Vitello's Green Room - Red Hot!

I finally got a chance to attend a typical Saturday night in the open mike-style Green Room of Vitello's on Saturday, May 24 with steady attendee Marge (she goes Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays - what a loyal devotee!) and her friend Don Pruitt, who is spreading his wings as a cabaret singer. In the past, at Sterling's Upstairs, I could hear the operatic voices from below, sometimes to the dismay of the singer onstage. What a fun-filled evening it turned out to be! Don loves to try out new material and I have to admire his audacity. He's into pop and most of those singing are highbrow with lots of opera experience. Don held his own with upbeat arrangements of "I've Got You Under My Skin" and "Moon River". He was having a ball and made us feel good too! I've promised to join him at Open Mic at the Gardenia one of these weeks, as I must sing again outside of my shower stall! Danny Guerrero is at piano on Saturdays only and what a treat! - he's a terrific accompanist - and his wife Norma also performs. She's a soprano, with arias her strongest suit. Lawyer by day Randy Garrou is really a legit tenor and his friend Mario Starache is another virtuoso tenor: they did a dueling duet that was dynamic - and 90 year-old Dominick Zuneri was a marvel with his crowd-pleasing "O Solo Mio". Bravissimo and God Bless! I hope I look half as good at 90, if I make it!?
Catherine Guard offered a wonderful "Lush Life" by Billy Strayhorn as well as an aria - she has great potential! and regular Chris Taylor sang several pop songs with a nicely tuned intimate flair, including the enjoyable "The Air that I Breathe".
It's one-of-a-kind open mike cabaret! It's Italian, it's opera - sometimes intense, but casual, it's virtuoso singing, it's dinner and drinkies while you listen, it's Famiglia!!!!!!!!!!!! Go!