In a town with numerous places and opportunities to gather for a beverage or two and take in some live music, it isn't easy to carve out a unique niche to attract an audience. However, Haven Coffee and Cocktails has done precisely that. Bryan Umphenour, Creative Director at the new establishment in downtown Covington, shares his vision for a performance space tailored to makers of original music and those who seek it in two weekly concert series and a fall festival to showcase local and regional artists who write, perform and record their own music. - Roberta Carrow Jackson, Visit The Northshore Team
A Town that Champions the Arts
For as long as I can remember (2009) Covington, Louisiana has been a small town that champions artists and believes in original artwork. My wife and I were living in a small apartment on Lee Lane when they closed down the street for an art walk and live music back in the summer of 2012.
After 15 years of marriage and four kids later, I am happy to say I still enjoy playing live music all over the Gulf South. This is an incredible town, and I’ve cherished every opportunity it’s given me to provide for my family as a musician and performer. The trouble with being a musical artist (especially one with a family), is our “entertainment culture” rewards cover music dramatically more than original work at the local level. Don’t get me wrong, singing familiar songs with a group of strangers who know every word is a utopian experience and one I’ve grown to greatly appreciate and don’t take for granted. My hope, however, is to help build a quality original music program through Haven Coffee & Cocktails that will create community interest and passion that positively impacts our local/regional songwriters.
Making a Space for Original Music
Making a living as an artist of any kind is one of the hardest roads a person can travel - and traveling that road as a songwriter has been one of the most challenging tasks I’ve ever faced. Yesterday, the mother of a former student told me her son is still playing guitar and uses music as his personal therapy outlet. I recently heard about another student I taught and helped write/produce her first three songs who is now a signed and touring artist. Looking back, I would have killed to be a part of a local “hub” for songwriters and musical artists designed to showcase and resource those producing original works. At Haven, you can expect to find that culture stirring, pun intended.
Wednesday nights at 7:30 p.m., we put a few artists in the round to share stories and songs in our living room over at Haven Coffee & Cocktails. We designed this experience (Haven Living Room Sessions) to foster an environment for artists performing original music and to fuel our Friday night concerts (Friday Night Live).
A Showcase on a Larger Scale
Throughout the year, we will be keeping a close eye on artists that seem to stand out as we curate a “local stage” for Haven Fest, a free music festival held across the street from Haven C+C. In case you missed the boat on the first Haven Fest in September 2023, we brought in Colony House to headline our very first festival and have plans to make the next festival even more special.
I am stoked to be partnering with Visit The Northshore to bring awareness to what’s brewing with original music in downtown Covington, LA.
Let’s make some noise together y’all.
Bryan Umphenour, Creative Director - Haven Coffee & Cocktails