A little bit of mariachi, a little bit of Russian mixed with Ukrainian and Italian, and a little Irish flare, all served with a side of punk.
Strap yourselves in, everyone. We here in the 317 are about to on a little trip around the world.
Irish-inspired favorites Flogging Molly and gypsy punk outfit Gogol Bordello brought their co-headlining tour to the Farm Bureau Lawn at White River State Park. That’s not all. Playing in direct support is the Latin-driven Mariachi El Bronx. What’s in store for tonight? Maybe one of the most diverse nights of punk rock the Downtown Indianapolis area.
Needless to say, I can’t wait to get started. This will be Flogging Molly show #5 for me, while I’ve never seen any of the other two. The sun is out, there’s a light breeze, and no rain in the forecast (a first for this year it feels like). So after parking my vehicle and picking up my tickets. I’m ready for this one to begin. Onward!
Viva El Mariachi
It’s a modest crowd here in the early going, with people still filing in the front gates and the others just staking out spots in front of the stage (as expected, most everyone is seated in the shadow of the massive structure as the sun sets). In contrast to other nights I’ve been here, you couldn’t ask for a better night out. There isn’t a cloud in the sky, there’s a light breeze, the sun is shining, and best of all, no rain in the forecast. Since the crowd ratio is disproportionate, I’m able to find a spot towards the front over on the left (stage right). As I take in this beautiful day, I see a group of people in full mariachi band attire make their way to the stage. Looks like we’re ready to go. Let’s welcome Mariachi El Bronx.
Having never heard of this band before, I didn’t know what to expect. Was it just a cool name or is that how they really are? As I found out, Mariachi El Bronx is a band that combines the elements of a mariachi band with a hint of California punk. There are acoustic guitars, trumpets, accordions, violins, a guitarrón, and more. It may sound like an odd mixture, and maybe a little gimmicky, but it kind of works. The music is light and fun, the band itself are all-in, and who doesn’t love a little Latin flare? It takes a few moments for the crowd to buy into it (maybe a quarter of the lawn is full right now), and there are plenty of calls from frontman Matt Caughthran for more crowd noise, but by the end, those who got here early seem to be enjoying it. Overall, an interesting way to kick things off, and a lot of fun as well. I’ll have to check them out again sometime down the road.
Speaking of this crowd, more are starting to make their way to the stage as the massive banner behind the stage emblazoned with Gogol Bordello’s logo is revealed to cheers. It’s a pretty diverse out here. Some are full-fledged hardcore punks (mohawks and all), others are closers to my age and look ready to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day three months later (some even have kilts). I’m also seeing a decent number of kids here with their parents, getting a proper education in Irish and gypsy punk, no less.
Speaking of gypsy punks. I’ve waited 10 years to see this next band, most of which was spent hearing about how great they are live. Now it’s time to see for myself. Gogol Bordello, let’s go!
The Gypsy Way
Photos from Gogol Bordello’s set.
For our next stop on this musical journey, we enter the land of Italy, Russia, Ukraine, and everywhere else in between. For some, this may sound strange, but for Gogol Bordello, it’s simply the gypsy way. Just another day at the office for a band with 8 members and utilizes multiple vocalists, accordions, bass, percussion, and violin. It may sound really busy, because it is really busy, and that’s part of the charm when you see them perform live.
For the next hour, it’s a showcase that proves Gogol Bordello is one of the most satisfyingly chaotic bands out there today. Frontman Eugene Hütz is an enigma, flying all over the stage as he belts out songs in several different languages while trying to get everyone on their feet and jumping, while Pedro Erazo does much of the same, but on a little less of a scale. Meanwhile, the rest of the band keeps it upbeat and energetic throughout. You couldn’t help but jump and dance along (and quite a few people are). It sort of makes me wish I had gotten in closer just to witness the chaos up close. With a million different things going on at once, it’s tough to keep up. They may have played for over an hour, but they’re treating this more like a sprint than a marathon, and watching it feels like someone sprinting a marathon.
All in all, this high-energy performance is exactly what I thought it would be, and definitely worth the 10 years I’ve waited to finally witness it. I may have missed a lot focusing on other things going on, but you can imagine I’ll be the first in line should they ever come back to town.
Whew! This feels like coming down from a runner’s high. It looks like a lot of people agree as they’re chanting for an encore, but alas, the main event is up next, and we should probably get ready for them.
The sun is starting to set in Downtown Indianapolis, and the banner bearing the logo of Flogging Molly is being raised as we speak. Judging by the amount of green shirts and people walking around carrying beers, it must be St. Patrick’s Day again. That being said, let’s conclude this little trip with a visit to Ireland.
Cheers To You!
The lights go out (and it’s actually dark out), and cheers erupt from the crowd. Unlike other bands who usually have an intro track, we get more of a somber intro from our favorite Irish import: a cover of “The Auld Triangle,” with frontman Dave King leading the charge. This is merely something to get the mood right until the real fun begins with their first song, and away we go.
Having seen this band four previous times, there’s isn’t much that surprises me with Flogging Molly anymore. Though some of the songs may change, it’s largely the same (also see: Live at the Greek Theatre), but for whatever reason, something feels different about it this time around. Maybe it was the amount of Guinness flowing or because we were outdoors on a perfect summer evening, but they seem a little bit looser as opposed to last time. That it felt like they were having a little more fun with it. As they would point out, they’re no longer sharing a building with Ghost: The Musical, so maybe that’s what it was.
For the next hour, it’s a barrage of favorites old and new, guitar solos, violins and mandolins, and of course, the Irish influences they’ve built their name upon. Unfortunately, there were a few people in the crowd getting a little too festive and were thrown out after trying to start a fight with someone. That was a definitely low point as I was trying to enjoy the show and getting elbowed in the ribs every few seconds, but I digress. Back to the music!
While many of their songs touch up on darker themes, the band referenced the marriage equality vote from their homeland, and decided these were now celebration songs before going into “Drunken Lullabies.” Out in the crowd (aside from the near-fight), it’s as festive as you would expect any city block to be during St. Patrick’s Day. The people and dancing and singing, people have their arms around each other having a great time, and even a mosh pit breaks out towards the center (ok, that last part probably doesn’t happy during the holiday, at least we hope not). At one point, King even throws a Guinness into the crowd, before being told this is an all-ages show (oops). It’s like the party I missed last March. Better late than never, right?
But the party can’t last forever, and one rousing rendition of “The Seven Deadly Sins” later, they bid farewell and leave the stage. Wait, you can’t leave us hanging like that. Chants of an encore start the break out in the form of “Olé Olé Olé!” Sure enough, they come back out, and in response to the chant, King thanks everyone from the US for dealing with Sepp Blatter. Now a “USA!” chant breaks out, and he’s fine with it, saying we’ve earned it.
We get two more songs in “What’s Left of the Flag” and end it with “If I Ever Leave This World Alive” before sending us on our way. Before that, they lead us into a sing-along of “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life” (whistling and all). Some people stick around to catch discarded guitar picks and drum sticks. One lucky kid standing over by me was handed a pick personally (he was rocking out harder than most. He earned it). It’s been a fun (dry) night. Now, time to return to my homeland and think of how to put this into words.
Final verdict?
This was the best kind of trip, and by that, I mean one where I get to experience a diverse set of cultures without ever having to leave. Each of these bands brought their own signature sound to the table, be it mariachi, Romanese and European sounds, or Celtic. They couldn’t have been any different, and yet, it all comes together to form one coherent show that’s as entertaining as anything else out there.
Besides, isn’t music one of those things that can bring everyone together?
The Good:
Mariachi El Bronx was a welcome surprise. It may look like a gimmick, but trust me, they know what they’re doing. Plus, Gogol Bordello is one chaotic presence that was an absolute blast to try to keep up with, and even after five times, Flogging Molly still knows how to bring it each time they come to Indianapolis.
The Bad:
Please drink responsibly, lest you get a little too festive and disrupt other peoples’ experience and try to pick fights with others in the vicinity.