The best klezmer-punk band you’ve never heard, Golem are a six-piece from New York who blend old-world Jewish music with a witty repertoire of modern influences. Debuting in 2001, the band really hit their stride in 2006 with Fresh Off Boat, a whirling collection of originals and traditional numbers (including their own version of the Hora, of course) sung in five languages. If one were to create a real golem and command it to kick ass musically instead of literally, chances are it would sound something like this. Seriously, it’s wild stuff.

Fresh Off Boast had cameos from Patti Smith’s guitarist Lenny Kaye, former Phish Mike Gordon, and was produced by Emery Dobyns, who has also worked with Antony and the Johnsons and Battles. After rocking the Jewish Community Center in Houston on Wednesday, Golem will arrive at our own Parish room on Thursday night.

Opening is the Austin project Kanko, formed by Brian Ramos and Dusty Oliveira with the intent to “blur the lines between the musical traditions of Latin America…and the hard edged tones of early hard rock, punk and hip hop.” Sound interesting? It really is.

Golem: [website] [myspace]
Kanko: [myspace]