EOTO Leaves Lincoln Dripping Sweat; 5/3/08 @ Box Awesome

Five years ago, I would have laughed heartily if you told me that I would be into electronic music. For me, it had always been quite hard to respect an act that relied solely on computers to make their music. I have had several acquaintances try to sway me throughout the years, to no avail. Eventually I would begin to attend festivals regularly. I soon began to be able to handle some of these acts as they make for excellent late night antics. Then EOTO came along. Being a Cheese fan, I felt obligated to check them out when they came to Omaha on their first tour. I did not know what to expect, but was quite skeptical going into the night. Regardless, I had a blast that night and was inspired to take on more music with electronic roots, from groups like Zilla and Lotus to acts such as Hot Chip and Justice. This is all music that previously I would have not even given a chance to, but now, will take on in a heartbeat.

Jason Hann of EOTO

Michael Travis of EOTO

With that in mind, EOTO was back in the area in support of their new album, Razed. The show was brought to us by our friends at Rad Kadillac, who have done nothing but bring great music to the Midwest for about two years now and share a similar philosophy with us in bringing great music to great people. I found myself at a local spot with the worst name in the history of names, Box Awesome, on 5/3/08 to catch them. Located in the Haymarket in Lincoln, NE, the quaint venue hosts many different acts, mostly local electronic and hip hop. Every now and again they bring in a big name or two. Once inside, it was apparent that the night would be a crowded one. The venue isn’t the biggest, but basically is set up in the worst manner possible for a crowd. With that in mind, by the end of the night, the club would be filled with 500-700 dancing maniacs.

Michael Travis

Local DJ Inflect started the night off for us. He and his laptop played about a half hour of repetitive beats, which soon left me asking for EOTO. Once again I find it hard to get into something produced entirely by a laptop. A lot of times, when I go to a show, not only is it for the music, but also the stage performance. One guy pointing and clicking, then turning a few knobs here in there doesn’t count as entertainment in my eyes. If it did, I could just look at Internet porn all day, right? With that said, Inflect’s set would soon be over as he left most of the crowd halted.

Inflect in action

You could tell that most were there for the headliner as the place would soon fill up and eventually, sell out. We happened to secure ourselves a nice little nook in the front row, and space soon became a factor. About as quickly as it became uncomfortable, Jason Hann and Michael Travis began and sent the place into an hour long dance induced frenzy. The talent that these two possess on stage shocks me every time I see them. I am surprisingly greeted with something new that just blows me away. They seem to share a common happiness on stage which always takes over the crowd instantly. There is something about seeing them have so much fun on stage that just makes you want to shake your ass. The first set lasted about an hour. In that time EOTO had left the crowd sweaty and craving more.

Jason Hann

The second set started shortly thereafter. EOTO continued to impress as a mixture of steam and smoke began taking over the small venue. There were times on the dance floor where I felt like I was going to pass out from the heat, so I'm sure the wookies were feeling it ten fold. But the music kept playing, so we kept dancing. Their music seemed to have taken a drastic turn, focusing on smooth and somehow even more intricate beats than the previous performances I'd seen. Just as the 1 o'clock mark was about to hit (closing time in Nebraska), Michael Travis announced if we all passed our drinks back, the show could go on for another 45 minutes. Now I have been going to local shows for years now, and this had to be the highlight of the night for me, which must be saying a lot because this was a great night. Not once had I seen an act carry on past one. This is quite commendable, both by the artist and venue. As promised, the night continued until about 1:45pm, with the temperature in the building continuing to rise. The steam/smoke continued to make the fire alarm go off, which many thought was the music. After a short encore, they were finished. Interestingly enough, the encore included a very slowed down and quite jammy tune, reminiscent of their days with the String Cheese Incident. Not only did the night leave a lasting impression on Lincoln, but I think that EOTO was quite impressed with the turnout and energy of the Midwest crowd.

The good vibes that EOTO produce on stage alone is enough to keep coming back to see them over and over, along with the fact that you will never get the same show twice. As I stated previously, each time I see them they seem to improve more and more, and seem to find a way to make me perspire more vigorously. I don't know why EOTO compels me to continue to include electronic acts into my focus, but I like it! I seem to think it makes a show more genuine when the act is having fun, which is all I have seen these guys do.

Michael Travis

Jason Hann

For an opener that sounded much like house music, provided solely on his laptop, I give Inflect 4/10 slices. Just wasn't my style.

For another dance filled night which led to a large amount of odor combined with dripping sweat, which didn't bother any one present, I give EOTO 8.75/10 slices.

Thanks to Rad Kadillac for bringing another great act to Lincoln and making it a great success, for you, the venue and most of all, the fans!

Stay toasted,
The Toastman

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