Justin Scurti techs for Interpol, owns Saint Vitus, and plays guitar in I Hate Our Freedom.
What was the food highlight of your year?
In 2014 I got to go to Noma! Thanks to a good friend they made some room for myself and a couple of the other Interpol crew while on a day off. Everything from being greeted by the entire staff upon walking in the door to every course and wine pairing was nothing short of amazing. We also got a full tour of the restaurant and as an added bonus Pastry chef Rosio Sanchez and a few of the other staff arranged for a boat, filled with champaign, to take us through the canals of Copenhagen and over to friends restaurant Amass where we got to visit the restaurant, farm and meet chef/owner Matt Orlando. As the day turned into night I was invited to spend the rest of the evening with the staff at Mikkeller Bar where i tried very hard to taste everyone of the namesakes beers.
What was the music highlight of your year?
So much happened in 2014. Interpol released their 5th album and I have been lucky enough to be a part of it from the very start. We've been on tour for most of 2014. But for Christmas last my girlfriend Elena bought me a plane ticket to San Francisco to see Rocket From The Crypt play The independent in March 2014 for one of their first US reunion shows. I stayed with my good friend and chef Bill Corbett. We ate too may burritos and sang every word. I also got to see a few other reunions in 2014 including The Strokes as well as Slowdive and Soul Side twice each. But of course there was the epic Nirvana "reunion" that happened at Saint Vitus. Seeing Dave, Krist and Pat Smear play those songs on that stage along with Joan Jett, J. Mascis, St. Vincent, Joahn McCauley and lastly Kim Gordon was absolutely mind blowing. The year ended with Quicksand playing through midnight on New Years Eve at Saint Vitus and it was the perfect cap to a great year.
Was there a moment when food and music came together in a memorable way?
I tour with a great group of people that are also into food. I can almost always count on a text or email from, guitarist, Daniel Kessler with a couple of vegetarian suggestions in almost every city we hit. And anytime I get to see Scott Winegard it always involves food and music. Especially when I stopped at his restaurant M.A.K.E. and he treated me to a 20 course tasting menu that you would have never known was vegan and raw. He and I also did the tasting menu at Alma in LA while I was holed up at the Ace Hotel across the street. But one of the best memories of 2014 was when Elena and I went out for a "family" dinner with some of our best friends to Lil Frankies in NYC before I left for 3 months and they played nothing but Jawbreaker, Fugazi and Quicksand on the radio for us.
