Tribute bands

[V8mate]

What are your views on tribute bands?

Would you make the effort to go and see one?
Or are they no more worthy of tapping your foot than when you are obliged to listen to one at a party?

[ShampooEfficient]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuCmSIX1bh8

Marmite.

[james_gt3rs]

Austalian Pink Floyd were awesome live, and I would never have had the opportunity to see the original.

[MaxMX5]

Dirty DC are a fantastic tribute band. £12 for over 2 hours of live music and they sound just like the real AC/DC.

[Fittster]

The good thing with cover bands is they stick to the hits, no obscure b-sides or new material in a 'new direction'.

I see them as harmless fun.

[300bhp/ton]

V8mate said:

What are your views on tribute bands?

Would you make the effort to go and see one?
Or are they no more worthy of tapping your foot than when you are obliged to listen to one at a party?

Surely has to depend on what they play and how good.

I've seen a couple of Led Zep tribute bands and they were really good. Not sure I'd care about seeing an 80's/90's pop group tribute though.

[V8mate]

300bhp/ton said:

Surely has to depend on what they play and how good.

Indeed.

But, assuming you have a favourite old band, and a tribute act came to town, would you fork out to see them without knowing how good they were?

[300bhp/ton]

V8mate said:

300bhp/ton said:

Surely has to depend on what they play and how good.

Indeed.

But, assuming you have a favourite old band, and a tribute act came to town, would you fork out to see them without knowing how good they were?

Only if the band didn't exist any longer. ie I'm never going to see Led Zep live, not the original line up at any rate.

And price and where they are playing would matter too.

That said, I like seeing bands and going to gigs. Most bands of this level do covers for all or part of a set, so is it really that different seeing a whole set dedicated to just one band?

[tr7v8]

Seen Gary Mullen & The Works quite a few times now. Queen recreation, Gary won Stars in their Eyes in the 80s. They are great & since we won't see Freddie seems to be the only way to see them.

[vixen1700]

Seen The Hamsters do a ZZ Top & Hendrix tribute evenings, both pretty good. That's as far as it goes mind, like somebody else said, couldn't be bothered with '80s pop tribute bands.

[eric twinge]

went to see Gunz and Roses last year, a rocking night out, and axl was on stage on time!

The Smyths (smiths) were good as well.

Harmless fun, get beered up and sing a long!

[S7Paul]

eric twinge said:

axl was on stage on time!

So nothing like the real thing then!

[K12beano]

james_gt3rs said:

Austalian Pink Floyd were awesome live.

Also good value were the "LA Doors" - again you would never see the original.

Generally tributes can be good for entertainment - clearly they will never satisfy the ultimate purist.

Rock up, pay your money, enjoy!

[Jellymonster]

I went to a night called Club Madchester in Leeds back in September - 2 bands, The Total Stone Roses + Oaysis.. both fantastic live. For £10, you can't go wrong and they really get the crowd going.

Check this out - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDAtFDjwPnE

Its a good night out. I'm off to the one on December 23rd in Leeds, should be a great pre-christmas treat with my mates

[GWC]

I don't mind watching a band play a cover version of a song but I wouldn't go to watch a 'tribute act'. There's something a bit tragic about the whole thing.

[RemainAllHoof]

As posted on the YT thread, this one isn't bad.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kvJ1aceD6s

[6th Gear]

vixen1700 said:

Seen The Hamsters do a ZZ Top & Hendrix tribute evenings, both pretty good. That's as far as it goes mind, like somebody else said, couldn't be bothered with '80s pop tribute bands.

I do like The Hamsters. I remember seeing them a few times at the Hand & Spear in Weybridge. Early 90s.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3fBaXvxdlQ

[Mojooo]

I've seen lots of tribute acts that do music very well - normally restricted to big bands that may well have split up by now.

[Gaspode]

Some of the most enjoyable gigs I've been to have been tribute bands. The way I see it, no-one knocks the London Philharmonia for being a Mozart tribute act, do they?

(I know they aren't but you get my point?)

[Mojooo]

I am not really bothered if the band dresses up liek the atcual band - for example, Bootleg Beatles, Fleetwood Bac and The Bon Jovi Experience all play the part but their music is a very good representation of the original bands. Infact as you can often see them in very small venues the atmosphere is often better than larger venues.

There are also bands like The Aussie Pink Floyd Show that don't dress up or anything but are still able to provide a very good show musically.

Some tribute bands are serious business now - charging in excess of £30 and more than some of the newer 'original' artists.