Musician Bob Pike has been an off-and-on fixture in Budapest for at least 10, maybe 15 years. I had heard about him from various friends but never met him until last year when he sat in for a few songs on mandolin with alt.country star Mookie Brando. It was great foot-stomping fun. So when Bob said he had formed a new band, The Rainbow Jizz, the name alone made it a moral imperitive to book them for a gig. However, the Rainbow Jizz did not come, and instead, the Beards of '49 sat in with Bob on the night. The Beards of '49 consisted of drummer Nathan Johnson and bassist Zoli. When local Steve Nelson (founder of Ignite! Budapest) saw Nathan on drums his jaw dropped - he had seen Nathan many (sorry Steve) years ago at university when he played with Flop, and the Fastbacks. Locally, Nathan has played with Fabulon and Stig Roar Husby. I had no idea I needed Bob's brand of high energy entertaining folk music until it hit me full on and put the first smile on my face for a week. In ancient folk tradition, never seen in Hungary but a staple at folk jams in the US and UK, audience members received shakers, tamborines and other noise-makers to enthusiastically join in making music. Bob Pike and the the Beards of '49 are welcome back anytime, with or without the Rainbow Jizz - but maybe they should grow some facial hair?