STG Presents One eskimO 9/20 at The Crocodile

Seattle Theatre Group (STG) presents One eskimO, on Sunday, September 20, 2009 at 8:00pm at the Crocodile.

The brainchild of singer/songwriter Kristian Leontiou, One eskimO arrives with an impressive breadth of imagination that instantly marks them as something extraordinary. The London-based band's Shangri-La Music self-titled debut is an ambitious and affecting collection of widescreen modern pop, alive with iridescent textures and intricately created songcraft. Songs like "Hometime" and the buoyant "All Balloons" are moving and expressive, touching upon such universal themes as love and heartbreak, success and failure. As if that weren't enough, the release comes in tandem with a full-length animated film. One eskimO's unorthodox self-visualization only serves to add idiosyncratic color and character to a beguiling musical work already abounding with invention and emotion.

Sonic inspiration came from a variety of diverse sources, from The Beatles and The Fugees to Massive Attack and UK hip-hop/folk duo Nizlopi. Bassist Jamie Sefton and guitarist Peter Rinaldi were brought in to complete the group, which then spent long hours in rehearsal, building a multi-layered foundation with largely acoustic instrumentation.

The resulting release is perfectly formed and ineffably beautiful, with songs like "UFO" and "Kandi" (featuring an indelible chorus sampled from Candi Staton's classic "He Called Me Baby") elevated by heartbreaking melodies and shimmering sonics. As the album took shape, Leontiou put his mind towards crafting a visual presentation that would equal the music's warmth and invention.

With little more than a shoestring budget at their disposal, One eskimO and Gravy Media produced two short films to accompany the songs "Hometime" and "Kandi." "Hometime" soon proved a sensation, receiving numerous honors at film festivals around the world, not to mention a 2008 British Animation Award. The song was also later featured in Toyota's environmentally aware "Why Not?" campaign.

The success of "Hometime" led to animating the entire album, which at the time was but a "pipe dream" for One eskimO. Using the songs of the cd as a template, a narrative slowly came into shape. The story revolves around the central character of One eskimO, an adventurous and determined young man seeking his place in the universe. He is accompanied on his adventure by his bandmates, Giraffe, Monkey, and Penguin. Every hero needs his villain, in this case Mr. Top Hat, a mysterious stranger who, like a puppet master, pulls unseen strings to drive the characters' destinies.

Tickets: $8.00 in advance, $10.00 day of show, not including applicable fees. Tickets are on sale Friday, August 28th at noon through Tickets.com, online through TheCrocodile.com, in person at the Paramount box office, 24-hour kiosks located outside The Paramount & Moore Theatres, charge by phone at 877-STG-4TIX, or online at STGPresents.org.

 

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