Amidst the mind-numbing barrage of identical-sounding modern rock and pop starlets, its nice to come across something different every now and then. Enter Gogol Bordello. As immigrant punk goes, theyre basically your only choice, so be thankful that theyre also badass. Imagine putting Spoon on stage with a polka band and giving the microphone to Borat. Once you take out the jokes about the Jews and the gays, youre starting to get the idea. Better than Borat, though, this isnt a put-on to get a few cheap laughs; this is the real deal, fronted by a Chernobyl refugee and eight other immigrants. Now theyve got a DVD out called Live from Axis Mundi, as well as Filth and Wisdom, a movie featuring the band, but written and directed by Madonna. The critics have weighed in, and you probably wont be surprised which one they recommend. One is a double-shot of high-octane folk-rock at its best and the other features some clunkingly awful acting and a string of scenes that are so stagey they would fall over if they werent propped up by the cinema screen. Did I give it away?
Tue., Oct. 20, 6:30 p.m., 2009