Gogol Bordello will perform New Year's Eve and New Year's Day shows at Higher Ground in South Burlington, Vermont. The concerts will feature tracks from the band's upcoming album, 'We Mean It, Man!', set for release on February 13. Frontman Eugene Hütz, a former Burlington resident, draws inspiration from his early experiences in Vermont's music scene.
Gogol Bordello, known for its energetic blend of Eastern European influences and punk rock, is embarking on a short tour that includes two holiday performances at Higher Ground Ballroom in South Burlington. The shows are scheduled for 8:30 p.m. on December 31, with openers Grace Bergere and The Art Gray Noizz Quintet, and 7:30 p.m. on January 1, featuring Puzzled Panther and Genre Is Death. Tickets are $45 per show or $70 for a two-day pass.
These concerts allow frontman Eugene Hütz to reconnect with family and friends in Vermont, where his family settled after fleeing Ukraine following the 1986 Chernobyl disaster. Hütz, who lived in the Burlington area as a teenager, credits the local underground scene—particularly the youth club 242 Main at Memorial Auditorium—for shaping his musical tastes. 'I discovered techno in Vermont,' he said, recalling trips to Montreal's Les Foufounes Electriques club to experience the emerging synth-driven genre.
The new album, 'We Mean It, Man!', marks another evolution for the band, incorporating techno and post-punk elements. Produced by Nick Launay and Adam Greenspan—known for work with artists like Nick Cave, Midnight Oil, and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs—the record reflects Hütz's 'Balkan-techno' roots. A standout track, 'Solidarity,' is a tribute to Ukraine amid Russia's 2022 invasion and features collaboration with Bernard Sumner of Joy Division and New Order. Hütz described working with Sumner as 'the gateway' to this sound, joking that the song could be titled 'Blue and Yellow Monday' after Ukraine's flag colors and New Order's hit.
'We’re the kind of band that’s always bent on taking it farther,' Hütz told the Burlington Free Press via video call from New York. 'Part of the idea of Gogol Bordello is it’s wide open to evolution of sound, and it’s wide open to newness.' The album opens with the title track's dissonant synthesizers and distorted vocals, evoking a 'post-hardcore, slam-dancing, gypsy-punk rave.'
Beyond music, Hütz has upcoming projects, including a book about his life story, due in September, which will highlight his Vermont connections. He has also appeared in films such as 'Everything Is Illuminated' with Elijah Wood and 'Filth and Wisdom' with Madonna, and was featured in the 2023 documentary 'Scream of My Blood.' For 15 years, the band headlined New Year's Eve in New York, but after a break to test 'normal' life, they returned to performing. 'We failed miserably,' Hütz said. 'We’re just not spectators by nature.'