The last time I went to a Who concert, I saw a guy in the crowd wearing a skeleton jacket, and I said to my wife, "That is a John Entwistle fan. I gotta go talk to him." Turns out he "plays" John in the Who tribute band shown below. In general, what do you guys think of tribute bands? Do you refuse to see them because they aren't the real thing, and might even be a detriment to your enjoyment of the real thing? Or do you think they provide a valuable service, giving fans an opportunity to experience the sights and sounds of something for which the real thing is no longer available?






Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012-05-21 00:03 by tatters.

I guess it all began with the Broadway show Beatlemania, which opened in 1977. I remember seeing the commercials for it on TV and thinking it looked like a fun show, but for some reason, I couldn't bring myself to go see it. I'm not sure why. Maybe because all four Ex-Beatles were still very much alive and I hadn't quite given up hope of someday being able to see a real Beatles concert. It was almost as if going to see Beatlemania would have meant that I had finally accepted that the Beatles were over and that I would never see the real thing. It was not until 1999, when I was looking for something fun to do at the last minute to celebrate my 40th birthday, that I finally relented and went to see a Beatles tribute band. I enjoyed it very much.






Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 2012-05-20 22:28 by tatters.

Haven't seen too many. A Bon Jovi one was shocking, an AC/DC (with a Bon and a Brian) was good. The Thin Lizzy tribute Limehouse Lizzy were excellent, in fact I think I'd rather see them than the current version of the 'real' band,

a sad waste of time

They can be fun. Saw Ledzepagain or some such name on a sunny day at the pier on Hermosa Beach. They were good and entertaining. A Stones tribute band was playing on another day and I wanted to see them but didn't get there. What's the harm?

ooops. deleted my original response.

I think I misunderstood what was meant by a "tribute band" -- didn't realize ir was people who dressed up as the original peeps.

Yuck----that's even worse than people just playing the music of one particular band and NOT like pretending to BE them (which is bad enough)

If people get into it, whatever. Not my piece of cake.

- swiss



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012-05-20 05:21 by swiss.

Saw the Counterfeit Stones once and I really enjoyed them. Or so I'm told I was so drunk I can't remember any of it,

As long as they don't want to look like them and don't sound exactly the same...........no problem for me.
Normally I don't go to tributes bands but one time my sister insist that I had to go because a friend of here played in that band....must say it was surprisingly good

__________________________




Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012-05-20 01:44 by NICOS.

Interesting and funny at first....a serious business at the present for many bands who do not really care for the band. These bands loot the legacy that allegedly celebrate.

The Pink Floyd Experience

Flower Power
PEACE

I like him. What the heck. With bands getting older now.Not to mention charging a boatload of money for tickets. Nice to hear other people keeping the music alive. Good clean fun. I'm actually going to see a UFO tribute band saturday night. Featuring Mike McCready. Lead guitarist for Pearl Jam.

TOTALLY AGAINST THEM.

If you respected the "star" or the band, just play their music.

I don't want FAKE Elvis, Jimi, Beatles, Stones, Springsteen, Dylan, Stevie Wonder etc.

Playing the music is great (a stones cover band), but imitating/dressing up is pathetic and sad (pretending to be the stones)

I'm afraid to say that they are sometimes better than the originals. Especially when the original has passed zenit...

Chris: You remember "Beatlemania"? There were those four guys, they dressed up and went onstage, and they looked like you, and then they played Beatles songs?
Paul: I heard about that.
Chris: That was awesome.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 2012-05-20 04:52 by tatters.

Quote
tatters
I guess it all began with the Broadway show Beatlemania, which opened in 1977.

How about "Alan--A Tribute to Elvis" who started around 1976, the year before Presley died? That and the other Elvis tribute acts that followed around the time of Beatlemania seemed to have launched the trend.

Frankly, I think the whole thing is bogus...but when I got a flyer with the schedule of events for a local theatre a few months ago there were at least three "tribute" acts on the roster. So it's here to stay.


That recent Three Stooges movie with actors playing "the Three Stooges" strikes me the same way.

Tribute bands are made of people that love the bands.

And when you hear other people's versions, you understand better what the songs can be for other people. And that makes you understand the songs better.
Here's an example of this from a Swedish TV programme, a great Honky Tonk Women:

IF they really have found The Sound of the band they tribute, I always thinks WOW quiet for myself....that's about what I think of tribute bands...

2 1 2 0

To be perfectly capitalist about this, the free market decides.

I've liked and hated them in the past. Just like the actual bands they imitate!

I don't think there is a right or wrong here.

"A great song can be found anywhere. Do yourself a favor and go find the originals." Guns N´Roses "The Spaghetti Incident?"

Opinion mmmmm let's see......They are there if ya need 'em ...



ROCKMAN

Hello,

I've only seen The Counterfeit Stones, Letz Zep, The Aussie Pink Floyd and Who's Who and they have all been great fun and worth parting with your hard-earned for. As long as the band love the music they play, are able to play it well and don't try to do the 'look-a-like' thing then fine by me.

As a Who-fan, I can't recommend Who's Who too highly as they try to nail every detail that matters: put bluntly, they are The 'Oo c. '69-'72. Wallop!



Cheers,

Simon.

Some are really good, although I find the whole dressing up in the same clothes taking it a bit too far and it isn't necessary. Letz Zep and the Australian Pink FLoyd are very entertaining and if you shut your eyes, at times it's hard to think it'snot the real thing. As someone pointed out, they often play better than the originals!

Covers Bands, yes. Tribute acts? Meh.

Lame, just really lame. To put so much energy into trying to be someone else? Why not justy try to carve out your own niche of original music. I would never make a point to see one of these unoriginal bands.

It's OK to be strongly influenced by a band, I like some of the bands like Collectice Soul and the guys who play Plush showing their Led Zep influences but a tribute band? Too much else to do in this short life. Sorry, not for me. peace

if you like the grateful dead check out dark star orchestra
very very very good "tribute/cover" band

Quote
Naturalust
Lame, just really lame. To put so much energy into trying to be someone else? Why not justy try to carve out your own niche of original music. I would never make a point to see one of these unoriginal bands.

It's OK to be strongly influenced by a band, I like some of the bands like Collectice Soul and the guys who play Plush showing their Led Zep influences but a tribute band? Too much else to do in this short life. Sorry, not for me. peace

the WHY of it is that you can make a lot more money in a tribute band than you can playng original music. (That is to say, you can actually make some.) I think even gary cherone (late of extreme & van halen) was in a Who tribute band for a while lately.

Quote
Send It To me

Quote
Naturalust
Lame, just really lame. To put so much energy into trying to be someone else? Why not justy try to carve out your own niche of original music. I would never make a point to see one of these unoriginal bands.

It's OK to be strongly influenced by a band, I like some of the bands like Collectice Soul and the guys who play Plush showing their Led Zep influences but a tribute band? Too much else to do in this short life. Sorry, not for me. peace

the WHY of it is that you can make a lot more money in a tribute band than you can playng original music. (That is to say, you can actually make some.) I think even gary cherone (late of extreme & van halen) was in a Who tribute band for a while lately.

That indeed is a scary and sad reflection on the state of the union. I have friends who have done VERY well playing Grateful Dead music but I just think it is all a waste of precious time. The thrill of discovering new unique , original music is too much a lure for this musician and although I love to play covers to give a nod to my influences, it would be the end of my creativity to do so full time. One of the guys I play with came to rehearsal the other day all excited after hearing one of these tribute bands and what I got from him was that is was all good fun. Ok I guess, but not my cup of tea. peace

Quote
Naturalust
Lame, just really lame. To put so much energy into trying to be someone else?

I have been in a Stones tribute band. And what we tried was not to be the Stones, but we tried, in a way, extend the Stones. So, let's not copy Gimme Shelter from Philly '72, but let's try to play Can't You Hear Me Knocking as if it was played by the Stones in Philly '72. Let's play Paint it Black, but like the Stones would have done it in Chicago in 1969.

In this way there really is a lot to be explored. And, it is true -while most bands struggle to get a gig once in a while, we hit the tribute band circuit and had to decline gigs, even ones paying lots of money.

Mathijs

Quote
stonesrule
TOTALLY AGAINST THEM.

If you respected the "star" or the band, just play their music.

I don't want FAKE Elvis, Jimi, Beatles, Stones, Springsteen, Dylan, Stevie Wonder etc.

Easy for you to say. You saw everybody, even the Beatles, right? If I had seen the real Beatles, I wouldn't want any fake Beatles either. But for someone who never saw the real thing, fake Beatles is better than nothing. It may be a false, implanted "Total Recall" kind of memory, but I do have a memory in my head of having been front row center at a Beatles concert, and I'm very grateful to .... whatever their names are, for that.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012-05-20 19:03 by tatters.