Vinnie and the Lubricators / September 28, 2013 / The Over Hang

By: Megan Fair, Contributor

This weekend, I ventured down Court Street to the Over Hang to see a free show featuring Vinnie and the Lubricators. To be honest, I was expecting old dudes and mediocre dad rock, and I wasn't hopeful about the outcome. When I saw the four-piece on stage, half of them wearing sunglasses, cheetah print gangster fedoras and shot glass necklaces, I felt my worst fears had been realized.

This is when the universe gave me a nice slap on the wrist for judging a book by its cover. Although the bar band was performing covers, it covered them absurdly well, and played a fun mix of songs. The Lubricators even covered Cake and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, which were both very well executed. These were musicians that could really rip, and their drummer had some wild gospel chops. The vocals were spot on, and Vinnie's range was impressive, especially whilst covering Stevie Wonder and Elton John. 

While at points cheesy, nobody could discredit the band for being boring. The vocalist and bassist would jump, sway and lean in synchronicity, and the whole band was smiling and enjoying themselves. These four men absolutely loved what they were doing, and they never let the energy drop for their whole set. Except for the keyboardist/organ player.  He was shooting off some major moody diva vibes behind those sunglasses and straight face. 

Overall, the performance was a pleasant and groovy surprise that made for a fun Saturday evening. While I wouldn't go out of my way to listen to their music on my own time, I definitely gained mad respect for their seasoned musicianship and joyful energy.