Irrashional

Irrashional is a Charlotte, NC band of exceptional teen musicians with a passion for Classic Rock and entertaining. At ages 17 and 18, Patrick Dukes (guitar/vox), Payton Velligan (lead vox/bass/keys), and Christian Sturt (drums/vox) are already accomplished musicians who have played in multiple bands/projects. The band puts on a lively show with soaring guitars, interweaving harmonies, intricate rhythms, and just plain fun as they perform classic rock favorites from bands such as Journey, Boston, The Police, Van Halen, Led Zeppelin, and many more.

Patrick is a 18-year-old guitarist based in Huntersville, NC who plays with skill well beyond his years and has a passion for classic & prog rock, and jazz/fusion. He began playing guitar at age 8 after becoming hooked on the “Guitar Hero” video game. In less than a year, Patrick was entertaining audiences as he cranked out Jimi Hendrix and Van Halen. He has continued to grow as a musician and is frequently recognized for his musicianship at such a young age. At only 18, he has already performed on stages in Boston, LA, and to sold-out crowds in Nashville. In addition to performing regionally with Irrashional, you can catch Patrick playing with The Extraordinaires, The Dukes & Smith Band and various special projects.

Payton is 18 years-old and has enjoyed music her whole life. She began formally playing piano at age 5 and singing at age 7. She discovered the Beatles at a young age and began to develop a passion and appreciation for classic rock. At age 14, Payton picked up a guitar and instantly fell in love. She enjoys playing many genres with favorites being classical music on piano and classic rock on guitar. She is also trained in opera, Broadway, and rock ‘n’ roll on vocals. Last summer Payton was chosen to sing the National Anthem for a Charlotte Knights baseball game. Aside from playing music, Payton likes spending time with friends, family, and her dog Cookie. She loves art and also enjoys swimming, baking, and reading Shakespeare.

Christian first saw drumsticks when he was 3 years old and has not stopped playing drums since. He has a deep passion for drums and music and began taking lessons at age 7 including working with a Berklee alum for the first 2 years. During this time, he has played in his school’s band and drumline. In 2016, he teamed up with his brother Junior (bass/keys) and his friend Patrick Dukes (guitar) to win their high school talent show. That summer, Christian attended The JAM Advanced Music Camp in Nashville where he was exposed to different musical genres and performed with two bands at the end of the week. Most recently, Christian worked with Patrick and Junior to provide live music for their high school theater team’s play and won the “Excellence in Live Performance and Music-Excellence” award in the 2016 North Carolina Theatre Conference (NCTC) Regional Festival. Christian’s desire to perfect his abilities as a musician makes his future very promising.