“Bailando” is the word reverberating off the walls. Translated literally as “dancing”, it’s not only the name of Gente de Zona’s most popular song (and their opener for the show), it also perfectly encapsulates the night’s mood. Before the show has begun, the crowd is already buzzing, waving Cuban flags in the air, clapping their hands and moving their waists in time with the warm-up DJ.
If you’ve never heard of the Cuban duo Gente de Zona, they are by any definition a big deal: combining reggaeton with the traditional sounds of mambo and son cubano, the duo are hugely popular in Latin America, their tracks breaking a billion views on YouTube. Judging by their charming stage personas and infectious music, it’s not hard to understand why. At their backs, the soft lilt of the live guitar brilliantly complements the scraping sound of the merengue güiro, and the trumpeters and trombonists deliver a bold, metallic sound that penetrates each melody. During a particularly dynamic performance of Traidora, the guitar’s bass is turned up and the room feels more like a tiny Havana bar than a west London concert venue.
The atmosphere is reminiscent of a carnival, complete with the rhythmic sound of bongos and bass that leaves you winded. The only thing missing is the extravagant costumes – the two men wear plain, dark outfits, their musicians in all white – but the revelry remains. They sing in Spanish with playful smiles on their faces, shake their hips at a crowd who shriek excitedly, and lead singer Alexander Delgado stops singing for a brief moment to kiss his co-star Randy Malcom Martinez on the cheek, throwing a wink at the audience.
Just as hips begin to tire, the blast of the brass immediately revives them. In the last song, Delgado drapes a giant Cuban flag over his shoulders and repeats the word “Cuba!” – the scream that follows infuses the room with renewed vigour.
