Many of the performers who grace the Town Ballroom stage usually have an idea of what they would like to play during the course of their shows ahead of time; not EOTO. This group will return to Buffalo Thursday night with absolutely nothing concrete planned for their show.
EOTO, a drum-based electronic duo consisting of Michael Travis and Jason Hann, takes pride in being a completely improvisational group.
Originally, Travis and Hann were known as the percussion section of the band String Cheese Incident, but String Cheese Incident went on hiatus the two drummers decided to form their own group.
Despite being set firmly in the electronic genre, the impulsiveness and energy of EOTO's music has endeared them to fans of many different genres. Both members of the group agree that the spontaneity of each show gives them an overwhelming, liberating feeling and they couldn't see executing their shows any other way.
"Our goal is to always keep changing, exploring, and evolving," Hann said. "That makes playing music exciting for us."
EOTO gives each crowd a personalized, gift-wrapped performance.
Another distinct aspect about EOTO is the lack of any electronic backup during their performances. They steer clear of sampling and electronic drum equipment.
"Since we route all of our microphones through the computer, we can put different effects on each part of the drums," Hann said. "I have really unorthodox size drums, so lots of people think the big sound we get is from electric drums when it's really acoustic drum treatment."
The band has crafted a sound that would take the typical club DJ three hours to produce. However, they aren't just standing in front of decks flicking a couple switches. Instead, the band puts in the sweet equity as they play drums for three hours, creating several grooves that mesh together fluently.
For their current Bass Invaders tour, EOTO decided to get innovative, with a brand new stage setup. Travis came up with the idea for the duo to sit inside a giant lotus flower as they performed, but not just some paper cutout.
The flower works as an interactive stage. The band's visual engineer is able to improvise the visuals on the flower to go along with the entire show. The sound and the lights sync up at every moment. Even at the moments where there is not a video mapped image on the pedals of the flower, the structure itself is quite a sight.
EOTO performs 300 times a year in addition to touring with the reunited String Cheese Incident throughout the summer. These two drummers have embraced the hard work and allow electronica lovers everywhere to enjoy it with them.
EOTO will be playing at the Town Ballroom on Thursday April 26. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. Doors will open at 8 p.m.
Email: arts@ubspectrum.com
Photo: Mhdariby / Wikimedia Commons
