Befitting the occasion, the show was introduced by DJ and Cuban music promoter Billy Bryans, who in turn gave way to singer, radio host and Latin music community-builder (and LMR colleague) Amanda Martinez of Jazz.FM 91.1. The opening number was quite short, featuring a beautifully lyrical piano line from bandleader Linares and a powerful wall of horns from trumpeters Alexander Brown and Kervin Baretto and trombonists Yankar Gonsalez and Yannick Malboeuf.

From this more traditional son montuno foundation, the energy from the stage slowly built up into a roaring and infectious timba groove. It was the duality of Cuban music — the balance of spectacular intensity and delicate layering of sounds, creative camaraderie and musical machismo — in living Lula colour. Once it was apparent that the band was truly settled in and cooking with gas, I found myself wondering if there existed a club anywhere in the world with a better vibe than this one right now. The buzz from the crowd was like a coro unto itself, an intangible energy that blended into the music and gave it an air of utter electricity. The rhythmic pulse was torrid and seamlessly interlocked between Chendy Leon’s superb, rimshot-heavy timbale and Jorge “Papiosco” Torres’ exquisite playing that was almost tablas-like in its tonal nuance. Yani Borrell was the perfect vocal frontman, his highly improvisational cadence and rhythm following the beat and melody joyously out into the teeming dancefloor; he gave way to Alberto Alberto for one particularly smouldering mambo number that should have blown the roof off the club but for some reason drew only a tepid reaction as it drew to a close.

The highlight of the first set was a tres solo from Pablosky Rosales — a 3 or 4 minute explosion of strings that brought the idea of “Cuban Hendrix” to mind. Building from a slow son into a funky timba groove with an almost sitar-like tone, this stunning exhibition redefined my perception of the tres sound, which I had previously associated with more folkloric music.

The band took a well-deserved extended break between sets, during which Bryans threw down a phenomenal selection of Afro-Cuban bangers flavoured with Brazilian, hip hop, and dancehall reggae vibes. Lula has never been known as the most DJ-friendly joint in town, but on this night the bottom end from the decks was booming in grand style.