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Photos by Laura Carbone

One of the best-looking bands in music, in this case pretty is as pretty does: Vintage Trouble’s a knockout.

Crowded onto a tiny stage at The  Hollow Bar, an Albany, NY bar and restaurant, the band’s moves—in particular lead singer Ty Taylor’s moves—were curtailed to the point of mere gestures, and the sound system muffled the vocals, but that didn’t stop Vintage Trouble from getting an SRO audience of devotees, aka Troublemakers, to brave three-hour trips—complete with severe winter storm warnings—from New York City and Boston to hear the band. Interestingly, the audience ranged in age pretty evenly from late 20s to mid-60s.

Drummer Richard Danielson doesn’t need his slight-of-hand stick throws and twirls to impress but they’re fun anyway, just as lead vocalist and part-time trombonist Ty Taylor’s soulful R&B delivery and heavenly falsetto don’t need his spectacular jumps and crowd antics, but the audience thrills to them every time. On “Run, Baby, Run” the girls in the front row weren’t quite prepared for Taylor’s leap into their arms, and for a split second I thought the show would end in a 911 call, but Taylor was passed through the room without injury, ultimately singing while perched atop a barstool mid-crowd while the band stayed onstage, playing their hearts out.

Taylor is so electrifying as a frontman that it’s actually useful to have him leave the stage so we may be reminded what a great trio backs him up. Not only do they all sing credible harmony, their chops are about as good as it gets. Bassist Rick Barrio-Dill’s played his solo at the top end of his strings, as nimble and melodic as any guitarist, and that’s saying a lot since he followed Nalle Colt’s impressive solo. Drummer Richard Danielson didn’t go for the typical “How loud and fast can I punish these skins?” effect, but instead went with a drum solo I would describe as “melodic” and memorable. New arrival to the band, backup singer (and even more eye candy) Tawny Dolly didn’t get her due on the crowded platform, but it’s easy to see how she’ll add to the act with her strong vocals and stage presence.

Vintage Trouble has opened for the Who, The Rolling Stones, AC/DC, Lenny Kravitz, and Bon Jovi, appeared at major festivals in Europe, and played TV’s Jimmy Kimmel, Conan, The Tonight Show (four times in one year) and The View (for Whoopie Goldberg’s birthday party), so finding them at a local joint, even under less-than-ideal circumstances, was a real treat. Catch this band wherever you can, and find out for yourself.

—Suzanne Cadgène