August 20, 2019
Matt Thompson
guitar/vocals
Matt Thompson, originally from North Vernon, IN, began playing guitar and singing at the age of 13. Before moving to Nashville, Matt graduated from Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA where he studied arranging and composition, and became fixated on the intricate harmony of The Beach Boys. While living in Nashville, Matt has performed and recorded with various musical groups as well as produced original music for TV and short film. Having been infatuated with the rich harmonies of 60’s pop since he was a kid, Matt is thrilled to be working alongside the fantastic musicians in Sail On.
* Interview conducted by Jeanine Holcomb, Marketing & Communications at the Egyptian Theatre
(Jeanine) Sail On currently plays over 80 shows a year all across the world. What have been some of your favorite venues to play in and why?
(Matt) We’ve been fortunate to play so many great venues so it’s not easy to pick favorites. The venues that always stand out to me are the performing arts centers with history that has served community for generations, so for me the Egyptian Theatre is high on that list.
(Jeanine) What about playing for a crowd at a historic venue like the Egyptian Theatre excites the band?
(Matt) What’s exciting about playing venues like The Egyptian Theatre is that because the venue is so grand on it’s own, it gives us performers the desire to rise to the occasion even more. I don’t think there’s ever a show we don’t aim for our very best, but venues can add their own magic to the performance so we hope I always hope it brings out the best in us.
(Jeanine) The Beach Boys are one of America’s most iconic bands, what made you want to form a band that pays tribute to them?
(Matt) I think the number one reason we wanted to be in a Beach Boys Tribute was simply because we love the songs that much. The music of The Beach Boys is timeless and to be a small part of that tradition as a successful tribute is a huge honor.
(Jeanine) Do you have a favorite Beach Boys song that you like to perform?
(Matt) One song I always enjoy performing is ‘Fun Fun Fun’. It’s such a great upbeat song about youth, summer fun and some minor rebellion. Plus the energy almost always get the crowd going.
(Jeanine) What should audiences expect when they come to see Sail On?
(Matt) Audiences should expect to hear timeless songs of surfing, cruising, dancing, and dreaming, performed live and in rich detail without the aid of backing tracks or any other artificial musical supplementation.
Sail On is sailing into the Egyptian Theatre on Sunday, September 8 at 4 PM! Great tickets are still available so get yours today!
