Kafe Kerouac, a widely popular coffee house and bar located at 2250 N High St., will host local singer Shiloh Hawkins and pop band Third Class for a joint concert Saturday. Credit: Courtesy of Mike Heslop
Kafe Kerouac treats its patrons to quality brews, books and banter, but a consistent stream of performers also boosts the establishment’s appeal.
Poetic pop band Third Class will be joined by solo folk singer Shiloh Hawkins for a free concert Saturday at Kafe Kerouac, a coffee house and bar located at 2250 N. High St. Both acts are native to rural towns in Columbiana County, Ohio, and have been mutual fans of each other’s work since 2014, Lee Boyle, lead singer and instrumentalist for Third Class, said.
After playing Kafe Kerouac nearly seven years ago, he said Third Class recently contacted the venue once again, noting the location’s intellectual aesthetic as an appealing factor.
“We like to dabble in the poetic and literary aspects of what music can combine with,” Boyle said.
Third Class and its discography have evolved tremendously since 1999 when the group was formed, Boyle said. He said the group was initially punk in sound and style, incorporating elements from ‘90s rock and metal genres before becoming more romantic with age.
The band’s most recent album, “Haunted Until the Very End,” released in 2021, is a collection of experimental pop tracks and the band’s self-proclaimed magnum opus, Boyle said.
“I would call it the culmination of all our days of writing about death, romance and happiness,” he said. “I think the music touches on what it’s like to be in a small town and speaks to rural life in the Midwest in this weird way. Hence, the haunting and ghost inspirations.”
For this concert, Third Class has adjusted its setlist to complement Kafe Kerouac’s cozy interior, Boyle said. In an effort to create a mellow and comfortable flow of music, he said a majority of the songs will be performed with only a keyboard for support. This includes Boyle’s favorite composition and the title track, “Haunted Until the Very End.”
“It’s a small enough space that you can have a big presence with a small number of instruments,” he said. “It’s not necessarily a place where you sit and do acoustic ballads all day, but it’s also not a place where you just do punk songs.”
Hawkins said performing at Kafe Kerouac will allow her to embrace the bookish side of her personality while sharing the stage with one of her favorite bands. Since committing to songwriting in high school, Hawkins said she has found inspiration in ‘90s female artists such as Ani DiFranco.
Although Third Class and Hawkins have different sounds, they mesh together in an unexpectedly pleasant way, she said.
“Third Class is quirky and fun,” Hawkins said. “I think a lot of my solo music tends to be a little more serious and laid-back, so it’s nice to have that push and pull of our sounds together. You’re not getting two hours of the exact same thing.”
Hawkins said she is eager to share a setlist composed of almost all new material. Missing out on several opportunities and gigs due to COVID-19 initially led to feelings of hopelessness, but Hawkins said the ability to combat the pandemic with vaccinations has emboldened her to write again.
“I have a lot of unplayed songs for people to hear,” she said. “My favorite new song of my own that I’ll be playing is called ‘Have A Seat,’ and it’s about this old diner in my hometown that is no longer there.”
Hawkins said when she moved back to Ohio four years ago to pursue music, she was unsure about the decision but grew to appreciate all of the different creative minds around her.
“Music really takes you to places that you wouldn’t go otherwise,” she said.
Third Class and Hawkins’ free performance at Kafe Kerouac will begin at 8 p.m. Saturday. Their music can be found on all streaming platforms.
