Fiesta Bombarda began a few years ago when a group of friends decided to create a night that dropped live music and merged it with a vibrant club scene. Before we knew it we were in the heart of Hifi on Friday night, moshing to banger after banger from Gentleman’s Dub Club, in the thick of a massively hyped and progressively sweaty crowd.

We had almost forgotten how good they are. Returning back to their hometown – the band is actually from Leeds where they began making music ten years ago – they commanded the room, setting up their audience with mellow dub tracks such as ‘Music is the Girl I Love’ and later invoking their infamously energetic riot atmosphere with up-tempo ska tunes such as ‘High Grade’.

You could tell from the crowd that reggae enthusiasts had flocked from afar to see this one band specifically, and no one left disappointed.

When Gentleman’s Dub Club cleared the stage we were unsure of where the night was going next until the DJ hit the decks and Fiesta Bombarda provided us with the perfect mix that kept the floor (albeit the few of us leftover) dancing the night away. With a vibrant mix of people from all over and an even more eccentric mix of genres – from RnB and Grime to Bangra and 90’s pop – the evening took an unexpected turn from the reggae infused and anarchic mood established by Gentleman’s Dub Club. It was a brilliantly unique night.

Fiesta Bombarda will be back at Hifi for another carnival night on News Years Day. Tickets available here.

Mamie Daisy Hamshere