Longtime multi-genre cover aces The Bronx Wanderers continue their residency at the famed Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino, delivering a high-energy show before an intimate gathering of music lovers inside the Westgate Cabaret.
With no shortage of options when it comes to entertainment in Las Vegas and the ever-increasing performer residencies at landmark hotels on the strip, the competition for audiences has taken a new turn. While they may not get the attention they deserve, The Bronx Wanderers have been performing in Vegas since 2011; despite a pandemic-related venue change last summer, the band continues to play before sold-out audiences nightly.
If you expected this to be a concert of just music, this isn’t that type of show. It isn’t simply about the music the band performs; it is the real-life story of Vinny Adinolfi, the Wanderers’ lead vocalist and guitarist, whose dream it was to make it as a rock-n-roll performer. This is a show with a narrative, one that chronicles the peaks and troughs of being in the entertainment business and what it took Adinolfi to achieve his vision. His story embodies the American dream of becoming a rock star through a more unconventional route that is part of the tale he interjects between songs that the band performs. In his case, the start wasn’t all glamorous, but through his vision and dedication, Adinolfi finally made it to the bright lights of Las Vegas.
As the story unfolds, Adinolfi shares his past life along with the various jobs he had through his over 30 years in the music business. His career led him to work with some of the most iconic names in music and film. However, from the way he describes it, his greatest success came when his son joined the band. Having grown up surrounded by musicians, it was no surprise that Vincent John followed in his dad’s footsteps and into the family business. John, who serves as the lead guitarist and keyboardist, can hold his own on the guitar and seems to have a blast doing so. The connection between father and son adds to the already interesting tale, one that of course originated in the Bronx.
The show starts with a montage of video clips about everything Bronx; scenes from Italian mobster movies to more recognized streets in the Bronx are used in part to set the stage for Adinolfi, who is not only a great storyteller but has enough humor to keep the audience laughing and engaged in between songs, precisely what most came for.
The Bronx Wanderers are a group of talented multi-instrumentalist musicians that includes the founder and lead vocalist of the group Vinny Adinolfi along with his son Vincent John, who is a guitar maven and seems quite comfortable rocking out on his parts on the guitar. Rounding out the band are saxophonist Joe Bari and drummer Mike Benigno. On this night regular bassist Fernando Tort was absent. However, Angel Grande Garcia did a great job filling in and had a smile on his face the entire set. The Bronx Wanderers have certainly found a way to sound as close to the records for many of the songs, which can be challenging even for a seasoned musician.
Interestingly, the band doesn’t play their own music; instead the set list is comprised of a selection of chart-topping cover songs that range from the early ’60s, ’70s, ’80s, ’90s, and into more current tunes. The Bronx Wanderers got the night started with Dion’s 1961 super hit “I’m a Wanderer,” most appropriate for a band with a similar name. From there they quickly got into a couple of Frankie Valli tunes: “Oh What a Night” and “Grease.” With the crowd now primed, it didn’t take long before audience members were hooked and singing along in unison when they played the Neil Diamond classic “Sweet Caroline”; in fact, the crowd was singing so loud we could hardly hear the band!
Next, they shifted into a newer era that included a few Billy Joel tunes and eventually transitioning into The Stray Cats’ hit “Rock This Town.” The hand-picked tunes also included plenty of ’80s classics from Billy Idol, Rick Springfield, and Bryan Adams before taking a moment to share their special connection with American veterans. It’s clear that these musicians appreciate the sacrifices made by not only veterans but also firefighters, police, nurses, and school teachers, who were recognized that night. Appropriately the next tune was Vietnam War GI favorite 1965 tune “We Gotta Get Out of This Place” by the Animals. The sing-along songs continued with everything from Elvis and Bon Jovi to Journey and Queen before closing out the night with Dion’s 1961 #1 hit song “Runaround Sue.”
Legendary guitarist Steve Vai said, “I never worked a day in my life.” From the way it appears, The Bronx Wanderers haven’t, either, doing what they love and achieving their dream of headlining their own show night after night in Sin City. They kept the over 50-somethings entertained while they reminded us that music can be fun and make it for nearly everyone who attended to sit still, with every song, you find yourself gyrating in your seat and caught up in a sing-a-long to nearly every tune. What’s next for the Bronx Wanderers? Perhaps, some new material of their own? In this case, they have something that works; it’s fun and entertaining, but it leaves the crowd with the impression that these musicians appreciate being there, knowing the road it took to get there. As for those who attended, it was a chance to relive the songs of their youth, take a step back in time when things were simpler, fun, and exciting; for others it was a reminder of the role music plays in our lives. No matter the age, everyone found a way to connect and join in with the band; this is something that usually can’t be done for the entire show, but the Bronx Wanderers did just that.
