by Kevin Mehalek
photo by Daniel Efram
Veterans of Riot Fest, gypsy punk kingpins Gogol Bordello always elevate any festival experience as they invite an eclectic, animated crowd with their interactive, hyper-theatrical performance art freakouts. Hailing from NYC’s Lower East Side, the group assembles members from various countries around the globe to combine elements of punk, Latin, and folk to create unequivocally awesome music that is best enjoyed live. Fans can expect a furiously dancing crowd led by the band themselves, who have no problem keeping the vitality high by treating the stage like their own personal playground. Fan favorites such as “Start Wearing Purple” and “Wonderlust King” will be sure to light up the crowd, however it would be hard to imagine any moment at a Gogol Bordello show being low-energy. Every single member of the group participates in the circus-oriented charades with their own individual method, which can at first be intimidating for newbies but quickly morphs into a seductively welcoming chaos.
