Venus Guy Trap
DJ
Venus Guy Trap is an Australian-raised, Berlin-based DJ with a residency at queer underground venue KAKE, specifically for the venue’s femme focused party, Bad Girls Club. Her sound is a vibrant blend of house and disco which respects the queer origins of both genres by mixing classics with contemporary gems.
Since her move to Berlin in 2018, Laura aka Venus had built up a solid reputation at KAKE and within the club’s community but for now, she’s back home in Sydney until the pandemic begins to dissipate. KAKE itself is an intimate prefab-like room atop a building block near the now-defunct Griessmuehle. With its rough around the edges aesthetic and large windows that light up the space at sunrise, KAKE has acted as an alluring platform for Venus to develop as an artist and hone her craft amongst the venue’s loyal followers.
Venus describes her sets as ‘unapologetic love letters to femmes, queers, and dancers’ and this shines like a glacé cherry in her recent stint over on HÖR Berlin. Anything from Da Hool to Madonna can creep into her sets to create an entirely unpredictable journey from the moment she cues up her first track. Mixing swiftly in and out of bouncy tunes peppered with tongue-in-cheek vocals - ‘don’t want no short dick man’ was a highlight from her HÖR session - Venus confidently keeps her audience in a state of mutual elation no matter what time of the day or night.
The below image brings back a lot of happy memories of Venus’s time in Berlin which she goes into more detail about to paint the full picture…
Photo: Umtata Tybora
Where was this photo taken and why did you choose it?
This photo was taken on the Spree near Sage Beach in Berlin on the afternoon of July 28th 2019. It was The High Society CSD Party, a huge collaborative celebration with some of the queer party collectives in Berlin. The incredible team behind SOUNDS organised "a scenic and raucous boat party along the Spree" and I was honoured to be included on the lineup with Camilla Rae, AUCO, and Shero. Each DJ played a separate trip, one after the other. It was one of those experiences that’s hard to describe if you weren’t there but I’ll try my best.
It was a beautiful day in the height of summer and I was playing to a boat packed full of my closest friends. The crowd was living for every song that I played, including Jomanda - Got A Love For You (Hurley’s House Mix), Madison Avenue - Don’t Call Me Baby and Kylie Minogue - Spinning Around. Since it was CSD I expected the vibe to be joyful and celebratory, but it was more than that. The energy got more and more electric as time passed and I ended up playing for longer than planned due to someone jumping overboard (raucous indeed!) but I couldn’t have been happier because I didn’t want it to end. I closed with Eric Prydz - Call On Me to cheers and applause. I was nearly moved to tears. When someone mentions summer, I think of this day. It’s a memory I’ll cherish forever.
You've gone back home to Australia at the moment, presumably for the next few weeks/months. How are you finding life back home?
Leaving Berlin was a really hard decision to make and I miss it every day but I’m trying to look on the bright side. It has been nice slowing things down a bit and I consider myself lucky to be spending time with friends and family right now.
Are you still keeping in regular contact with the KAKE community and all your Berlin-based friends?
Absolutely. I miss everyone so much but video calls make it a little bit easier. KAKE is iconic in the Berlin queer community and I consider it to be my second home. To help cover venue costs (rent, utilities, maintenance) for the duration of closures, KAKE is accepting donations here. Please consider donating if you can.
Has the lockdown brought any unexpected positives to your daily life?
Apart from seeing friends and family, I also have more time to find new music and work on future mixes. I’ve challenged myself to concentrate on Australian music which has been really fun. Here are some tracks I’m digging at the moment:
Microwave - Chill (Club Version)
B(iftek) - We Think You're Dishy
Paul Mac - State of War feat. Kira Puru (Stereogamous Vocal Mix)
If you’re feeling overwhelmed or anxious, do you have a go-to track/mix or style of music that significantly lifts your spirits?
If I’m feeling this way, it helps to get up and dance.
Touche's and Stella Zekri’s mixes are funky, sassy and guaranteed to get me on my feet.
I play jpeg.love’s no booty shake no fun mix and Tamila & Souci’s pussi bussi b2b to release my inner baddie.
ketia’s Discwoman mix is just incredible, beginning to end.
When we get out to the other side, what's your IDEAL post-pandemic celebration?
KAKE has reopened. Sekt is flowing. The party has gone all night and now it’s morning, rays of sunlight filtering through the coloured windows. I’m playing in a giant B2B with all the KAKE regulars - bangers only. Off the decks, I’m surrounded by my friends. Everyone is smiling, hugging and dancing.
Any tips on how to look after your mind and body during this challenging time, as well as trying to stay motivated as an artist?
I’m motivated by the new sets I’ll be playing when all this is over. I follow the inspiration when it comes and I try not to punish myself or feel guilty if it doesn’t. It’s important to remember that we have never lived through something like this before and there isn’t a ‘right’ way of doing things. If you’re feeling motivated, great! Productivity isn’t always possible for a lot of people though, and we need to be gentle with ourselves and our expectations. Spend time doing things you enjoy even if it serves no other purpose. Keep in contact with your friends and loved ones. Don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for help. Be kind. Listen to what your body tells you. Eat your veggies. Take walks in the sunshine.
Go at your own pace and take it one day at a time.
Listen to a taste of Bad Girls Club here and follow Venus below: