I knew Gogol Bordello would be a wise choice, but I didn’t know just how wise.

MP3: Gogol Bordello - Not a Crime

From the moment I stepped foot in their tent, I got caught up in the gypsy punks’ whirling circus. They ran, danced, jumped and yelled in one of the more unrestrained shows that I caught at Bonnaroo. It wasn’t the best show of the fest (Flaming Lips take that honor), but it was the best show I caught in a tent and probably only third to the Lips and the White Stripes.

I caught the first bit of Gogol Bordello before running off to snap some photos of Regina Spektor. I arrived back in time for the apex of the groups’ performance: lead singer Eugene Hutz climbed into the crowd and surfed around on a bass drum, singing and grabbing the hands of their frenzied fans.

Leaving a little sweatier than I went in (which I hadn’t thought possible), I knew it was more than worth it.