Last night some friends and I went out to see the gypsy band EtnoRom at the Siraly. Until now, I had no idea there was anything else in the basement besides the toilets. But Siraly, an unofficial Jewish cultural center at Kiraly u. 50 had not only one, but about 5 different programs last night including a talk by the founder of the European Roma Rights Center,  and Vedegylet’s regular environmental information meetings. Siraly also serves Fair Trade organic tea from Treehugger Dan’s.

I was prepared for the pseudo-gypsy/Hungarian/American classics, but Etnorom blew me away. Etnorom Ensemble was founded in 2005 by József Balog and Ágnes Künstler, the world-famous ex-soloists of 'Kalyi Jag' Gypsy folk group and is composed of  6 virtuoso musicians: Ágnes Künstler (vocals), József Balog (guitar, vocals), László Major (violin), István Samu (guitar). The keyboard player Miklós "the Eared" Balogh wears shades and exudes lounge-lizard cool like someone out of Donald Fagen’s “Night Fly,” and István "Pacala" Balogh is Hungary's best oral bass player. Alexandra Ceglédi, a specialist in 'fertility dance styles,' performed dance solos including some excellent belly dancing.

No one hearing EtnoRom can sit still. Everyone was up and dancing, including a young roma kid doing a kind of Michael Jackson moonwalk-Kalaltoszegi move. The music was so good that I forgot to go to the toilet for 2 hours.

Their next concerts include:

-9 May 7pm Kultea Klub

-15 May 8pm Benczúr Klub Adress: Budapest, Benczúr u. 27.

-30 May 8pm Spoon Hajó Budapest

            -31 May 8pm Gödör Klub info:

Besides The Random Chocolates, and Mookie Brando and the Second Cousins, there is now another band in town that will get me out of the house. Both Mookie Brando and The Random Chocolates are rocking out tonight at 9 at Repete Sarok on Curia u. 2 (entry 1000 forint)