Celebrate spring dancing to the funkiest music to come out of Latin America from two great bands, with the exuberant sound of Colombian cumbia from Manos pa’ Arriba. They are teamed up tonight with Ran Kan Kan, Oxford’s Cubanista big band, playing Son Montuno and mambo classics from Cuba’s Golden age.

Birmingham-based Manos pa’ Arriba play a feisty selection of Colombian cumbia with an ocassional foray into wild Balkan rhythms. The latest off-spring of Birmingham’s thriving World Music scene, they started Manos so that Birmingham would not miss out on the carefree and infectiously rhythmic, exotically alluring music of cumbia which is taking London by storm.

“It’s such great music, it’s so high energy, and you can dance however you feel and fancy,” affirms lead singer Ellie Midhani.

Born from a meeting of latin rhythm lovers and horns player at a Cuban music workshop in 2011, Ran Kan Kan has a growing fan base who regularly pack out gigs at OFS. This 24-piece Oxford based big band will bring you the very best of Cuban son montuno and mambos and new versions of classic old tunes for you to dance to.

DJ Badger will keep the Old Fire Station dance floor tropical until midnight with African Caribean Latin dance tunes.

Timings:
DJ from 8pm
9pm Ran Kan Kan (45m)
10:30pm Manos pa Arriba (60m)
midnight finish