Following a two-year hiatus, the Unlimited Sunshine Tour—a post-irony answer to the progressive Lollapalooza and HORDE traveling festivals of the '90s—has returned for an 11-date, major-city jaunt. The brainchild of vocalist John McCrea not only showcases his offbeat alt-rockers Cake in the headlining slot, but also features power-pop duo Tegan and Sara, gypsy-cabaret punks Gogol Bordello and the absurdist stand-up of host Eugene Mirman. (For event info, see the McCrea interview, Page 58.)
"We thought it would be cool to be a part of the eclectic lineup," says Gogol frontman Eugene Hutz. "We're so different from anything else [that] anywhere you put us—Warped tour, Unlimited Sunshine tour—it is still hitting people from a different angle. Other bands kind of fear unknown audiences and pair themselves with bands that are somehow appropriate. But our band is fearless about that: We can really play with any kind of lineup, and the more diverse it is, the better.
"It's like throwing porno magazine into kindergarten. Everybody enjoys it, but they don't know what to do with it."
The manic, mustachioed Hutz shares more than a same first name with comedian Mirman. The two are both demigods in New York City's East Village, and neither can become president of the United States: Mirman emigrated from Russia at age 4; the Ukrainian Hutz arrived in 1996 after a life spent traversing Europe.
As the Western-culture-obsessed Alex Perchov in the 2005 film adaptation of Everything Is Illuminated, Hutz's debut role captured his real-life earnestness and closeness to the subject matter. Though he has no "quality roles that are interesting and memorable to people" on the horizon, Hutz continues working in the medium as he finishes up post-production and the soundtrack to a documentary he hopes will dispel stereotypes about Gypsies living in Hungary, the Ukraine and Siberia.
It's been said that comedy equals tragedy plus time. That might apply to Mirman, who overcame a tough upbringing in Boston and felt like an outsider throughout childhood. "People hated me as a little immigrant," he says. "I still struggle with that in many ways."
Mirman earned a comedy degree from Hampshire College after devising his own curriculum; he eschewed traditional stand-up clubs in favor of alternative-performance venues in New York City alongside such friends as David Cross. His onstage persona is that of a man bewildered (and increasing mentally impaired) by the nonsensical interactions commonly accepted as life, and though he's more than comfortable "just standing there and talking," Mirman regularly creates short films and utilizes phone calls and videos in his stand-up.
The Conan and Comedy Central vet will perform as part of March's South By Southwest music conference in Austin, Texas, and has previously opened for the indie-rock likes of Modest Mouse, the Shins and Yo La Tengo. "I'm just going to do things I hope people enjoy and that won't get me destroyed," he says of playing to music fans. "In some instances like this, it can be great, and then it can also be a matter of survival. A lot of people have a stereotype about comedy that it's insincere, and then they realize that you're on a much more similar page than they would have thought, and it kind of works out in your favor very quickly."
As did Mirman, Gogol Bordello achieved a level of prominence following years of DIY dedication. "It is a band that is made from the scratch," Hutz says of his multicultural eight-piece. "I was always very inspired by Nick Cave and Shane McGowan, people who are from a different part of the world but bring themself to a new territory and basically through commitment to their work acquire recognition."
About this, as with most subjects, Hutz is adamant: "Dedication and passion are a hard thing to come by these days. The system is not interested in having people creative. It's interested in making them sedative and complacent. By bringing our music from so different culture that kicks everybody in the gut and evokes response, I think it's a pretty powerful statement how connected we all are."
As for Gogol's live shows, "There is much comedy going on," enthuses Hutz. "The humor is always such an essential part of what we're doing anyway. Which is not to say the things that are serious in our work are downright serious. There is nothing ironic about it, but we have our own brand of black humor. It's always been essential for human race not to take themselves too seriously. Humor takes a bunch of power out of tragic events.
"People are like, 'Well how do you handle all these things?' It's very easy. Speaking truth is very easy and pleasant. You don't have to really f--king think twice."