The Rise of Tribute Bands

During a recent interview with The Sunday Times, music journalist Tony Barrell discussed the growth of tribute bands in the UK. While he mentioned bands such as Pink Fraud, Pretend Pretenders and Clouded House, Barrell also asserted that the cradle of the tribute band is in Australia. While many big names are unwilling to play Australia, Australians responded to this reluctance by creating their own homegrown versions. One of these bands ended up drifting over to Britain.

The music industry is a notoriously centralized industry, with most profits going to a handful of lucky musicians. Because most bands only play one venue at a time, the solution is to play a tribute band. This allows the musicians to maintain a degree of creative expression and musical development while also fulfilling a need for entertainment. Contrary to the myth that a tribute band will never play a hit song, it's hard to imagine a better way to celebrate an enduring musical legacy.

While many tribute bands are formed by fans of a popular band, a few of the best tribute bands are successful enough to sustain themselves financially. Those that succeed take on the trappings of rock stardom, including managers, groupies, and tour bus. Ultimately, most tribute bands end up playing fraternity houses and dive bars. Regardless of the motivations behind the band, a tribute band's popularity is still largely dependent on its quality.

Tribute bands perform the music of a popular band, usually an iconic group. Some bands may still perform the songs of their famous counterparts, but they are most often inspired by the original artist's popularity. The Beatles, for example, inspired numerous tribute bands. The Beatles fans worldwide are particularly enamored with the band, making this a great time for them to enjoy a live performance. These musicians often perform two sets followed by an intermission.

One of the biggest problems in the music industry is that profits are concentrated in the hands of a handful of "superstars." Before the advent of recording technology, musicians could only entertain a room of people. Today, technology allows artists like Justin Bieber and Coldplay to entertain the world at once. Unfortunately, this practice has also created problems for musicians. Although musicians are able to perform in a single venue, their success is limited by their own goodwill.