Whole Coffeehouse
The Whole Coffee House was in the sub-basement of Coffman Memorial Union (CMU) at the University of Minnesota.
THE GOPHER HOLE
In 1960 the U of M carved out a new room deep in the sub-basement of CMU. For years students knew the space (using a fitting moniker) as “The Gopher Hole.” This was described as “a common area for students and equipped with vending machines.”
THE WHOLE COFFEEHOUSE
Information for this section was taken in large part from the U of M’s website.
In 1968, the University decided to convert the Gopher Hole into the Whole Coffeehouse. “Student apathy toward union dances has transformed the Gopher Hole into the Whole coffeehouse on Friday nights,” reported a Minnesota Daily article from February 25, 1968. A student committee was formed to turn the space into a performance venue for local and touring folk musicians. Contacts were made with other universities in the Midwest to create a coffeehouse network for a wide variety of musicians.
The Whole Coffeehouse provided a gritty, bohemian showcase for unknown singer/songwriters and poets. Free peanuts were the Whole’s trademark, and admission to the shows was either free or as low as $1.50. Within a few years the Whole blossomed into the Twin Cities premiere hotspot for non-rock n’ roll entertainment. The list of early Whole performers is impressive: Leo Kottke, Sun Ra, Robin and Lucinda Williams, Jim Croce, “Spider” John Koerner, John Anderson, NRBQ, and Bonnie Raitt, to name a few. With the help of these performers, the Whole Coffeehouse became known as one of the top local venues for touring folk musicians in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
PHOTOS
The following photos were sent to me by the Whole Music Club, as it’s now called. I saw them online in a video they made and requested copies for my site. They responded the very next day, and I am so happy to be able to share them. The photos below are all from the 1970s. Many, many thanks!
SHOWS AT THE WHOLE
This is by no means a complete list of shows at the Whole. The Minnesota Daily went offline, and that would have been the best resource. I hope it will give you a taste of the kind of music served up at the Whole Coffeehouse. These shows are from the Minneapolis newspapers, and a few other miscellaneous sources. Also please note that this website only runs through 1974.
1968
The first hit in the newspapers advertises a show in September 1968 by a “folk-rock and pop singer” named Brian Carney, who happened to be the son of actor Art Carney! The Whole was described as being located in the sub-basement of CMU.
In November 1968, a “jazz-rock ensemble” called the Montreal performed at the Whole, this time promoted to the basement of the Union.
1969
September 1969: Jerry Estes and Henry Moore, “country-folk music.”
1970
Tony Glover and Pepper Fog at Whole Coffeehouse, January 16, 1970
February 1970: Andy Robinson, straight from the Bitter End in New York, folk rock.
1971
Leo Kottke appeared at the Whole Coffeehouse on March 4, 1971, and got a good review from Hundred Flowers.
Brewer and Shipley at the Whole Coffeehouse, April 29, 1971
Big Mama Thornton came to the Whole Coffeehouse on May 4 and 5, [5 and 6] 1971.
Son House appeared at the Whole on May 10, 1971.
May 21 and 22, 1971: Cyril Paul – this show actually had an ad.
SOUL OF A CITY 1971
Monday, August 16, 1971: As part of the Soul of a City arts festival, the Whole featured:
- Lazy Bill Lucas, 7 to 8 pm
- Cyril Paul, 8 to 9 pm
- Kim Bloom, 9:30 to 10 pm
- The Sorry Muthas, 10 to 1 am
FALL 1971
Because the schedule below is not searchable, I’ll repeat what it says. And since there’s no guarantee that the shows were as shown, I’ll mark them with (schedule).
September 22 to 25, 1971: Dave Ray and Harmonica George Smith (schedule)
However, on September, 1971, Dave Ray and Big Mama Thornton were advertised.
September 29 and 30, 1971: Sorry Muthas (schedule)
October 6 to 9, 1971: Chris Smither, Mike Towers (schedule)
October 13 to 16, 1971: Gary Burton (schedule)
October 22 to 23, 1971: Willie Murphy and the Bumblebees (schedule)
October 27 and 28, 1971: Jean Redpath (schedule)
October 29 and 30, 1971: Chris Karney (schedule)
November 3 to 6, 1971: Jim Kweskin (schedule)
November 10 to 13, 1971: Lon Knight (schedule)
Bonnie Raitt did a stint at the Whole Coffeehouse on November 17-20, 1971.
1972
Kevin Odegard, with Skogie and the Flaming Pachukos, performed on March 4, 1972.
Bonnie Raitt graced the Whole Coffeehouse at the U of M on October 6 and 7, 1972.
1973
In February 1973, the Minneapolis Playwriting Laboratory staged one-act plays at the Whole over two nights.
March 31, 1973: John Hammond and Jerry Jeff Walker
Gram Parsons appeared at the Whole Coffee House April 27 and 28, 1973.
There is a concert on YouTube by Townes Van Zandt recorded on September 6, 1973.
September 16, 1973: Jerico Harp
October 28, 1973: Shangoya
1974
January 24 to 27, 1974: Jerry Jeff Walker
Two nights in May 1974: Rambling Jack Elliot
Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee appeared at the Whole Coffeehouse at the U of M on June 7 and 8, 1974.
July 26, 1974: Blackburn and Hughes
August 2, 1974: Papa John Kolstad
August 9, 1974: Guitarist Eric Mann
August 16, 1974: Jerry Rau
Bluesman Furry Lewis graced the Whole Coffeehouse on November 15 and 16, 1974.
November 1974: A concert featuring Townes Van Zandt recorded at the Whole was broadcast over KSJN – no information as to the date of the concert.
December 6 and 7, 1974: Tom Waits and Joyce Everson
THE WHOLE MUSIC CLUB
In the fall of 1983, the Whole became a full-fledged rock venue. To reflect this change, the “Whole Coffeehouse” became the “Whole Music Club.” The type of music changed with the times, and continues to be a popular campus music venue today. Or will be again after the Covid crisis is over.