Viva la Venus

Artist Information

Biography

Viva la Venus is a female-fronted guitar rock band from North Carolina founded by vocalists/guitarists Wendy Brancaccio and Susan Darney. The two began writing music that combines powerfully seductive vocal melodies with complex and intricate guitar leads wrapped around sexy rhythm guitar hooks. Mary Anne Barckhoff soon joined with grooving bass lines, adding rhythmic vocal harmonies and occasionally trading bass and guitar duties with Susan. Trey McLamb’s thunderous drumming intensified the Viva la Venus sound: not quite metal, certainly not pop, but well-written, solid rock songs to keep your body rocking and mind rolling. The band quickly gained popularity through constant touring, radio airplay, press, and winning “battle of the bands” competitions.

The band’s debut CD release, The Never Ending Mending Story, proved the group’s strong songwriting and musical talent landing them a deal with Sony Music Television. Their second CD release, Forget the Fairy Tale, quickly skyrocketed, gaining them national attention and was selected as one of the Top 25 CDs of the year by indie-music.com. The band toured heavily and gained popularity throughout the East Coast and Midwest club circuit. The band's most recent CD release, Bleeding on the Edge of Happiness, shows a clear maturity of seasoned musicianship and proves how well they complement each other as a solid unit, delivering their own brand of rock.

The band has made television appearances on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and the North Carolina band TV showcase, Barchords. The music of Viva la Venus has been featured on national TV shows including Lifetime Network's Strong Medicine and in the film, The Forever Dead written and directed by Christine Parker. Their music is available online at CDBaby.com, iTunes and other online outlets.

See the official website for more information:
http://www.vivalavenus.com

Instrumentation

Mary Anne Barckhoff - Bass / Guitar / Vocals
Wendy Brancaccio - Vocals / Guitar
Susan Darney - Guitar / Vocals / Bass
Trey McLamb - Drums

Discography

The Never Ending Mending Story (2001)
Forget the Fairy Tale (2005)
Bleeding on the Edge of Happiness (2011)

Links

• Twitter
• MySpace
• Facebook

Audio

• Intoxicating
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• Hole
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• Push It
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• Back Alley Love Slam (2005)
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Lyrics

• Back Alley Love Slam

Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• Live Video and Interview
  

  Video

• Indie-music.com: Forget the Fairy Tale [+ Show ]
  

  Quote: "This female fronted rock band are great songwriters, but dont expect wimpy Sarah McLachlan s...Quote: "This female fronted rock band are great songwriters, but dont expect wimpy Sarah McLachlan sentiments."
  
  By Jamie Anderson
  
  In their liner notes they thank "their baggage and issues for the unending inspiration" but like a good rock band they also thank "everyone who bought us beers/shots." This female fronted rock band are great songwriters, but don't expect wimpy Sarah McLachlan sentiments. They aren't your average wall-of-sound band, with amps turned up to 11 for every song. Melodic songs in gritty arrangements feature chunky guitar plus solid bass and drums that drive but dont dominate. Wendy Brancaccio nails the vocals in most songs with a clear voice that could be pop star pretty if she was willing to stoop that low. These songs demand more emotion and she delivers it, along with the stop-on-dime musicianship of the rest of the band. Mary Anne Barckhoff lays a steady groove on the bass and also plays some tasty guitar. She doesn't rely on cookie cutter riffs you swear you've heard in every tired top forty song. None of the band does -- from the creative guitar chops of Susan Darney to Trey McLambs right-on drums -- there's nothing average about Viva la Venus.
  
  An evil guitar lick opens the disc with "Back Alley Love Slam." The vocals sneak in with lyrics about a stale relationship then slam in with "More, I want more." Get it, loser? Theres another sinister guitar in "Years Gone By," and with the almost sweet lyrics, its a great contrast, especially with "And I waited for you to be kind to me." Maybe she still wants him and by the end, if you were only listening to the words you'd think it was true, but from the way the guitar blasts in, there's no doubt. She's done with you, jerk.
  
  "Free" takes a different path. With jangley guitar reminicent of a good 60's pop song, its wistful in the beginning, but this anthem doesn't pull any punches with its message to forget about yesterday and move on. A melodic bass drives the accusatory "Awaken," about a controlling lover. "Never Forgive" begins with a dissonant guitar riff that makes more than one appearance in the song. Don't let those pretty cascading notes fool you, this is another dark song that slams in with "I will never forgive you." Never piss off a songwriter, people. "Hard to Rock" is pushed by a fat distorted guitar and no, its not a good-time party tune:
  
  Nothing so easy should be so fucking hard
  A boat that is sinking shouldn't be so hard to rock ...
  
  "Pig" takes a different, less personal direction than the other songs. About a sexual predator, it pulls no punches:
  
  Preying on the innocent
  Why don't you pick on someone your own size?
  Not a man if it fit
  She was only six ...
  
  If you dont listen to closely to "Crush," the upbeat guitar lick and almost disco bass makes it sound like a fun dance tune. Shake your booty anyway. Its dark, but who says dance equals happy? "Break" is another great screw-you-I'm-gone song. The disc ends with "Nightfall," an almost ballad with a sweet cello. It kicks up at the chorus and features some more of that creative arrangement voodoo that Viva la Venus is so good at.
  
  Send this disc to your loser boyfriend, to your best friend who just got dumped, and of course, buy yourself a copy. Slap it on your iPod and turn it up. Give your baggage the groove it deserves.

• Review: Forget The Fairy Tale [+ Show ]
  

  First thing I notice about this CD is the sexy cover. Two of my favorite things: women's legs and ro...First thing I notice about this CD is the sexy cover. Two of my favorite things: women's legs and rock n' roll guitars! Great professional packaging. Good lyrics, some thoughtful and slightly disturbing, others are fun. The music itself can be pretty diverse but it's all Viva La Venus still. They have their own sound. It would be hard to compare them to any other bands. Mostly driving, melodic, guitar pop with great female vocals. Some really good bass lines and solid drumming. I liked every song. Hard To Rock really stood out for me. This is the kind of stuff modern rock radio should be playing. I recommend them to any booking agent/promoter or to anybody looking to go see a great band play live. - (September 27, 2005)

• Mediarite Review [+ Show ]
  

  Viva la Venus' "The Never Ending Mending Story" is a solid rock album from four rockin' local women....Viva la Venus' "The Never Ending Mending Story" is a solid rock album from four rockin' local women. Many of their songs have very different styles and sounds. Two of my favorite songs have to be "Dance" and "Sex". "Sex" has got that sleek, sexy kind of sound that Cake usually delivers in their albums with a more dirty set of lyrics. "Dance" has this upbeat sort of feel with a great breakdown in the middle of it that even made me start grooving in the mirror. This album brings a good combination of great rock sounds, while not being stranded to one place or feel.
  
  ...Now I'd have to say that this is a real original band, with a real original set of songs. You never hear what they say in their lyrics said in any other cd around. They speak of things ranging from sex to meat loaf night. Crazy! But overall these woman know how to kick it up a notch when playing. What makes them mostly original is the fact that they have fun in every one of their tracks, and you can tell this through the recording. Overall I'd have to say this is their cd's best trait next to the fact that the songs are good.

• South of Mainstream Review [+ Show ]
  

  Musically there's plenty of talent. Great guitar work on all songs...The definite gem of the album i...Musically there's plenty of talent. Great guitar work on all songs...The definite gem of the album is the vocal collaboration between the two trading lead singers and the background vocalists.  It's wonderful.

Setlist

Can play up to three hours of music, both originals and covers.

Basic Requirements

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