A TOUCH OF POISON

V3nom Forced to Trade the Stage for Livestreaming Right After Forming

A Thunder Bay band who took to the stage for the first time just before COVID-19 shut down the live music scene continues to perform virtually, and says they’re determined to make the most of a tough situation.

Francesco Mollicola is the bassist and co-lead vocalist in the all-family power trio V3nom, alongside his brother Andrea (lead guitar and co-lead vocals) and father Enzo (drums and backing vocals). The group formed out of a lifelong love of music. The eldest Mollicola, 50-year-old Enzo, drummed for years in a number of local bands, eventually stepping away to raise his family. With his two sons now in their 20s, and the brothers picking up the musical bug themselves, Francesco Mollicola says he proposed forming the group. Their first gig was at The Cover Show at Black Pirates Pub in January 2020.

“We didn’t think that we’d ever start playing bars and stuff, we were just kind of jamming in the basement,” he says. “And then we kind of looked at each other and were like ‘hey, we’re pretty good, we’ve got some chemistry.’” The band’s debut set covered Poison—their name also a nod to the 80s glam rockers.

Mollicola says they had two other gigs scheduled after that show, but the pandemic quickly quashed those. He adds that it was tough to swallow after getting the initial rush of performing in front of a live crowd, but the group was determined to keep performing. “We were full of piss and vinegar for lack of a better word,” he says. “We were like ‘man, we just became a band and now this happened—what are we going to do?’”

Like many artists, the group turned to livestreaming, with the first one in April 2020. Dialing back the distortion, V3nom performed the set they were going to do in person. “It was such a good turnout, seeing everybody kind of interacting in the comments and requesting songs,” he says. “It was just cool to see everybody come together.” A pair of other virtual shows followed, with the band and viewers donating money to the local Salvation Army, as well as two animal rescue and shelter groups. The band also played some outdoor gigs last year, as COVID restrictions allowed.

Going forward, Mollicola says the group is planning another livestream with a donation to charity, and is currently woodshedding new covers. If pandemic rules allow, he says the band may also play outdoors again.

To keep up with V3nom, visit them at facebook.com/thebandvenom/.