Pittsburgh coffee van seeks musicians to create original, heavy metal jingle - TribLIVE

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The pure joy felt by children as they race toward an ice cream truck has few, if any, adult parallels.

Perhaps it would be different if the truck sold coffee instead of ice cream and played heavy metal instead of a played-out nursery rhyme.

It’s about to become a reality through Black Forge Coffee owner, Ashley Corts, and her brand new, musician-minded Black Forge Coffee Van.

Via social media posts in late August, Corts began recruiting local musicians to create a theme song for the java van.

“The only thing I ask is that you provide the heaviest riffs,” the Instagram post reads.

Separately, Corts described her ideal jingle as “fast and heavy or stoner metal and doomy.”

The van’s mission is to help independent music venues hit hard by covid-19 gathering restrictions. Corts will partner with music venues in need — and other small, music-related businesses — to draw attention to their cause, sell Black Forge products and drum up some extra cash to help the venues stay in business.

“I can’t just sit back and watch the industry who made me who I am crumble without trying something to assist my fellow industry friends,” Corts said.

A Rochester, N.Y.-native, Corts moved to Pittsburgh to attend the Art Institute in 2008. She worked as a lighting designer for several local music venues before founding Black Forge Coffee in 2015. The heavy metal-themed coffee house, with locations in Allentown and McKees Rocks, already combines her passions. The van puts them on full blast.

The coffee van — which hauls a four-wheeled, metal-sided trailer with a food service window — will park outside of the predetermined businesses on prescheduled dates beginning this fall. Westside Bowl in Youngstown, Ohio, and Urban Artifact in Cincinnati will be the first stops on what Corts hopes will be a nationwide van tour.

The South Side’s Rex Theater was to be a destination before its closing announcement on Tuesday.

“If promoted properly by each venue or promoter as if this event was like a show, I believe hundreds of people would come out to buy coffee at their favorite venue and know their purchase will lead to supporting their locally-owned music venue,” Corts said.

Corts will donate 15% of the van’s made-to-order coffee drink profits to the venue or business.

Another type of donation will come from the van’s proprietary coffee blend.

Roasted by Black Forge coffee experts, the Save Our Stages blend — named after the National Independent Venue Association’s social media campaign — will be available from the van only.

A donation of $5 from each 12-ounce bag sold will go to the venue or business.

Corts has thought well-ahead on how to best advertise these stops. The fresh-brewed coffee’s aroma might pitch the products on its own.

Corts believes an irreverent take on an ice cream truck’s jingle could lure more patrons.

She’s received 32 applications, including one from Lou Snyder, guitarist and background vocalist for local death metal band, Riparian.

A truck driver and crane operator by day, Snyder jumped at the opportunity to write music with a specific and quirky inspiration.

“I took influence from the stuff on the menu so far as lyrical content goes,” said Snyder. “I thought like, ‘Why not make the van a living entity trying to decimate the world?’ It’s kind of epic and funny, in a way.”

The winner will receive a Black Forge free drink pass good for one drink per visit for a year. They’ll get to name and co-create a custom coffee blend. And, there will be a small cash prize.

But, the prize package isn’t what motived Snyder.

“Just having the opportunity to write music is all the gratitude I need,” he said.

That inspirational push was just another facet of Corts’ grand van plan.

“I’m asking all of these local, Pittsburgh musicians to be creative and make something that you would think of when you’re a kid,” she said. “You’re like, ‘What’s that sound? It’s the ice cream truck!’ No, it’s heavy metal riffs coming down the street and that means coffee’s on the way.”

Jingles should be submitted via email to blackforgecoffeevan@gmail.com by September 30.

Abby Mackey is a Tribune-Review contributing writer. You can contact Abby at abbyrose.mackey@gmail.com or via Twitter.

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Pittsburgh coffee van seeks musicians to create original, heavy metal jingle - TribLIVE

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