“Hey let’s check out Venus on Fire Tonight.” My first thought? “Hell yeah!” So away we went to find a bar we’d never been to, in a new part of town, to see a band we’d never listened to. How was it? The short answer: A blast.
We found the back entrance to The Crooked Pint up a handful of rusty stairs with ease and were greeted by a smiling hostess. To our surprise, the joint wasn’t as much a music venue as it was an after-work upper end bar and restaurant, but the mood was right and the band was sound checking so who cares about the yuppies chillin’ on the barstools? We wound our way through the chairs to find a table and took a seat just ten feet from the stage. The four-piece was gearing up to play with guitar, bass, drums, and wait… where was the singer? The guitar started chugging and the (enormously tall) bassist got his groove. With tremendous grace, the singer moved to the mic from side stage and without a heartbeat’s pulse was greeting the audience; arms up and smile glowing. The show was on its way and at least 75 sets of eyes were turned to the rockin’ stage.
Despite a packed house, the place had a surprising lack of crowd energy. It was pleasant to sit and enjoy the music, but the lack of energy in the crowd reflected the unengaged attitude intrinsic with dining arrangements.
A rock show is supposed to be a loud, uncomfortable, unforgettable experience, but at The Crooked Pint, a music lover might be more enticed to order an entrée instead of whooping and hollering. Time and time again, lead singer Tory Envy encouraged the audience to clap, cheer, and stand but the chairs must have been too comfortable because the audience stayed where they were. Although, I don’t mean to mislead, the tables closest to the stage showed huge support for the group and the band’s songs and showmanship honestly deserved it. As the show went on, the set flowed seamlessly with only two set list reminders. The balance of relaxed and pumped songs was admirable and even the slower tunes had a drive enviable by many young bands.
As for their set, the drummer was solid and guitarist, Leng, was enjoyable to watch as he interacted with the band members and worked magic with his guitar pedals. The group meshed very well but stopped in between most songs. Given their popular rock genre, it’s a natural thing to do, but a set is just a set until it’s a show without any hesitation. A front woman is a rare specialty in the Minnesota Music scene, and Tory pulls it off extremely well. Although, small intonation blips came and went, her voice is strong and presence even stronger. With her energy, the solid rhythm section, and unique layered sounding guitar, the group is sure to put on bigger and better shows as they move forward. This group is one I look forward to seeing again as they get better and better.
Close to midnight, we left the Crooked Pint with reaffirmed faith in musical humanity and found our way to our home. My friends enjoyed the night as fellow music lovers, and said they can’t wait to pop the CD into their computers. I definitely suggest you keep on the lookout for more Venus on Fire shows and news at: www.facebook.com/venusonfiremusic.
Despite a packed house, the place had a surprising lack of crowd energy. It was pleasant to sit and enjoy the music, but the lack of energy in the crowd reflected the unengaged attitude intrinsic with dining arrangements.
A rock show is supposed to be a loud, uncomfortable, unforgettable experience, but at The Crooked Pint, a music lover might be more enticed to order an entrée instead of whooping and hollering. Time and time again, lead singer Tory Envy encouraged the audience to clap, cheer, and stand but the chairs must have been too comfortable because the audience stayed where they were. Although, I don’t mean to mislead, the tables closest to the stage showed huge support for the group and the band’s songs and showmanship honestly deserved it. As the show went on, the set flowed seamlessly with only two set list reminders. The balance of relaxed and pumped songs was admirable and even the slower tunes had a drive enviable by many young bands.
As for their set, the drummer was solid and guitarist, Leng, was enjoyable to watch as he interacted with the band members and worked magic with his guitar pedals. The group meshed very well but stopped in between most songs. Given their popular rock genre, it’s a natural thing to do, but a set is just a set until it’s a show without any hesitation. A front woman is a rare specialty in the Minnesota Music scene, and Tory pulls it off extremely well. Although, small intonation blips came and went, her voice is strong and presence even stronger. With her energy, the solid rhythm section, and unique layered sounding guitar, the group is sure to put on bigger and better shows as they move forward. This group is one I look forward to seeing again as they get better and better.
Close to midnight, we left the Crooked Pint with reaffirmed faith in musical humanity and found our way to our home. My friends enjoyed the night as fellow music lovers, and said they can’t wait to pop the CD into their computers. I definitely suggest you keep on the lookout for more Venus on Fire shows and news at: www.facebook.com/venusonfiremusic.
PS: You can find their music at Minnesota music distributors like Cheapo and the Electric Fetus and iTunes!