Craft coffee is slowly but surely creeping its way into mainstream culture. Whether it be Jerry Seinfield visiting Handsome Coffee, or Kuerig’s need to lampoon artisanal shops in a recent add, the public is starting to notice a growing demographic wants a higher quality cup. Not surprisingly, some of specialty coffee’s earliest adapters have been creative types, and musicians are no exception. In particular, these three bands love coffee more than the average musician.
Arcade Fire
An entire decade later, Arcade Fire’s debut release Funeral remains the album most likely to be playing in your local coffee shop. It’s only fitting, because the band members are avid coffee fanatics. The Montreal-based group is known to seek out local shops while they’re on the road and even made a surprise appearance at the 2011 Nordic Barista Cup, long considered one of the most important specialty coffee conferences. Before kicking off their national tour in support of their latest album, Reflektor, the band was spotted at Quills Coffee in Louisville- delighting customers and fanboy baristas alike.
LCD Soundsystem
“The Coffee isn’t even bitter,” James Murphy sings on Sound of Silver‘s “Someone Great”. That isn’t surprising considering Murphy has developed his own signature espresso blend in collaboration with Blue Bottle Coffee. Murphy told the New Yorker last year he expects “going down the rabbit hole” of coffee might consume a couple of years. His fans can only hope Murphy finds inspiration to release another album somewhere between shots of espresso.
The Black Keys
Nashville’s Barista Parlor has been a hot spot for musicians since it opened. The Black Keys frontman Dan Auerbach must have been howlin’ for a delicious shot of espresso during a late night recording session, because he invited owner Andy Mumma to open a new cafe in his recording studio, Golden Sound. The space will also feature Barista Parlor’s first foray into roasting their own coffee, which should be hitting shelves later this year.