Observations: Late latte show for Emily
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Coffee shops have a special place in the history of pop. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, they were where frothy-lipped young British music fans hung out and one, the 2 I's (that's how the neon sign in London's Old Compton Street spelt it), is even credited as the birthplace of British rock'n'roll – its tiny basement stage having been the caffeine-fuelled launch-pad for Cliff Richard, Marty Wilde, Tommy Steele, Terry Dene and more.
A few years later, over in Greenwich Village, New York, and harking back to London in the late 17th century, when dissent brewed in the capital's coffeehouses, cafés provided the platform for emerging protest-folkies such as Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and Joni Mitchell.
Now, in an echo of those earlier days, the British chain Caffè Nero is opening in the evenings for music for the first time, with free performances by fast-rising singer-songwriter Emily Maguire at many of the chain's outlets until the end of February.
Maguire's latest single, "I'd Rather Be", is playlisted on BBC Radio 2 and MTV viewers will have seen and heard her as part of its Climate Change campaign with Greenpeace.
She has grounds for optimism: "Coffee shops are perfect for acoustic music," she told me over a sensible decaff. "The songs I play are very acoustic and in some ways a bit ethereal, so they benefit from the quiet you get in such an intimate space."
emilymaguire.com
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments