Matteo Mancuso
Islington Academy, London
twenty seventh September 2023

Matteo Mancuso makes his UK debut at Islington Academy with a collection of originals and covers that showcase his distinctive model and expertise as a guitar participant.

Overlook cat movies because the web’s principal promoting level. They’ve been edged out by clips of guitarists barely of their teenagers completely recreating probably the most advanced solos since Eddie Van Halen performed Eruption. Matteo Mancuso was as soon as one in all them. In a clip from 2014 nonetheless on his YouTube channel, he casually shreds alongside to Racer X’s blistering Technical Difficulties.

It’s a fairly nondescript recording: a mop-haired boy in his bed room, a laptop computer, a Gibson SG. However what stands out is his method; as an alternative of a plectrum, he makes use of his fingers to select the strings like a classical guitarist. It’s an method he soaked up on the age of 10 whereas watching his session musician father play. And, regardless that the now 26-year-old Sicilian has come an extended, great distance (musically, technically, emotionally, individualistically) from that boy within the video, that finger-picking continues to be very a lot central to Mancuso’s method.

It’s on full show throughout his UK debut at London’s Islington Academy as he performs a collection of originals from his album The Journey alongside some alternative cowl variations. All showcase how he’s consolidated some really eclectic influences into a mode and sound all his personal. Early inspirations like Jimmy Web page and Angus Younger; jazz heroes together with John McLaughlin, Michael Brecker, and Oscar Peterson; blues masters like Eric Johnson and Joe Bonamassa; and shredders of the Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, and John Petrucci persuasion all make it into the combination.

Take Silkroad, devoted to his hometown of Palermo, which opens with some really soiled riffs earlier than remodeling into these elongated notes Jeff Beck was well-known for, some impossibly quick shredding, and an virtually Center Jap closing stretch. Because the flavours and depth shift, what stays fixed is how assured Mancuso sounds and the way relaxed he seems. A performer for the reason that age of 12, he clearly is aware of what he’s doing and, like the most effective earlier than him, has surrounded himself with the most effective.

Drummer Gianluca Pellerito doesn’t blink on the modifications in time, tempo, and quantity, and doesn’t hesitate when given the prospect to essentially showcase throughout a solo as stylistically various as the remainder of tonight’s music. Riccardo Oliva will get much more time to shine on bass, taking part in leads so diverse you could possibly image him as a member of each Instrument and Climate Report.

He’s particularly spectacular in the direction of the start of the aptly named Open Fields, a mild ramble that progressively picks up tempo in the direction of two fully completely different (however equally breathtaking) Mancuso solos. The album model’s good; tonight’s prolonged rendition is incendiary. The uptempo Samba Social gathering is one other that advantages from the stay area. Already a blast on The Journey, in Islington Academy tonight it really lives as much as its title: vivid, sunny, and crammed with real laughter and smiles from Oliva and Mancuso.

Of the quilt variations, Beck’s Trigger We’ve Ended As Lovers and Allan Holdsworth’s Fred are the standouts. Neither are senseless copies: the previous captures all of the ache of the unique; the latter is thrilling and unstoppable, pausing just for just a few quiet moments, and has each guitarists giving their fingers spectacular high-speed exercises.

Like the lads behind the originals, Mancuso may (if he needed to) very simply be a part of any mainstream area rock band as lead guitarist. They’d be very fortunate to have him. However, like the lads behind the originals, the person from Palermo has chosen to take his personal path. It’s a path that, like Beck and Bonamassa, will little doubt result in the Royal Albert Corridor.

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You will discover Matteo Mancuso on his web site in addition to Fb and Instagram.

Phrases by Nils van der Linden. You’ll be able to go to his creator profile for Louder Than Warfare right here. He tweets as @nilsvdlinden and his web site is right here.

Images by Simon Reed. His web site Musical Photos is right here and you may go to his creator profile for Louder Than Warfare right here. He tweets as @musicalpix.