Thunderhead – The Rush Experience @ Wildey Theatre
Paying tribute to Rush, Thunderhead relentlessly delivers the complete experience — not just the music, but the sound, the gear, the production, and the visual presentation. From the note-for-note performances to the stage look and technical detail, they recreate the true Rush concert experience and leave every audience feeling as though they just witnessed a real Rush show.
Billy Audrain – bass guitars, vocals, keyboards, bass pedals.
Playing guitar and singing since the age of 12, Billy has been performing live with different St. Louis bands since the age of 18 along with writing and recording. Through the years finding himself learning to play keyboards and bass guitar. Joining Thunderhead in January of 2010, Billy now finds himself using all of his talents in one band along with using his feet to play the bass pedals. Just as Geddy Lee would do. “The challenge of trying to emulate Geddy Lee is by far the greatest and coolest challenges I have ever faced as a musician and I am honored to take on this challenge with two very talented men who share the same vision. Each song is a whole new “Everest” to conquer”.
Billy plays the Geddy Lee Fender Jazz Signature Bass along with the many other tools that Geddy uses and works hard at trying to reproduce every note, vocally and instrumentally, just as you would hear on the studio records.
Matt Meyer – guitars.
Matt was born and raised in DeSoto, MO, a suburban area south of St. Louis. He has played guitar from the time he was big enough to hold it and began formal lessons at age 10. Around this same time, Matt was turned onto Rush by his older cousin, Rich. “The first Rush song I heard was ‘Fly By Night’.
From his late teens to present, Matt has played in a variety of original bands releasing several records and touring globally. He joined Thunderhead in 2013 and, as he explains, the appeal to join was both personal and professional. “I’d been in an original band with Billy for about five or six years when we were in our late teens and early 20s. Making music with him was a real thrill and we’ve remained good friends throughout the years. When I checked out his first Thunderhead show I was completely blown away. I’d never seen a band perform Rush songs and present the whole show with such accuracy. If I squinted my eyes just slightly, I really did feel like I was at a Rush show. Honestly, I’ve never been interested in playing for a cover band before and I don’t even follow the tribute band scene. But being in a band with Billy again and paying tribute to Rush, a band that’s meant so much to me? Count me in!”
John Pessoni – drums.
John is well known for being the drummer for The Urge, El Monstero, Celebration Day, Hard Promises, Joe Dirt along with singing and playing guitar in The John Hughes Experience.