Gogol Bordello Brings the Circus to Town

© Tobin Voggesser / RumBum.com

Gorgol Bordello at Mile High 09

Gogol Bordello is one of the most unique bands in the world. The 10-piece gypsy punk folk band has a sound that makes you pogo around the dance floor. It's impossible to stand still when Gogol Bordello is playing.

The band played the Main Stage West at Mile High, and though a lot of people had never heard of the band before their Mile High performance, many became instant fans. This can be atributed to Gogol Bordello's unique sound - there aren't many bands playing the electric fiddle and accordian - their excentric style, and the general sense of controlled chaos on stage.

Lead singer Eugene Hutz looks like a Russian Rollie Fingers, a Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher from the 70’s. The fiddler, Sergey Ryabtsev, resembles George Carlin reincarnated. The accordionist is reminiscent of a Blues Brother. Their bassist wore a mop on his head. Their percussionist seemed normal until he put on a Mexican wrestler’s mask and jumped out from behind the drums like Animal from The Muppets. That’s the beauty of this band. There’s nothing normal about them or their music. Yet they are extremely conscious, political and intelligent. Listening to their lyrics, the intelligence and irony is evident.

Gogol Bordello is named after a novelist, after all. Nikolai Gogol, famed author of The Overcoat, was also known for smuggling Ukrainian culture into Russia, a concept Gogol Bordello wanted to adapt by bringing Eastern European music to the States. The band formed in New York City in 1999, literally scraped off the streets of the Lower East Side.

Highlights of the Denver show were “Wanderlust Kings” and “Start Wearing Purple.”
At the beginning of the Mile High set, the sky was overcast. It looked like rain. By the end of the hour gypsy jam, the sun broke through the clouds. Wonder if the Wanderlust Kings had anything to do with that. One thing is for sure, it was good to see these up-and-comers on the Main Stage, for there are no better ringleaders to navigate a festival circus than Gogol Bordello.

» Gallery