30/04/13: Variety is definitely the name of the game at Charing Cross Road’s Manbar. I mean where else can you find the delights of a line dancing evening on a Sunday followed by a lounge-style showcase night just two days later?
Luckily, on this occasion, I was there for the latter as I do look a right twat in chaps.
So off I trundled to ‘Spotlight’, where a sharp-suited Duncan Day invites various artists from all walks of life and genres of performance to take their turn, and do a ‘turn’, in the spotlight (see – genius, innit?). The collective were treated to everything from gospel to pop via a smattering of the obligatory Musical Theatre.
As a half naked Prince Harry (sadly only in paint form) peered over her, Silver Summers delighted us with a brilliant mashed up version of Rihanna’s ‘Diamonds’ whilst the Soho Gospel Choir’s harmonies reverberated around the bar adorned in the grandiose art of Mike Bliss.
Even though all the performers and performances at Spotlight are pre-arranged it doesn’t have that strict and fiercely structured feel that some variety nights do. Instead, it’s a very relaxed affair, which, this evening, started off fairly intimately but became much busier and buzzing as the night progressed.
And on the flip side, if variety nights are not your cup of Rosie Lee or you simply do not have the attention span to watch a four minute performance, fear not, there’s no need to run for the exit clutching your pearls as you can escape to Manbar’s relaxing first floor lounge area and chill out with your friends/fella/shag.
A bit like the guys I saw, out of the corner of my beady eye, who were practically removing each other’s tonsils with their tongues. The lucky buggers!
79 Charing Cross Road, Soho, WC2H 0NE
Words by Jason Reid
Photos by Joel-Ryder.com
