Viva La Musica

Viva La Musica play Revolución de Cuba in Milton Keynes on Thursday 5 November, with the music starting from 18:00. It's a free entry night, so you can just turn up and settle in.

If the name doesn't ring a bell, it's worth knowing where it comes from. The group was founded by Papa Wemba in 1977, and over the years it's moved from its soukous roots to become a world music act. That's a fair bit of ground to cover — from the Congolese rumba that defines soukous to a broader world music sound — and this is one of those nights where you can hear that evolution in a single set.

The venue fits the bill. Revolución de Cuba is a Cuban-themed spot in the city, known for its Latin-inspired Cantina food, rum and cocktails. It's not just a one-off, either: they run live music every Saturday from 6pm and hold salsa and bachata dance lessons alongside their regular bookings, so the room is used to this kind of music.

It's a Thursday night, which makes it a bit different from the usual weekend run. The music kicks off at 18:00, and with free entry, it's an easy one to drop into without much planning. You'll find them at 21 Savoy Crescent, MK9 3PU.