Having been fortunate enough to have seen most of the bands I wanted to see which were around when I was able to see them, the idea of a tribute band is a slightly strange concept to me. If you are in a band playing other people’s songs then why restrict yourself to songs by a single artist? Tribute bands are getting more and more popular, to such an extent that the original bands sometimes turn into their own tribute band with classic album or greatest hits tours. Friends who regularly see tribute bands tell me that what they want from a tribute band is as close an imitation as possible.
Give the people what they want, fair enough, but not everybody wants the obvious or predictable. London’s recently reopened Jazz Café have spotted this hole in the market and have been very successful in presenting familiar music in an unexpected way.
Examples include The African Gospel Choir Presents Graceland which sold out 3 nights, Transatlantic Choral Ensemble Performs Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours, a celebration of William Onyeabor with African funk band Yaaba Funk. and last night I saw the first of 4 sold out nights of London Astrobeat Orchestra Performs: Talking Heads. It was advertised as playing Remain In Light and Speaking In Tongues but wasn’t limited to those 2 albums.
I saw Talking Heads a couple of times in the early 1980s and I have been to hundreds of gigs since then, none of which have been better than their Wembley Arena gig. The London Astrobeat Orchestra are a 6 piece band, 2 guitars (one with lots of effects pedals), bass, kora, drums and talking drums. The bass player is English, the other 5 West African. At the Jazz Café last night a large proportion of the audience weren’t born when I saw them but were clearly big Talking Heads fans dancing and singing along with aplomb to the African take on the music. The kora and talking drums worked really well. Tickets were only £10.
I suspect that these projects are commissioned by the same person and worth keeping an eye out for. On Thursday the 229 Club had a spiritual jazz band take of Van Morrison’s Astral Weeks. Congratulations to whoever comes up with these ideas and keep up the good work.
I hate the term ‘Tribute Band’ and all it entails. I have no problem though with bands covering existing material.
Tribute bands are a great idea. I`ve seen quite a few and the standard of musicianshio has been excellent. You don`t like `em? Don`t go.
The good ones are really good – took a friend to see Think Floyd recently and he said it was one of the best concerts he’d ever been to. Yes, they ARE that good.
Tribute bands (let’s stick to the accepted term) tick a lot of boxes – they play almost constantly (so no 3-5 year gaps between tours), they play smaller venues, they play all the “hits”, and they’re (relatively) cheap- win/win if you ask me.
I’m booked to see the Talking Heads tribute mentioned in the OP next month, so I’m glad to hear that it’s a good ‘un. Previously at the Jazz Cafe I’ve seen Introducing Live (as they tend to call themselves) performing Daft Punk – a great 6-piece band (IIRC) doing a best-of DP (excluding Get Lucky, funnily enough) totally live to fantastic effect – One More Time especially was spectacular… (they’ve also done DJ Shadow in the past, though I missed that, unfortunately…)
(PS further out to the “end-of-the-pier”, I’d highly recommend The Overtures [sometimes under the banner of The Bootleg 60’s], who do a whole range of 60’s covers, and whose claim to fame is being the entertainment at Elton John’s wedding… check your authenticity radar at the door and you’ll have a great time…)
They are the best we can do for recapturing performances when people die/ retire, but at best can only be a simulacrum, viz. aussie pink floyd or ‘the musical box’- great, but a great copy. Id like to see tributes that take things to a new level with variations in the music and spirit, and not just rock panto.
The Muffin Men are a very good Zappa tribute band who aren’t afraid to put their own stamp on the material they play. Seeing that Zappa himself constantly revised and reinterpreted his catalogue, this is the correct way to do it for that particular music. See also The Zimmermen, who play Dylan/Dylan-related material, primarily from his electric years but don’t slavishly copy the sound of the records.
Many “rock” bands who are tributed always played their material -exactly- the same on stage as they recorded it. For these, the correct approach for a tribute band is to do the same. That is what 99% of the paying customers want to hear. Personally, I’m not greatly interested in seeing tributes of most “rock” bands for precisely that reason. Just duplicating a record, but with inferior live sound, doesn’t have very much appeal to me. The same applies, for me, to many still-playing-after-all-these-years bands. For exactly the same reason. Plus the fine balance between nostalgia and current disappointment.
In a pub or small venue situation I much prefer seeing a good “covers” band, who play choice material by a variety of artists, over copyist tribute bands.
If you’d like one (and only one) free ticket to see a Small Faces tribute band in Islington this coming Wednesday (22nd March), take a look at my post on this site’s noticeboard.
FWIIW.
I have seen several tribute bands, as I am sure you can imagine, some better than others.
The Bootleg Beatles were superb, a big USP is hearing the stuff that was never performed live, performed live (Pepper, MMT, White album, Abbey Road & the rooftop concert. Absolutely brilliant, I really cannot praise them enough.
Australian Pink Floyd, note perfect, again absolutely brilliant.
The Jamm – saw these at Whitehaven about 15 years ago, lead singer came out & did a 45 minute sole set with a good trawl through Wellers solo career & a cracking version of the Small Faces Tin Soldier. Quick 15 minute break the he & 2 others came on, tight black suits, skinny black ties & a set that had the place heaving & the audience howling for more – superb.
Slightly iffier (is that a word?) were bands seen at ‘Fakefests’ – not sure if these are just a Yorkshire thing, but they do good business in the summer months. Perfectly acceptable on a warm summers day & a skinful of fire water, but nothing more than that.
I suppose its a matter of paying your money & taking your chances.
GARY GUTTER AND THE GUTTERBAND used to be a regular draw around the midlands.
all the glitter hits plus bowie, mud slade etc.
their guitarist was a real demon and with two syndrum kits they were REALLY loud.
they morphed into ahem….ALBERT STARMUCK after the erm, unplesentness came to light…then vanished
good tunes and a sense of humour too.
oh..their tshirts were good quality too…..I won mine guessing 70s intro’s.
I got January by pilot in 3 notes……
FISH.
I have just re read my post above & realise that I sort of contradicted myself when I said the Bootleg Beatles performed stuff that the Fabs never performed live – I then included the rooftop concert – my mistake (It was of course played live), but it was never performed in front of a paying audience/toured so I am sure you understand what I meant (although after this ponderous explanation, I am not sure that I understand/ care any more).
Have I had my tea yet?
Don’t be so hard on yourself.
I’ve seen some good ones like Australian Pink Floyd. Boot Led Zeppelin, Letz Zep and Limehouse Lizzy.
I have also seen some appalling acts: Guns2Roses, Mentallica and The Spirit of Rush . The worst was Jon Bovi, a short arse with a mullet who had me in stitches as he belted out “Born to be my Baby” to a crowd of tattooed Croydon harridans one night long ago.
There is a cracking AC/DC act called “Live Wired” who put their hearts into it and are a great night out. The Angus guy can certainly swing a Gibson SG.
Is it possible to be a tribute band when the line-up includes one of the original members?
At one stage From The Jam included two original members.
And are they still a tribute band if they record and put out new material?
I’m off to see Holy Holy on Saturday. They are almost always presented as a ‘tribute band’, but Tony Visconti dismisses the term, arguing that the core members actually helped create the music (particularly TMWSTW) and are ‘the real deal’. They were bloody fantastic last time around, I can’t wait for Saturday!
The thing about From the Jam is that the stage presence of Foxton and Buckler does make it a good, credible show. I would say that From the Jam are not a tribute band because it’s 2/3rds of the actual band. New Order aren’t a Joy Division tribute band, are they?
No, New Order aren’t a Joy Division tribute band, but I saw Bad Lieutenant supporting the Pet Shop Boys on 2009, and virtually all their set was Joy Division & New Order songs… and of course Hooky’s The Light are effectively a JD/NO tribute act too…
When I saw the Incredible String Band a few years back, Mike Heron announced that they would be playing material from their first 4 albums: “We are our own tribute band.”
Good though.
The Dylan Project play, um, guess who, but are Steve Gibbons, P.j. Wright, his old guitarist (and Little johnny England lead), Phil Bond, Gibbons’ keyboard/accordionist and the current Fairport rhythm section of Pegg and Conway. Not ‘arf!!
I’ve seen a few, enjoyed Bootleg Beatles and Bjorn Again. However it’s a bit strange and I think deep down that it’s all fake and I shouldn’t get too excited …