we went to the barbican on tuesday night, for the first night of their “1000 year journey” festival of gypsy music. featuring on tuesday were the kolpakov trio with eugene hütz, followed by mahala rai banda.
the trio belted out an impressive collection of traditional songs, with a little bit of spastic romanian tap-dancing thrown in. there was the occasional “hupp-pah!” and even a little bit of “aii aii aii aii aiiiiiiiiiiiiiiyeeeeeeeee!” mr hutz’s moustache is just as impressive in real life, although i wish i’d been able to see gogol bordello (they played in camden last night, but it was sold out by the time i heard of it and i was also meant to go to a work function). mahala rai banda were huge, both in numbers and sound, and the sit-down theatre was soon fairly full of dancers in the aisles.
london’s delightful weather continues, since the rainy long weekend the rain has stopped intermittently for a few hours at a time. this weekend we’re off to sweden, for my first-ever trip to famous falun. unfortunately the big draw for the trip is a funeral – obviously i’d much rather visit in happier circumstances.