GOGOL BORDELLO + SPLIT DOGS + PUZZLED PANTHER @ BRIGHTON CHALK – 24TH OCTOBER 2025
Tonight, the riot of colour and sound that is Gogol Bordello descends upon Brighton Chalk. Support comes from Puzzled Panther and Split Dogs. Puzzled Panther, who open proceedings, are from New York, with core members Victoria Espinoza on vocals and Kay Bontempo on guitar.
On record, they’re joined by Brian Chase from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs on drums and Eugene Hutz of Gogol Bordello on guitar. Brian isn’t here tonight, but Eugene guests with them on one song. Alex Ryaboy joins them on bass, plus an unnamed guitarist and drummer — the latter experiencing Europe for the first time. How exciting for him!
On the first song, Kay Bontempo emphasises her Noo Yoik roots with a solo straight out of the Television playbook. Most of her solos are angular and unconventional. Victoria Espinoza, meanwhile, is a classic frontwoman — she has the moves, the attitude, and, most importantly, the voice to back it all up.
Give Them ’Nuff Velvet Rope is a stone-cold classic — it just hasn’t been universally recognised as such yet, though it will be. The wah-wah guitar intro and solo are spectacular, and it’s one of those songs you never want to end. On Fits Of Serenity both Victoria and Kay share lead vocals, and Eugene Hutz guests on guitar. Their set finishes with a cover of Dirty Boots by Sonic Youth — the most tuneful Sonic Youth cover I’ve ever heard, while still utterly cataclysmic. This band are definitely one to watch.
After the interesting sonic palette of Puzzled Panther, the straight-ahead punk of Split Dogs is slightly less surprising but still plenty of fun. If Amyl And The Sniffers came from Bristol and grew up on scrumpy, they’d be Split Dogs. In vocalist Harry, they have an almost perfect punk-rock voice. They take the stage to Rockin’ All Over The World by Status Quo — surely ironic?
Drummer Chris wears a Spice Girls T-shirt, which I doubt is one of his influences! They debut a new song that’s fast, furious and energetic — much like all of them. Harry asks us to sing along to one of their tunes, but no one seems to know it, which is a shame. Their final number includes the line “smoked, choked”, which I quite like, and features a cool solo. If they haven’t played Rebellion Festival yet, they really should.
As stage time approaches for Gogol Bordello, I’ve tightly anchored myself to the rail at the front. Gogol audiences aren’t exactly renowned for their passivity! The band enter, playing along to their intro music (State Of Shock by The Ex) — something I’ve never seen before and a perfect sign of their unbridled enthusiasm. The opening track proper is Sacred Darling from their debut Voi-La Intruder, now an incredible 26 years old! It features a near-psychedelic violin solo from Sergey Ryabtsev and awesome drumming from Korey Kingston. The band have begun as they mean to go on. Whether Eugene Hutz considers himself a rabble-rouser or not, he’s certainly rousing this rabble — and I’m delighted to be part of it.
For I Would Never Wanna Be Young Again, Pedro Erazo joins in on vocals before hammering out a tattoo on the tom-toms. The song, from the wonderfully titled Gypsy Punks: Underdog World Strike, reinforces Gogol’s role as champions of the underdog — a cause that feels ever more vital. Not A Crime, from the same album, showcases their musical diversity. Leo Mintek plays a harmonics-based solo, Erica Mancini delivers a joyous accordion solo, then Leo returns for a more complex guitar part. There’s always something fascinating to see or hear; even in prime position, it’s hard to keep up! Immigrant Punk takes on a reggae groove, while Eugene commands the crowd like a shamanic showman. During My Companjera he has us swaying — at least until the tempo erupts again!
For Dance Around A Fire the Puzzled Panther girls return, joined by their drummer on percussion. The song may be new. They stay for From Boyarka To Boyaca — actually a cover of one of their own songs. How many headliners would cover their support’s material with them on stage? Very few. This one, connecting Eastern Europe and Latin America, clearly means a lot to Eugene, who is Ukrainian Roma. The pace grows ever more frantic until Puzzled Panther finally retreat for a well-earned breather.
Ignition follows — another new piece, with a violin intro and Erica switching from accordion to synth (don’t panic, this isn’t a new electronica direction). Eugene is on electric rhythm, and Pedro introduces Immigranada (We Comin’ Rougher), which starts dub-flavoured before bursting into punk-rock urgency. A grumpy tech wrestles with misbehaving monitors while We Mean It Man — yet another new song — celebrates gypsy-punk unity. The Puzzled Panther girls return as Eugene hands his guitar to Kay mid-song. She doesn’t flinch, of course.
Eugene picks up his acoustic for Mystics, possibly another new number. A furious acoustic intro and Sergey’s soaring violin lead into a full-band frenzy. At times, everyone but the drummer crowds the front, absolutely having it. Leo delivers a searing solo, hammering on with just his left hand, while sporting a GBH T-shirt — a nice touch. Sergey then takes a solo spotlight, centre-stage, before the band rejoin for a roaring coda. Someone lobs a leather jacket into the pit — an offering, perhaps? For Mishto! Eugene whips off his shirt to widespread delight. The Puzzled Panther singers return for shared vocals, Pedro straps on a bass drum, and Leo and Kay trade psychedelic solos. It’s glorious chaos.
According to the setlist, Start Wearing Purple is a “short version”, but it hardly feels that way. The song, about the west side of Ukraine, starts with a drum intro and violin solo, before Erica perches on Pedro’s bass drum to play an accordion break. Pedro plays castanets, and they slip in a verse of Gangsters by The Specials — it’s superb! I’d love to hear the long version. They follow with another Puzzled Panther cover, Wataka Wataka, and close the main set with Solidarity by Angelic Upstarts — a song that perfectly encapsulates what Gogol Bordello are all about.
For the encore, Eugene returns alone, stacks two wooden boxes, and perches atop them for Alcohol. “This is the pianissimo version,” he tells us. It’s the quietest moment of the night — a bittersweet reflection on alcohol’s seduction. Sergey adds harmonies, Erica solos, and then the rest of the band storm back for a raucous Undestructible, spliced with a flash of TV Eye by The Stooges. When they take their final bow, both support bands join them — a gesture that speaks volumes.
Gogol Bordello are a global patchwork of musicians from Ukraine, the USA, Brazil and beyond, united by music and message. Their ethos — one of unity, resistance and solidarity — feels more vital now than at any time in the last forty years. More power to their collective elbows.
Words: Mark Kelly Photos: Cris Watkins
