Gogol Bordello

Unknown

They are gypsy punk rockers. Really. That's not a wrongly earned title. The lead singer, Eugene Hutz, hails from Ukraine and many other members of the band also call Eastern Europe their home. And do they love to rock, oh do they.



Accordion, violin (played by an older man who thrashes and rocks so soundly that he goes through about 5 bows during a show, or it seems), guitar, bass, drums, and, occasionally, washboards (strapped to the Gogol girls' backs), old water pails, bass drums, and seemingly whatever else they happen to stumble upon.



I went to see them live last night (with my mother and aunt, both of whom did not seem out of place in what can I can only describe as the most seemingly random mix of people I have ever seen at a concert. Hipster teens, middle-aged couple, Ukrainians, and even an entire family, including a 10 year-old girl). It was a party. Everyone jumping, sweating, and shouting in English and Russian along with the lyrics, thrashing and just thrilled. The crowd moved as one huge wave, especially during "Start Wearing Purple," the jumping seemed to timed that I wondered if we had rehearsed our movements before and I had just forgotten.



It was more than a concert, it was a complete show, with the girls prancing across the stage and Hutz drumming on cans, crowd surfing out on a bass drum, the violinist and accordion playing prancing around, both drenched in sweat at the non-stop playing. It felt like the physical manifestation to how the music makes me feel, wild, out of control, thrilled to just dance and shout.

women60banana

Ugh, Amy. I had a chance to see them live last week, but my friends were so unorganized that we were late and missed the set. I seethed with rage.

tune1shade

You shall have another chance! If nothing else, find a way to come down to New York and see Hutz DJ, it's apparently just as crazy as any of their live shows.

jedi_grrlie

QUOTE (tonetoile @ Jul 23 2007, 02:47 PM)

You shall have another chance! If nothing else, find a way to come down to New York and see Hutz DJ, it's apparently just as crazy as any of their live shows.

When is he DJing in NY??

I saw the Black Lips on Saturday, and one of the guys in the band reminded me of Eugene Hutz. But a not-as-crazy Eugene Hutz.



The guy on the far right. Though he had orange running shorts on on Saturday.

tune1shade

Oh the mustache.

He used to DJ at an event known as the Disco-radical-transglobal, but I think that ended a while ago when one venue or another shut down (all this information is old and so I don't know how right I am)

According to their website, he DJs every Thursday night at a bar known as Mehanata, a self-proclaimed "Bulgarian Bar" and as a place to "Meet Your Future Green-Card Holding Spouse!"

No matter what, come my 21st birthday, THAT is where I am going. It's aparently just as crazy as Gogol's live shows because Hutz is such a crazy. Have you picked up their new CD yet ("Super Taranta!")? It's fantastic, especially "Suddenly (I miss Carpathy)"

mayonaise

it's so much fun dancing around when they are performing live... even though i'm not going to buy their album, as i'm spending far too much money on cds... but their music is still very unique and fun to watch (music...watch..what the heck? ohwell...)

tune1shade

Hahaha agreed. My mom actually bought me the new CD (it was really lucky that she finds Ukrainian punk rock completely irresistable).

Sooo much fun to dance to. I am actually going to see them for a second time come October, this time sans Mama (unfortunately), but with a good friend who enjoy flailing around as much as I do (hoorah!)

mayonaise

ha, i remember that we first sat there (i think at that festival we waited for...razorlight...or maximo park or...forgot) and were a bit like "what kind of music is that?!"... then we got up and danced and I almost fell once or twice as we were spinning around and around and around and laughed our heads off...

tune1shade

Exactly! It's the kind of music that forces you to dance. I honestly could not stay still during the concert and even my mother was rockin'

The best thing about the concert, I don't know if this was true for you as well, but the absolute range of people who attended. Young indie kids, older punk rockers, people who seemed to just have wandered in, and even a family to remained safely perched on the upper balcony of Irving Plaza. It was completely amazing and nonexclusive.


"party party party party party party party afterparty"

mayonaise

well, it was a festival so the usual festival goers who weren't at any of the other concerts kinda sat there, it was 'round noon and everyone was a bit tired, but some, like us, danced around absolutely out of mind and laughed

i can imagine that the audience is wildely ...er... arranged ... age-wise...god-sorry, my english leaves me right now... haha

nerverise9

love them

mayonaise

they are performing here in hamburg sometime soon, i can't go (too many concerts lately) but I thought about getting myself the tourposter haha, those who are early at the ticketshop get it for free,... i might try that

Pearl

Oh Gogol Bordello how I love thee! When I was watching 'Everything Is Illuminated' with my brother I pointed to him that Alex (Eugene Hutz) was the lead singer for gogol and he was just like... he doesn't look the same. But when the movie ended he heard "Start Wearing Purple" and somehow that conviced him... as if I was lying!

mayonaise

I now have the album! YAY!!!!!