REVIEW: Cuban night at the Cowley Retreat

Havana Club and Brooke’s EDMS turned Cowley into Cuba


On Thursday 2nd October Havana Club Rum and Brookes Electronic Dance Music Society teamed up for a night of rum, rumba and revelry, and it wasn’t at all shit.

So. Much. Straw.

The event was the last in the series of Cowley Retreat garden parties, sponsored by the Rum giant Havana Club as an end of summer finale (in October).

The night featured live music from 6 till 10 including a set from Candela Sun, a genuine authentic real 100% Cuban Cuban band and DJs from Brookes EDMS (yes they have a whole society dedicated to dance music – step up Oxford) along with Cuban themed drinks deals, and enough straw hats to build a serious wicker man.

Candela Sun – all the way from Cuba (probably not)

The warm evening meant the free event was busy from early, with the Garden Bar hosting the music and the Brookes crowd out in force. 

The drinks flowed freely, with the teaming students practically brawling their way to the bar for a break from two stepping outside to the phat beats blaring from the terrace.

By 10pm there wasn’t room to shake a maraca, but once the live music finished the crowd quickly decamped to the After Party @ Cellar which was no doubt outrageously sick.

EDMS, in case it wasnt completely clear

they had lights and everything

all on one roof raving

this photo could easily be in Cuba