Beats Antique and Eskmo
Tuesday, April 19 at The National
While running around the National taking pictures at the Eskmo and Beats Antique show, I kept seeing dear creative friends. Noticing how many artists made up the audience, my thought was that the best way to share the night with RVA would be to ask these inspiring peers their thoughts on the show, and let that be the voices that accompany the images. I adored this night–from the music, the musicians, the helpful staff of The National (which included providing a great vodka suggestion), and my friends smiling and dancing to amazing sets of unique original positive music, it was the best of what a dance concert can be.
–Todd Raviotta, Natural Science Productions, Party Liberation Front, RVA.
Beats Antique and Eskmo
Tuesday, April 19 at The National
While running around the National taking pictures at the Eskmo and Beats Antique show, I kept seeing dear creative friends. Noticing how many artists made up the audience, my thought was that the best way to share the night with RVA would be to ask these inspiring peers their thoughts on the show, and let that be the voices that accompany the images. I adored this night–from the music, the musicians, the helpful staff of The National (which included providing a great vodka suggestion), and my friends smiling and dancing to amazing sets of unique original positive music, it was the best of what a dance concert can be.
–Todd Raviotta, Natural Science Productions, Party Liberation Front, RVA.
“The onstage collaboration between Eskmo and Beats Antique made the show for me–solid beats backed by a symphony of glitchy ambience equaled sonic bliss.”
–Damion Champ, Cold War
“Surrounded by and bopping along with several of my PLF brothers and sisters, the night wasn’t complete until I heard “The Lantern.” My skin became electric, and my hand was drawn to my pocket to reach for my phone. Upon telling my gypsy sister Damion Bond, “Wish you were here,” gypsy brother Parker reappeared, and said had been moved to do the same. One consciousness shared across the continent. ♥”
–Deanna Danger, The Amazing Stage Show
“ESKMO completely blew me away. He moves beyond bass that takes the sound of dubstep to a level most don’t even understand. Playing live sequencers and into performance, ripping paper, signing, vocal chants, using musical instruments/pots and pans in his sound–complete control, unique music by a producer with live mixing of video. All this, followed by Beats Antique, with Zoe Jakes; they are an inspiration to me in many ways–the look, the sound, the homage to past and future. The magical moments and feelings, representing other cultures and past styles, sound and dance intertwined, new school and old school together perfectly…. Mind blown. Much respect!”
–Reinhold, PLF DJ
“Beats Antique. My God, it was like magic tribal fusion. A hearty helping of inspiration. Of free expression. Of wild animal impulse. Of Love. And of DANCE!!!”
—Rachel B., Writer/Hooper
“The energy of the night was ripe with celebratory dancing, smiles and enthralled senses. When Beats Antique hit the stage, the level of crowd interaction jumped a few notches, due to the live multi-instrumentation and Zoe Jakes being front and center while hypnotizing the audience with her costumes, dance movements and eye contact. This group also isn’t afraid to get silly and zany, and to me that makes the smiles bigger and the memories deeper.”
–Parker, PLF Ringmaster
“Eskmo took me to the special place, where the music gets inside you, and the body surrenders to instinct, swaying to the rhythms and cleansing the soul with bass vibrations. You can see he really wants to bring you to a different state of being when experiencing his music. A master of low end theory and pioneering the possibilities of sound, with his rich quality of layers and textures, melding synthetic and organic techniques, I was hanging on every tone and couldn’t get enough!”
–Akasha, PLF DJ/Producer
“One of the best, most creative shows I have seen in years. I think Eskmo has seriously set the bar for live original electronic performance. We got to witness him build up the percussion from simple loops, and remix his own songs from the ground up. He was literally ripping pieces of paper into a microphone and looping/glitching the sounds live. Another one of my favorites, Beats Antique provided a very unique (and awesome!) fusion of crunk beats, live instrumentation, and seriously top notch dance performance. Both groups were truly inspirational.”
—Mr. Jennings, PLF DJ/Producer
“The Beats Antique and Eskmo show was pure sensory stimulation! Each set was a powerhouse performance from both groups. From the variations of electronic and live instruments, mixed with the always hypnotic stage presence of Zoe Jakes, this show was one of my favorites that I have seen at The National.”
—Boo Boo Darlin’, Burlesque Performer/Producer, Richmond Varietease
“The transference of energy from the stage to the crowd awakened my senses to the beauty of my people surrounding me, and the rawness and authenticity of their movements. All THIS taking place on a beautiful spring night made me come alive. Zoe’s sustained spinning was the moment I was called to become an observer. As difficult as it was to stop dancing, I was taken aback. As a dancer, sustained spinning is my chosen method of slipping into my bliss the fastest, so the beauty of her dance especially resonated with me and several other hoopers as well.”
–Natalie Gianninoto, Hoop Dancer, RVA Hoop Lovers
“Beats Antique was the medium through which I reaffirmed my right to be happy, and they hadn’t even hit the stage yet. I like to move–I cannot not move when the music is moving. I believe that dance is a visual representation of aural input–your body is simply gives form to what the music tells you. In the beginning, getting acquainted with the group, I found that I actually had a little difficulty feeling a flow. Finding one is simple, but I believe that with dance, doing what you actually feel is more important than doing what your mind tells you it wants to do. Oftentimes our egos prompt us to try to look cool when all our bodies need to do is express what they feel. I stopped trying to move. I looked around and surveyed the undulating bobbing of the crowd, watching others in their flow. And then, before I knew it, I’m standing with my legs shoulder-width apart, hands balled in fists at my sides, arms flexed, and I’m yelling at the top of my lungs. What was Beats Antique’s dictation to me? Release. Sweet, visceral release. Release of my foolishness of the day, release of my anger at myself for that foolishness, release of unspent emotions now directionless, release of whatever flow came to me for the rest of the evening… ribbit… ”
–Russell Harris, Capoeira Angola Liberation Movement (CALM)
