2009.08.20
Here are some questions 2U ...
Somehow, this slipped through the cracks for me, but a U2 tribute band is coming to play at Corned Beef & Co. tomorrow night. The band is called 2U, which just cracks me up to begin with.
But one of my fellow Roanoke Times employees has a different take. She thought it was a little depressing that such an iconic band from our youth now has a tribute act hitting the clubs. What about all those Journey tribute bands, I asked? Those seem to make sense somehow, she said.
We have Tool, Metallica and other tribute acts who travel into town, and apparently a 311 tribute act based right here in the Noke. Do you like to go hear tribute bands? Do they cheapen the idea of the real bands for you? Or is it just a discounted chance to hear quality renditions of these acts' hits, performed by players who are really into the whole tribute thing?
I notice that Awful Arthur's Towers had "Sublemon" a few months back.
Comment by Mason — August 20, 2009 @ 4:46 pm
[please excuse the bad grammar and all lower case. i'm in a hurry to get to blacksburg for abby's meatloaf night. ..and this is a cut and paste from a facebook comment to tad, from myself, earlier today.]
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tribute bands are nice for the community of fans that do not have the option of seeing their favorite band any longer. maybe that old band doesn't tour much, or maybe they're all dead, or maybe they just don't swing by their neck of the woods any longer. the tribute band gives the community something to look forward to after a long hard week of the same old shit over and over. it's nice. ..and it's *very* important. it's important for people to see and hear things that they like and are familiar with. back in the old days, you used to see bands touring more and coming by your city more often. these days, you're lucky if they swing through your city once or twice in a decade.
Some don't care much for the tribute scene. It makes them feel like they're buying last season's clothing of of a sale rack. that's ok too. whatever gets you closer to jebus. as for those that do like the tributes, i'm right there with you. hey! we don't have long in this world, so you might as well have a good time before leaving that stain on the sidewalk, or the bed sheet, or wherever you are when you kick it outta here.
...and a big thanks to the ones that provide the tributes, week in and week out. i would assume that it is no easy task.
-lee harless
Comment by Lee Harless — August 20, 2009 @ 4:49 pm
Personally, I think Tribute acts are great - when they are actually "Tributes"... which to me means that they recreate not only the sound, but also the look and persona. Otherwise, you're just simply a cover band who chooses an extremely narrow scope in song selection. In other words, if you bill yourself as the AC/DC experience, the guitarist damn well better be in a schoolboy uniform and wailing on a Gibson SG. Or in even simpler terms, anyone ever seen a KISS tribute without the makeup? No, because they're selling an experience. The same should apply to all Tribute acts. I'm not saying you need to use the exact same brand of black face paint that Alice Cooper used (although you certainly get extra points for that) but the best acts are those who pay the most attention to detail - in sound, look, and presentation.
The only time I really scratch my head though is if I hear about a tribute act that is doing a band that really doesn't "need" a tribute. Journey, KISS, GnR, Metallica, U2, Beatles, etc - sure, absolutely. They're all huge bands with tons of great tunes to pull from. But do we really need a UB40 tribute band? (yes, they exist. Several actually)
As far as the question about cheapening the idea of the real band goes.... Nah, it's entertainment. People in general just want to have a good time, and frankly, we grownups like to play pretend too.
Comment by Steve Layne — August 20, 2009 @ 5:24 pm
I wonder if there is an "Unmasked" era Kiss tribute band?
Comment by Tad Dickens — August 20, 2009 @ 5:31 pm
Tad - If anyone ever does that, and it actually works, I will immediately form a "Guns & Roses" tribute - and we will only cover tunes from Chinese Democracy.
Money in the bank baby!
Comment by Steve Layne — August 21, 2009 @ 9:09 am
I like your thinking, Steve!
Comment by Tad Dickens — August 21, 2009 @ 10:38 am
You're both invited to come see my Van Halen tribute band.
Of course we only perform songs from Van Halen III,the album Gary Cherone sang on.
The crowd disappointment will be deafening.
It will be the only time in history people would rather hear someone doing Sammy "Mr.CaboWabo BananaPants" Hagar songs.
Comment by Dylan — August 21, 2009 @ 1:19 pm
I must disagree with the other posters, I usually relegate tribute bands to a similar status as air guitar competitions, guitar hero, and karaoke. The exceptions might be those that competently provide a recreation of an act that can otherwise never be available, like "1964" (early Beatles), but even they have something weird about them. The first tribute artist I ever saw, when they were still called impersonators, was Hendrix clone Randy Hansen. But because Jimi was so uniquely innovative, any Hendrix tribute can only pale in comparison. Besides, many guitarists, like Robin Trower, Eddie Van Halen and Stevie Ray Vaughn assimilated Jimi's playing, and Prince and Lenny Kravitz appropriated his stage style, so his influence is already known to those who missed his career. But when it's a tribute to some recent or still active band like U2, that's just seems lame; would people want to hear a speech by a Sandra Day O'Connnor impersonator?
I sometimes had the feeling that the late period Grateful Dead audiences were acting like a tribute band audience, at shows of the actual band itself!
But a U2 tribute band called 2U should be a complete mirror image act, an "opposite band"-now that would be cool! Lead singer Onob, guitarist the Other Edge, playing songs like "I've Found What I'm Looking For", "Monday Spotless Monday" "Love (In The Name Of Pride)"and "The Forgettable Fire".
Lee's post said some bands "don't swing by their neck of the woods any longer". I can think of several bands with their own tribute acts that I'd like to swing by their neck in the woods, like Styxx, Journey, and Kiss, because IMO they've already received too much tribute, in the same sense that "tribute" is paid to a mob boss. And speaking of la cosa nostra, I notice that there is a Sinatra tribute planned next month by Kerry Hurley, of all people. Hurley's a good guy, and done a lot to help Roanoke's music scene, but this totally jumps the shark. For this he deserves his own tribute act: Hairy Kurley, saloon crooner. His big number could be "New Dork, New Dork":
"Stop serving the booze, I'm heaving today,
I don't want any part of it, in Roanoke VA..."
Comment by Pete — August 21, 2009 @ 4:16 pm
Petey, letting it all hang out today! Funny stuff!
Comment by Tad Dickens — August 21, 2009 @ 4:55 pm