Gogol Bordello, Leeds Met, 27 November 2010

The weather is dangerously cold and icy underfoot. The trains are late and attempting to travel just 20 miles from York to Leeds on a Saturday afternoon seems to be folly. Arriving 90 minutes later than expected, it’s snowing. Boots to accompany gypsy skirt will never make an appearance. Skiing to Leeds Uni, Slam Dunk are proudly presenting Gogol Bordello in less than half an hour.

An affiliation, a way of life, a troupe, a collective with members ranging from Ukraine, USSR , Scotland, Brazil and Australia, from mid-twenties to late sixties, incorporating guitars, drums, hip-hop MC, fire buckets, violin and various percussion Bordello are incendiary.

Having fought our way to the near front, the last thing we expected was the crowd to turn into a mosh pit featuring non-stop wall of death, circle of death and madcap pogo-ing. Snowing outdoors, it was carnival time indoors.

The back catalogue was played, the new album featured in full, the crowd surfed, someone lost a shoe, and a couple swept the floor in beautiful dancing to Start Wearing Purple. It was epic. Clocking in at 2 hours 45 complete with an acoustic set encores by Eugene, it radiated into the night warming the cockles of the hearts and the feet of the cold attendees.