Marcus Bonfanti at the 100 Club

Marcus Bonfanti is a beautifully rugged and rustic blues/rock artist whose gritty live performances have seen him win awards for his original sound and songs. The 23^rd October saw Bonfanti play an intimate show at the 100 club on Oxford Street. Supported by The David Sinclair Trio, the show was a whirlwind range of high energy soul tunes and hauntingly beautiful, relaxing ballads. 

Bonfanti has a true gift for telling a story through his music and he is one of those artists who sound even better for the truthful realness of live performance. He is able to relay emotion through his lyrics and the tone of his voice is mesmerising. Encompassing everything there is to like about country music, minus all the cheese and cowboy hats, Bonfanti hits the nail on the head with his all-together new and original sound which merges together several genres to create its own. 

If your dad started a band, The David Sinclair Trio would be it; they did not have much of an ease to their performance and much of it seemed out of tune and cheesy. Having said that, they definitely settled into their set, and as the show progressed their cheesiness became endearing. Drawing from a wealth of influences throughout musical history, the trio showed hints of nostalgia and began to sound much more accomplished. With two of their drummers at the show, when the band swapped half way through, there was a definite switch in the dynamic, for the better. All together they were entertaining, and that is all we can really ask from a support act.

When Marcus Bonfanti clambered on stage, the mood in the room changed absolutely. If anyone described him as a “dad” band, they would have an extremely cool dad, because from the second he played his first note, you were aware you were in the presence of greatness. The first point to make is that Bonfanti is not only a gifted vocalist with his own rough and ready, but also has a perfectly on-tune tone; he is also a guitar hero. We don’t use those words lightly; to witness a guitar solo is like being transported back in time, to the times of the guitar legends. Bonfanti certainly deserves a place in the music hall of fame for his guitar solos alone. Beautifully energetic and soulful, they ripped through the audience like wildfire. He also has fantastic charisma; a true comedian. The pauses between his songs were as entertaining as the tracks themselves, and with hair that deserves to be on a L’Oreal ad, he is a true all-round performer. It is rare these days to find an artist who can unite the generations, a position usually reserved for the bands of the past. Bonfanti is the modern day solution to this worrying trend. Throughout his mesmerising set, everyone from the elderly to the youth were completely captivated and moved by his energetic and all-together extraordinary performance.

The 100 Club lived up to its historic roots, providing a great night of alternative music. Not something to be undervalued amongst the money spinning streets of commercial London, the club is always a place of solace for music lovers. All in all, great music, great venue and Marcus Bonfanti is a true inspiration of UK music and definitely one to watch for the foreseeable future. We would urge you to go and see him as often as possible. We know we will.

Ruth Page
Photos: Helen Parish

For more information on Marcus Bonfanti, including upcoming gigs, please click here.

Watch the video for Honey here: