Vince Azure

Up-and-coming singer/songwriter

(Rockville Centre, NY) As we enter the Vibe Lounge, near the LIRR station and a plethora of pubs and eateries, the small, blue awning above the entrance gives little indication of what’s inside. A long staircase goes down to the Vibe, which is surprisingly spacious. There’s a stage at one end, complete with lighting and musical gear, and a small bar at the other. We get the sense that this is a small but serious music venue, rather than a Long Island dance club. It’s a windy Saturday night, January 28th, and the occasion is a release party for Merrick musician Jared Elliot’s new album, Still Breathing. One of the up-and-coming musicians playing tonight for the first time at the Vibe is singer/songwriter Vincent Illuzzi.

After singer-guitarist and harmonica player Rocco Mirro opens the evening with a stirring set of classic rock covers, Illuzzi takes the stage by himself, wearing a pair of sunglasses and carrying his acoustic guitar. He sings the first line of the Beatles’ Girl: “Is there anybody going to listen to my story, all about the girl who came to stay?” without playing a single note on his guitar. He’s silent for one second, as if to let his assertive-yet-smooth voice wash over the audience before he grabs his guitar and launches into his first song. In My Defense. It’s a catchy pop tune that Illuzzi performs energetically while interacting with the audience of about 200, crouching down with his guitar between vocals and asking the crowd to move closer to him. They do, as he removes his sunglasses to engage them with his dark brown eyes before his next song.

A couple of songs into his set, the audience is clapping along. If his song craft and solo performance recall the golden age of the singer-songwriter, his lively showmanship is much more kinetic, reminding us a little of the young Elvis Presley.

By the time Illuzzi starts rocking the pop hooks of his What Would You Do, the audience is won over completely. He closes with Defiance, a song that could well become an anthem for struggling artists everywhere. The determined lyrics and foot-stomping, mid-tempo rock beat get this crowd’s attention, as they clap and nod their heads to Illuzzi’s lyrics: “I don’t believe in you, you’ll never tell me what to do.”

In this age of Autotune and pre-packaged pop bands, Vincent Illuzzi is passionate about writing and performing his own songs. He says of Defiance, “It captures the struggle to become a successful recording artist when there have always been people telling me that I can’t do it. This song is for anyone, anywhere who will do whatever it takes to follow their passion…to stand up for what they believe. I hope it speaks to people. I want to write songs that people can relate to and they can feel.”

While Illuzzi credits the Beatles, John Mayer, 30 Seconds to Mars and Coldplay as some of his influences, the 21 year-old Glendale native also says, “part of being a success is getting beyond just emulating your influences. If my music makes a positive impact on people, no matter how small, that’s what success is to me.”

Vincent Illuzzi will continue to write new songs and perform on Long Island and in New York City throughout the year. For more information, visit www.vincentilluzzi.com. - newsli.com

As we enter the Vibe Lounge, near the LIRR station and a plethora of pubs and eateries, the small, blue awning above the entrance gives little indication of what’s inside. A long staircase goes down to the Vibe, which is surprisingly spacious. There’s a stage at one end, complete with lighting and musical gear, and a small bar at the other. We get the sense that this is a small but serious music venue, rather than a Long Island dance club. It’s a windy Saturday night, January 28th. One of the up-and-coming musicians playing tonight for the first time at the Vibe is singer/songwriter Vincent Illuzzi.

Illuzzi takes the stage by himself, wearing a pair of sunglasses and carrying his acoustic guitar. He sings the first line of the Beatles’ Girl: “Is there anybody going to listen to my story, all about the girl who came to stay?” without playing a single note on his guitar. He’s silent for one second, as if to let his assertive-yet-smooth voice wash over the audience before he grabs his guitar and launches into his first song. In My Defense. It’s a catchy pop tune that Illuzzi performs energetically while interacting with the audience of about 200, crouching down with his guitar between vocals and asking the crowd to move closer to him. They do, as he removes his sunglasses to engage them with his dark brown eyes before his next song.

A couple of songs into his set, the audience is clapping along. If his song craft and solo performance recall the golden age of the singer-songwriter, his lively showmanship is much more kinetic, reminding us a little of the young Elvis Presley.

By the time Illuzzi starts rocking the pop hooks of his What Would You Do, the audience is won over completely. He closes with Defiance, a song that could well become an anthem for struggling artists everywhere. The determined lyrics and foot-stomping, mid-tempo rock beat get this crowd’s attention, as they clap and nod their heads to Illuzzi’s lyrics: “I don’t believe in you, you’ll never tell me what to do.”

In this age of Autotune and pre-packaged pop bands, Vincent Illuzzi is passionate about writing and performing his own songs. He says of Defiance, “It captures the struggle to become a successful recording artist when there have always been people telling me that I can’t do it. This song is for anyone, anywhere who will do whatever it takes to follow their passion…to stand up for what they believe. I hope it speaks to people. I want to write songs that people can relate to and they can feel.”

While Illuzzi credits the Beatles, John Mayer, 30 Seconds to Mars and Coldplay as some of his influences, the 21 year-old Glendale native also says, “part of being a success is getting beyond just emulating your influences. If my music makes a positive impact on people, no matter how small, that’s what success is to me.”

Vincent Illuzzi will continue to write new songs and perform on Long Island and in New York City throughout the year. For more information, visit www.vincentilluzzi.com. - South Shore Sounds