Rockers The Lonely H are in a 'Class' of their own

For fans of '70s rock and clap-happy sing-a-longs, listen up: The Lonely H graces Charleston with its presence on Saturday.

It's a little bit of The Beatles, a touch of The Eagles, a dash of Seger and Tom Petty with a side of Springsteen. With such classic influences, it is surprising that only one member of this Port Angeles, Washington quartet is of legal drinking age.

Frontman Mark Fredson towers over the keyboard at an astounding 6'7'', with only 19 years under his belt. Brothers Eric and Johnny Whitman contribute guitar and bass, respectively. Ben Eyestone completes the rhythm section with a traditional drumming style. And these boys have their history together.

"We were all friends before," said Fredson. "We've known each other since elementary school."

Eric and Ben began playing guitar and drums at a very early age, and soon invited Fredson, a friend and choir student, to sing with them. It was only a matter of time before brother Johnny picked up his bass and joined in on the festivities.

The band members continued to write their own music and play small gigs, but the break-through moment for the youths was a battle of the bands in Seattle, where they were awarded second place.

"That opened a lot of doors for us," Fredson said.

Since that fateful show, The Lonely H has released three studio albums on The Control Group, an indie label famous for fresh sounds. H's most recent, "Concrete Class," tells of the hardships and experiences of the band's life on the road. Touring is a ritual that these rockers know well. In 2008 alone, the band played over 200 shows.

"Once the second album came out, we started full-time," said Fredson.

The album has a vintage sound, reminding the listener of times past, when being a musician was more of a way of life than an occupation. They are excited about touring for this record because their rising fame allowed them to give their full attention to all twelve songs on the record.

"We spent twice as much time on it in the studio. It's bound to make a big difference," Fredson said.

The band's live show is an energy-infused series of clap-a-long performances of its album tracks. With such an intense tour schedule, The Lonely H is never out of practice.

"Being on the road for so long makes you a tighter band and better songwriters. We try not to relent at all. There's no pedal boards. It's nice and loud," Fredson said.

After the July 11th show, the band plans on continuing to tour throughout the rest of the summer up until September. They want to take time off to spend at home, but the restless quartet can't stay off the open road for long.

"In the fall, the plan is to hop on a package tour with another band and tour the whole country," said Fredson.