When a group of blokes are trying to move their limbs in a manner sometimes known as "dancing" its probably because
a) they're in a mosh pit/pogoing
b) they're trying to/have copped off
Tonight, there's an equal mix of the male/female of the species moving various limb parts to the salsa sounds being distributed by the Whisky Cats, only the blokes are concentrating on keeping time to the music

So what's going on?  Well, there has always been an element believing that the smooth, Latino beats are more to their taste than the aural floss more currently available on the high street.  Occasionally it's on display in some venue tucked away at the bottom of a dead street e.g. Cuba Café, but the bands are emerging & tonight, another exponent,  Gideon Conn, is in the crowd providing the mutual support

Even the BBC has some as part of it's barrage of trailers advertising the musical genre, so something must be breaking though.  Replete with brass section, the cool cats are laying beats that the large crowd want to hear. So much so that they are on the floor from the opening number, without requiring any exhortations from front man Mathew Whitaker. Instead, he overlays his laid back delivery on to the summer sounds.

It will never be the type of music that grabs you by the throat and drags you into it's world; there is surely enough of that around.  It's an altogether more subtle affair, one that gnaws away at your ears and feet and hips

As I pass the adjacent Copacabana club afterwards, the strains of the salsa sounds rise from the basement.

Ged Camera