WTF is this tribute band thing?

[muted]

Cultural wasteland. Sure. Highest concentration of money and educated in the country. International trophy city an hour away. Many museums scattered about in the woods. Where do you live? Denver?

Money and education does not buy taste. Those people are told what's cool, they generally don't have a clue. And being an hour away from NYC doesn't count for shit, unless you are asking about young bands playing in NYC...are you? That would change everything if you are considering NYC as your hood. If you can't find young bands in NYC you are lost.

But museums scattered about in the woods sounds frickin' rad though, which ones are the good ones?

[dunfree]

Heh. I don't mind tribute bands, but I'm tired of covers that aren't anywhere near good or different. heard no less than 3 chicks cover Jolene in the last 2 months, the covers all sucked. their own work was actually decent, enjoyable, but the covers just stunk.

[Meadow Skipper]

Heh. I don't mind tribute bands, but I'm tired of covers that aren't anywhere near good or different. heard no less than 3 chicks cover Jolene in the last 2 months, the covers all sucked. their own work was actually decent, enjoyable, but the covers just stunk.

? Just kill the cat!

Wait, is that what you were talking about?

[reckless toboggan]

I think it all started with the Beatles...they were the best Monkeys tribute band ever.

[dookeyXXX]

Cover band mania is thriving here in Reno, North Lake Tahoe, and Sacramento. In the coming weeks we have no less than 2 different Led Zeppelin cover bands, a Pink Floyd tribute, an AC/DC group, a Petty cover outfit, and numerous 80s/90s cover groups. The only one I may attend is Mac Sabbath because they dress like Ronald McDonald's posse and sing burger and fry inspired riffs on Ozzy and Co. I gave points for that, but if you are merely trying to mimic the artist in question realistically, then what is the point?
I have always appreciated covers that put an original stamp on the source, you know tweak it. Devo's "Satisfaction" comes immediately to mind...

[dookeyXXX]

That said, we have Broken Social Scene and The Decemberists coming through...but the percentage of cover bands far outweighs those acts.

[Ski to Be]

There was a show on AXS Tv that was basically the best of cover bands a few years ago and some of them were damn good. One guy looked and sounded just like David Bowie. I would pay to see him . Speaking of covers I was listening to Howard Stern interviewing Chris Cornell today and he did an awesome cover of Zepplins Thank You. It wasn't better but a great interpretation of the original.

[Peruvian]

Read a paper - https://fairfieldtheatre.org/

Cracker, Chris Robinson Brotherhood, Donovan Frankenreiter all coming to your hood this summer.

[FLS]

I feel your pain. Living in the tristate area, it can be challenging to find new bands. Have you been keeping up on your MySpace pages?

[Shredhead]

Older people have more disposable income and they like familiar music.

Personally I’d rather see a cover band, than a DJ playing EDM.

[Vt-Freeheel]

[weibo]

Isn't ACDC a cover band now? All the old guy bands are one original (or one guy that was in the band at some point) and a handful of other guys playing the hits as close as possible to the album version.

[Dantheman]

So, are "tribute" bands just cover bands that are embarrassed to call themselves cover bands? This is confusing.

[Benny Profane]

So, are "tribute" bands just cover bands that are embarrassed to call themselves cover bands? This is confusing.

It's like concentrated bar band music.

[Benny Profane]

Read a paper - https://fairfieldtheatre.org/

Cracker, Chris Robinson Brotherhood, Donovan Frankenreiter all coming to your hood this summer.

That's a really nice little venue, supported by the fact that there's a nearly Ivy League college next door. Even so, Cracker is a one hit wonder, can't stand No talent Robinson, and never heard of that Frankenstein guy, so maybe I'll Spotify him. If you notice, even that place has more than one tribute band scheduled. And Southside Johnny. I guess he's doing a tribute to himself or something. Poor guy. Must have high car payments.

[Flounder]

Badfish played after the TGR premiere a couple of years ago. They sucked, we left. Only tribute band I really enjoyed back in the day was the previously mentioned Dread Zeppelin. At least they were doing something original with the music.

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[Peruvian]

That's a really nice little venue, supported by the fact that there's a nearly Ivy League college next door. Even so, Cracker is a one hit wonder, can't stand No talent Robinson, and never heard of that Frankenstein guy, so maybe I'll Spotify him. If you notice, even that place has more than one tribute band scheduled. And Southside Johnny. I guess he's doing a tribute to himself or something. Poor guy. Must have high car payments.

So exactly who is it you are hoping comes to town so you can see them? You're a quick train ride from NYC and you can't find live music that suits your tastes? Please......

[Benny Profane]

It's not a quick train ride, especially late at night.

I don't know. Somebody good. Energy. I like good musicians. I was at a "roots" something or other festival at Caramoor last month, and, there was a lot of damn good musicians and singers you never heard of. Amy Mann was the headliner, I kinda liked her, but, her band was awfully good.

[GeezerSteve]

You're a quick train ride from NYC and you can't find live music that suits your tastes? Please......

This. Tonight: Barry Harris Trio at Village Vanguard, Birdland house big band at Birdland

[Sirshredalot]

So, are "tribute" bands just cover bands that are embarrassed to call themselves cover bands? This is confusing.

I think the distinction is that they will do embarrassing shit like dress up or perform in character; they try to imitate the real thing completely, often to a degree that is kinda sad.

A GNR cover band might play some originals and take some liberties with arrangements and solos. A GNR tribute band has put some real thought into their collection of wigs.

[dunfree]

never heard of that Frankenstein guy, so maybe I'll Spotify him.

don't bother. i can't believe he turned post-prosurfer music into a career that's lasted this long.

meadowskipper - doesn't help that they were all the age & appearance of a Jolene and didn't get that.

[Game Over]

I think the distinction is that they will do embarrassing shit like dress up or perform in character; they try to imitate the real thing completely, often to a degree that is kinda sad.

A GNR cover band might play some originals and take some liberties with arrangements and solos. A GNR tribute band has put some real thought into their collection of wigs.

Cover band plays music from different bands. A tribute band sticks to just one band or artist.

[Meadow Skipper]

meadowskipper - doesn't help that they were all the age & appearance of a Jolene and didn't get that.

I know. I should just start a dad joke thread.

[Ted Striker]

So, are "tribute" bands just cover bands that are embarrassed to call themselves cover bands? This is confusing.

cover band = playing other people's songs

tribute band = only plays one artist/band's material, and often imitates the actual musicians as well.

The act - and I say act because they're as much a theater show as a band - that immediately comes to mind is Rain.

[abraham]

If you notice, even that place has more than one tribute band scheduled.

Oh if that's your issue then I kinda agree. Even here there are plenty of venues that seem to have that kind of show a couple times a month. It doesn't bother me much though, I just go to other shows. I have wondered why they seem so popular