London roots, global pull

Venna is a London-born bandleader and sax player who blends jazz, soul, and hip-hop into warm, melodic pieces. His live identity leans on lyrical horn lines, pocket-heavy drums, and bass that moves like a rap record. The set often opens on a slow burn and then shifts into danceable grooves that never feel rushed.

What you might hear

Fans should listen for originals that regulars nickname Midnight Run and Southbank, plus a fluid cover of Tadow that lets the band stretch. A new piece many call Circles has shown up in recent clips, and an encore vamp labeled Interlude 7 tends to send everyone out humming. You will see a cross-section of jazz heads, rap fans, and curious listeners, with plenty of twenty-somethings next to older crate diggers, all locked in rather than shouting over the music. One quirk: he sometimes starts alone on stage with a dry, close-mic tone, and he also triggers dusty chords from a small sampler before the rhythm section enters. These notes about songs and staging are informed guesses and may change from night to night.

The Venna Crowd, In Full Color

Style in the aisles

Expect relaxed fits, clean sneakers, and a few vintage football tops mixed with band tees from the UK jazz wave. Tote bags from record shops show up, and people often carry small film cameras to catch the low-light mood. When a refrain lands, the crowd hums the horn line rather than yelling lyrics, which keeps the room calm but charged.

Shared rituals

Call-and-response moments pop up on simple riffs, with the front row clapping the backbeat while the band vamps. At merch, vinyl moves fastest, especially any tour-only color press and a plain cap with the logo stitched small. Between songs, the talk is gear, sample sources, and which cities got the deepest jam the night before.

How Venna Makes It Sing Live

Melody first, groove close behind

Live, the sax sits like a lead vocal, with phrases shaped to sing rather than shred. Arrangements often start sparse, then add keys, guitar, and percussion in layers so each part has space. The drums favor a lazy swing inside straight time, which makes heads nod without pushing too hard.

Small choices, big payoff

When the band wants lift, they bump the tempo a touch or drop out the bass for a bar, so the return feels bigger. Venna sometimes swaps to a curved soprano for brighter color, then returns to tenor for the chesty warmth people expect. A subtle trick he uses is a tape-echo on the horn during intros, giving soft repeats that bloom like extra players. Lights tend to follow the music, going cool for tender solos and warmer during the groove peaks, but the focus stays on sound.

If You Like Venna, You Probably Like These Too

Kindred travelers

Fans of Masego tend to click with Venna because both marry sax-led hooks with R&B bounce and moments that feel like a cozy jam session. FKJ heads will hear the same mellow chord colors and looping finesse, though Venna leans more on horn melody than keys. If you follow Tom Misch, the clean guitar-and-groove aesthetic maps well onto his soft-attack drums and singable themes.

Why it fits

Jazz fans who ride with Ezra Collective will recognize the UK club energy and drum-first feel even when tempos stay mid-range. In short, these artists value pocket, melody, and an easy glide, which is the same lane this show cruises in. And like them, Venna treats the stage as a studio in motion, stacking parts until the room lifts.