A question for tribute bands

[KenSmithFan]

I’m working with a couple of people to start a tribute band and would like to know what other people are doing regarding show length. Typical shows here are 3 hours, but I doubt anyone wants to hear 3 hours of a single band, no matter how good.

So, for you local tribute acts, how do you handle it? Just a two hour show? Use an opening act? Start with a set of other covers before your tribute?

We’ve got the singer, which is the hardest part. This will be all local, but we live in a pretty big region with plenty of venues within a reasonable drive.

Any advice appreciated!

 

[PapaBearBass]

I work with a long established Beatles tribute band. Band Leader puts together 3 sets at about 45 minutes each with two intermissions of 15 minutes. He provides me with the set lists well in advance. The list is about 80% Beatles tunes and then a mix of other stuff from the 70s/80s. Good gig. Great guys. Hope things work out for you - keep us posted

 

[mcnach]

We play as long as they want us to, basically. It varies from as little as 45' (festivals, usually) to 2h. Build up the repertoire and adjust set list to specific circumstances

 

[Pdaddy1978]

The local Beatles tribute band here in town play one entire album at every show.
They'll have a "Revolver" show one night and an "Abby Road" night another.
The nights I've went, they'll play one "side" of the album, take break, then play the other side. They also don't play dress up, or worry about having Beatles gear ... although their bassist does play a Ric.
Ive always thought it was a cool approach.
I'm sure their "White album " night is their longest gig!

 

[LiptonJigglers]

ACDC, Pink Floyd and Doors Tribute bands;
Usually 3 sets at 45 mins each, solo performances (no support act)
If there's a support band, 2 × 45 min sets, 15 - 20 min break between sets. 3-4 song encore. 30 mins between bands.
A 45 min set usually ranges from 12 to 15 songs, depending on the genre etc.

 

[DCErik]

We're doing an IRS era R.E.M. tribute and I very much wonder this exact thing. Shannon/Narducy played around 2.5 hours, but they've got the pull the draw the crowd that wants that much R.E.M. About a year and a half in we've got an hour and a half ready, so could do 2x 45s. Right now we're still playing open mics and planning to do a little busking without the drummer. First paid gig isn't until November, and just an hour as we're playing with 2 other bands.

 

[HolmeBass]

Two 1.25 hr sets with one 30 minute break. Covers a 3 hr gig.

Usually in reality we only break 20 minutes and the 2nd set is 1 hr 20 mins so we leave time for a 2-song encore.

 

[Snarf]

This depends on what venues you plan on playing. Bars are 3 hour gigs. Theater shows are 2 hours, with an intermission for the venue to sell concessions.

 

[IanStephenson]

We generally do between a 1 and 1.5 hours, plus a support band. If you went to see the "real" band isn't that what most would do? (support can of course be you in different costumes)

To go beyond 1.5 hours you're going to need to be copying a band that has 1.5hours of grade A material (and be honest: not many bands have 18 or more big hits! No filler!). You're also going to need to be established enough to pull in a fan base who want to listen to one band's music for that long.

There will be hardcode mega fans who want you to play every B side, but the friends they came with just want to hear the big hit. They'd actually be happy if you'd just play that song and ended the show there. If you're at the stage you're playing theaters then play as long as you like, but if you're playing drinking establishments play the hits, make everyone happy and go home.

 

[RGerhart]

A lot of it depends on what band you are doing a tribute to. Pink Floyd, Beatles, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC? Sure, a three hour show is fine.

I play in a number of 90s tribute bands, and for the most part, the longest any of those bands has performed was 90 - 120 minutes. In my experience, most audiences are a little fatigued after that much of one band.

If we have had an opportunity to gig but the customer wanted a longer show, we usually will bring another tribute band to open the show, 45 - 60 minutes, then do our thing. If we had to travel, or if another tribute wasn't available, we would "create" another tribute that was similar and just do our own opening with the same members, different attire. I would definitely recommend that, as it's a good alternative to have in your pocket if you need a longer show covered, or if the buyer is just looking for something different.

 

[Thunderthumbs73]

I’m working with a couple of people to start a tribute band and would like to know what other people are doing regarding show length. Typical shows here are 3 hours, but I doubt anyone wants to hear 3 hours of a single band, no matter how good.

So, for you local tribute acts, how do you handle it? Just a two hour show? Use an opening act? Start with a set of other covers before your tribute?

We’ve got the singer, which is the hardest part. This will be all local, but we live in a pretty big region with plenty of venues within a reasonable drive.

Any advice appreciated!

Be flexible. Three sets with two 15 minute breaks. One break between set 1 and 2. One break between set 2 and 3. I've done two (longer sets) with one break in-between, but those sets feel kind of long when you're about 70% through a longer set and you feel like a break would be good. Bar owners, club owners etc generally EXPECT you will take a break. Be leery of any place/person that really wants you to play all the way through with no breaks. If you get any pushback, the facts are that breaks are GOOD, if you're disciplined and don't make a planned 15 minute break a 25 minute break- It give the performers a chance to hydrate and to reboot a bit. It also gives the people in the band time to go out into the audience and not only interact with people who explicitly came to see them, but also a crucial opportunity for EVERY band member to take a moment to say hello to someone new they don't recognize and thank them for coming out.

So... even on "break" you're still "ON" and performing, promoting both the band and the venue, and acting in accordance with good business, PR and personal skills. I make it a habit of ALWAYS introducing myself to someone new who I don't recognize.

 

[MrLenny1]

We started gigging last summer with a Petty Tribute.
We base it on two 1.5 hour sets. We do play some tunes by other bands when needed.
As always it's hard to find work so we are working with other tribute bands to
do a double bill show for variety and help each other out.
Look up Magical Mystery Doors to see a wicked tribute band playing Beatles, Doors and Zepplin mixed
in all night crossing over to two or 3 bands within one tune. Very impressive.

 

[PlayTheBass]

Steely Dan tribute band: we mix in some Dan-adjacent stuff (Michael McDonald, Toto, etc) to pad out three sets, but we always have an upfront conversation with the client about our plan so there are no surprises. Even though our promo materials had some of that stuff as well, always best to make it explicit.

Led Zeppelin tribute: all Zep, even three sets. The one time we mixed in a Robert Plant song (well, the Honeydrippers Young Boy Blues), the singer’s choice, it really sucked the air out of the room. We didn’t even talk about it afterward. lol Just never played it again.

 

[KenSmithFan]

This depends on what venues you plan on playing. Bars are 3 hour gigs. Theater shows are 2 hours, with an intermission for the venue to sell concessions.

The point of the post is to find out what OTHER bands are doing.

 

[Boz68]

Personally, I think the best way to fill in 3hrs as a Tribute band, is to be two tribute bands. One is the opener for the other . . . just like at a real concert. Obviously this is a bigger lift, and it may not be doable for everyone . . . but speaking from experience as an audience member, this format sure kept my attention for the entire 3hrs. It actually inspired my Foreigner tribute band to start developing another set from an even more popular band . . . so that Foreigner will essentially be the opener for (_______________). Sorry can't divulge the headline act yet.

 

[fishdreams]

Typically from 2 HRs with a small break, 1 long non stop 90 min set or 45 greatest hits set for like a big festival. This was a Doors tribute. Setlists varied, dependance on audience (hardcore Fans want more of a speciality mix than your typical summer festival ‘greatest hits’ crowd)but always ended with the same 15 minute non-stop potpourri

 

[edr]

My experience with them is for bar gigs, so let that qualify everything else I say.

It depends on what the tribute is of course (e.g. a ZZ Top tribute target audience is a little different from a Yes tribute target audience) and many other factors, but I think it's good to pair up with an opener to split a 2-3 hour slot (I'm not a pro, I get bar gigs and the set length is usually like that around me). People like to hear what they know, and chances are most of the crowd will only actually be familiar with a few hits from a given band. This way the audience gets more big hits, assuming a good band pairing.

For larger gigs / other venues, the math could be different and I'll let others speak to that. Bars tend to have casual fans of the (covered) band or people who just go "I've heard of them, that might be fun", all the way down to people who are just there because it's a bar.

EDIT: for more 'hit' coverage, you can always combine a tribute act with a non-tribute cover band that handles a nearby era/genre. Works for the same reasons.

 

[Holdsg]

I've played in several tributes to different bands.
My current Zeppelin tribute plays a roughly 2 hour set with no break. During one song (Bring it on Home), I don't play, so I get a potty break into a bucket backstage. seriously.
My recent Queen band did 2 sets of roughly 45 min each. with a 15 min break. what many on here are saying is standard.
In both of these bands, the "show" rarely deviates, as far as set list. The band leaders each set up the sets to their liking, and that's ok with me.
When I was running my own Tom Petty tribute band, we had a set list that varied, but that was more by the venue (in a bar we'd play 3 sets of about 12 songs apiece, in a theatre, we'd do the 2-set 45 min thing). And I once thought that the band doesn't like to get in a rut, so mixing up songs is preferred. Like I said, depends on the band leader's philosophy on that.

 

[jeff62]

AC/DC tribute…. We did the show. Lighting, costumes, stage presence. 2.5 - 3 hrs, no breaks. Our crowds loved it. Of course, AC/DC has tons of A-list material (enough that we could rotate many songs between shows) AND plenty of recognizable lesser hits. And even deeper cuts for true fans. We had a repertoire of 75-80 songs we could choose from. We’d occasionally do shows with one or two other tribute opening acts that would play for 30-45 min each.

 

[matty1039]

Personally, I think the best way to fill in 3hrs as a Tribute band, is to be two tribute bands. One is the opener for the other . . . just like at a real concert. Obviously this is a bigger lift, and it may not be doable for everyone . . . but speaking from experience as an audience member, this format sure kept my attention for the entire 3hrs. It actually inspired my Foreigner tribute band to start developing another set from an even more popular band . . . so that Foreigner will essentially be the opener for (_______________). Sorry can't divulge the headline act yet.

I was going to suggest something similar. When I lived outside of Atlanta the local town was having a concert in the park series with one date being Journey and Bon Jovi tribute bands. Turns out they were the same band with a costume change during the break.