In a sweaty small venue in Chicago, whose floor is bouncing with the lively crowd of punks, the Ukrainian punk band from New York City taking the stage is showing everyone what it truly means to be punk. In the midst of beers flying all over the place, epic chants, and violin and accordion melodies, Gogol Bordello is showcasing their unmatched energy. The Ukrainian punk band, revered for their musical influences (Gypsy music, punk, dub, reggae, etc.), put on a show for the ages. From the moment they took the stage, the show was a punk celebration of Eastern European culture, punk, and above all, STRONG national pride for Ukraine.
There is no party like a Gogol Bordello concert, plain and simple.
Opening for Gogol Bordello was New York City band Puzzled Panther. The duo, along with Gogol Bordello member Pedro Erazo on percussion, played punk songs with a unique, stripped-down vibe, still capturing the spirit of punk. For the third song, Gogol Bordello singer Eugene Hütz joined the duo to sing songs. The duo had a great energy about them, but nothing could prepare the audience for what was to come.
From the very moment, Gogol Bordello took the stage, the energy was so electrifying it would quite literally shock you. The band was all about audience engagement, so right from the first song, Hütz would make his way near the barricade to be as close to the fans as possible. As the first song plays, drinks fly across the venue and the crowd jumps so much that the floor bounces with them! It truly felt like a party, and it only got more intense.
What makes Gogol Bordello extremely unique is their musical influences and their peculiar instrumentation.
When one normally thinks of punk, it’s doubtful that accordions and violins come to mind. Their Eastern European pride mixed with the wonderful folk punk they create made this seem like a cultural celebration to be remembered. With the ongoing war in Ukraine, Hütz dedicated a lot of time talking to the crowd about supporting the people struggling over there, a sentiment shared by the crowd, seemingly evident by the mass amounts of Ukrainian flags in the audience. Gogol Bordello utilized the spirit of punk to strike back against, as Hütz would say, the “bitch fuck of Moscow.” Songs like “United Strike Back” really drove this point home.
Gogol Bordello played for over two hours that night, and not once did they lose the crowd. Whether the crowd was moshing to songs like “I Would Never Wanna Be Young Again” or partaking in grand sing-a-longs to songs like “Start Wearing Purple,” the crowd showed out for the band. All of the musicians on stage looked like they were having the time of their lives. Whether they were encouraging the crowd to jump, mosh, or sing, or they were talking about the struggle in Ukraine, they had a special connection with the crowd that night. Above all, they showed such a deep appreciation for punk. Utilizing their rare musical influences, they have created music that sounds insanely unique and still goes as hard as bands like Agnostic Front.
The show reached its climax with an unbelievably long encore, spoiling the crowd with song after song.
At first, what started as a solo acoustic set by Hürtz slowly turned into playing songs from as far back as 2002. During the finale, Hürtz came out onto the crowd on top of a bass drum while waving a Ukrainian flag. In a final punk move of solidarity, the band ended their giant celebration with a big bang. There was loads of fun to be had at Gogol Bordello’s performance. Whether or not you are Ukrainian, there is something to appreciate in the high energy of their music and the chaotic power of their stage presence. There simply is no show like a Gogol Bordello show.
All photos by Oscar De Leon
