Gogol Bordello; Dominates The Stage

A single light lit the stage as the nonuplet gypsy-punk experience entered. Gogol Bordello, played to a sold out Commodore Ballroom on Friday night. With their high-energy, good-time performance, the entire building was jumping along whole heartely to every moment. It was truly one of the best live shows of 2010, a statement not to be taken lightly. This band is a must see, thriller of an experience, and should be sought out aggressively, as to bare witness to their greatness.

Entering the Commodore Ballroom the level of excitement was contagious. The people in attendance were dressed up in various styles of garb. Some sporting a hippie inspired look, others a more hipster, playful artsyness. Regardless the separations, they were all getting into a character to join in on the festivities about to take place. The single motive behind all of their clothing selections, was to represent their feeling for this amazing band. To truly take on the role of gypsy musician.

The booze was flowing and the smiles were everywhere. The lights in the building were chased off by the blackness. As the entire establishment conveyed eager sentiment with an eruption of applause and howling excitement. The nine piece, band filtered before them and took their places. The salivation of the anticipatory horde grew, and grew, until finally Eugene Hütz, lead singer, spat forth his first word. The floor lost their minds, the entire entity leaping from the floor as one solid unit. It was a site that drops your jaw.

With the interesting dynamic that exists between each and every member of the group, the show never lacks any visual spectacles. A violinist and accordionist could be lunging to and fro with the rhythm of the beat, while passionately dipping with the crowd before them. The lead singer and support singers could be alternating steps up and down, mimicking a piston engine. The group really has fun and is completely contagious, gracing the nightly attendees with their musical circus.

The amazing dynamic cultivated at shows like this, is the crowd-band dynamic. All bands try to establish a rapport with their audience, but this gathering of misfits is the bar to which all others should be measured. The two entities fed off one another, as the energy level of one grew slightly it exponentially ignited a fury of rhythmic expression. They are true masters of the live show, and it was a pleasure to be able to witness it.

The music itself is full of good spirits. Despite the occasional moment where you were pretty sure they just mumbled something in some Eastern European tongue you could not understand, you still felt that you understood. Being punk, everything was stripped down and the raw emotions that conveyed, be out everything and tethered to your soul immediately.

Overall it was an amazing, spectacular performance, those who were present were blasted with passionate music by people who really love what they do. This was the reasoning in them playing three back to back shows at the Commodore Ballroom, and also why two of them were sold out. Eugene Hütz is a dominant force, it is easy to see why he has so many side projects. Gogol Bordello is the measuring stick to which live music should be gauged.

Tagged as: Commodore Ballroom, gogol bordello, jamie taylor, Photos, review

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Jamie Taylor – who has contributed 3308 posts for Concert Addicts.

"With a love for live music, way too much to say and inability to put down his camera , photojournalism was a logical step in his journey. Concert Addicts was born from a desire to express his opinion, share his photography, and share knowledge. Now the community is no longer his, it is ours."

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