MANCUSO BARLEY MOW BONSALL
INTERMIT AND COSY would be a good description to describe the live experience at Bonsall’s Barley Mow, yet local gang Mancuso took the squashed and happy sweaty atmosphere in their stride. Named after an American DJ who created the popular “by invitation only” parties in New York around 1970, which later became known as ‘The Loft’, Mancuso pioneered the private party, as distinct from the more commercial nightclub business model.
Anyway, history lesson over, they opened up their strong twenty song set to loud applause, and the packed house loved the rocky yet funky sounds of David Bowie and others from the seventies and eighties era. Songs we had included Let’s Dance, Kiss, Money’s Too Tight, all good tunes that suited front woman Colette Dewhurst’s voice nicely, even though the poor soul was sadly suffering with throat issues. Without stating the obvious, having played with various bands over the years Colette and her colleagues have a wealth of experience, which showed, and being the trooper she and the band are, they all battled on.
Photography By Roy Goodall
Intermission over and Mancuso reconvened with Lost In Music, Le Freak and Listen To The Music, which front of stage dancers all enjoyed. Like previous songs, all had nice guitar work from Rob Harding, aided very nicely by bassist Jake Billington with tubsman Adam Collins also adding strong backing vocals.
Formed back in 2018 I thought this well-liked gang ploughed on well through adversity with the crowd giving much-loved applause. It was also a refreshing change from the normal batch of covers that some bands knock out, so well done on that front.
For something a little bit different you won’t go far wrong with Mancuso.
