On any day, Tunnel City Coffee greets patrons with carefully crafted drinks, a selection of magazines and newspapers, and walls lined with work by local artists. Lately, though, these aren’t the only forms of art that the café offers: In October and November, Tunnel began hosting Backyard Social, a series of after-hours performances of live music accompanied by a drink menu.
The idea originated with Jamal Stockton, CEO of 213 Ventures, the company that owns Tunnel City. Stockton concocted the Backyard Social series after noticing heightened demand for after-hours community gatherings following the indefinite closure of the Purple Pub.
“This really came from the customers,” he said. “A lot of the customers in the community think of Tunnel City as the town square where everyone comes to meet, and people are just looking for a different venue to enjoy themselves or to socialize, and especially at night.”
The Backyard Social aims to highlight a variety of musical styles, placing almost no limits on the genre or style of the performances. “Music is an expression of your passions and your feelings, so we don’t hone in on one genre,” Stockton said. “Whoever wants to come and play, can play.”
The social has stuck to this mission. Friday’s iteration of the event encompassed a variety of musical genres. “[There was] a duet, followed up by what I would call folksy-pop, and the last part was new-wave electronica,” Stockton said.
The first Backyard Social, featuring performances by Mike Ma ’26, Sachin Kirtane ’26, Ian McMahan ’26, and Danny Hinh ’28, was held on Oct. 17, with approximately 75 attendees, according to Stockton. The event was held outdoors and featured mocktail recipes by Tunnel City baristas.
Friday’s performance was the second and final Backyard Social of the season. While more performances were scheduled in October, they were cancelled due to inclement weather, and the cold brought changes to the set-up. On Friday, the Backyard Social made its way indoors, featuring a performance from Soomin Koh ’26, Ellen Ko ’28, and Sachin Kirtane ’26, and a menu of warm drinks, including a “not toddy” mocktail.
The social provided an additional creative space for student performers like Koh and Ko. “I feel like a lot of students on Williams College’s campus are musically inclined or have some sort of experience with music,” Ko said. “I think having this event really opens up a space for students to be able to do that in a space that’s not a cappella or chamber choir.”
Tenzin Tselha ’27, an audience member on Friday night, echoed Koh’s sentiment. “It was very cozy and intimate, which we don’t really get here with a lot of the performances,” she said. “I really enjoyed it since it felt different from a lot of other events on campus.”
Koh and Ko sang songs by a variety of artists, including Olivia Dean, Daniel Caesar, and Norah Jones, tailored to the duo’s vocal strengths and the ambiance of the location. Ko’s deeper singing voice fit well with soulful, jazzy music, Koh said. “Tunnel gives this warmth, so I feel like [the music] matched well with the café atmosphere,” she said.
The presence of their friends made the performance even more special for the singers. “Because the space was so small, it was really nice to be able to look out and goof around,” Ko said. “It was a super chill and relaxed environment, and I think having my friends there definitely made it that way. I think they also enjoyed themselves.”
Audience members who came to support the duo said they enjoyed their evening at Tunnel. “I thought the event was really cute,” Mina Kim ’28 said. “The setup felt intimate and warm, so the audience could really see the performers and they could see us. One of my friends was singing and would send us finger hearts or wink, and it felt like a personal performance.”
Beyond providing entertainment and a platform for artists, the event also allowed students to engage with local musicians. “We were opening for two local artists, Veery’s and Nick of Swords, and they were also really cool,” Koh said. “They helped us set up the equipment and everything. It added that element of community interaction.”
While Friday’s show marked the end of fall performances, Stockton said that Tunnel City plans to host these events more consistently beginning in the spring. “The folks that came and attended were extremely excited about the event and being able to attend something locally that’s really put on by the community for the community,” he said. “The response was overwhelming, which is why we’re going to continue to do it next year.”
