Donkey Coffee & Espresso audiences may have seen Third Class perform before, but the band is bringing its “quirk-pop” style back to Athens.
Featured band Third Class will be performing at Donkey Coffee Friday evening with another band, Second Story. They said they plan to bring with them a theme of music that is all their own.
The band comes from the heart of Youngstown, Ohio. Pepe Parish and brothers Lee and Jack Boyle started out when they were teenagers in 1999. They’d play in Youngstown bars even though they were underage at the time.
“We were allowed, though. People appreciated that we were creating something of our own,” said Lee Boyle, who mainly plays the guitar or keyboard for the band.
This creativity is the driving force behind the band’s specific style of music. The band isn’t just interested in its sound, but the meanings behind its quirk-pop lyrics.
“Quirk-pop. That covers our style pretty well. We’re trying to make pop music but it comes out a little different,” Lee said.
This different sound can also be attributed to the way the trio play their instruments. Lee’s guitar is specifically tuned with only two strings.
“He’ll do a whole solo with just his thumb. It’s ridiculous,” Jack said.
It isn’t always intentional, but most of Third Class’s focus is on the themes of childhood and nostalgia.
“We’ve been living so close for so long. There are a lot of things we’ve experienced together. It brings out a really pure feeling of growing up,” said Jack Boyle, who mainly plays bass and drums.
Third Class’ show on Friday will be more stripped down from its previous shows at Donkey. The band will be working with quieter acoustic sets for a more melodic feel. The acoustic sets are more common in the light environment of coffee shops.
“We love coffee shops, some of our best shows have been in coffee shops,” Lee said, explaining that audiences find more meaning to the band’s shows in coffee shops rather than the bars they sometimes perform in.
Although Third Class will be performing live at Donkey Coffee Friday, it plans to focus more on online releases than live performances in the future.
Those attending the performances can expect to hear some of the band’s more popular songs, such as “Blue,” “Explode the Sky” and “Laugh and Cry.”
@tiffanytouville
tt315212@ohiou.edu
