Web Toolbar by Wibiya Bears and Bullets: Day Four: Gogol Bordello

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Day Four: Gogol Bordello

Amidst the mega-cult (not cult cult) following 2007's favorite new music scene, gypsy rock, was the band Gogol Bordello. Actually starting in 1999 the band (named after Nikolai Gogol, who brought Ukranian culture to Russia) is made up of members from across the world including; lead singer Eugene Hütz from the Ukraine, Russians Sergey Ryabtsev on violin and Yuri Lemeshev on accordion, Oren Kaplan on guitar from Israel, and multiple other members from across the Eastern Hemisphere composing bass, drums, percussion, and back-vocals.

The greatest way to experience Gogol Bordello is live, watching a near dozen band members (young and old) cause of flurry of folk punk and rabid live performances. The sound is terrifically genuine like if the Pogues were from Tel Aviv. And as far as Lollapalooza is concerned, I'm confident Hütz and Company will be the most obscure, off-kilter, and one the most entertaining acts this year. Looking at the line-up for the festival, it's really hard to say anyone else could top them in the "different" column.

Check out their performance of "Wonderlust King" on Letterman from July of last year.





Keep wearing purple kids.

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