Matt Venuti is a composer, multi-instrumentalist, and founder/leader of the San Francisco-based ensemble The Venusians. Two of the more extraordinary musical instruments in his repertoire include the Hang and the Electronic Valve Instrument.
Matt and his band have innovated a style of instrumental music that fuses alluring melodies over ambient/ atmospheric/ cinematic chord voicings, arranged beautifully on a bed of pulsating beats…simply referred to as music that has been Venusianized!
The venues they play are most often landmarks that host gala events, but they also perform for intimate gatherings and diverse happenings worldwide in configurations that range from solo to 6 pieces. Matt has always had a penchant for brilliance, and the longtime players in his ensemble shine with it. Check out the gallery to meet some of them, and also the video and audio links…and get Venusianized!
Venus Central Productions is Matt’s San Francisco based studio where he records his own music for CD releases, digital downloads and commercial licensing. The Theme Music Archives page on this site contains various samples of Matt’s music, as well as the CD Releases/ Listen and Buy page. |
Sightings |
- TED Conferences 05, 06, 07, 08
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- Oracle Open World, San Francisco '05, '06, '07, 08
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- Cadence Design Gala, 4 Seasons Kailua, Hawaii
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- Lake Tahoe Celebrity Golf Classic
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- Audi Annual Press Event, Napa Valley
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- LPGA Gala Pebble Beach
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- New Year's Eve High Rollers Party at Harrah's Casino
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- Opening of Sony Metreon
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- Java World Moscone Center
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- Opening of the Museum of Technology & Innovation in San Jose
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- George Lucas' Star Wars Opening Gala
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- Intercontinental Hotel, Rhine River Cruise, Frankfurt, Germany
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- Software 2005, 2006, and 2007 Santa Clara Convention Center
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- Yamaha Corp, Cancun Mexico
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- San Francisco 49er's 50th Anniversary Gala
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- Maverick Film and Technology Awards Ceremony
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- Opening of the new Asian Art Museum
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- Caesar's, MGM Grand and numerous casino events in Vegas & Reno
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- Featured at numerous corporate parties and major events for companies including IBM, Apple, Microsoft, Sun Microsystems, NYSE, etc.
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- CBS Millennium Party, San Francisco
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- The only contemporary band on the bill for the Summer of Love 25th Anniversary Concert in Golden Gate Park
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- Sierra Nevada World Music Festival
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- Cinequest Film Festival
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- Verbum Digital Be-In
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- U.S. Conference of Mayors opening Gala
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- NFL Championship game party for 49er's and Packers
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- Headliner Oregon Country Fair
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- Headliner Earthdance
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- Burning Man "95, '96, '98, 2000, 2003
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- Headliner Geekapalooza
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- Headliner United Nations 50th Anniversary Party at Fort Mason
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- Numerous night club performances and special events including Great American Music Hall, Slim's, Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, Pac Bell Park, The Regency Ballroom, San Jose Arena, The Arena in Austin, The Delta Center in Salt Lake City, San Francisco Maritime Hall, Transmission Theatre, Ashkenaz, 19 Broadway, Sweetwater, Santa Monica Cultural Festival, Avalon Ballroom, Black & White Ball, Academy of Science's Star Trek Show, etc.
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Music and Video Excerpts |
| The band performs for Special Events, Gala Parties, and Happenings world wide and is among the elite of innovative and creative musical ensembles. |
| » Audio Samples |
| » Video Samples...
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Accolades |
- "Check this band out...they're great!"
- Craig Newmark (Craig's List)
- "The Venusians are definitely our favorites"
- Heather Keenan, Key Events, ISES
- "Our new favorite band!"
- Shelley Wolfe, Wine and Dine Events
- "...when I heard you play I knew that you were perfect for the Google Parties"
- Charlie Ayers, Special Events, Google
- "I consider Matt Venuti and The Venusians as our house band"
- Gwen Sobolewski (Special Events, The Museum of Technology and Innovation)
- "I'm ever an admirer of your work"
- Thomas Dolby
- "...expect nothing less than out-of-this-world music"
- (Pacific Sun)
- "The Venusians are emissaries of sonic shamanism"
- Sarah Quelland, Metro
- "Your music is the new cool"
- Stan Getz
- "We book bands worldwide for our events, The Venusians are our favorites"
-Events Dept., Audi
- "....and in a category of their own, The Venusians are a rare musical treat not to be missed"
- Lloyd Barde, Common Ground Magazine
- "The way you (Matt) play the EVI is so smooth, so real, just beautiful"
- Herbie Hancock
- "Thank you Matt and Venusians for helping to make our Spring 2003 Gala such a great success"
- Staff, San Francisco Convention and Visitor's Bureau
- "...East and West meets the cosmos...with a hint of jazz. I really like these guys"
- Chet Helms
- "The Venusians are the coolest groove-meisters of contemporary music"
- Jon Zimmerman (film and theater producer, Media, The Musical, Mama's Boy)
- "The Venusians sound is like nothing else this side of Venus"
- Andy Jacobi (Churn magazine)
- "...beautiful, sexy, magical, mysterious, hip music. The Venusians are my all time fovorite band."
- Jane Heaven, Public Radio Producer
- "The music you play is always inspiring. Bravo, Venusians."
- Yair Ben-Schlomo, Publisher"
- The Annual Guides for the Arts, SF, LA, DC, Houston, Boston
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