WHEN it comes to Wednesday night there is good cause to make sure you get down to the Limelight2 early on. That way you can make sure to get a pint in hand before Venrez opens up for Hardcore Superstars and Buckcherry.
The headliners should be enough to drag you down there in the first place, but relative unknowns in Ireland Venrez are well worth cutting off work early to see: a combination of heavy rockin' and a social conscience holding a broken mirror up to a broken world.
Last month we reviewed their outstanding album American Illusion, with its dark vibe and intensity it should be enough to have you making tracks to Ormeau Avenue. Earlier our colleague on our syndicated outlet rockradioni Nigel caught up with singer Ven and Buckcherry vocalist Josh Todd, and this weekend we managed to catch a few quick words with Ven about the tour to date.
And - by all accounts it is going to plan.
"Awesome tour," he told us. "We are playing to packed houses and being well received. [And] all the bands get along great."
As to what to expect from a Venrez's set the singer is short and to the point as to what to expect in Belfast: "Something new and raw".
While other bands have taken technological routes to boost their sound Venrez seem to have decided early on to go for a more 'primitive' and authentic rock and roll sound.
"Jason [Womack] writes the music and has heavy influences from The Jesus and Mary Chain as well as from all the bands influenced by them," said Ven. "So we go in a darker direction with our music and the lyrics I write, combined with a bit of 70s meets 90s beat."
And those lyrics may be the game changer for Venrez in the future. Unlike a lot of hard rock bands who follow the clichéd 'boy meets girl' lyric tack American Illusion is much more socially aware if than many of it contemporaries. The vocalist again is clear and straight to the point as to why.
"I feel as responsibility to inform and teach with my lyrics, so [that is what] I do."
Ven's vocal style has that raw in your face vocal style, which reflects his avowed influences in Mick Jagger and Jim Morrison, and it is a style that is guaranteed to raise a few eyebrows on Wednesday evening in pleased delight before the next stage in the Venrez's plan, one we can't help but acknowledge. ("Continue touring well into next year," he told us).
Doors are at 6pm on Wednesday night and Venrez are on shortly after that - don't be caught in the queue!
Trivia fact: It's not Jason Womack nor Ed Davis (drummer) first visit to Belfast...they both played with Juliette Lewis and the Licks...
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