Fun + party Rock x Fun = Vintage

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In 1988, glam rockers Poison chanted, “Ain’t looking for nothin’ but a good time,” and that’s exactly what local band Vintage is all about.


The group mostly covers classic rock, including songs from Bon Jovi, Journey and the Georgia Satellites. Frontman Lamar Caskey said that while he appreciates music from various time periods, his favorite era is the 1980s.

“The music was more about fun. (In the) ’70s, it was about fun, but the songs could range from being about drugs to anything else,” he said. “In the ’90s, and after that for a while, came about depression … ‘I’m mad at the world.’”

Still, Vintage’s repertoire is not limited to one decade. It spans from the 1960s and ’70s, with Rolling Stones and Grand Funk Railroad hits, to modern country music, which Caskey deems “basically just classic rock with some twang.”


The most recent addition to the setlist is Grace Potter and the Nocturnals’ “Paris (Ooh La La),” a guitar-driven tune released in 2010 that is full of bold vocals and attitude.

“It fits in perfect. I mean, you put that next to Pat Benatar and Joan Jett, it’s all about the same,” said Caskey.

Concertgoers may also hear songs from Billy Joel, REO Speedwagon, Billy Idol, Bryan Adams and Eddie Money. In addition to the music, the chemistry between band members as they interact with one another brings energy to each performance. Caskey said the audience can expect to feel included in the members’ relationship.


“The genuine ‘like’ and friendship that you see with everybody in the band, I think that’s another thing” that sets Vintage apart, he said. “We’ve either played together for a few years now or we’ve known each other for years.”

Caskey’s girlfriend, Michelle Trahan, joins him on vocals, and he and drummer Nathan DeLord formerly played together in a hair metal tribute band. Guitarist Dylan Delatte, now 22, first joined the band at 17. Bass player Junior “Sweet Lou” Loupe and guitarist Storm Loupe are father and son. For Caskey, having two generations in the group sends a message:

“That’s so cool. To me, it actually kind of proves what I’ve always believed: that the music that we’re playing has no age limit. Fun music is fun music; it’s going to appeal to everybody.”


Caskey said that at age 5, he learned his first song: “Daydreams About Night Things” by Ronnie Milsap. His mother passed her love for Elvis onto him, and he also grew up listening to The Beatles, The Eagles and various country artists. Now, he considers Garth Brooks one of the greatest entertainers and sometimes includes David Allan Coe in sets.

“To me, as long as the people are having fun, that’s all that matters. If the song can kind of get that same conveyance of party or attitude, then it’s good. … I think any genre works” and can fit in with the band’s style, he said.

Caskey formed Vintage five years ago after taking a few years off from performing. He said the band tends to add some new element to each song played, whether in the instrumentation or the vocals. For example, he and Trahan, who was also raised around music, make the Guns ‘n’ Roses classic “Sweet Child of Mine” their own through a duet.


The addition of a female vocalist has also allowed Vintage to more closely cover artists such as Heart and 4 Non Blondes. The group adds a reggae flavor to the latter’s “What’s Up,” at times leading into Bobby McFerrin’s hit “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.”

Caskey said he most enjoys songs where “the crowd sings more of the words back to me than I sing,” giving Motley Crue’s “Home Sweet Home” as an example. He added that it reminds him of how he started out performing at karaoke nights and that occasionally he will let the fans take over a song.

More song examples can be found at www.vintagebandmusic.com, along with a YouTube video that includes footage shot by a fan. The video shows the band leading the audience in song, venues filled with dancing crowds, and a clip from a duet of Journey’s “Separate Ways.”


The group has played from New Orleans to Shreveport, at Morgan City’s Shrimp and Petroleum Festival and at the Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival. Plans for this year include a Jan. 4 gig at the Brick House in Houma and a performance at the Thibodaux Firemen’s Fair. No matter the scene, the goal for Vintage is to keep audience members smiling and moving.

“The reaction I like the most is if you can see the crowd and no one’s standing still,” said Caskey. “The ’80s were about ‘Let’s have fun and party,’ and that’s what we try to convey as much as we can in a show.”

– bridget@gumboguide.com


The party-rock six-piece band Vintage poses for a picture. Pictured are Dylan Delatte, guitar; Junior “Sweet Lou” Loupe, bass; Nathan DeLord, drums; Lamar Caskey, vocals; Storm Loupe, guitar; and Michelle Trahan, vocals. They perform Jan. 4 at The Brickhouse in Houma.

BRIDGET MIRE | GUMBO ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE