The World According to Venona
By Vanessa Frith | Mar. 1, 2011Russian spies, the geocentric theory, and music have converged in an unlikely partnership under the auspices of local rock outfit Venona. Cobbled together by Western New Yorkers Michael Donovan (vocals, drums), Lance Camann (vocals, guitar), Al Portera (guitar), Bill Sager (bass), and Long Island transplant Justin Gammella (vocals, keys, guitar), Venona has seen its fair share of ups and downs. Originally formed under the banner of A Room With a View by Portera and Camann during high school, the band changed its name as it grew to include Sager, Donovan, and Gammella. After bringing on Michigan vocalist Breanna Broghamer in 2008, parting ways with her several months later, and turning down an unsavory record deal, Venona found itself still searching for that elusive vocalist. "We kind of joked around with the idea of ?Hey, why don't we get vocal lessons and sing,'" Portera said. When Gammella and Camann came forward with a new song, "Carry Me," they made the decision to keep working amongst themselves. "It's always been like us five against the world.
