Silver Bullet STL shoots to the Wildey

EDWARDSVILLE -A Bob Seger tribute band will be coming to the Wildey Theatre in Edwardsville as part of the Jack Schmitt Concert Series.

The band, Silver Bullet STL, was founded by local music producer and manager, Thom Swain. Swain had managed several tribute bands over the past 40 years, and wanted to make one for Bob Seger after hearing lead singer Steve Tinnon, of Alton. Swain said Tinnon had never been in a band previously, but Swain was able to build a band around Tinnon's remarkable vocal similarity to Seger.

“It was kind of funny, because no one wanted to do it at first,” Swain said. “I told them to learn six songs, get together and see what they thought.”

After the band's first performance warranted a glowing reception, Swain said the band really “took off.”

“Everybody went nuts at that show for those guys,” Swain said.

Swain hopes Silver Bullet STL will receive similar reactions when they play the Wildey Theatre on April 23. Tickets for that show are $22 and may be purchased at the Wildey Theatre box office, located at 252 N Main St. in Edwardsville, or on the theater's website, www.wildeytheatre.com.

Besides Tinnon, the band features veteran St. Louis area musicians including: Mark Arbogast on guitar, Ron Vitale on bass, Greg “Boom” Bishop on drums, Mark Huth on saxophone, Ellie Sipes and Shere Johnson on backup vocals and Louis Michael on keyboards.

Michael is a music professor at Lewis and Clark Community College. Swain said Michael reached out to the band after seeing them perform.

“A music professor came out to see us once,” Swain said. “He saw the real Bob Seger play two weeks before us, and said we sounded more like Bob Seger than he did. He told us to call him if we needed a keyboardist.”

Other acts coming to the Wildey Theatre with the Jack Schmitt Concert Series are a Pink Floyd 3D laser light show on May 12, Who's Bad, a Michael Jackson tribute, on May 20 and 21, Hotel California, an Eagles tribute on June 25, Zoso, a Led Zeppelin tribute on July 22, Satisfaction, a Rolling Stones tribute, Sept. 9 and Dogs of Society, an Elton John tribute on Oct. 8.

More like this:

Happy Birthday Route 66 - Celebrating a Century of the American Spirit

Jun 5, 2026

Alton Honors Miles Davis With 100th Birthday Jazz Festival

May 26, 2026

Edwardsville to Host Full Week of Events to Celebrate America's 250th Anniversary

Jun 3, 2026

Week of Activities in June Will Kick Off Route 66 Centennial Celebration in Edwardsville

Jun 4, 2026

Municipal Band Season Marks Halfway Point; Still Time to See Summer Concerts

3 days ago