Jacob Augustine Opened For Timber Timbre @ PCMH [2.27.15]

On February 27th, Port City Music Hall hosted a mellow evening of northern sounds – Timber Timbre from Canada headlining, and Jacob Augustine from Lincoln, ME opening.

Augustine & his fellow bearded bandmates outright stole the show. Familiar was the singer’s deep soothing voice, seemingly full of wisdom from multiple lives past. New was his experimental twangy chamber folk ensemble, anchored by (my former Milkman’s Union bandmate) Peter McLaughlin on drum flourishes and Asher Platts (Theodore Treehouse) on upright bass, with secret weapon McKay Belk (ex-Forget, Forget) on delicious pedal steel guitar. The quartet mostly played songs from their upcoming album, along with a smattering of reimagined Augustine standbys. The set ended with a rousing extended version of “Animal Orchard,” a highlight from 2011’s Goldyhymns. It’s hard not to leave a Jacob Augustine show and feel anything but complete awe and inspiration.

Timber Timbre took the stage to a slightly smaller crowd than the opening set (a testament to Augustine’s reputation and impact as a performer), and delivered a low-key but impressive set. The Canadian quartet’s live sound crept only slightly louder than the quiet dirge of their studio albums, and Timber Timbre only have a few sounds, but they execute them to perfection. A combination of late 1950s piano balladry with slightly Beatle-esque chord changes, heavy usage of the 6/8 time signature, and low brooding slapback delay-soaked vocals punctuated by the occasional high-pitched yelp. A few quasi-psychedelic organ jams steered the vibe towards early 1970s Pink Floyd. I wasn’t completely blown away, but I was well entertained, and I left with a desire to give Timber Timbre’s discography a closer listen.

Here’s Timber Timbre’s setlist from the show:

Note: despite having a photo pass for the show, security would not allow Jeff to take photos of the headliner’s set. It’s unclear if this was due to the band’s own policy or some other reason, but unfortunately it means that we do not have any images of Timber Timbre performing to share with you.