Not To Be Missed!

Spending most of Saturday frustrated by the efforts of the combined Banjo Orchestras of Altrincham and Aston and their attempts to make contact with the rear end of any one of 1,000 head of cattle in a confined space it was a relief to see a performance by Gogol Bordello that hit the spot every time.

I thought their gig last year at Night & Day was top notch but must say they exceeded themselves in the much larger Academy 2 on Saturday night. Two hours of rocking good fun (a 3 minute breather half-way through made it seem like two sets rather than a set plus encore) kept a stupid grin on my face and a bounce in my pogo through a no-weak-point set that included twin washboard attack (Eugene Hutz could pass for Derek Guyler if you squint, are pissed, and near the back), catapults, metal-bins on microphones, police sirens, and a woman sat on a bass drum beating the bejudas out of it whilst being passed over the heads of the audience.

The tour is over now in the UK but keep an eye out for them over the Summer they should be a must for every festival going. As live gigs go it's up there with the best*.






*The Pogues - Bull & Gate
The Mekons 25th Annivesary-Leeds Irish
Th' Legendary Shack Shakers-Roadhouse
Mano Negra-Manchester Academy