Gypsy punk on screen

A music documentary film, Gogol Bordello Non-Stop, comes to town this weekend to offer a taste of the band’s history, sound and high-energy stage performances. It’s like going to a Gogol Bordello show, except that audiences tend to sit through films rather than dance wildly around the room.

Through loads of concert footage, personal interviews and shots of Gogol Bordello band members partying backstage, this film provides the viewer with a sense of the truly non-stop party that the band and its music seek to provide.

“Who are gypsies?” said Sergey Ryabtsev, violinist and backup singer, in the film. “People without borders.”

The self-proclaimed gypsy punk band prides itself on throwing together an eclectic mix of nationalities. Eugene Hütz, who leads the band with vocals and acoustic guitar, is originally from Ukraine. Other band members come from Israel, Russia, Ethiopia, Ecuador and the United States.

“All sexes, all ages, all nationalities,” said Hütz in the film.

The film premiered in North America in 2008 and has since been circuiting cities throughout the continent. Last August it was awarded best film at the MusiXine International Film Contest. Friday it debuts in Portland at the Hollywood Theatre.

Colombian director and writer Margarita Jimeno directed Non-Stop after spending seven years shooting and collecting footage of the band on stage and on tour, catching some of their wildest behavior.

Much of the documentary is spent with Hütz as he describes his life experiences and philosophy. As a result, the film’s strength rests greatly on Hütz stealing the camera. A lively, crass man with a heavily pomaded moustache, he flings himself, shirtless and sweaty, around the stage, spitting into microphones and hurtling into the audience.

Hütz tells some engaging stories about emigrating to the U.S. from Ukraine as a refugee at 17, and he dotes over New York City as his muse for constant creative inspiration. The film ends up revolving more around Hütz than it does the band or the music.

Their music is an eclectic clashing of traditional instruments and rapid punk rhythms. Gogol Bordello’s live performances throb with a passionate energy as band members dance around the stage playing violin, accordion, cymbals and even a washboard, in addition to the assumed drums, guitar and bass.

Behind Hütz’s voice, distinguished by his heavy Ukrainian accent, the whole band chimes in to sing backup vocals. The group thrashes around the stage in true punk style as the audience attempts to mob them.

The film explains that, back in their early days, the band was often thrown out of New York City clubs for being too rowdy. The post-show scenes of band members dancing and partying make this a believable claim.

While Non-Stop gives an accurate impression of the chaos that their shows induce, the film is more a tease for their live shows than anything else. For the easily excited, earplug-wearing music lover, this film will supply more than enough liveliness to induce a minor heart attack. For the concertgoer who craves a loud, riotous show, it might be advised to wait until the band hits Portland in real time.