Gogol Bordello
02 Academy, Glasgow
09/05/2010

Much like lost sheep, when one of the world’s most exciting bands come to town, people will follow. Flocks of devotees are here tonight for Gogol Bordello, the self-proclaimed gyspy-punks and general oddballs.

There’s stellar support too, from hardcore-turned-sombreros Mariachi El Bronx, showing why deviating from their more clench-fisted rocky norm isn’t always a bad thing. But the night is all about Gogol Bordello - which means it’s all about the posse of madmen (and woman) up there on the stage. There’s the vintage looking fiddle player, the accordionist, the bandana-d behemoth of a bass player, the leapfrogging percussionist…and of course, there’s the ring-leader, the conductor. Whatever you call him, frontman Eugene Hutz is a stage dominator and proud of it.

And he’s a pretty good musician too, with ‘Wanderlust King’ an early hip grinder that literally sends the entire floor into pulsating spasms of bounce. It’s jovial bouncing though, with no sign of any rough ‘n’ tumble moshing, with their Eastern European jinky jaunt running through each note, gurn and growl. ‘Break The Spell’, one of the finer cuts of their latest album – the aptly titled ‘Trans-Continental Hustle’ – only helps to inject more gusto, backing vocals descending into systematic mania and drum beats slowly getting quicker and quicker.

After an extra long encore break – but hey, there’s loads of ‘em to get off the stage – it’s left to ‘Alcohol’ to see out the night. It seems as if there’s a person of influence at the side of the stage lamenting time issues, but Hutz renders him without influence as he single-handedly draws out the song’s lilting rhythms. It’s a slightly less manic end to a truly manic night, but you’re still left pondering if each band member will pass out in a river of sweat once they leave the stage. Can you ask for much more?

Chris Cope