard dedicated his act to his close friend, senior Andrew Gladhill, who was supporting him in the audience. Gladhill howled with laughter, as did the audience, as Broussard serenaded him on the guitar with Chester See’s “Bromance,” a catchy jingle about heterosexual love between two men.

 
Sophomore Ian Cox followed with a medley of three jazz songs from the Prohibition Era. The upbeat music was written by Scott Joplin, the “King of Ragtime,” but Cox arranged the three-song medley himself. Cox transitioned between “Easy Winners,” “Maple Leaf Rag” and “Pineapple Rag.”

 
Following Cox’s performance was senior Liza Dadoly. Dressed in sparkly tights, she sang and played her guitar to two different songs. The audience clapped along as she sang an original piece she wrote during the summer. Dadoly also performed her favorite Melissa Etheridge song “Angels Would Fall.”

 
Newton made another appearance to duet with freshman Bryce Fechner. The two harmonized while singing “Last Night,” an original piece written by Fechner.
Sophomore Cody Meadows, on the bongo, and Cox, on the keyboard, joined the pair to perform “Sunrise” by Norah Jones. Fechner strummed the ukulele while Newton sang.
Morgan summoned freshman Logan Mays up to the stage to sing “You Belong to Me” on the keyboard, he dedicated the song to his best friend.

 
Senior Evan O’Kelly and junior Shayli Coppock kicked off a proceeding of upperclassmen performances. The duo played the guitar and sang to “If I Didn’t Know Better” by the Civil Wars.
Senior Anna Sours and O’Kelly sang “Will You Return?” by The Avett Brothers, reminisced with good friend senior Bridget Grant and dedicated a second song “Hello,” by Schuyler Fisk to her.

 
O’Kelly accompanied senior Mickey Inns, former Linfield star quarterback, who wooed the audience by singing “A Team” by Ed Sheeran and “Save Him” by Justin Nozuka.
The night drew to a close as the final musicians O’Kelly and Kayla Hamm sang “Stay” by Rihanna and “Locked Out Of Heaven” by Bruno Mars.
O’Kelly was a huge hit during the night.
“The original plan was actually just to do a few songs with Mickey,” O’Kelly said. “As the date got closer, I kept thinking of people who I like to jam with and it just turned into a group of seniors.”
O’Kelly will have his own Cat Cab, which will feature other students and will be his final performance as a student at Linfield on April 18.

 

Sarah Mason/Staff Writer

Sarah Mason can be reached at [email protected].

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