Steven J Vertun + RevElation
Steven J Vertun
Vocals/ Guitar/ Keys/ Songsmith
A native of New York / New Jersey, at age of 5, Steve was given the option of picking any instrument he’d like to learn; inexplicably choosing the accordion. Quickly growing bored with the Beer Barrel polkas and Battle Hymns of the Republic, he started writing songs of his own. After torturing the household on the accordion for the better part of a decade, he switched to guitar at the age of 15. Soon thereafter, he started his first band “ATTIC”. As the members were all under the legal drinking age of 21, they would plug in and play wherever they could find electrical outlets. From the very beginning, Steve only wanted to write and perform original music, never gravitating towards cover material.
Two weeks after graduating college, he loaded up his rusty, old VW bug with a couple of beat up guitars, an old Fender Twin Reverb Amp, a sack (literally) of clothes, $731 of cash and blindly traveled to Southern California. Once there, he started the band "Sparrow" (in tribute to a wild sparrow he raised for 8 years). Eventually, Sparrow transitioned into the alternative rock band "Eye Savant" and played together for 18 years. Eye Savant established a large, OC based following during their stretch, playing frequently at the best venues in SoCal. They opened for many well-known artists such as Jeff Beck, Great White, Stan Ridgeway, Molly Hatchet, and several others while frequently headlining their own shows.
When Eye Savant disbanded in 2014, Steve opted to continue on as a solo performer, utilizing a variety of excellent musicians as needed for recording and performing purposes. In January of 2017, he released his largely auto-biographical album entitled “Ghost, Shadow and Son”, which premiered on www.Antiheromagazine.com to much critical acclaim. The album was 5-star reviewed by more than twenty rock magazines, many nationwide interviews were conducted and Steve was chosen as the “Artist of the Month” by Memphis Radio with a following of 300K+ listeners a day. He also released two highly reviewed videos in support of the album (all can be found on Youtube and most major music outlets including CD BABY, ITunes, Spotify, etc @StevenJVertun)
In 2019, Steve wrote a collection of 23 songs and decided he wanted to establish another band to help bring these songs out and about. He found some of the best musicians SoCal has to offer (see bio’s below) and formed the band “Revelation”. This band of brothers connect on the same spiritual, musical and philosophical plane and it is prevalent in the music they craft together.
Steven J Vertun and Revelation will release their first album in March of 2021 with a second to drop a few months later.
Steve’s musical genre is hard to define. It is essentially a fusion of 70's, 80’s, 90's and 2000's influenced music that blends rock, alternative and blues. The sound has progressed over the years by carrying forward the roots of each generation of music and integrating the next to the mix. The wide range of explorations covers acoustic ballads to medium paced excursions to high energy, wall of sound big bangs. Some of the bands Steve notes as influential are Springsteen, Pink Floyd, The Doors, Rush, U2, Live, LifeHouse, Foo Fighters, Stone Temple Pilots, Switchfoot, The Eagles, Traffic, CSNY and others. When asked if he believes the sound is specifically like any of the mentioned influences he responds, "I don't believe so. What I do know is that the music of these outstanding artists and others (additionally inclusive of classical, World Music and Country (his father was a career Square Dance caller), drop into the wide-open filter of my mind, mingle with my personal experiences, travel through the internal grist mill and come out in whatever manner and form that they do. Everyone will hear it in their own measure and will personally relate the music and lyrics to their own unique life experiences".
KEEP on ROCKIN’!!!!!!
BART BROADNAX
Bass / Vocals
Born in Portsmouth, Virginia, Bart G. Broadnax received his formal music education at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Virginia, and at Norfolk State University in Norfolk, Virginia. His principal instrument of study was electric bass, but he also studied acoustic bass, piano and guitar. A veteran of 25+ years, Bart has used his talents to support such acts as Joe Williams, Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis, Rob Mullins, Lee Greenwood, “Ndugu” Chancler, Gene Anderson (Parliament/Funkadelic), Sonny Turner (formerly of the Platters), Jon “Bowser” Bauman (formerly of Sha Na Na), the Platters, the Drifters, Lesley Gore, the Coasters, Doris Troy (“Just One Look”), the Shirelles, Freda Payne (“Band of Gold,” “Bring the Boys Home”), the Marvellettes, Finger Roll featuring Dennis Nelson, and Richard Street (formerly of the Temptations), and has appeared with such notables as Bruce Hornsby, Al Jarreau, Mel Tillis, Marlena Shaw, Ray Sawyer (Dr. Hook), Barbara McNair, Robert Goulet, Joe Piscopo, and Sister Sledge. Ensembles that featured Bart on bass have opened for B. B. King, Junior Wells, Rick Springfield, the Pointer Sisters, Three Dog Night, Rick Braun, Macy Gray, Ronnie Laws, Eddie Money, Nelson, and George Benson.
His experience has taken him to musical venues such as the Lincoln Center in New York, New York, Hollywood Bowl in Hollywood California, the House of Blues venues in Los Angeles and in Anaheim, California, B.B. King’s in Universal City, California, Fillmore West in San Francisco, California, Concerts by the Sea in Redondo Beach, California, the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano, California, the Santa Barbara (CA) Jazz Festival, the City of Light Jazz Festival in Las Vegas, Nevada, and various show stages in Las Vegas. Bart recently was the bassist for the supporting trio on the pilot installment of Orley After Dark, an hour-long television talk show produced in Los Angeles. Other television appearances include the shows Heart to Heart and Talk of the Town, both variety shows produced in Long Beach, CA. He has also performed on recording dates for artists signed by Motown Records, Island Records, and various independent labels, as well as producing and recording his own music projects. Bart is also the music director of the worship band at Pacific Church of Irvine, California.
Matt Sullivan
Lead Vocals / Guitar
Matt Sullivan’s musical background comes from a mix of blues, country and rock. Early on he started out playing in cover bands around LA and OC, which is where he learned a wide range of musical styles. He has also studied music in college where he earned a degree in music performance. Matt has several different influences from artists such as Jimi Hendrix, Dire Straits, and Pink Floyd as well as roots in Americana bands such as the Black Keys and Alabama Shakes. Along with performing, Matt also does recording session work and teaches guitar.
DAN eRFURT
Drums/Percussion
Dan Erfurt moved to Orange County, California at the age of 18, where he began playing professionally in local night clubs and venues. In addition to playing locally, Dan toured Asia with the USO, where he played venues ranging from mountain-top missile sites to the USS Range aircraft carrier. After playing with the USO, Dan played in a band featuring Darlen Love. Dan gigged with the Bob Gulley Band for 9 years, before moving on to a diverse variety of other projects over the next 30+ years. Dan’s drumming style is a powerful triangulation of power, finesse and intuitive interpretation. His ever-present, on point, time keeping mirrors his endless passion for playing music and providing the foundation of the bands material.
Musical influencers include Dennis Chambers, Steve Gadd, and Vinnie Colaiuta.