Funky Drummer x Phonetics x La Rumba – Carnival

Funky Drummer team up with La Rumba & Phonetics for another global carnival event on Friday 13th March at Yellow Arch Studios.

Expect 3 rooms of international sounds, live music, DJs and sound systems from the likes of The Busy Twist, Gustavo Andrade & The Brasukas’ 14-piece live band, Santa Leticia, Mattana and more local Sheffield talent than you can shake your maracas at!

First up we have The Busy Twist who we’ll be flying over from Colombia for the occasion. Known for blending African, Caribbean Latin and UK club sounds, T.B.T. travels the world recording with global stars like Amadou & Mariam or recording FIFA soundtracks with local grassroots artists that have reached millions of people.

Next, we have a return guest in Gustavo Andrade & The Brasukas’ 14-piece performance which blew us away at our Brazilian Carnival this time last year. With new musical material on the way, we are buzzing to hear more of their rhythms of Brasil, playing Samba, MPB, Samba Rock, Axé, Forró, Brazilian Soul, Frevo and more before Funky Drummer close out our main hall.

Warming up for Gustavo is la selectora española, Santa Leticia; a music curator, DJ, and radio host on Worldwide FM, known for eclectic sets that reflect her global musical journey. Rooted in the sun-kissed lands of Andalusia, southern Spain, and now based in Newcastle (UK), she pieces together soulful, percussive journeys across Latin America, the Caribbean, Brazil, and Africa. Her mixes are a celebration of vibrant sounds from these regions, with a rich backbone of jazz, rare groove, funk, and disco, tunes that move your feet and your soul.

Closing out after The Busy Twist, we have London-based selecta, Mattana performing alongside La Rumba & Phonetics to complete our lineup on Yellow Arch’s warehouse. Mattana is a strong believer in the power of music to unite and break down cultural boundaries, with her DJ sets reflecting her global influences which fuses Afro, Latin and Caribbean beats.

To complete our lineup we welcome afro-fusion duo, Xufuzela Sounds, performing alongside one of Sheffield’s rising talents, Linga Sound, bringing their jazz funk & grooves the Café after Phonetics’ resident, Chris Welch.