REVIEW: One Eskimo -- Ritz Theatre, Tampa, FL 5/19/10
London-based One Eskimo proved to be a pleasant surprise for concert goers at Tampa’s Ritz Theatre this week. Although the vast majority of the crowd was there to see headliner Michael Franti & Spearhead, One Eskimo caught the attention of many with their cleverly crafted original tunes highlighted by Beatles-esque three part harmonies and predominantly acoustic instrumentation, with some pre-recorded electronic loops reminiscent of Coldplay’s heavily layered sound.
The brainchild of singer/songwriter Kristian Leontiou, known in the UK for his critically promising solo efforts in 2004, One Eskimo came to fruition initially as a collaboration with drummer buddy Adam Falkner. With the addition of bassist Jamie Sefton, who adds some interesting horn treatments when the mood strikes, and guitarist Peter Rinaldi, the group was complete.
One Eskimo definitely does not disappoint when performing live, as they appear to be a tight cohesive unit, seamlessly shifting from one song to the next, the common denominator being a strong multi-layered foundation with live acoustic instrumentation. Utilizing some pre-recorded loops to replicate the intricate, dream-like electronic textures found on their self-titled debut album, notable songs during their opening set included "UFO," “Amazing,” "Hometime," and "Kandi," which features a catchy chorus sampled from Candi Staton's "He Called Me Baby." The band had the crowd dancin’, hootin’ and hollerin’ about halfway through their performance and appeared to make a positive impression on all in attendance. With proper exposure and continued creative innovation, One Eskimo has the potential to become a major musical force to be reckoned with in the not too distant future.
check out some of these related links: http://ellen.warnerbros.com/music/one-eskimo.php
video links: http://vimeo.com/968270
tour dates: http://oneeskimo.com/tour.html
One eskimO Website: http://bit.ly/bCAfYE
