The Scene: Three guys standing near a big speaker at any local music venue — beer number four. It’s loud.



The Time: The past (like, three weeks ago at least).



Guy One: Who is this awesome, kinda new wavy band?



Guy Two: Venus Verse.



Guy One: Penis Purse?



Guy Three: No, he said Cletus Hearse.



Guy Two: No, Venus Verse, you fools!



Guy Three: Huh? Magnus Wet Nurse?



Guy One: Linus Inverse?



Strange Guy Eavesdropping: Haematopinus Curse?



Guy Two: Seriously? You’re all stupid. You’ve got impressive vocabularies, but you’re all stupid.



While conversations like the one above may seem farfetched, and almost whimsical to the point of unnecessary absurdity, up until two weeks ago they were par for the course for the band formerly known as Venus Verse. Based on Vashon Island and the purveyors of some of the freshest yet familiar, ’80s-molded electro pop you’re liable to come across, for Venus Verse, the name became a problem — so they were forced to make a change. The band now goes by VV, and things have been a lot less confounded ever since.



That, and drunk guys at bars are more likely to understand who they’re listening to.

“We figured with VV we could just use hand signs,” says the band about the name change, which literally happened two weeks ago (in case all the bad jokes above made you think I was making this all up).



Why should you care about VV’s new name? Well, if you’re not into new wave, or thinking outside the drum, bass, guitar, vocals box, or getting to know a seriously talented band from a place you have to ride a ferry to get to, then, really — you shouldn’t.

But if you are interested in any of that …



This Saturday, May 23, VV will play Bob’s Java Jive in Tacoma along with Blicky, Amy Bleu and Thought Bandit. Not only will the band be bringing a new name — and a new wave sound that’s hard to beat — to the tiny Java Jive stage, but they’ll be doing it as a two-piece for the very first time. Bandmates Kevin Gonzalez and Stephanie Morris, who until recently employed a third member in the VV mix, along with plenty of programmed bass and drums and a pinch of sleepy, hidden gem swagger, will offer up a taste of uniqueness an act from a place like Vashon can muster left to its own devices.



“The two of us have a pretty good chemistry since we have been playing music together in various lineups since 2001, although this is the first time we have ever tried just being a two-piece,” says VV, preferring to answer questions in unison, through the magic of e-mail interview. “(Stephanie and I) both write songs, play guitar, synth and share vocals.”

“Stephanie is frequently visited by the night muse. She is in the habit of staying up late and is influenced by melancholic concepts, ideas, art, film and situations. Kevin finds inspiration in stillness, observation of people and the human condition  — such as what we as a society consider normal is clearly insanity,” VV goes on to say, proving they have a way with technology and the third person.



They also have a way with DIY recordings, as the band’s ’08 debut EP, Phazes, suggests to all willing to listen. For a minimalist production, it’s an effort not lacking in depth. VV also hopes to release a single and B side on cassette this week — possibly celebrating such a happening at the Java Jive on Saturday. A new EP is expected be released later this year.



“It seems to be trendy to be a two-piece synth band at the moment, but honestly we didn’t plan for that. We are just evolving,” says VV.



Evolve right along with them this Saturday at the Jive.



[Bob’s Java Jive, VV with Blicky, Amy Bleu, Thought Bandit, Saturday, May 23, 8 p.m., $5, 2102 S. Tacoma Way, Tacoma, 253.475.9843]