My Life as a Gypsy Punk

[article to be written and printed in Laura's dreams] “My Life as a Gypsy Punk (a.k.a. How I Convinced Punk Rock Band Gogol Bordello to Let Me Be a Member, Go on Tour with Them, and Dance on Stage)," Didyk, Laura, Rolling Stone, February, 2009.

This is not going to be a behind-the-scenes article about Gogol Bordello (tho that would be interesting to say the least), the drunken escapades of lead singer and now-best-pal Eugene Hutz (tho there were many), my friendships with the Gogol Bordello women Pam and Elizabeth (hard-won, valued, and immensely satisfying), and my on-stage collaborations with the Latin-American member and best-DJ-on-Earth, Pedro, but about how I went from mildly interested in Gogol Bordello’s music to being a front-and-center fan to a devoted supporter with the unshakable knowing that what felt like an urgent and completely unrealistic dream of being a Gogol Bordello dancer would be fulfilled. This is an article about how anything can happen.

Holiest Happiest New Year Ever!

Before the show, Kate and I deemed my new glittery striped socks "MAGIC"...we rubbed them, we asked them to make it the best New Year ever...we told them "we trust you!" (At AJ's request, I bequeath you with an image of said socks...it's worth it to click on the picture so you can see the magic up close):





My knees are giant bruises, and my ribs are black and blue, but as DJ Hutz sings, "just as you think that it's all through....it's just the birth of something new!" (and holy crap, the socks only cost $2.99).

2007 ended and I got a kiss on the cheek from the Hutz as he walked the front-row rail after the show--he recognized my smile I suspect, and my striped arm sleeves, and from a couple playful exchanges we had during the show. Then at Mehanata (the Bulgarian Bar), I got a couple more sweaty kisses, including a few hair tussles, and a casual arm thrown over my shoulder. Nothing better than kisses from a lithe, beautiful, sweaty Ukrainian man. Well, maybe there a few things better, but not for New Year's.

2008 here I come.

There's a concert to share about (they played songs I've never heard them play live), and, socks be told, one magical cab ride at 5:15 am this morning (after leaving Eugene in the dust at Mehanata).

The show was unbelievable! More on that soon...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!