From playing small backyard parties to igniting energy in packed basements scattered around the Boston area, Lowell-based band, The Venture, is finding a foothold in the vibrant underground music scene.

With just three members, Sophia Wulsin, 20, Philip Chau, 20, and Anna Moore, 19, The Venture has shown serious promise and dedication to music since their early days. 

“This is the band that grew up with me,” said Chau, lead guitarist. “I started learning guitar when I was 16, and I still practice every day.”

Moore picked up drumsticks at a young age and has been connected to music ever since. 

“I started in fourth grade and I thought it would be so cool to be a female drummer,” said Moore. “I didn’t really get really serious about it until we started playing together.”

For Wulsin, the band’s lead vocalist, she knew she loved to perform, but a rock band wasn’t her first idea. 

“I grew up performing in musical theater,” Wulsin said. “It was kind of difficult for me to transfer that performance energy to playing in a band, but I love it so much.”

The members attended Bishop Guertin High School in Nashua, New Hampshire, where they all met and became close friends after admiring each other’s individual talents. 

After going through some different iterations, the band truly became official when they were eating out at a Chinese restaurant in Lowell. 

“We got a fortune cookie that said ‘A New Venture Will Be A Success,’” Wulsin said. “We knew right away we got our name, and we’ve stuck with it since.”

The band has been dedicated to finding gigs, even with the bandmate’s conflicting schedules of school and work. One of their earlier performances was upstairs at Boston’s The Middle East nightclub.

“There were only about 15 people, which was pretty small,” Wulsin said. “It was so fun though because they were really into it.”

Now that the band has endured basements flooded with music lovers, they hope to attract some dedicated listeners. Some of their unreleased original songs include, “Influence,” “The Floor,” “The Rapture” and “Mercy.”

Chau composed all the lyrics and chord progressions, with contributions by the other bandmates creating the band’s distinct sound.

“I would just be writing a lot of poetry,” said Chau. “Whenever it was time to write a song, or when I felt inspired to, I would just look back at my old poems.”

One of their most popular and beloved covers is Ariel Posen’s “Angeline,” which features a five-minute guitar solo skillfully performed by Chau.

Chau appreciates the band’s diverse musical tastes, spanning from jazz to classic rock.

“I think this is our biggest strength as a band,” said Chau. “Our backgrounds and how we learned our instruments are very different. We bring all our different tastes together.”

A true band cannot succeed without some setbacks, and after losing a member The Venture is on the hunt for a new bassist. 

“It was super amicable,” said Wulsin. “I understand this happens to a lot of bands, but it is still hard because our old bassist is a really good friend, and we still love him.”

As they search for a new member, a few contestants have already shown strong interest. 

“We’ve had people learn our songs and want to send us videos,” Wulsin said. “I think it’s really cool that people have shown so much interest and it makes me really happy.”

The band’s deep friendship allows them to really connect when performing together, even with the inescapable stage fright. Moore described how she gets through her nerves. 

“I feel like I can get in my head sometimes,” said Moore. “I look at them and see they’re having fun so I like to remind myself to do the same and it’s still my favorite thing in the world to perform.”

Even with the band’s busy individual lives, they can all agree on one simple thing, making The Venture a priority. 

“I know this is what I want to do with my life,” said Moore. “Every time I’m not studying or doing school stuff, I’m practicing or trying to find gigs, and the band is my favorite thing.”

The band has tentative plans to record their music in early March, and until then they are eager to continue performing around the Boston area.

You can stay updated with The Venture on their Instagram and TikTok @theventure.live.