On the night of Saturday, Jan 31, the Gorham campus was graced by the beautiful folk music of USM resident Jakob Battick with his friends (Mark Dennis, Milo Moyer-Battick, Jesse Meuner, Wade Linebaugh, Ryan Higgins) and Biddeford-based duo South China in the Hastings Formal Lounge.
Jakob and his friends spent a few hours before the show decorating the stage, similar to last year’s Swollen Spring Violets show, with stars, angels, a moon and flower petals hanging from the ceiling with sheets as a backdrop and rugs on the bottom. The room’s subtle lighting created a warm, intimate setting.
A few weeks of promotion drew in a crowd of 50 or more, and they all listened intently to the sparse, sleepy melodies of Jakob’s music.
One of the high points of his set was the performance of “Massive Moth, My Dreamfield,” when Mark, Jesse, Wade, Ryan, and Milo were harmonizing “my dreamfield” while Jakob was passionately singing a line on top.
The band members switched in and out on almost every song, going from a seven-piece to a duo (Jakob and Mark) at times.
South China followed up with a serene array of songs, combining sounds of electric guitar, bass, cello, accordion and piano.
Jerusha Robinson has a wonderful syncopation in all of their songs, and Jeremy Robinson joined in a few times for a great blend of male and female vocals.
I felt chills down my spine when they played “Partridge In A Pear Tree,” a beautiful, melancholic piece on piano and guitar with Jerusha singing gently over. “Sun Sets On Washington Avenue” was one of the other peaks of the show; the song eminently demonstrated the complex dynamics Jerusha and Jeremy use to make such elegant music.
This was the first folk show performed at USM in a while, so we can only hope for another in the next coming months.
Stay in touch with South China’s progress on their upcoming LP with Peapod Recordings at myspace.com/southchinamusic.
You can download plenty of free albums from Jakob Battick and his friends at myspace.com/teaandorangesfamily.