What The Cluck – VEGAS UNFILTERED BLOG by Sam Novak

Hot Guys of Vegas: Guitar Heroes

Songs sound so much better when the visuals match the music

“Hey, don’t objectify me. I’m a serious artist”. Yeah yeah yeah….we’ve heard it a thousand times. Beautiful people often complain that they aren’t respected for their talents. Yet most of us grew up in a time when you had to be MTV-ready to make it in the music industry. Just ask Jeff Timmons of 98 Degrees.

Perennial “Hot Guys” recipient Jeff Timmons doesn’t play guitar

These days, TikTok and Instagram have made “models” out of millions, so very little has changed. Luckily for readers of this column, three Vegas hunks have been strumming their guitars like they’re pumping iron at the gym. So here they are…Hot Vegas Guitar Heroes of 2021 –

Michael Shapiro – singer/guitarist/producer

Do you remember that old Burger King jingle “It takes two hands to handle a Whopper“? Well, Michael Shapiro not only has two full hands, but he also wears hats in two separate bands. As front man to both Many Miles Away and Reckless In Vegas, Shapiro does more in one evening than most do in a week.

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I first chatted with the handsome musician when we were guests on What The Cluck, a topical comedy chat-fest by The Bronx Wanderers‘ Vin A. Prior to that, I’d enjoyed Michael’s tribute to Bruce Springsteen in World’s Greatest Rock Show at The STRAT. During the pandemic, Shapiro was busy writing music for his newest musical venture.

Produced by Paul Fletcher, MANY MILES AWAY debuted their new songs in a showcase at The Barbershop Cuts & Cocktails (inside Cosmopolitan) earlier this week. It was a star-studded affair attended by movers and shakers like man-about-town Mark Messina, comedian/actress Elaina Bhattacharyya, Paula Maggio, Vin A. (of course), his behind-the-scenes muse Elizabeth Hunt, Review-Journal entertainment columnist John Katsilometes and singer Travis Cloer (see below).

This coming July 15th, Shapiro’s Reckless In Vegas will be back onstage at Italian American Club. Overflowing with style and sexiness, the retro-cool Reckless In Vegas takes vintage swagger and turns it on its ear with modern interpretations. Seating is 6:30 pm and you can get tickets/info by clicking here. This is one night on the town that you won’t want to miss.

Travis Cloer– singer/guitarist/actor

Photo by Dianne Davis

It’s impossible to follow Vegas music and NOT know Travis Cloer. A rip-roaring bundle of positive energy, Travis is beloved not just by fellow musicians and fans, but by the entire Sin City community. And because he’s smokin’, Travis has made it onto my Hot Guys of Vegas column twice.

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Last November, I told you about the Jersey Boys star’s Christmas single Holiday With Me. Now he’s prepared to heat up the summer charts with Standing Here. Releasing this week, Standing Here finds the crooner fresh off a sold-out Composer’s Showcase at NOTORIETY, where he performed the new ballad.

Produced by popular Vegas entertainer Frankie Moreno, Standing Here is the type of song you play during a relaxing summer drive. Close your eyes, imagine you’re riding along a country road with the windows down, and listen to a sample right here. Standing Here is available for pre-order via the same link.

Thanks for the great vibes, Travis!

Miles Schon – singer/guitarist/songwriter

Miles Schon is as handsome as he is talented

If I have to explain why our final Guitar Hero made the list, perhaps it’s time to visit an optometrist. Miles Schon is the ultimate hot musician. Handsome, humble, charismatic and an ace on the strings, he’s got the DNA to back up his impending super-stardom.

Miles is the son of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Neal Schon. Dad has been involved with such legends as Journey, Santana, Joe Cocker, The Allman Brothers, and Sammy Hagar. When you grow up in that type of household, you’re bound to have a passion for great music, too.

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Music is always a collaborative effort, and Miles found his perfect partner in Michael Shapiro (above). The two formed MANY MILES AWAY, a moniker undoubtedly inspired by the younger Schon’s first name. The two even wrote a single sharing the same title, which they performed in Salt Lake City earlier this year:

Miles cites R & B, pop and metal as his primary musical influences. An avid jock, he enjoys the great outdoors, which explains his stunning physique. Excited about a successful first Las Vegas performance at The Barbershop last Monday, Miles is eager to learn what comes next:

“We have no idea what the future holds. Looking back on looking into the future…I had no clue and still don’t. Just keep grinding and be the best you can be.” – Miles Schon

Photos from recipients’ social media and websites. Caricatures by Neal Portnoy.

Las Vegas Shutdown Gives Birth to ‘VINdemic’

Not even a killer virus can extinguish the creative supernova of ‘Bronx Wanderers’ own Vin A.

It’s often said that forest fires are nature’s way of restoring balance. After an inferno, the soil is replenished with vital nutrients, and new life springs forward. Las Vegas entertainment is in the midst of its own conflagration. Once the smoke clears, rotted logs like Mariah Carey, Terry Fator, and Criss Angel will have hopefully dried up and blown away. That’s when the rebirth of Las Vegas will really begin.

Raw, hungry talent like Colin Cahill and Makenzie Fly (Mak and the Cheese), Dai Richards (Tenors of Rock), Ian Ward, and Andrew Diessner having been yearning to move to the front. But they aren’t waiting for the flames to subside. They’re digging in, planting new seeds, and maximizing their time away from the stage to create, express, and surge forward.

You might say that Vin A. of The Bronx Wanderers is leading this ambitious youth movement. Driven by the ongoing closure of his family show at Harrah’s, Vin has been working nonstop since mid-March. Music videos, virtual concerts, writing/hosting his own web program, penning new songs, and even launching an offshoot band…all this and more have kept the handsome hunk at the peak of his game.

It’s a mad world, according to our man of the hour. Ask where he gets his boundless motivation and the smart-aleck New Yorker is likely to answer “It’s all about the money, man!”. But don’t believe it for a moment. Vin has the “entertainer gene” ingrained in every cell, fiber, and drop of blood. He lives for music, the rush of creative expression, and the thrill of sharing his vision with the world.

Vin totally knocked it out of the ballpark early this summer when he debuted the imaginative music video for “Know Where (To Begin)“. A jaw-dropping analysis of God, creation, war, and the fate of our existence, it’s delivered on an epic wave of gripping instrumentals and passionate vocals. Check it out.

Vin has been prepping several follow-ups to 2017’s wonderful “Geology“. One is VINdemic, a solo acoustic album that shares a name with his collaboration with family patriarch Vinny Adinolfi. Carefully following mandated health guidelines, the duo has been performing sold-out shows at E String Bar, an intimate “jazz supper club” in Henderson.

Another place you may have enjoyed Vin’s music is at Tuscany Suites Resort, where he recently appeared alongside Vegas favorite Kenny Davidsen. Kenny’s “Bowtie Cabaret” is a weekly series highlighting local favorites like Jimmy Denning, Colin Cahill, Cassie Stone, Lorena Peril, and Ashley Fuller.

Are you tired yet? Well, Vincent Adinolfi the third isn’t. He’s also been appearing on programs like Rocking Comedy Show with Jay Bird and Time2Vegas. His own talk show What The Cluck?! started season two this year with a new location at The Space. The daring chat-fest mixes politics, comedy, social commentary and current events in wildly-random doses. You never know where a conversation will lead, just like Vin’s music.

As a die-hard fan, I truly enjoy the pleasures of Vinny’s compositions. Many of them are styled like an opus, with dramatic shifts in tone, style and direction. He deftly crisscrosses genres within a song, dallying in classic rock, pop, soul and funk along the way. “Know Where (To Begin)” will be one of the singles from his OTHER new album entitled “Mountains of Ignorance“, and yet another Bronx Wanderers recording is on the way. Geesh!!!

In a normal year, Vin’s fizzy upcoming “Wishing Well” would have been a chart-topping summer hit to cruise the streets by. This week, he and multi-tasking partner Elizabeth Jane Hunt, along with a sizzling team of dancers, filmed a music video for “Wishing Well“. The shoot drew talent from the casts of X Country and Aussie Heat.

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Here’s a sneak peek directly from the studio:

You may be wondering at this point if there’s anything left to do. I haven’t even gotten to the biggest undertaking…personalized Bronx Wanderers shows. Since the beginning of August, fans have been able to commission custom live performances. You choose the songs and select either VINdemic (father and son) or the full Bronx Wanderers group. Rates start at only $50 and you can get all the details by clicking here.

Not only will the guys play whatever song(s) you choose from the 130+ song menu, you will watch your performance LIVE and interact with the guys via A private Facebook feed on your phone or computer in real time. THE BEAUTY OF THIS OFFER is you will receive a polished video of the performance via email with great audio AND video quality that you can keep FOREVER.

While other Vegas shows have been quietly waiting to return…or have permanently folded…Vin A. and The Bronx Wanderers refuse to become a faded memory. You can follow the latest announcements, including their eventual reopening at Harrah’s, through the official Bronx Wanderers page and the dedicated Vin A. Facebook page.

The Bronx Wanderers Move To Harrah’s With New Schedule Starting 2/3/20

Since the original publication of this article, the Bronx Wanderers have announced a move to Harrah’s Showroom. New times are Wednesdays through Mondays at 8 p.m. with an additional 4 p.m. matinee on Sundays (dark Tuesdays).

A classic venue for a class act…Bronx Wanderers at Harrah’s Showroom…

There’s something about the music and culture of late 1950’s/early 1960’s Bronx New York that strikes a chord in music fans. The 1979 cult film The Wanderers and songs by Franki Valli and the Four Seasons continue to entertain audiences as a new generation discovers that special time and place.

The Bronx Wanderers are a part of that timeless legacy. This Italian family band has its roots in the Jersey Boys era but with their feet firmly planted in contemporary Las Vegas. A veritable living jukebox of legendary hits, this handsome and talented collection of musicians and singers brings down the house with every performance.

Patriarch Vinny Adinolf worked behind the scenes in the music industry for decades. A successful record producer and label executive, he was instrumental in the careers of Dion and the Belmonts, Jim Croce, Alabama, Reba McEntire and many more. Despite his enormous success spearheading other artists, Adinolfi had always wanted to have his own act.

By the mid-2000’s, Vinny’s two sons had mastered several instruments and exhibited an enormous amount of musical talent. So the time was right to form a family band and take that “Jersey Boys” sound out on the road. That’s how The Bronx Wanderers was born.

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