GIG NUMBER ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHT
Who
The band came onstage in what seemed to be a disappointing manner, and it sounded like Eugene Hütz's mic hadn't been turned on. I didn't know the song but suddenly he burst into chorus, the lights went up and revealed a backdrop and it was a terrific moment. The set continued in this fantastic, loud and energetic fashion for a good few songs, although sadly I can't apply much chronology to this review as I don't have the setlist and only knew a few songs. I'd expected the show to be fairly mid-tempo so was taken aback by the energy and volume, and even standing quite far back I was almost in the furious moshpit. Only perhaps one song wasn't greeted with a mosh, and this was exactly how Flogging Molly or even Rage Against The Machine should have sounded - a genuinely exciting show you could easily go crazy to. There were six guys in the band and although Eugene was centre-stage the violinist to his right overshadowed him. This energetic guy, with grey hair who kept pulling faces and looked a little like Dennis Hopper, added an extra dimension to the experience that the records could never have hinted at. For some reason there were TV screens by the side of the stage but these were presumably there for someone else and weren't utilised. Not that the show needed anything extra. There was an accordion player and two cheerleaders who kept coming onstage to deliver backing vocals into whatever mics they felt like, adding even more energy to proceedings. There was also a guy who was dressed soberly, standing back and certainly not looking to be in a party mood, but I guess he was the one helping to keep it tight! It would have been nice to be drunk and in that moshpit but at least this way I got to scrutinise all the action. Eugene pointed a lot at us and never stopped partying for a second. When a song had finished the band launched into another one with no delay, often with a super-loud guitar solo from Eugene, and this all felt like a ramshackle gypsy party but with enough quality of music to justify going crazy to it! He also randomly wore a wig at one point and also spent a song hitting a fire bucket placed on his mic stand! Perhaps my lack of familiarity with the songs and being outside the moshpit prevented me from experiencing the full wonder of the set, and I feel guilty to say that the relentless barrage of fast-paced anthems almost became tiresome. In the moshpit I could see clothes being thrown around and it truly was party time!
I'd garnered the impression that Gogol Bordello were a new group so was surprised to learn afterwards that they were on their fourth LP. If I'd had known this I'd had better understood them missing out so many of the few songs that I knew, namely Dogs Were Barking, Gypsy Part Of Town and Let's Get Radical. If this was a lesser performance I'd have been furious about that! Start Wearing Purple, Supertheory Of Supereverything and Wonderlust King were all tunes I knew that stood out, and on the night I discovered Not A Crime and American Wedding to be equally incredible. For the intro of Start Wearing Purple, Eugene threw a pretend mardy and ordered everyone else offstage so he could take the limelight. There was such a sustained moshpit and so many of the tunes went on long enough to sound familiar that the line between what I knew and what was new to me became somewhat blurred. However, I had no doubts in identifying that a track called Mishto! was a highlight, featuring a super-catchy violin solo and an impressive resulting moshpit. Gogol Bordello kept drawing out and extending songs and created the rare impression that this was the most important show of their lives. Afterwards I got a flyer that confirmed this was a short tour with each night spread out by a few days and that's certainly the only way possible to sustain such genuine energy. I doubt they can always be this good at every show though! Larrikin Love at Reading 2006 had also delivered a ramshackle set but this was far beyond that and the singular glo stick trampled on the floor of the Wulfrun symbolised that this show was something much more exciting than the Nu Rave which had kicked off my year. Gypsy Punk had become my sound of 2007, although both could trace their roots back to the Reading festival, showing yet again how significant it has become to my musical life.
Given the energy levels emitted by the band I'd expected a short show but it was well over 90 minutes, and after a breathless main set the break for an encore finally gave me a chance to relax and take stock. Eugene taunted the people standing at the back for not getting into the party spirit and hinted about returning in 2008. I'm sure he also said something about 500 unsold tickets for tonight's show, but I find this very hard to believe. The cheerleaders took to the stage with drums a la British Sea Power and the DJ randomly reappeared with a red rag which members of the band charged at as if they were bulls! The moshpit became even crazier and I found myself being nudged further and further backwards. I can't even begin to guess what they played during the encore, but it sounded like a frenzied reprise of the best moments of their main set without a second of rest and when the band launched into an awesome mash-up of Undestructable and Baro Foro it was the most amazing moment imaginable. I swear they spent a full twenty minutes in total on this song, and I could hear people laughing with glee around me as the moshpit somehow reached new heights. My moment of boredom earlier at the sheer relentlessness of it all gave way to joy at just how awesome this song was. I'd never heard it before and thought after the show that it had been a reprise of Mishto!, so it was a nice surprise to discover Baro Foro on record a month after the event to be like Mishto! but better. Although it does sound a little bit like Freed From Desire by Gala! This was certainly the best possible way of closing 2007, by tying up the loose ends of 2006 and also setting a forward-thinking example for future years. I in fact considered following this show by going to see Hard-Fi supported by The Rumble Strips but I now feel sure that Gogol Bordello were the perfect close to a good year for live music. The songs that were missed out barely affected my enjoyment and the only thing I could complain about is the guy in front of me who started smoking! The very next day my ears were still whistling but I purchased the Super Taranta! album online and quickly followed this by buying Gypsy Punks. Less than a month later I'd purchased the other two albums. I have also spent as much time as possible enjoying live versions of Mishto! and Baro Foro on YouTube, but am slightly disappointed that the studio versions aren't so raucous! I am glad that I have capitalised immediately upon my enjoyment of the show. For previous more obscure shows I decide afterwards that I'd like to hear more then often never bother or only get into the music so long after the event that the experience isn't fresh in my mind. I can't believe I compared Gogol Bordello to The Darkness beforehand, but I had no idea their music could be so strong. Gypsy Punk is either the new way forwards for me or if nothing else it should prove to be an entertaining distraction!
Mark: 8.0/10
Gogol Bordello
Support
DJ Scratchy
Where
Wolverhampton Wulfrun Hall
When
11th December 2007
Price
£13.00
Who with
No-one
Position
In the middle
Comments
I discovered Gogol Bordello almost the minute I returned from Reading 2006, hearing good words about them and then the rather wacky Dogs Were Barking track given away with an NME CD. I decided that I wouldn't miss another opportunity to see them and sixteen months later I finally corrected one of my largest omissions of the festival. It's amazing how festivals influence your life, and not going to one in 2007 meant I felt woefully out of touch with new music. I'd spent the intervening sixteen months casually listening to any Gogol Bordello tracks I laid my hands on, particularly some live renditions from 2007 Glastonbury and Reading festivals. Once I got a ticket I tried particularly hard to get into the songs I had and they certainly sounded alright, but nothing special. On the night itself I hardly could be bothered to go, set out rather late especially considering the trains were delayed and just had my fingers crossed for an entertaining show. It was a cold evening and I raced to the venue to make up for lost time, concerned that if there'd been an early start I may miss the main band coming onstage for the first time ever. I thought briefly that the show may have been promoted but in fact it was the woeful Funeral For A Friend who were playing the Civic this evening, and it's depressing that the superior band have to play the smaller room. In fact I'd got through 2007 without seeing any gigs at the Civic whatsoever, and this was my fifth show at the Wulfrun of the year. I'd arrived at a pretty decent time as the support had finished but Gogol weren't onstage for a while yet. Deciding to concentrate on getting a good position and foregoing alcohol completely, the place was rather busy. In the end I got rather bored waiting for Gogol Bordello, the time being filled by a guy called DJ Scratchy. My research reveals he's had quite a career, and had DJ'd on tours with The Clash in the late 1970s! I wasn't much in the mood though and his selections, although obviously more original than the usual fare, passed me by. Did he play Reading 2006 highlight Bucovina by Shantel before I'd arrived? If he had any taste then yes, not that that moment could ever be recreated! There definitely was an Eastern European flavour to his choices, and by the time he introduced Gogol Bordello the place was energetic and looked rammed. I'd obtained a central position a bit further back than I'd had chosen, and moved around a bit to try and get away from the insanely tall freaks in front of me yet again blocking my view, eventually succeeding.
