“Charanga del Norte performed at Scarborough Market Hall on Saturday 26th October 2024 as part of Little Big Ideas by the Sea. 

By

Katherine Dunn-Mines

“It is not every day that Scarborough plays host to a 12-piece Charanga band, and this sensational evening at Scarborough Market Hall with Charanga del Norte was definitely a hit with the large crowd in attendance.

A market hall may not be the venue one naturally expects to play host to dancing and gigs, and whilst I’ve spent a lot of time enjoying a variety of events in the Market Hall and Vaults, this is the first time I’ve attended an evening concert of this type. With the stage set in front of the daily fruit and veg stalls, tables arranged in intimate style, multiple bars on hand and atmospheric lighting, this is a versatile venue and suits this sort of event inimitably. When Leeds-based Charanga del Norte begin and invite their audience to dance, there is immediate compliance; a good number of the audience dance, and continue to weave their way around the floor, throughout the evening. As this band plays their way through a number of songs, some familiar and some less so, the vibe is quintessentially playful and filled with the joy of movement and music. Mac the Knife, Maravilloso, and more besides are on the set list; the percussive beats, lilting flute, slinky strings and rhythmic keys that are intrinsic to charanga, blend with ease and dynamism. The band are compelling and characterful, presenting the best of Cuban charanga style. Two hours pass in a heartbeat, as this Little Big Ideas by the Sea event plays to a sizeable and amicable audience of assembled groovers and latin-beat lovers. If this is simply a taster of things to come when the main festival returns next year, then it promises to be a tantalising treat – keep an eye on the Big Ideas by the Sea website for news about their fifth festival, scheduled for May 2025, and follow their socials.”