Vinnie Caruana was opening up for The Wonder Years on their acoustic holiday tour. I didn’t care about openers, I just wanted TWY and now. However, this man was extraordinary. He’s adorable and charismatic and hilarious, and has a phenomenal voice. I was captivated throughout his set.
I didn’t think much of him when he came up on stage, but as soon as he opened his mouth to introduce himself, he became a charmer, a man that fangirls would swoon over. He also was extremely passionate and it made everyone snap to attention as soon as he started playing guitar. I couldn’t believe how great his musical ability was- he’d clearly been playing for a long time to be that polished and perfect. As for his voice, it reminded me a bit of Anthony Raneri’s, but with a bit more of a twang to it. It’s absolutely gorgeous and doesn’t quite show in his speaking voice as much as when he’s singing, which makes it that much more unique.
One of the songs he played stood out to me particularly. “Boy, You’re In Heaven” was introduced to the crowd with, “I hope this song makes you think of someone that you’ve lost,” and he said it was “for my grandfather.” It was stunning- his voice is gravelly and strong, and the backing guitar was lovely. The vibe of the song, though about death, was very positive. “At your old house…it’s almost like you’re there..and somehow you’d walk in if just for a second..” It didn’t feel depressing; if anything, it was uplifting and commemorative. It was the highlight of his wonderful set, and got me hooked on his music. I listened to his stuff on Spotify and can’t get enough of his one-of-a-kind sound.
What a way to really get the show going. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on this man.