Gogol Bordello at The Olympia Theatre on 15th March 2011
Review by Oisin Tormey
Photos by Kieran Frost
A trip along to the Olympia for the rescheduled Gogol Bordello gig was quite apt for the week that was in it. With St. Patricks Day about to come along, nothing could get you in the mood more than the gypsy punk style of music that they exploded onto stage with. Seeing them first when they supported Rage at the O2 last summer, I didn’t really know what to expect. They aren’t the first band you would think of to support the rock giants. But the band really impressed that day, something which is apparent by all the Rage Against The Machine t-shirts in the crowd.
Unfortunately due to working earlier in the day, I missed the majority of support band And So I Watch You From Afar’s set. I’m a fan of their debut album, so not getting the chance to see them fully perform was disappointing. From what I saw of their final three songs however, was a great live band who really got the crowd excited and amped up for seeing the headliners take to the stage. The crowd really enjoyed the set, slowly moshing from side to side with the bands impressive live sound there to be seen. With some instrumental bands it can be seen more as background music to talk over but ASIWYFA kept the crowd’s interest with screeching guitar solos and a well-worked stage presence. Leaving the stage to mass applause and cheers, it’s safe to say the band gained some new followers from their performance that night.
Now it was the turn of the headliners to come on, with the crowd on the floor rabid in anticipation of seeing them. Opening with ‘Tribal Connection’, a song which sounds like an Eastern European version of ‘Land Down Under’ gets the crowd swaying. The band has such energy on stage and this reflects in the crowd, who did not stop going mental for the whole night. It was a music fan’s dream, and a bouncer’s nightmare. When ‘Not A Crime’ kicks in for the third song, the place resembles a céilí on speed. Any band who has the confidence to incorporate an accordion solo into one of their songs The breakdown in the song sends the crowd into a happy sort of insanity. It’s slowly becoming apparent this gig is really something special. As good as they were supporting Rage, they have really stepped up their performance tonight. They have to be one of the busiest looking bands on stage with everyone of them (bar the drummer, obviously) jumping around on stage at a frantic pace. The crowd interaction is kept up too, with it almost seeming like there are seven front men (and women) keeping the crowd in entertained and ensuring there is no let-up in the energetic crowd or band.
The band work the first few songs so that they blend in together and this works perfectly. ‘Wanderlust King’ comes on and the crowd sings with all their might as Eugene Hutz puts the microphone out to the crowd and they respond by singing until their throats might bleed. It’s like one big multi-cultural Paddy’s Day party in an asylum. I’ve been to they Olympia many times before but this gig is the best one I’ve been to there, bar none. It would be easy to say that it was due to the craic or novelty factor but that would be a lie. The band really know how to put on a good live show and the gig just keeps getting better as the night goes on. There’s even time on stage for Hutz to show off his ‘study of Irish culture’ by drinking a pint of Guinness.
‘When Universes Collide’ slows the night down for the first time. With it’s accordion intro, increased buildup, and easily chant-able chorus it stands out as one of the best songs of the night too. ‘American Wedding’ which follows it, is just as good with a samba opening beat which gives Ecuadorian MC of the band Pedro Erazo the chance to show off his drumming skills and gets the crowd switching from bouncing around to dancing like its carnival time in Brazil. Finishing off the first part of the night with fan favourite ‘Start Wearing Purple’, (which many have done for the night) the oompa sound of the tune changes the dance of choice to the punk pogo. The band finish the song off with a Rage-style rocking breakdown that has even the upper stalls in the venue jumping and dancing around the place. The band leave the stage to deafening applause, unbeknown to the crowd that there are still seven songs left to go in what turns into a three-part encore.
The madness shortly resumes as the samba drums are taken to again for ‘Think Locally, Fuck Globally’, with no energy spared once again. The tempo changes for the next song however, as three acoustic guitars appear on stage and the mournful ‘Sun Is On My Side’ is performed. It shows the band aren’t pigeon-holed into high tempo tunes, and gives the crowd a great song to listen to while they recover from what has been an exhausting but exhilarating gig so far. The first encore finishes with a fantastic band outro, with each member being introduced and given a greater opportunity to show off their skills as musicians and entertainers. Leaving the stage once again, the band all embrace and genuinely seem impressed by the enthusiasm the crowd has given back to them throughout the gig. The second begins shortly, with Hutz coming out with a bare-bones version of the band to play a song from one of his songwriting loves.
The songwriting love he speaks of is Shane Macgowan, and plays a song from The Pope’s debut album. ‘The Song With No Name’, isn’t well known by the crowd, and Hutz seems almost apologetic afterwards because of this. This uncertainty doesn’t last long, however, as the full band return to launch into a cover of ‘Dirty Old Town’ which spurs on a big drunken singalong. It was a nice touch by the band to pay tribute to a man who’s musical stylings are obviously an influence, in what is considered to be his hometown by many. Finishing the mammoth set with ‘Alcohol’, I left this gig with the feeling that I was among a lucky few who saw a fantastic live band at the peak of their talent. The fans were as much a part of the gig as the band were, as they were relentless in their singing, chanting and dancing to create a fantastic atmosphere. It might sound like I’m talking this gig up too much, but it was simply that good. Anyone who was lucky enough to be there will tell you the exact same thing. One of the most under-rated and entertaining live bands you will see in the world at the minute, Gogol Bordello have taken the title of best gig of the year so far, and one of the best gigs I’ve ever been to.
Setlist
Tribal Connection
Ultimate
Not A Crime
Wanderlust King
My Companjera
Last One Goes The Hope
Trans-Continental Hustle
Immigraniada (We Comin’ Rougher)
Break The Spell
Raise The Knowlege
Immigrant Punk
When Universes Collide
American Wedding
Pala Tute
Start Wearing Purple
Think Locally, Fuck Globally
Sun Is On My Side
Mishto!
Sacred Darling
Song With No Name (Shane MacGowan and The Popes cover)
Dirty Old Town
Alcohol
