Co-owner Lissette (Musician, Singer, Artist, Filmmaker) (scroll down for bio)
Lissette Salazar Napoleoni BIO (also check out http://www.lissette.biz)
After graduating from high school in Puerto Rico, I relocated to Columbus, Ohio, where I got a degree in Advertising from the School of Journalism at Ohio State University (graduating with honors). After graduation I moved to Michigan, and I got a Master’s Degree in Telecommunication Arts (video and film production) from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor (with a full Merit Fellowship). My first job came as a director/videographer of a promotional campaign for Miller Lite/Leo Burnett in Detroit, Michigan. After that I worked videotaping castings for Video Portfolios in NYC. This video production agency had casting clients such as Elizabeth Arden, Calvin Klein, Paramount (TV shows), pilots, etc. In NYC, I also became a professional photographer, and specialized in headshots for actors and publicity pictures for musicians. http://www.lissetteart.com I also participated as a model in several hair/runway shows for Jean Paul Mitchell products. It was during those years in New York City that I met Peter Valentino, and after relocating to the East Village we formed the band Neon Venus, http://www.neonvenus.com (official band website), for which I'm the lead singer. In Santa Monica, CA, we worked on community TV shows focusing on the arts and music. I directed/produced our first rockumentary in 2004, based on European tour of our band for the Armed troops, and I also directed/produced four Neon Venus music videos, and all these productions aired on MTV Español, MTV Puerto Rico and VHUno from 2003-2008, our videos, our youtube website. One of the videos was mostly shot underwater, in a pool, and I got to show my skills as a synchronized swimmer (as during my teens I was part of the national synchronized swimming team of Puerto Rico). During this time, I also took acting courses with Jeff Conaway (Taxi, Grease), that focused on film scenes. In 2005, Peter Valentino and I opened a vacation home business in Las Vegas. With the profits from the business, we were able to open two performance spaces, one in Hollywood and another in Las Vegas, where we currently rehearse and perform. There, we teach acting, voice, photography and film classes, and produce monthly shows with our band Neon Venus, as well as with many great Hollywood and Las Vegas acts. We organize and manage all events at both theaters, and the shows vary from Improv, to stand-up, to rock performances. While I lived in Las Vegas, I also had the opportunity to host shows, dance and sing in several casinos including the Paris, the Palazzo, Sahara, the Excalibur, and others. In Hollywoood, I also organize film meetups at the theatre and bring speakers to educate the community in all areas of filmmaking. Past speakers include producer/story editor Adam Coplan (The Last Samurai, Daddy Day Care, I, Robot, Wonder Boys, The Truman Show,The Matrix, Lethal Weapon 4, Conspiracy Theory). Also, producer/director Darin Scott Menace II Society, To Sleep With Anger, Tales From the Hood, Something Wicked, sound expert Lou Kleinman (Godzilla, Gladiator, The Bourne Identity) among many other speakers, http://www.meetup.com/Filmmaking-and-Screenings-in-Hollywood/. I'm currently in the development stage of producing an indie film based on an original screenplay I wrote (edited by Peter Valentino): http://www.zeroesfilm.com and http://www.neonvenusfilms.com. Other activities I manage at the theater are art shows, as part of another meetup I organize: http://www.meetup.com/The-Hollywood-Painting-Meetup/. Our art shows, both in Las Vegas and Hollywood, have brought in profit for the theater and beauty to our walls, and some of the work showcased in past exhibitions, including my own fine art photography, can be seen at http://www.neonvenusgallery.com
NEON VENUS BIO
Neon Venus is an original mix of alternative, rock and Latin grooves, with a punk edge. The band features high energy performances with lots of onstage movement. Lead singer Lissette dances to their tunes creating a fun and different performance experience.
In 2005, MTV Español aired Neon Venus' self-directed rockumentary based on their tour of Europe, which included cities in Spain, Italy, Turkey, Egypt and the Sinai. Four Neon Venus music videos (Beso a Beso, Step Into My Island, and Volveremos, Irresistible) have aired on MTV Español, VHUno (Latin VH1- USA) and/or MTV Puerto Rico, from 2003-2008. A DVD released in 2011 includes all those videos, plus any other video produced all the way till 2011.
Neon Venus has released three CDs: "Irresistible" (2006) a bilingual double CD, with one disc containing songs mostly in English, and the other with songs mostly in Spanish, and two previous CDs, "Slip Into Rhythm/Cae En El Ritmo" (2002) and "The Birth of Neon Venus" (1999).
Neon Venus members are: Lissette Napoleoni,Puerto Rican born and raised lead singer; Peter Valentino, lead guitarist;and Jr Oberlander in bass.
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The live videos in their 2011 DVD include shows at the band's two venues, the Neon Venus Art Theatre in Hollywood and the one in Las Vegas, which they shared with other bands to create a scene. This DVD includes performances from October 2010 to the summer of 2011, including Jay Oberlander in drums and Sean Logan as DJ/loopist.
Neon Venus are rock entrepreneurs and underground survivors. The Las Vegas Weekly says: "At the Neon Venus, art is life and life is a party." Both venues are an outlet for Neon Venus' music and shows, and for the artistic expression of fellow artists. Through their space, classes and partnerships with established artists, Valentino and Napoleoni are trying to create a fertile performance-and art based scene."
Lisa Walz, a Las Vegas booker for the Gold Mine Tavern says:
"The pleasure of having Neon Venus perform was all mine. The show was rocking. Thank you for the show. Once the outdoor stage is built for the Gold Mine, I would love to have you back for a show. I would love to help spread the word about your incredible band."
Many tracks from their records have received college and internet airplay in the US, as well as on commercial stations and shows like Rodney on the Rock, on KROQ 106.7 FM in Los Angeles.
So far, Neon Venus' original songs have been on many compilations including one to benefit tsunami victims and many compilations for top Latin rock magazine "Boom!".
You can read Neon Venus updates on their Facebook page (add /Neon Venus), videos can be seen on YouTube/neonvenusmusic.
