Live-looping gurus EOTO stopped by Club Dub Dub (formerly known as the Jellyphish Lounge) in Houston on Sunday, March 16.

Read the full show review after the jump

I've marveled at EOTO's live show 4 times since their 2006 inception, and I've raved about them to countless people over the past year and a half. To my chagrin, I learned a few months ago that I've been saying their name incorrectly all that time. A visit to their Myspace page revealed that it is, in fact, pronounced ee-oh-toe, not ee-oh-tee-oh. I've been saying ee-oh-tee-oh for so long that it's proving difficult to teach myself to refer to them as ee-oh-toe. Eggs and I used to roll our eyes and snicker at overheard conversations about ee-oh-toe. Turns out, we're the assholes. Oops. At least now you won't commit the same error.

Sunday night's EOTO show at Club Dub Dub (née Jellyphish Lounge) was excitement-filled for Eggs and myself. We'd arrived full of anticipation because the Jellyphish was our absolute favorite venue in Houston, and we worried that when the owners moved to Colorado last summer we'd never again see our little slice of heaven. The venue is located in the backyard of a house in the Heights, and it's so bursting with character that it's nearly impossible to absorb it all during your first visit.

To gain entrance, you have to traverse a long driveway and pay your cover charge to the kids (literally) distributing wristbands. Beyond that point, you may as well be in another world. Multi-generational hippies lounge in groups on the outdoor patio, smoking and laughing. Inside what appears to be a converted garage or shed, long skirts sway to the music. The walls are always decorated with some sort of kooky motif, and the acoustics are excellent. Need to powder your nose? Just head back up the mushroom-lined path to the main house. My favorite aspect of the Jellyphish was always the vibe; there were never any hipster 'tudes spoiling the atmosphere. To our great relief, the new owner of the space hasn't done anything to alter its spirit.

When Eggs and I staked out a spot near the "stage", the show was already off to a floorboard-creaking good time. Drummer Jason Hann and multi-instrumentalist Michael Travis (both of String Cheese Incident fame) always put on a hell of a show - if you haven't checked them out yet, I absolutely recommend that you do. Their music is all improvised, so every show is unique. I've never failed to have a great time...though I guess that's not hard to do when you're surrounded by a bunch of dancing, smiling hippies.

EOTO's sound is an intoxicating blend of drum n bass, trip-hop, house, and breakbeats that's guaranteed to make you dance. The creation of the music is a fascinating process - I'm perpetually amazed by the complexity Hann and Travis produce without using anything pre-recorded or pre-looped. Instead, they live-loop and remix as they play. The result is a compelling multi-layered show that's determined to get you moving.

Travis and Hann are always willing to stick around and chat with fans after their shows, so Eggs went over to pay his compliments. In the meantime, I spotted Marshall Harrell, the bassist who recently joined New Monsoon's lineup. We'd caught their show at Last Concert Cafe the night before, and I was just delirious enough to propel myself in his direction to offer up a sweaty hug. After all, we were at Club Dub Dub/Jellyphish, where ho-hum handshakes are routinely eschewed in favor of hearty hugs.

EOTO are currently touring the US; check out their Myspace page for tour dates. I'll be catching them at least twice this summer (at Wakarusa and Rothbury); until then, you'll probably find me practicing saying ee-oh-toe.

Video from EOTO's performance at Club Dub Dub:

Check out all of our other photos and videos from this show!

Cereal's rating: 8.314159265/10 frosted flakes. Deliciously sweet yet delightfully crunchy. Almost Obama-sistible!

Carpe ientaculum.

--Cereal