Since 1994, Klekolo World Coffee has served as a gathering place for artists, live music, coffee lovers, and community in downtown Middletown.
This July, live music continues Tuesday nights at Klekolo World Coffee in Middletown, Connecticut, alongside a new featured art exhibit on the walls.
Summer evenings at Klekolo bring together local musicians, conversation, coffee, and rotating artwork in the intimate setting the coffeehouse has been known for for decades.
Join us throughout July for another month of Klekolo Sessions and featured local art.
🎨 Featured Artist — July 2026
Julia Peterson
This July, we welcome Julia Peterson to the walls of Klekolo World Coffee.
Born and raised in Connecticut, Julia Peterson is both a practicing artist and educator whose work explores perception, emotion, and the experience of moving through the world with a differently wired mind.
Jp received their BSEd in Art Education from Central Connecticut State University in 2024 and currently teaches elementary art in Meriden, Connecticut. Alongside teaching, they have worked as an instructor at the Guilford Art Center and gained classroom experience across multiple Connecticut communities including Hartford, Farmington, Windsor, West Hartford, New Britain, Cromwell, and Meriden.
Their artwork reflects a deeply personal relationship with perception and attention.
As Jp describes it:
“I am taking the ordinary and attempting to bring my personal emotion and perception of the world to my artwork.” JP
Living with dyslexia shapes the way they process the world visually and emotionally — allowing them to approach familiar subjects from unexpected angles and reveal new facets of human experience.
Their work moves between awareness and abstraction, chaos and calm.
“The act of creation allows me to enter that state and slow my mind – to change from constant chaos to calm waters.” JP
That sense of movement, reflection, and focus carries through the exhibit itself. Ordinary moments become layered with emotion and perspective, inviting viewers to pause and experience them differently.
Stop in throughout July to experience the exhibit in person. Learn more about Julia Peterson and her work on her website.
📍 On View Through July
Klekolo World Coffee
181 Court Street
Middletown, Connecticut
🎵 Klekolo Sessions — Live Music Tuesdays
Every Tuesday evening, Klekolo Sessions continues with live music in a upclose coffeehouse setting.
For decades, Klekolo World Coffee has remained a gathering place for artists, musicians, and community in Middletown CT — where performances happen up close and conversations continue long after the music ends.
Good coffee. Real music. Small-room atmosphere.
July 7 — Live Music by Shannon McMahon
Shannon McMahon opens July at Klekolo Sessions with an evening of contemporary folk music shaped by storytelling, rich vocals, and decades of performance experience.
A singer-songwriter from Stratford, Connecticut, Shannon began writing songs as a child after receiving her first guitar at age nine. By twelve, she was already performing publicly in churches, coffeehouses, and community spaces. At seventeen, she was accepted into a vocal performance program at The New School in New York City, studying under Brown Bradley.
Her music blends contemporary folk with touches of country influence, carried by a warm and expressive voice often compared to artists like Joan Baez and Natalie Merchant.
In 1996, Shannon released her debut independent album, Some of My Years, featuring twelve original songs rooted in personal storytelling and the human experience.
Alongside live performances throughout Connecticut, Shannon has also performed regularly for international audiences in Second Life since 2008 — building a unique connection between virtual and physical music communities.
She was selected as a finalist for the 2015 Connecticut Folk Festival and as an alternate in the Connecticut Folk songwriting contest the same year.
Her newest album, Wishing On Planes, was recorded with Paul Opalach at Long Hill Recording Studios.
Expect an evening of heartfelt songwriting, strong vocals, and music well suited to the close-listening atmosphere of Klekolo Sessions.
Learn more on her website.
July 14 — Live Music by Matt Numa & Friends
Matt Numa returns to Klekolo Sessions alongside Jade Stabile and Spencer Schermerhorn for a collaborative evening of indie, alternative, and singer-songwriter music.
Performing under the project name A Matter of Fact, Matt Numa channels personal experience into emotionally grounded songwriting shaped by honesty, grit, and connection. Music became both an outlet and a voice after a difficult beginning, eventually evolving into a sound influenced by artists like The Who, Neil Young, Jim Croce, and Creedence Clearwater Revival while also carrying the emotional intensity of bands like Manchester Orchestra and Soundgarden.
The result is a performance style that balances raw energy with reflective songwriting.
Joining the evening is Jade Stabile, an emerging voice in the alt-pop and indie scene whose music blends cinematic production, ethereal vocals, and emotionally direct lyricism. Her songs explore identity, heartbreak, mental health, vulnerability, and transformation while remaining deeply rooted in storytelling.
Her newest single, Lavender, expands that sound into something brighter and genre-crossing, capturing the rush and uncertainty of falling in love while keeping the emotional depth that defines her work.
Also appearing is Spencer Schermerhorn (Spencer T) of the indie rock outfit The Dead Beatz. Drawing inspiration from artists such as Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Gary Clark Jr., and The Black Keys, Spencer brings a sound rooted in blues-infused rock and deeply personal songwriting. His work explores themes of grief, depression, resilience, and navigating life’s inevitable changes. For Spencer, music is medicine for the soul, and songwriting serves as both a personal outlet and an opportunity for healing and connection.
Together, the night promises a mix of intimate songwriting, collaboration, and layered indie influences that fit naturally within the small-room atmosphere of Klekolo Sessions.
Expect an evening that moves between reflective acoustic moments and emotionally charged performances in the heart of Middletown.
July 21 — NOW!
NOW! brings an evening of alternative-inspired live music to Klekolo Sessions on Tuesday, July 21.
Featuring Janine and John, the project blends original music with reimagined covers — pulling from different eras and influences while reshaping them with personality, edge, and creative energy.
Their sound moves between atmospheric alternative textures, expressive vocals, and songs that balance intensity with playfulness. Alongside original material, the band also reworks familiar songs through their own lens — giving older material a fresh attitude and unexpected life.
The evening promises a mix of experimentation, emotion, and live performance energy that fits naturally within the intimate setting of Klekolo Sessions.
As always, Tuesday nights at Klekolo are close-listening experiences where the audience sits just a few feet away from the musicians, creating the kind of connection larger venues often lose.
Coffee flowing. Music up close. A small room filled with sound.
Learn more:
July 28 — Live Music by Simon Elijah
Simon Elijah closes out July at Klekolo Sessions with an evening of Americana, storytelling, and sharply crafted songwriting.
Born and raised in upstate New York, Simon brings together the plainspoken honesty of classic folk songwriting with the emotional reach of modern Americana. Inspired by artists like John Prine, Brandi Carlile, and Jason Isbell, his music balances clever wit, lyrical depth, and memorable melodies that feel both timeless and personal.
Simon began playing guitar at eleven years old and has been writing and performing ever since. His debut album, Fly Out, was released in 2025, with a second album, Nameless, arriving in May 2026 ahead of a summer tour.
Beyond the songwriting itself, Simon’s live performances are known for their warmth, humor, and audience connection — creating the kind of atmosphere that fits naturally within the intimate setting of Klekolo Sessions.
Currently a student at Wesleyan University, Simon balances music with a wide range of interests including woodworking, cycling, running, and spending time outdoors — influences that quietly weave their way into the grounded feeling of his songs.
Expect an evening of thoughtful songwriting, engaging stories, and music meant to be experienced up close.
Whether you’re stopping in for coffee, discovering a new artist, or settling in for an evening of live music, July offers plenty of reasons to spend time at Klekolo.
📍 Klekolo Sessions — Tuesdays 7–9 PM
Klekolo World Coffee
181 Court Street
Middletown, Connecticut
Coffee • Community • Local Music • Local Art
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Klekolo World Coffee located?
Klekolo World Coffee is located at 181 Court Street in Middletown, Connecticut.
What time does live music start?
Klekolo Sessions takes place every Tuesday from 7–9 PM.
Is there a cover charge?
No — Klekolo Sessions is free to attend. Support the musicians, grab a coffee, and enjoy the evening.
How can I perform at Klekolo?
We welcome musicians who connect well with an intimate coffeehouse audience.
How can I exhibit art at Klekolo?
Klekolo regularly features local and Connecticut artists on the walls of the coffeehouse.
Reach out for future exhibit opportunities.
Hi enjoy your day!