Gogol Bordello is one of those ten year overnight sensations. They are a group who have toured tirelessly for the last decade and their work ethic, dedication, and undeniable talent are finally paying dividends in the form of record sales and recognition. Gogol was in rare form Monday night at the Mayan in Los Angeles, much to the delight of the capacity crowd.
Frontman Eugune Hütz is a performer. He’s one of those guys who feels he’s cheated the audience if he has anything left in the tank at the end of a performance. The same can really be said for the entire eight person ensemble that makes up Gogol Bordello. They thrashed, skipped and sashayed from one side of the stage to the other, juicing the audience for applause with their every move. The audience was enthusiastic and responsive, many crowd surfing to the front of the floor for a better vantage point.
After years on indie labels, 2010 marked Gogol Bordello’s first major label release. Trans-Continental Hustle was released on in April 2010 and was produced by legendary record producer Rick Rubin. They relied heavily on the result Monday night as the majority of Gogol’s offerings in their 16 song set came from their latest release. One of the few exceptions was a worthwhile one, as crowd favorite “Baro Foro” closed the show and sent the audience into one final 3 minute frenzy.
If you live in Los Angeles and have never seen a show at the Mayan Theatre, I definitely recommend it. It has great sight-lines even from the balcony, and its tiered lower level allows separation for folks who don’t want to participate in the body surfing or moshing, but still want to be close to the action.
