His uncommon path makes him an artist like no other, and two decades after breaking out as both a band leader and an actor, Eugene Hütz is as driven as ever to use his music and his heritage as an inspirational and vitalizing force.
The New Year finds him busy as can be. The frontman of the popular New York City gypsy punk outfit Gogol Bordello, Hütz recently launched Casa Gogol Records in the Big Apple, and just in the past few months he’s made his way around the country to promote burgeoning artists on the new label as well as a Liev Schreiber-produced documentary film titled “Scream of My Blood: A Gogol Bordello Story.”
But recently in the Charm City, Hütz and his band packed Baltimore Soundstage and delivered an amplified, impassioned, and uproarious performance that left most in the room dripping with sweat and sent everyone home satisfied. It confirmed what so many already know: that Gogol Bordello is simply not to be missed.
Listen to “From Boyarka to Boyaca,” a recent single from Gogol Bordello and Casa Gogol Records artist Puzzled Panther:
Hütz’s incredible journey began in the 1980s when his family fled what was then the Soviet Union and is now Ukraine in the wake of the Chernobyl disaster. They roamed through refugee camps across Europe and were eventually placed in Vermont through a political refugee resettlement program.
By the mid-’90s Eugene found himself immersed in Burlington’s young but determined hardcore scene. Upon moving to New York City late in the decade, he blossomed as an artist, founding Gogol Bordello in 1999 and going on to appear in numerous motion pictures — most notably starring alongside Elijah Wood in Everything Is Illuminated and later filling the lead role in Madonna’s directorial debut, Filth and Wisdom.
Gogol Bordello, meanwhile, went on to record with the late, great Steve Albini as well as Rick Rubin. The band has played major festivals all over the world, its songs used in movies and TV shows and by global brands.
At the age of 52, Hütz still looks unstoppable — and on Dec. 29 in Baltimore, he showed himself to be a master entertainer and a brilliant orchestrator, wielding his wily vocals to stirring effect, playing an electric or acoustic guitar and flinging his limber body all over the stage with his friends as part of an unforgettably rambunctious presentation.
Gogol Bordello’s seen plenty of changes in its lifetime, but its currently in premium form thanks to the world-class and diverse assemblage of musicians who joined Hütz in Baltimore, including several originally from South America. Together, they turned songs into rousing, worldly celebrations.
Backing him was guitarist Leo Mintek, bassist Gil Alexandre, accordionist Erica Mencini, drummer Korey Kingston and percussionist and vocalist Pedro Erazo, who, with flair and gusto, also filled the role of emcee at various points. The longest tenured member of the band, Sergey Ryabtsev has been playing violin at Hutz’s side since 2000, and on Sunday night their spiritual connection helped guide the group through instrumental surges and sheer musical insanity on the stage.
Off it, ticketholders set about with a brazen nuttiness — many shirtless, some in costume; at least one full-body banana suit — for this special occasion. Suddenly, crowd surfing was trendy.
A set that showcased favorites from as early as the 1999 Gogol premiere, Voi-La Intruder, it also featured some of the band’s most recent work, including tunes recorded with Casa Gogol musicians who accompanied Hütz and Company on this short but important holiday tour.
Victoria Espinoza and Kay Bontempo, who along with Hütz and Yeah Yeah Yeahs drummer Brian Chase make up the band Puzzled Panther, joined Gogol Bordello for the single “From Boyarka to Boyaca,” a chance for those on hand to see Hütz’s delight and his drive to work with up-and-coming musicians. Later, Grace Bergere — also a Casa Gogol artist — sat in with Hütz and Ryabtsev during the night’s encore.
But fans also heard “Fire on Ice Floe” from 2022’s Solidaritine, an album that makes loud and clear Hütz’s steadfast support for Ukraine’s efforts to defend itself from the ongoing Russian invasion. A blue and yellow clenched fist projected onto the stage wall was a powerful symbol of the perseverance and gritty temperament long associated with Ukraine and its people, including Eugene.
Stream Gogol Bordello’s 2022 studio album, Solidaritine, via Spotify:
Living it up and rocking out with a pro-punk Baltimore crowd he deemed “feisty,” Hütz impressively reaffirmed his and his band’s reputation as one of today’s most invigorating, tireless, and original acts.
Setlist (taken from list on stage, which was recycled from the prior show, but encore differed — it might not be perfect)
Sacred Darling
I Would Never Wanna Be Young Again
Not a Crime
Immigrant Punk
Wonderlust King
My Companjera
Fire on Ice Floe (with Puzzled Panther)
From Boyarka to Boyaca (with Puzzled Panther)
Suddenly … (I Miss Carpaty)
Hater Liquidator
I Got No Time For Idiots
Immigrandiada (We Comin’ Rougher)
Mishto!
Start Wearing Purple
Pala Tute
Encore
Think Locally, Fuck Globally
Victim in Pain (Agnostic Front cover … Hütz solo)
Sun Is On My Side (with Grace Bergere)
Baro Faro/Undestructable
Redemption Song (Johnny Cash edit) played afterward, Eugene sung along to it
Below is a mix of digital color shots and home-rolled/developed/scanned black-and-white film photos of Gogol Bordello performing at Baltimore Soundstage the night of Dec. 29, 2024. Further down are digital color shots of the night’s opening acts, Grace Bergere and Jon Spencer. All images copyright and courtesy of Casey Ryan Vock.
Jon Spencer
Grace Bergere
