The Owl’s Fall Coffeehouse: Plenty of Treats, No Tricks

Half Past Midnight performs during The Owl's Fall 2025 Coffeehouse in the Williman Room. (Elaine Zhang/The Santa Clara)

Santa Clara University students met up for music and literary readings in the Williman Room Oct. 30, 2025 for the quarterly Coffeehouse, hosted by The Owl.

The Owl—the University’s undergraduate arts publication—showcased University talent with a Halloween themed night full of treats with access to complimentary pizza, soda and Halloween themed goodie bags. 

Sophie Copple ’26, editor-in-chief of the Santa Clara Review, took the stage first, reading a piece from The Santa Clara Review titled “Nostalgia,” by Joy Priest.

“It’s been really rewarding to get to perform in front of people, especially to read such an incredible piece from the magazine,” said Copple.

This was followed by a reading of “Drops of Sun,” a poem reflecting on the ability to write about love in a way that showcases the poet’s attention to diction and word choice.

Concluding the literary portion, Miranda Sheafor ’27 represented The Owl by reading out an entry from their latest edition entitled “Heatstroke,” a work reflecting on justified anger. Sheafor also read “I’ll Only Cry a Little,” a poem she described as being about her love for her friends.

A total of three literary speakers presented a diverse range of voices at the event, drawing an audience of about 50 students. The readings highlighted both the speakers’ talent and the strength of the authors featured in University publications.

“The poem took me back to a childlike place when things were so much simpler, especially during the chaos of midterms during senior year,” said Copple.

Following a brief intermission, three groups played live music for the event.

Leading the musical portion of the evening, Violinist Orion Cook ’26 alongside guitarist and vocalist Colin Friedel ’26 performed on behalf of One Million Boots, an offshoot of the campus-grown band One Million Beers.

One Million Boots opened the evening with a blend of bluegrass, folk and country, offering a softer sound than the performers who followed.

“Performing in here feels like it’s more for us as musicians,” said Cook. “It opens up a new type of music you can play.”

Victoria Liu ’28, assistant editor at The Owl, followed One Million Boots, taking to the acoustic guitar—borrowed from Friedel—to perform a rendition of Lizzy McAlpine’s “Ceilings.” 

The final band to take the stage was Half Past Midnight, led by The Owl editor-in-chief Jenny Chen ’28. The band, primarily a self-proclaimed anime cover band, delivered three Japanese songs.

Half Past Midnight, made up of two guitarists, a bassist, a drummer and a vocalist, drew loud cheers when the singer shifted to English covers, including a standout rendition of Radiohead’s “Creep.”

“Coffeehouse has exceeded my expectations,” said Copple, reflecting on the event. “I am always surprised by how committed Santa Clara students are to supporting each other and supporting the arts.”