It’s Halloween at the Electric Ballroom in London, and the place is buzzing. The crowd is a fantastic sea of costumes, ready for the first of two nights with Gogol Bordello. Everyone is using the gig as the perfect warmup for a long night of partying out in Camden.
But this isn’t just a normal show. It’s a special night celebrating global punk. The openers are New York’s Puzzled Panther and Bristol’s Split Dogs. Frontman Eugene Hütz, as a true supporter of the other bands, plays guitar along with Puzzled Panther during their set. It sets the tone for the whole night: everyone is in this together.
When Gogol Bordello finally hit the stage, Eugene’s energy is, as always, unmatched. He is the ultimate showman. From the wine bottle being placed violently on the speakers to start the first song, he runs around every corner of the stage. His charisma spreads incredibly fast until the entire floor is a single, bouncing, excited crowd.
The show is glorious chaos, but it also has moments just for the fans. A clear highlight comes when the band playfully teases the intro to the fan-favourite “Start Wearing Purple.” Eugene and the band stretch out the moment, smiling as the crowd starts uttering the words, before finally letting the song explode. You can feel the floor bouncing as the crowd jumps and sings.
As the main set is almost over, the band shifts gears. With just Eugene and an acoustic guitar, he brings a stunning acoustic version of “Alcohol.” It’s a beautiful, powerful contrast to the high-energy frenzy from before.
Along the concert, Eugene invites everyone, members of both Puzzled Panther and Split Dogs, back on stage. The stage looks even small for the amount of people and joy from everyone
Gogol Bordello proves once again why they are one of the most exciting live bands on the planet.
