Through the past decade we have experienced an explosion of tribute acts into the mainstream entertainment world. It has been widely debated as to the credibility of the bands as being “sell outs” and making a living playing other musicians’ music.
Does this mean that the philharmonic orchestra is guilty of being a cheesy tribute act because they perform the music of Mozart? I know I’m stretching this a bit, but it does warrant some thought.
A tribute act is a group that plays the songs of a band they admire, often dressing in the style of the original band members. Many of these acts often come up with clever names to emulate their hero. Some of the puns are amusing. There is a band called “Dread Zeppelin” which plays Zeppelin music with a reggae style. Then there is “Mandonna” which, you might have guessed is an all male tribute to Madonna. Not to be outdone in the gender race, the females have their own tribute acts such as “Iron Maidens” and “AC/DShe.”
Tribute acts are a force in today’s entertainment industry. The bands have credible musicians and some have a stage show that is approved by the actual group. Aerosmith has endorsed “Draw the Line” as the most authentic experience next to them. Aerosmith even allows the tribute act to sell real Aerosmith merchandise.
I’ve talked to Jason Scheff, the bass player and lead singer from the band Chicago and Jonathan Cain, the keyboard player from the band Journey. Jason and Jonathan both agreed that it’s gratifying that tribute acts carry the legacy of the original music of any band. They were both flattered that bands want to play their music and didn’t have a problem with it. Scheff also offered that when he’s not on the road with Chicago, he has a side gig that is a U2 tribute band. Who knew?
Today, tribute bands can reach out to a younger audience that didn’t have the chance to experience the real thing. Often tribute acts emulate a group that is deceased or doesn’t tour anymore. Tribute acts allow generations to bond. Now mom and dad can enjoy a Beatles experience with their kids. “Rain” and “Beatlemania” are recognized as two of the top touring Beatles tribute bands in recent memory. Both have enjoyed lengthy stints on Broadway and toured the world, a tribute (pun intended) to the quality of their shows.
If you need further validation that tribute bands are here to stay, look no further than our own backyard. Bradford will have the chance to experience what is regarded as one of the top tribute bands in the world. “The Music of ABBA featuring The ARRIVAL from Sweden” performs with ABBA’s original musicians. ARRIVAL From Sweden is the only group that has the right to copy ABBA’s original stage outfits. They’ve been selling out venues all over the world since 1995.
On July 24, they can add one more sell out to that list.
