Last Night at The Coffee Bean

If you were able to join us last night, in-store or streaming LIVE online from StageIt.com you know firsthand, Larry Bagby rocked out at The Coffee Bean country style.

In our previous post, an interview with Larry Bagby, we revealed his favorite drink – an iced mocha. Fans who came to see Larry received $1 off his drink of choice or 10% off their drink of choice!

Who would you like to see perform LIVE at The Coffee Bean in the Stageit Summer Concert Series?

Larry Bagby LIVE at The Coffee Bean

CB: First thing's first! Do you prefer Coffee or Tea?
LB: I prefer CofTea. It's a combo of coffee and tea... combined with cough syrup. I'm joking. What I really love is a good iced herbal tea or the ice blended rock and roll! I like them even without the coffee, even the flavor gets me pumped! Love it love it love it!!! Did I mention love it love it love it?

CB: So it's neither nor.. oh and you might have mentioned you love it but perhaps it's just the CofTea talking? We are glad to hear it! So what's your favorite drink?
LB: Beaneeeeee Bagby (Beanie Baby)
I love the Cafe Mocha or just a good old hot chocolate. Whatever kind of chocolate drink the bean throws in the cup I dig. I prefer the real sugar, but the no sugar added cafe mocha rocks and makes me feel wild and at home, for I'm a loco local.

CB: And loco for cocoa it seems! So when did you first discover The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf? Is there any kind of story, special moment or experience you'd like to share?
LB: I was playing at the ASCAP artist lounge up in Sundance, Utah. My friend's art lounge was taken over by Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf and that's how I got hooked. Now I go there every day and refer to it as my office. My friends and family laugh because what musician and actor has an office? We are supposed to be waking up at the crack of noon on some random couch or as the old joke goes, "What do you call a musician without a girlfriend?" Homeless. So you could say Coffee Bean keeps me from having to tie myself down to one girl and it keeps me off the streets and makes me get my feet tapping to my country rock and roll beat!!!

CB: A muscian and a comedian, ok now we're really excited to see you play live! If you could use any famous song title to name a drink, what would it be?
LB: "Take it easy!" I would be singing that to myself while I'm spending all day at the bean on the net, drinking, and eating my breakfast, brunch, and lunch. If I keep going a midnight snack. I would skip dinner. I'm watching the weight!

CB: We would love to hear it! If you could play a duet with anyone on the Stageit / Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf series who would it be?LB: Like anyone in the entire world of music and musicians?
CB: Yep, anyone!
LB: Hmmmm... if I could pick anyone it would be Carrie Underwood or Allison Krause or however you spell her name. I love both of those voices and Carrie Underwood is one of my country crushes. Oh! And I have to throw in Tina Turner. I think her soul would make me step it up and sing my best, so her too. Oh and one more for shinikeys and gigglins. Angelina Jolie. I know I have issues with spelling celeb names, but I wouldn't let her see how I spelled it or you wouldn't right? She may not even sing, but I would just make her stand there while I sing to her and stare in a romantic and not creepy way. That might be the challenge and where the actor in me would have to take over. How do you not look at her in that? You know... kind of way. I am a good man, but I ain't blind.

CB: All right, all right, but the upcoming show features someone we're really excited to see live, and that's you! Larry Bagby! Anything you want to tell the fans to prepare them for what their in for?
LB: Bring your favorite Coffee Bean gift card and put on your flip flops or cowboy boots and listen to the sweet sounds of the Bagby Crying and Croonin!

P.S. If you bring a Bean Bagby, then we will give you 10% off your Bagby music and your bean drink! Beaneeebagbys! Or wear a coffee beanee in the summer for two of my songs and get a free cd... towel to wipe yourself down will be provided. You will need it while the California sunshine beams down upon your beanie cover head.

June 21 - Larry Bagby 7pm
1772-A East Avenida De Los Arboles
Thousand Oaks CA, 91362
http://www.stageit.com/larry_bagby/live_from_the_coffee_bean/3104

Artist info:
https://www.facebook.com/larrybagbymusic
http://twitter.com/#!/larrybagby

Meet Eric Lumiere

We are extremely excited to bring you our 3rd LIVE concert with Eric Lumiere from our Summer Concert Series through Stageit.com.

Stageit is an online venue that allows musicians to stream exclusive LIVE concerts to fans. This week Eric Lumiere performed in front of a store full of fans as well as into his laptop where more fans watched to cheer him on through Stageit's chat room feed.

We had the chance to ask Eric a few questions about his love for music and The Coffee Bean right before his set.

CB: Here’s a tough one for you - Coffee or Tea?
Eric: Tea

CB: Ah! A tea man! What’s your favorite tea from our stores?
Eric: Japanese cherry green iced teaCB: Great choice! And when was it that you first discovered The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf?
Eric: I have no idea, but I must have been thirsty and needed some good coffee or tea!

CB: You certainly came to the right place! One last question for you, if you could play a duet with anyone on the Stageit/Coffee Bean summer concert series, who would it be?
Eric: Adele, Skylar Grey, or Stevie Nicks

CB: Well we would love to have any of those artists in store as well, let us know when you work out a performance date! Thanks Eric, we are looking forward to seeing you perform LIVE here at The Coffee Bean and through Stageit.com.

Tell us where we can go to follow your journey in music beyond tonight.

Eric: Thanks Coffee Bean, you can ‘like’ me on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ericlumieremusic and follow me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/ericlumiere

The “Top Two Leaves and a Bud”

By David De Candia

David plucking tea in Sri Lanka.

Plucking the top two leaves and a bud is never an easy task, yet these tea pluckers make plucking seem extremely easy. Even when they’re climbing at awkward angles they manage to continue plucking without missing a step. There is an incredible rhythm to plucking and it’s amazing to see all the workers in what seems like choreographed dance.

For me, plucking was a way to become even closer to the beverage I love. However, since it would take me a week to fill my basket, I don’t think I have a future in plucking tea leaves.

-David De Candia, Tea Buyer/Master Tea Blender for The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf

Did you know?

One full basket of tea leaves is about 22lbs or about 8,000 sets of two leaves and a bud. Most tea pluckers can collect a basket and a half in one day!