NX35 Music Conferette

Denton resident Kevin Roden liked the philosophical discussion group he started in college so much that he never did drop it.

When he was a student at University of North Texas, Roden recalls living in the "artsy dorm" Bruce Hall. He started a regular, casual meet-up in his dorm room for peers who wanted to join reflective but energetic conversations. At least for Roden, the chance seemed like a break in the typical college scene, where group discussion were more likely to be study groups, and the alternative was lots of drinking and lots of partying.

That forum grew into Drink & Think, a regular local meeting of the minds about life's big questions -- and local issues -- over beer and wine.

It all incubated in that dorm room, though. A group of students reflecting and chewing on questions about morality, responsibility and what it means to be human.

"I called it the Thought Forum," said Roden, a 35-year-old doctoral student pursuing a degree in philosophy. "There was so much going on with people who wanted to be entertained. But I didn't think there were many opportunities for students to sit together and have thoughtful conversations with other people. And there were some of us who wanted to do some talking and reflecting on something that was deeper."

When he graduated, Roden went to work for UNT as the assistant director of student life at the Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science. There, he transitioned the Thought Forum into Dessert & Discussion.

"I put out signs inviting people to come," Roden said. "Then I got married, and my wife and I had this old house on Fry Street. We did the same thing. We put out signs. It was a good way to stay in touch with professors and people who wanted to engage in this sort of relational discussion. And we'd talk about things like the topic we discussed recently, and that Mayor Mark Burroughs came by to help us discuss, the topic: 'What does it mean to be Denton?' Then when we moved to our house on Texas Street, we brought it with us. That's when it became Drink & Think."

That was 2000. Roden has continued to provide "fine adult beverages" to people who want to talk about big questions - questions about life and questions that relate to being a citizen. Because Roden has a day job, has a 22-month-old daughter and is trying to get his PhD, Drink & Think happens when his schedule allows.

"I try to have at least three a semester," he said.

Drink & Think isn't all talk. Roden has invited local bands to the session to play a set or two. He doesn't consider Drink & Think part of the Denton house show phenomenon.

"I ventured out to a house show last fall," Roden said. "I noticed that it was a mostly younger crowd, and the house show scene is more about partying. If you come into the group sitting around my living room, you're not going to be talking [while the discussion is going on]."

Roden said he's not fussed about concrete action growing out of the sessions.

"On some level, I think if it became institutionalized, I don't think it would work," he said. "It would lose some of it's flavor, wouldn't it? What I would like to see come out of this is for other people to start these kinds of groups in their neighborhoods."

Roden won't prescribe a model for the ideal session.

"If someone else tried to be Kevin Roden, it would be inauthentic. That's not to say I wouldn't give someone else advice, or answer their questions. I'd be up for that. It has to be what it's going to be, though."

Roden will host a special session of Drink & Think from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday at banter, 119 W. Oak St. A panel will use the Drink & Think format to pose the question: "Is Midlake Better Than Miley Cyrus? (If, How So? If Not, Then What The Hell Are We Doing?)

To keep up with Drink & Think, visit www.thinkdenton.com. You can connect to the forum's facebook site from the site