Gogol Bordello – O2 Academy, Glasgow – 15/12/2013

Jurga Kalinauskaite 19 December 2013 Event Reviews

“It is almost a tradition, that we finish our European tour in Glasgow” – said Eugene Hütz at the end of the vivid Gogol Bordello show at O2 Academy in Glasgow. The band has been touring all over Mainland Europe with their new album “Pura Vida Conspiracy” and the tour moves to the USA next before its return to Europe.

There is always a good chance of finding a great band as a supporting act and I feel that I did last Sunday. Man Man, from the USA opened the show. They arrive with material from their new album ,“On Oni Pond” and deliver half an hour of funky and groovy madness. – very concentrated stuff, and that’s exactly what is needed to warm up the so-called “gypsy punks”.

Man Man are perfect to move us along and get us prepared for the energy bomb of the evening; Gogol Bordello.

The lights are turned off for the intro and with new song “We Rise Again”, Eugene Hütz and his fellow bandmates take to the stage. It’s rather tightly packed on said stage, with eight various musicians scattered and running around, hopping on the monitors and engaging the audience. In the middle of the concert red wine makes an appearance on stage and becomes inseparable buddies with lead vocalist as well as the guitar on his shoulder. I just wonder how much wine is actually drank and how much met the floor and the audience?

During the whole gig they play over 20 various songs aincluding the encore. There were five songs from their new studio album “Pura Vida Conspiracy” and quality mix from earlier albums with songs like “Start Wearing Purple”, “Alcohol” and “Break the Spell”. Although the show was around two hours long, some songs felt missed – “Immigrant Punk”, “American Wedding”.. but that’s just a matter of taste and selection.

On the other hand, there is one special song in Glasgow gig – the one dedicated to Glasgow city. After introducing audience to only female singer in the band – Elizabeth Sun, who “was born and raised in Glasgow”, Eugene becomes quite sentimental: “This is song about special place in Glasgow, where I left my heart” (21. in the setlist). After this heart touching note there are two more songs and Gogol Bordello finish with the groovy “Ultimate”, leaving us with an “Ultimate” performance to remember for a long time to come.

Setlist:

1. Intro
2. We Rise Again
3. Not a Crime
4. Wonderlust King
5. The Other Side of Rainbow
6. My Companjera
7. Dig Deep Enough
8. Last One Goes the Hope
9. Trans-Continental Hustle
10. Immigraniada (We Comin’ Rougher)
11. Break the Spell
12. When Universes Collide
13. Pala Tute
14. Malandrino
15. It Is the Way You Name Your Ship
16. Sacred Darling
17. Start Wearing Purple
18. Sally