Eugene Hütz is the quintessential frontman. The Ukraine native is confident, lively and engaging, earnest but somehow blithe about it, and (most importantly) rakishly good-looking in a distinctly Eastern European way — pale, lean and sinewy, with sharply defined facial features and a thick but well-groomed handlebar mustache. The singer/lyricist/visionary of NYC's Gogol Bordello is also a musician who works like a maestro, leading his nine-member multi-ethnic ensemble through supercharged accordion- and fiddle-laced songs that set ska, punk, metal, rap, flamenco and a variety of other flavors against brisk gyspy two-step rhythms. Their songs range from political to philosophical to tongue-in-cheek — "Ultimate" asserts there were never any "good old days" and that we should live for today, while the boisterous, reggae-fied "Start Wearing Purple" is nonsensical, good-time music at its best. Gogol Bordello is notorious for putting on a theatrical stage show (vivacious dancers included) and brings its tour in support of its 2007 release, Super Taranta, to St. Petersburg. Mon., June 16, 8 p.m., State Theatre, 687 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, $19 in advance/$21 at the door, 727-895-3045, statetheatreconcerts.com.
This article appears in Jun 11-17, 2008.