There are nights when Mexican reggae feels bigger than the stage where it plays. The one on Saturday, October 17 was one of them:OHMYJAHcelebrated his 20-year career at54th International Cervantino Festival in Irapuato, in the Andador Juárez, next toThe Communeand with the Jamaican ambassador to Mexico,Julia Hyatt, in the front row. Pull It Up Radio was there, and this is the chronicle.
A cold night in the strawberry capital
Irapuato received the concert cold, but the weather was not a problem. The audience was mainly local: people from the city who grew up listening to the band and who came to sing. In the first row were the municipal president of Irapuato,Lorena Alfaro García, other local government personalities, Ambassador Julia Hyatt andSusana Agudelo, manager of the Mexico-Jamaica connection.
Twenty years on the road feel different when celebrated at home. On Sunday, February 8, the band had already celebrated its two decades of musical history with the special concert "Ohmyjah · 20 Years" at the Irapuato City Theater; This time the celebration took to the streets and became part of one of the most important cultural festivals in the country.
The OHMYJAH set: a review of two decades
The band covered their catalog from end to end. They rangThe Forgotten,Babe,In the area,Natural,ImmuneandWhat I was looking for, tunes that the massive local already knows by heart. Some have their own history: "Los Olvidados" was included in the compilation Lo Mejor del Reggae en Español Vol. 2 by PP Lobo Records (2006), and Lo Que Yo Buscaba (2017) was named Best Album of the Year by Rootsland magazine.
The guest moment came withPablo Blaze, from León, Guanajuato, who went up to performWake Upwith the band. Reggae del Bajío sharing the microphone, on the same stage.
La Comuna: decades of reggae from CDMX
La Comuna, with decades of experience in the scene, contributed the quality of its show with its inevitable classics and announced new songs, including an upcoming release withDangerous Bonsai. The closing was in the reggae family: both bands shared the stage to perform two Bob Marley songs,Could You Be LovedandJamming, and leave the evening upstairs in the Andador Juárez.
Jamaica present on stage
The ambassador's visit was the other big headline of the night.Julia HyattShe is a career diplomat, with more than 34 years in the Jamaican foreign service according to the announcement of her appointment in 2024, and had previously worked in Mexico City as a counselor and chargé d'affaires. Jamaica and Mexico have had diplomatic relations since February 4, 1967 (Jamaica Observer).
In the talk we had with her, the ambassador told us that it was her first time in the state of Guanajuato, that she loved listening to Mexican reggae inside the Cervantino and that she enjoyed the performance and the bands' show.
From the stage, the embassy also recognized OHMYJAH for his work. You will hear that talk in full in a capsule of the Pull It Up Radio episode.
A mutual win
Seen from the street, it was an exchange where everyone won: the band celebrated its 20 years in style at a festival of national importance, and Cervantino and the local government strengthened the cultural link between Mexico and Jamaica through reggae. The closing had another great gesture: the government of Irapuato gave the band a recognition with which OHMYJAH becomes part of the city's historical archive. The band responded with their own detail, which they delivered to both the ambassador and the governing body of Irapuato.
For OHMYJAH it was also a night of gratitude: to their roots, to their city and to their fans, who have been singing with them for 20 years. That was, for us, the high peak moment.
What's coming
The band will continue moving: theOctober 23will be in Puerto Vallarta (event on Pull It Up Radio) and on24withAntidopingat the Guadalajara Independence Forum. Pull It Up Radio will be on the tour and we will be publishing a full interview with OHMYJAH in the next few days. Follow @pullitupradio so you don't miss it and share this note with the reggae family 🔁.
Frequently asked questions
Which reggae band celebrated 20 years at Cervantino 2026?
OHMYJAH, a reggae band from Irapuato, celebrated its 20-year career on Saturday, October 17, 2026 at the 54th Cervantino International Festival in Irapuato, with a free concert at the Andador Juárez next to La Comuna.
Who is the Jamaican ambassador to Mexico?
Julia Hyatt, career diplomat with over 34 years in the Jamaican Foreign Service according to her appointment announcement in 2024. Attended the OHMYJAH and La Comuna concert in Irapuato.
What songs did OHMYJAH play at the Cervantino?
Los Olvidados, Nena, In the area, Al natural, Immune and What I was looking for sounded. Guest Pablo Blaze, from León, Guanajuato, sang Wake Up with the band.
How did the concert close?
OHMYJAH and La Comuna shared the stage to perform two Bob Marley songs: Could You Be Loved and Jamming.
When is OHMYJAH playing again?
On October 23, 2026 in Puerto Vallarta and on October 24 at the Foro Independencia de Guadalajara, together with Antidoping.