Warehouse 25 Sixty-five Kitchen + Bar is more than a unique name for a restaurant; it also hosts the annual Jazz Night, which is an event brought on by Colorado Mesa University’s (CMU) Department of Music.
The venue has grown in recent years, as the 2019 Jazz Night had an impressive turnout. In fact, the seating area was so saturated with audience members that finding a place to sit was a challenge.
Upon arrival, the dimly lit seating area quickly became a stress-inducing environment since every available seat was occupied. While this was beneficial for the performers and the restaurant’s revenue, it was problematic for myself, as I had to awkwardly stand in the corner due to the absence of seating.
Despite the frustration of not being able to locate an open seat, the event itself was well-done; food was readily available and the music was performed proficiently.
With easy access to food and drink, patrons got both dinner and a show. Waiters and waitresses weaved between tables dropping food off at the large majority of tables.
The music itself was fantastic, and I could tell that the performances were carefully prepared prior to the venue. The musicians did a good job, and there were few mistakes in their performances.
While there was a large turnout to the event, the vast sum of attendees seemed to be adults. Even though no census was taken of audience members, it’s reasonable to assume that few of them were CMU students.
The truth is, few CMU students attend jazz ensembles unless they have a personal tie to one of the musicians whose performing that night; which is a shame because Jazz Night offers an entertaining night to anyone who attends the venue.
On top of the chance to eat and drink, the steady stream of jazz music establishes a relaxing atmosphere for anyone looking to unwind for a night.
Noah Stahlecker for The Criterion 
Noah Stahlecker for The Criterion
Many people assume that jazz ensembles and many music events have little to offer, but the truth is that many events hosted by CMU’s music department, such as Jazz Night, are usually a fun alternative to going out every weekend.
Music events are not exclusive to music students. Instead, they are open to the general public, and would probably benefit from an increase in attendance from CMU students.
While many students wouldn’t usually opt to attend a CMU music performance of Jazz Night’s nature, people should give these sorts of events a chance. Who knows, maybe they’ll end up really enjoying it.
