The Gypsy Punks
This was a fantastic night of music! Well, other than it was off to a slow start. I don’t mind DJ’s, and they can be really engaging. However, opening up a show that many are out for a brand of rock and punk with forty minutes of a DJ can be a killer. It became a time of more continued socialization on my part. I glanced around the Marquee Theatre to see what looked like a lot of people disinterested or bored. I feel bad saying something bad about DJ DerBlaster, because he wasn’t bad. Just this wasn’t the correct crowd for it.
Between him and Gogol Bordello’s set, it seemed that it caused more tension and anger among the crowd waiting for the energetic group of Gypsy Punks. I saw security telling people in the center to go off while argument flared. Then a couple that had left, came back to try to claim the spot that had filled in a few feet from my standing spot only to push their way in. This was followed up by a mom asking the tall guy to please move because he is now blocking her teenage son’s view, which aggravated him more somehow. He tried to get in the face of the mom after another show goer offered her spot to the left to get them away from the guy. This was craziness among this crowd who just stood through a DJ set.
Thankfully, Gogol Bordello put on a clinic in how to play an amazing show. They communicate caring for each other and having fun. This was my first time seeing them live in all these years, and I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. They came out with an amazing style and charisma across the entire stage.
There is energy coming from every member of that band, it’s hard not to get caught up in it with them playing. Eugene the one with the most flair in his pant choices and in his on stage moves. That wasn’t even all the presentation they brought, it also included Pamela and Venessa going on and off stage. They usually brandished a different instrument of percussion in various songs. I would venture into the mosh pit, to find it was less a circle pit and more a jumping around group of energetic people bumping into each other.
Gogol Bordello showed just the depth of the styles of music they could play throughout the near two hour set. They played slow paced gypsy/European folk, to up-beat punk style, and even playing some jazz in there. Their encore went on longer than expected for a couple songs.
Even on what seemed to be the last song, band leaving the stage, there was Eugene grabbing his acoustic to play “Alcohol” to the crowd to close out the night. He was joined again by the violinist, Sergey, and accordion player, Pasha, for the last song. I would still question if it was truly the last song until they finally did give a bow, leaving the stage after. All and all, these guys are an amazing experience to see them play.
I did adventure over to the Yucca Tap Room in hopes to catch any of the show that included Joe McMahon of Smoke or Fire, but to no avail. He was still hanging out though. At least got to shake his hand, and apologize for missing the set. Hopefully next time I can catch him or his full band soon. What a fantastic night though! Check out the rest of the pics below, took quite a few!
