Collings is also a man who likes his music - and he likes it loud.

But as he is more a techno dance and punk fan than mainstream rock or classical, he could find few venues in Launceston playing his kind of music.

His plight has given him empathy for young people leaving school who clamour there isn't enough going on - little to engage their talent or interest.

``We need to encourage young people to stay here -  to do this we have to be prepared to try new ideas,'' says the self-described ``old fart''  who took this message on board and has cast aside marine science in order to give his passion for good coffee and indie music a spin.

Today sees Launceston welcome Shot on Wax to its crowd of coffee shops, but Collings is confident that his ``special blend'' cafe can fill a void.

Open the door and it's the catchy beat of such musicians as rapper Tricky or electronic band Leftfield that will greet you - at surprisingly high decibels, kept a secret to passers-by thanks to well sound-proofed walls.

Collings and his caf?aacé colleagues - barista and muso Matthew Flack, DJ and cafe manager Emma Norton and Lilli Mohr  - imagine their caf?aacé,'' located in the ``happening strip of St John Street, as a music venue as much as a coffee vendor.

``There are music and book shops that sell coffee, but I don't know anywhere in Tasmania where you can turn up to a coffee shop and play DJ sets,'' Collings said.

``Our shop will also be stocking mint condition secondhand vinyl, new releases and reissue records  including the recent revival in audiophile quality 180 gram vinyl pressings.''

With a discerning collection of records and a double deck at the ready, Collings and crew hope  the caf?aacé will become  a hub of entertainment attracting established and aspiring vinyl  DJs.

While at this stage the caf?aacé is a daytime gig, open six days a week, there is vision for Shots on Wax to support local bands, host album launches and open some evenings for acoustic jam sessions.

?ntsnd by no means is food an afterthought, nor mainstream. Pintxos (pronounced pinchos), a speciality snack of the Basque region in Northern Spain, dominate the menu.