San Francisco’s Coffee Shop Dance Parties Pair DJs With Caffeine | Eater SF

"Luis Gonzalez and Nathan Kruse’s coffee pop-up at wine bar High Treason channels club energy into a morning crowd: “Caffeine is the controlled substance on hand. While the coffee is tremendous and clever, the two baristas are well past the San Francisco proving grounds of the Coffee Movement; the move here is to dress good and vibe out.” Gonzalez and Kruse are both musicians — Gonzalez a DJ who takes over restaurants like Verjus and Mister Jiu’s Moongate Lounge, Kruse a pianist and singer — and the name nods to an uptempo subset of techno, so the project intentionally collides with San Francisco’s queue-and-events culture. The pop-up’s first birthday on Sunday, August 3 will lean fully into that energy: starting at 9 a.m. there won’t even be coffee for sale, two primo DJs will take turns spinning vinyl, and free coffee will be passed out as a way to get people dancing. “It’s always been about the coffee being competition level,” Gonzalez says, “while having the best music possible.” The event-driven, look-and-vibe emphasis means that, while not typically a full-on coffee party, the concept points to a broader shift in cafe culture toward daytime socializing and sober gatherings." - Paolo Bicchieri