Think Locally.........

So there I was, weary from New Year's celebrations. But from the first note of the their set, Gogol Bordello had the majority of the crowd pogoing around.

I don't remember much of the songs that whizzed left and right around me, but I do believe "Sally" was the song that kicked off the festivities. The drum beat and violin going back and forward, it provided the heartbeat of the evening. Joyous, slightly weird, but comforting and chaotic at the same time. A living oxymoron.

"Immigrant Punk" on the other hand, provided the manifesto for the evening. Showcasing heritage and pride, but without being boastful. GB were simply happy to be there playing music and that enthusiasm fed the crowd into a frenzy. "When the Trickster..." was another highlight that lasted for hours, while, in my mind. The entire band threw themselves in this song, and the crowd responded with their own fury.

It had been so long since I've been to a show like this, but the crowd was up and down, left and right, each of us sweating on each other, but never really minding. I felt 10 years younger. Still showing restraint as to not scare my company, but if given free reign, I am quite sure that my stamina and endurance would have been tested to the max.

Especially at the end when controlled chaos occurred with "Start Wearing Purple." The entire place sang along from the first verse and chorus, heads banging up and down, the crowd merged into one organism and from that point on, this would be one of the greatest encores I've witnessed.

In the end, at the end of a long tour, Gogol Bordello gave everything and I reveled in it. Truly an amazing show to begin the new year on. I am sure it will only go downhill from here, but hopefully not as well.