Next time MSU students are looking for a place to meet new people while enjoying a variety of music and spoken word entertainment, they don’t have to look any further than Thursday nights at Cafe Latte, 110 Charles St.

Singers and spoken word poets may form the basis of Open Mic Night, but graphic design senior Edmund Balde, who coordinates the evening each week, said the cafe is open to many forms of expression.

“We’re not limited to music and spoken word, though,” he said. “We’re open to drama, hip-hop or anything else you can bring to Open Mic Night.”

Balde, who performed his own spoken-word poetry Thursday, said there’s more to the night than a couple of acts and the constant flow of coffee.

“I’d like to think of it as Open Mind Might, not just Open Mic Night,” Balde said. “When we have a diversity of performers, the crowd is more aware of their surroundings.”

Andrew Broadus, who performed with his bass Thursday night, is a regular to Open Mic Night and said it offers a range of talent.

“Sometimes you have to fish through some people who are just starting off and testing the waters of being on stage, and then there are those who have been involved in a music for an extended period of time,” he said.

But the performance level isn’t the single alluring factor to some Open Mic Night patrons.

“I enjoy coffee, and I come for the atmosphere, more or less,” English freshman Brendan O’Neill said. “I see some stuff that I like, listen to music and like to meet new people.”

Broadus said he likes the varied responses from audience members and other musicians.

“I can get feedback both from the standard audience and other musicians who, for the most part, don’t know me and haven’t heard what I’ve done,” he said. “I’ve been bouncing around for six or seven years, but I keep winding up back here.”