Enough damn coffee already, let’s play some tunes!

First things first, we’ve just ordered a laptop skin, design courtesy of Prism Dynamics. I think it’s great, and a super way to give some interest to that stale grey MacBook cover. Let us know what you think!

Now, it’s been nearly 11 weeks on this tip – visiting, observing, and writing about cafés – and I think that’s just about enough. I’ve gone into over 50 establishments, spoke to the staff, noted what kind of coffee machine they use, the beans they brew, who the customers are, and how it all together. True, I’ve not spent any amount of time in the large portion of London that lies south of the River Thames (it still scares me a little), but I am entirely confident saying there is nothing like Digger’s Delight out there today. Over the next few months, we’re endeavouring to change that, and the first step is to stop spending all my time sitting, writing, and consuming in other people’s cafés, as educational and enjoyable as that has been.

It’s time to retrench our efforts, regain the focus on what we are offering, and to whom. It’s all about the music, and always has been, so let’s get back behind the decks, so to speak.

Digger’s Delight is not about creating another café to compete with the seven hundred and seventy-seven other cafés out there, even if it may be special in various different ways. Digger’s Delight is about fostering a welcoming atmosphere for sharing the music we love and helping it to thrive.

So starting yesterday, we’re shifting gears and moving the focus to the online world. It’s all great to have a physical shop in which to sell great coffee and snacks, a bit of wax, and the odd pint of beer, but what about the virtual reality? What about the teenager in Soweto who has devoted the vast majority of her waking hours to creating beautiful, unique music and would simply love to share it with the Digger’s community in London and beyond? What about the night watchman in Sheffield who just finished listening again to last week’s Mary Anne Hobbs podcast and still has five hours left in the shift?

Connecting the dots has always been the objective here; so much attention will go into how we can best create a welcoming atmosphere that exists physically in London whilst also stimulating a virtual Digger’s community that knows no boundaries.

Here are some ideas that we’re developing. Your thoughts and suggestions are always welcome here.

•  Live stream of DJ sets taking place in the Digger’s Delight shop
• Downloadable podcasts of previous DJ sets and mixes
• Digger’s Delight as a “No Label” record label, assisting unsigned artists to market their music through the Digger’s platform, with the vast majority of revenues going directly to the artist.
• Develop a network of record labels that can support emerging artists as they outgrow the Digger’s platform.

What do you guys think? Will it work? Do you want to help? To be clear, this isn’t about engaging with the incumbents in an incredibly diverse, established, and competitive scene. In fact, it’s the converse – Digger’s Delight will support some of those amazingly talented artists that would otherwise remain largely unknown, providing a platform for their music to be discovered, listened to, and purchased, with the vast majority of revenues going directly to the artist. At any point (or perhaps after a threshold sales volume has been reached) the artist is free to enter a conventional arrangement with an established record label. We’re all working toward the same objective, so there is no competition, no ego, and no conflict.

In the shop, artists are afforded a place to perform and showcase their talent. Record labels can display their latest releases and upcoming events. Other independent record shops gain additional visibility by having floor space to sell their records on consignment. Online, the global community is a diverse and rich selection of digital music at their fingertips.

It’s been said before and we’ll say it again and again: This is one café that will spend more attention on the sound system than the coffee machine.This weekend is the Gottwood Electronic Music and Arts Festival in Anglesey Wales. A small one, but a good one, with the likes of Mosca, Appleblim, Arkist, Nick Lawson, and my personal fav’s the Louche Music crew, Brinsley, Bruno, and Josh.

So it’s Stonehenge for summer solstice tonight into tomorrow and then off to northeast wales in time to catch Max Cooper’s live set at 9pm on Friday. Like I said, it’s all about the music, isn’t it?

Far from unheard of, we still have to give a big thumbs up to Cologne-based label Traum Schallplatten for consistently bringing the heat, including a healthy dose of Max Cooper over the years. From his latest EP, Egomodal.

Max Cooper – Epitaphy

Digging Around London - Youtube Playlist