Tears of Rocking Joy: Frank Turner & Gogol Bordello

By: John Guidry

I took my daughter to see Frank Turner & Gogol Bordello at The Beachum last night. Really, she took me. I’m not a music journalist, as you will soon realize, so I’m just going to tell you how I felt.

First Up: Frank Turner and The Sleeping Souls

How is it that these English dudes rock so well, yet they did not dress up in mandatory punk garb?

Frank Turner comes out with an acoustic guitar, and the whole band is wearing white dress shirts and short hair. Hum. The American “I’m different” formula involves showing off all your tattoos, a few piercings, plus a black concert shirt from some obscure hardcore band.

No, not Frank. The music did the talking here.

Frank blew the room away. High energy, folk-infused punk music. I loved it. Frank Turner is a must-see. I know three of Frank Turner’s songs, and yet I loved every song he played last night.

This guy had me in tears several times. Tears of rocking joy.

Now, folks react differently to the overwhelming power of music. Back in the eighties, I saw The Who at (the old) Busch Stadium in St. Louis. Great show, but no tears throughout most of the show. Then, The Who broke into “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” and you know what happens in this song. That’s right, the best keyboard bridge, ever, that ends with a classic Roger Daltrey scream. “Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.” Just as true today as it was 30 years ago. The hair on my arms stood up. To this day, it is one of the best live rock songs I’ve ever heard.

Having said that, Frank Turner was running at that high level most of his show. Yes, Frank was that good, I’m just saying.

Second: Gogol Bordello

I don’t know what to say. After Frank Turner killed it, who would want to follow that? The Who didn’t want to follow Jimi Hendrix after he lit his guitar on fire, and who could blame them?

But Gogol Bordello is on another level. This band is driving in their own lane. They own it. There is nothing like this on Earth. Seriously. Unbelievable.

Best show I’ve seen in years, maybe decades.

This band had me in tears for practically the whole show—it was overwhelming. I didn’t want it to end. Nobody did. And I’ve seen my fair share of shows.

For example, I just saw Def Leppard at the Amway a few weeks ago. Great show. Loved it. I had goosebumps when they played “Animal” and “Rock of Ages”. I think they should have played “Animal” twice, it was that good. I grew up in the 80s, and you would have every right to revoke my 80s credentials if I said otherwise.

That being said, a few goose-bump moments just cannot compare to Gogol Bordello—who reduced me to tears their entire show.

A grown man, crying. I know. I don’t understand it, I’m just telling you what happened. Thank God everyone around me was too whipped up to ever glance over at me.

Another example: I saw Matthew Sweet at The Social many years ago. His song “Girlfriend” melted the entire room. Amazing. One of the best songs I’ve seen outside of “Won’t Get Fooled Again”. Now, imagine that feeling for an entire show. We humans are just not built to accept that much rock goodness in such a short period of time; it’s overwhelming. That’s Gogol Bordello.

Where did they come from? How is it that they rock so hard? And most importantly, why am I not following this band around the country instead of working?

Yes, it was that good. They’re playing in Poland later this month—I’m seriously considering flying over there to get my next fix. It’s just that good.

About John Guidry II

John Guidry II is a seasoned criminal defense attorney and founder of the Law Firm of John P. Guidry II, P.A., located in downtown Orlando next to the Orange County Courthouse, where he has practiced for over 30 years. With more than three decades of experience defending clients throughout Central Florida since 1993, Guidry has successfully defended thousands of cases in Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Brevard, Lake, and Volusia counties. He has built a reputation for his strategic approach to criminal defense, focusing on pretrial motions and case dismissals rather than jury trials.

Guidry earned both his Juris Doctorate and Master of Business Administration from St. Louis University in 1993. He is a member of the Florida Bar and the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. His practice encompasses the full spectrum of Florida state criminal charges, with a particular emphasis on achieving favorable outcomes through thorough pretrial preparation and motion practice.

Beyond the courtroom, Guidry is a prolific legal educator who has authored over 400 articles on criminal defense topics. He shares his legal expertise through his popular YouTube channel, Instagram, and TikTok accounts, where he has built a substantial following of people eager to learn about the law. His educational content breaks down complex legal concepts into accessible information for the general public.

When not practicing law, Guidry enjoys tennis and pickleball, and loves to travel. Drawing from his background as a former recording studio owner and music video producer in the Orlando area, he brings a creative perspective to his legal practice and continues to apply his passion for video production to his educational content.