It says something about the music when an 83-year-old Dominican man has more energy than most of his audience – who were themselves quite festive and participatory.

As the humid summer air and pastel-coloured clouds provided a calming backdrop, Puerto Plata and his five veteran musicians delivered a set of authentic Dominican merengue tipico.

Samuel Perez cradled the bass and extracted low-end vibrations with expertise, while Edilio Paredes wielded both an acoustic guitar and accordion with equal proficiency throughout the straightforward show.

Accompanied by a half-dozen of Plata’s six-minute musical massages off Mujer De Cabaret, random couples danced meringue while others shimmied and two-stepped to the tickling Spanish guitar and springy hand drumming animating the party.

The vibe was so positive, you had to wonder if the guy who paid for the air­plane with the “Sarah, Will You Marry Me? Love Matt” banner that flew overhead was part of the audience – the show was that romantic. So much so that the cute bandana-wearing African grandmother dancing salsa with a teddy bear near the back was almost too much joy to behold.

-- by Addi Stewart