We’re Open at Coachella

James Murphy, tan lines, and Cold Brew

Dust off your camping gear and don your finest fringed vests—we’re open at Coachella. For two weekends only, we’re equipping musical fans and desert wayfarers with a full lineup of Blue Bottle Coffee from our provisional coffee bar.

House of Good, the espresso blend concocted by James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem and our own James in 2013, will re-release for Coachella only. This voluptuous espresso balances notes of tart Meyer lemon and sweet dried cherry with dense cocoa. It’s akin to the second movement of Carl Nielsen’s Symphony No. 3—or, perhaps, to that buzzing, syncopated synth line from “Dance Yrself Clean” (depending on which James you ask). Sneak backstage at the LCD Soundsystem tent and you may glimpse James Murphy pulling espresso shots on a La Marzocco that was toted out to this remote desert plateau.

Formerly heavy-hearted road-trippers can rest easy with plenty of good coffee before, during, and after the event. We’re stocking our coolers with Cold Brew and New Orleans-Style Iced Coffee, available at our LA cafes. Pick some up before you leave, like Rose (our Community Events Specialist) did, or purchase a can upon arrival. Baristas at Coachella will also be serving plenty of cappuccinos and lattes using the aforementioned House of Good.

Our fully functional (albeit easily collapsible) cafe was assembled over the course of just a few days. The building alludes to openness inside and out, using ubiquitous and often-concealed materials, like vertical wood furring.

As Blue Bottle Store Design Manager Dana Nishimura Bryan puts it: “You could make this entire space from Home Depot materials in one weekend. It’s intentionally humble. I think it's a reminder that beauty is hidden in plain sight.”

If you make it through both weekends with nary more than a solid tan and mildly diminished eardrums, you can stop by any of our LA cafes with your bedraggled wristband for a drink on the house. (Offer good on two Mondays, April 18 and 25.)

Did we ever think we would set up shop in the desert for some 200,000 guests? No, not even close. But neither did we imagine we’d be tasting coffee with James Murphy in an apartment in Brooklyn. As they say, there’s a first time for everything.