Gogol Bordello @ Irving Plaza - 7.20.07

Ok, where to even begin?
I had been super excited to see Gogol Bordello again. Ever since I saw them for the first time last year, I'd been spreading their gospel to any and all who'd listen. Some listened and decided it wasn't their thing, but most just fell for them heads over heels.
How could one not? Their music is loud and brash and clever and Eugene Hutz is one of the most charismatic crazy men in all of music.

The crowd at Irving Plaza was nuts as always, with lots of crowd surfing starting almost as soon as the band came on stage. But I didn't see any incidents or any problems. As DJ Scratchy mentioned before GB started, they'd done a show in Cleveland (I think) the day before and they'd had a mosh pit then. And it was the only time he'd ever heard people crashing against each other and saying excuse me. I was a bit far back seeing as I'm small and didn't particularly want to get squashed. Plus I was with some friends, one of which was not an habitual rock show attendee, who definitely didn't want to be upfront. Happy to be there and enjoy it all, but from the comfort of the back wall.

I did try and keep track at first of the set list, but honestly after a while i couldn't be bothered. It's hard to write in the dark and I was just having too much fun to stop and jot things down anyway. So I can say that they played a whole lot of favorites like Immigrant Punk, Sally, Think Locally, Fuck Globally, Santa Marinella, Not a Crime, and of course Start Wearing Purple, as well as new ditties like Forces of Victory, Harem in Tuscany, Zina-Marina, and Super Taranta! But I couldn't tell you in which particular order.
And since as the cliche goes, a picture is worth a thousand words, how's about some?



At this point, Eugene starts to really go mental and jumps into the audience, which has been crowd surfing and moshing all along. And somehow he's held up by them as he continues to sing, as seen here:


Just when it seems like Eugene is soon to pass out from exhaustion, he brings up yet another reserve of energy and keeps on going like an energizer bunny come to life...if the energizer bunny was tall, svelte, mustachioed and mad ;o)


At this point, sensing that running around on stage and into the audience is not quite enough, Eugene takes off, jumps unto the curved wall platform to the left of the stage, and then proceeds to jump up into the left balcony,


I couldn't see everything that was going on since it was on the same side (to the back) where I was standing. But from the reaction of some of the folk around Eugene, it seems he proceeded to vigorously snog some unsuspecting lucky girl :o) And then just hung out up there for a bit, as one would after some exhausting jumping and snogging.


The rest of the band was just as amazing as Eugene. He does take the lead obviously, but they all really get into it, particularly one of the girls. She'd actually done this same thing last time I saw them, but really it's still just as cool. She set up her drum on top of the crowd and then stood up on it, and played it (!) while standing on it.

It certainly manages to impress me every time :o)
They then played what we thought was the last song (during the encore), but DJ Scratchy comes on stage (at which point a third of the crowd have left thinking it's over) and asks if we want one more song. And they all come back! They definitely didn't seem to want to leave, which was great to see. The band was certainly having as great a time as were we all.
I was only sorry I'd only gone ahead and bought tixs for this one show - they had a second one the next night. Next time I'll know better and buy a tix for each show they do in NYC. Because there's really nothing like going to a Gogol Bordello show. It's something that should be experienced by everyone at least once.

And so to wrap things up, as I'd first posted: Fucking Amazing! :o)

P.S. I do have one question to anyone who might've gone to the show. Any idea why a kid in the back was dressed like a unicorn? He looked great and made my day - why not dress up like a unicorn to go see a gypsy punk band? - but i wondered about it all night.

2.10.08 Update - Yet another clip I found in my library. Please to enjoy Eugene and Co.

Travis @ Irving Plaza -7.14.07

Ok, first I think I have to address the fact that I couldn't give these tixs away. In a temporary state of insanity, I decided to buy two tixs instead of just the one. And then as the concert date approached, I realized I didn't have a plus one to come along. I then proceeded to pretty much contact everyone within the tri-state area - you know who you are ;o) - and in the end went by myself. The show was sold out, so I thought I'd a. sell it at the door, or b. just hand it to some kid waiting around outside. But by the time I made it back to the city, there weren't really any hangers on anymore, so I just ate the extra tix and went in by myself. And no offense to anyone I invited (which of course is everyone i know), but I had the best time on my own.

I'd been excited to see this show ever since I heard Travis was going to be coming to NYC. Last time they came to town, I saw them at Town Hall, so the prospect of seeing them in such a small place as Irving Plaza (I still can't get used to calling it by its' new moniker - The Fillmore at Irving Plaza - what pretentious crap), filled this girl with glee.
Once upon a time, I adored this band. They were one of the first bands I saw at a smallish club...well, as small as Roseland is. But my previous exposure to live music had been MSG and the Garden State Arts Center (which now goes by the so much lovelier name of PNC Bank Arts Center - sigh), so seeing Travis at Roseland was this transforming experience. I too could actually look into the pupils of singers I liked and stand within spitting distance of them (not that I spit - yuck).
But back to saturday...

They were on from the first moment, coming onto the stage through the crowd to the tune of the Rocky theme. I'd actually read about that earlier in the day, so it wasn't a complete surprise. As soon as the music started, I immediately started to scan the audience to try and figure out where the boys were coming from. The only problem being that I'm 5'3" and the boys aren't particularly tall either (well, except for one), so I was left to interpret the vigorous waving and snapping of digital cameras as proof that they were indeed making it to the stage. It was a nice touch, pardon the pun, to get to the stage by making their way through the throngs of reaching hands and happy faces.

I'd just bought the new album relatively recently, putting it off until I could find a decent sale. And then finally succumbed to the over-inflated Virgin prices just last week. I'd barely taken a decent listen. A lot of other music had come out within the last couple of weeks and the Scottish boys just seemed to fall to the side. That all changed as they played their first note and started Selfish Jean, which is I think, their current single. Great song - catchy from note one.
They then proceeded to do a pretty lovely mix of new stuff - really excellent - with older material. At this point I have to mention the crowd. I can't remember the last time I was privileged enough to be part of such a group. Well behaved, truly appreciative and damn loud. Frannie kept on mentioning how amazed he was by our reaction. Everyone was singing along to pretty much every song, and here's the crazy part, it was really cool. Not annoying, how it can usually be, when you have some drunk asshole making up lyrics off key into your ear. It's like we'd all gone out and gotten singing lessons. Truly lovely. I couldn't believe that I had no crowd issues the whole time. And in the spirit of fair play, i.e. i certainly can go on about the bastards that usually frequent shows, I'll mention the really sweet girl who went out of her way to pick up my dropped tix during the middle of the show. Just a piece of paper falling on the floor, no big deal, and this girl just bends over in the middle of a really crowded show to pick it up for me. It sounds banal enough, but it's really unusual enough to merit mention. Maybe it's b/c Travis is not on any hit list or hip blogs. They don't make the news for their dastardly behavior and just put out wonderful melodic music which is then co-opted by others and makes millions - that's right, i'm talking about you Chris Martin! ;o)

So the people there were just fans. Not poseurs, or hipsters, or wannabes, just pure fans who'd really missed seeing Travis - they hadn't been in NYC for at least 3 years - and wanted to have a great time.
Onwards to some highlights: Frannie introduces My Eyes (a new song), by talking about how it was inspired by the birth of his first child and then promptly forgets the lyrics a few verses into it, and apologetically makes everyone start over.

Andy jumping into the audience during All I Want to Do Is Rock.

The boys all coming to the front of the stage and performing Flowers in the Window acoustically.
During the encore, they decided to play Selfish Jean again (which is a bit unusual). The last time I was at a show in which that happened was when I saw Dido back in the day. And she repeated her then hit single at the end...b/c she didn't have enough songs. Seeing as Travis as quite enough material, this seemed like an odd move, until they bring out the surprise guest. Now, I wasn't actually familiar with the current video for Selfish Jean that has been making the round at youtube, or as Fran put it, it certainly hasn't been on mtv, that's for sure.
Demetri Martin was in the house, and proceeded to re-enact the video, much to everyone's delight.

But there was still more fun to come. Fran requested that we all pogo stick during one of the verses for Why Does It Always Rain On Me? And hey, for those who know me, you don't have to tell me twice :o)
Looking around and seeing the entire sold out crowd at Irving Plaza just go pogo-stick spastic was just, it's sentimental but i'll say it, beautiful moment.
The band seemed to really enjoy themselves and were truly appreciative of all the love flowing to them. They mentioned they'd be coming back soon, and I'll certainly be there, but I don't know if any upcoming show will be able to better saturday night's. Not too often one can say something was perfect, but to this sometimes jaded live music fan, that was pretty close to it.






















SET LIST:
SELFISH JEAN/EYES WIDE OPEN/
WRITING TO REACH YOU/
LOVE WILL COME THROUGH/
AS YOU ARE/MY EYES/
BIG CHAIR/SIDE/DRIFTWOOD/
GOOD FEELING/
CLOSER/SING/BATTLESHIPS/
ALL I WANT TO DO IS ROCK/TURN

ENCORE: FLOWERS IN THE WINDOW/INDEFINITELY/
SELFISH JEAN/WHY DOES IT ALWAYS RAIN ON ME?

p.s. during the pogo-sticking finale, i happened to look up into the balcony v.i.p. area and spotted a very enthusiastic (and cute) Zach Braff just rocking out like mad. just thought it was sweet :o)


2.10.08 Update: Not one, not two, but three Travis mini-films. I actually took a few more, but I think these are the best :o)