Ever been in a Tribute Band?

[FrankLowend]

This is my old King Diamond tribute band, I only did one gig with these guys, didn't make any $$, but it was fun...if you like king diamond you'll love this

Nice to see your tribute to the King, and I like the voice too. Is the same guy singing on the other band?
I'm bad to identify some songs just listen one time, but I think that you were playing The House of God...

 

[hintz]

Nice to see your tribute to the King, and I like the voice too. Is the same guy singing on the other band?
I'm bad to identify some songs just listen one time, but I think that you were playing The House of God...

Thanks!! And no, two totally separate groups, the King Diamond thing was I wanna say 2005-6, the other was late 2009-summer 2010..


Both were very fun, king diamond for the music, the journey for the crowd, pay, etc

 

[Andy_Madison]

The originals band I'm in plays a different tribute each year for Halloween. This year we're doing Billy Joel. Sometimes it's a one-off show, or maybe we'll reprise it again a few months later. It's always fun debating which band to cover, learning the songs, and then playing to a packed house.
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I'm also the bassist in a B-52s tribute. This band started off a few years ago as a one-off but keeps getting asked to play gigs.

 

[Andy_Madison]

Now I'll ask the hard question ...does playing in a tribute band kill an original career?

The band I play in probably isn't a pure example related to your question, mainly because we aren't trying to build a career out of it. That said, each fall when we start gearing up for the one-off Halloween tribute show, most of our original stuff gets put on hold for like 2 months.

 

[DDXdesign]

I play in a Porcupine Tree tribute band, Cloud Zero, in addition to my regular almost all originals prog band, Chaometry.
...
Tribute bands (to me) should be about having fun and enjoying a great band's music. YMMV.

Dude, I just had to step in and comment at this: PT are possibly my favorite band of all time, and I never would've assumed there was enough of a following for a tribute band to exist. That made my day!

 

[Fiset]

Dude, I just had to step in and comment at this: PT are possibly my favorite band of all time, and I never would've assumed there was enough of a following for a tribute band to exist. That made my day!

Yeah, just to continue this slight derail...I'm a huge PT/Steven Wilson fan. I've tried to put together a PT tribute band a couple of different times but have never been able to complete the puzzle. Hardest part was getting a drummer who can handle Gavin Harrison (no easy feat) and the proper keyboards/ambient background sound player. I'm pretty much done ever playing in a cover band again but if I could get a PT tribute band together, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

 

[wolfkeller]

Here's what I do

 

[zontar]

I was once in the opposite of a tribute band--not sure what you call that--it was a student band and we did a couple of Elton John songs--very poorly.
It was awful.
Also my first time in public in a band context.
At least I know the mistakes on one of the songs weren't mine--I turned down my volume & faked it as I drew a blank on the chords (I was playing guitar)

There's more to the story, but I take it as a cautionary tale on preparation.

 

[vlado]

I haven't yet been in a tribute band, but if there was a chance to play in an Amy Winehouse cover band I'd do that gladly. Same goes for Sade. I was thinking of forming a Soundgarden/Pearl Jam tribute, but there are so many bands playing their stuff it's just not in demand around here any more. Same goes for Police/Sting or U2 tribute. I like the music, I could see myself doing something like that, but there's plenty of them already and the market is small... On the other hand, there's plenty of bands whose music I like a lot, but they're just not commercial enough to be a good business move, bands like Morphine or Portishead, or something older like a VU/Lou Reed tribute. I wonder if The Kinks tribute would get enough work, that would be awesome to play...

 

[Lownote38]

I subbed for a bit in a Tower of Power tribute band. That was possibly the tightest band I've ever played in, and one of the most difficult as far as playing bass is concerned. Luckily, I already loved TOP and knew all the songs. Otherwise, it would have been a REALLY tough gig.

 

[rufus.K]

never been in one in 25 years