What's the point of tribute bands?

Can someone please explain this to me, because I honestly just don't see the appeal. 😁

So, here's the deal. There is a band—or there used to be one. And they were great, truly great, so much so that someone decided to go out and create... the exact same band 😕 but slightly different?
Because let's be honest, no tribute band can ever truly capture the magic of the original.

What got me thinking about all this was No Angel, whom I had the (un)fortunate opportunity to hear at a festival in Rockville earlier this month. Honestly, they were so dreadful that I was left completely speechless. 😁

There was actually another tribute act performing there too, some sort of Red Hot Chili Peppers tribute group. 😁 They didn't mess up quite as badly, though I still fail to see the point of it all.

Think about it: a band exists, and then you decide to go out and perform a carbon copy of their entire identity? We aren't even talking about covers here—which, while I think they make sense (though I’d personally much rather hear people play original material, even if it's mediocre, just so they realize music might not be their calling—maybe 😁).
We are talking about literally mimicking someone else's specific musical expression and style.

I have heard people argue that if a band has been gone for a very long time (like The Beatles, for example) then it serves a purpose to introduce people to such an essential influence on all subsequent bands and music in general.
But I still don't get it. Even if you can replicate the music (especially if the songs are relatively straightforward to play), how on earth are you supposed to imitate a voice like John Lennon's or Paul McCartney's? It is simply impossible. And what are the odds that someone with a similar voice would also happen to play the songs exactly the way The Beatles did?

Even if every single technical requirement were met, what is the actual point when I KNOW deep down that it isn't them? 😁

Tribute bands are absolute bottom-of-the-barrel garbage and I honestly can't stand them. Just go out there and create something original for once, damn it. 😁

I honestly don't see the point in these tribute bands—groups that might be technically proficient at mimicking a sound, sure, but they completely fail to capture the actual soul or the raw message of the original artists. It’s hard to wrap my head around why anyone would pour their talent and years of practice into something so fundamentally uncreative. I mean, isn't there a much greater satisfaction in actually building something new—something original that belongs to you?

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against covers. If a musician finds genuine inspiration in a song and wants to offer their own unique interpretation, that can actually add a layer of personal artistry to the work. But trying to hijack an entire discography and basically cosplay as someone else's identity? That’s just nonsense.
Bands that have already folded have already said what they had to say—there’s nothing left to add. For me, nobody can ever replace The Beatles, Bob Marley, or any of those legends. And frankly, I have no interest in listening to anyone who tries to step into those shoes. Besides, when I listen to the original acts, I'm looking for that specific, god-given spark that makes them unique in the first place. 🙂

silverpanther13 said:I simply cannot fathom why anyone would squander their innate talent and expertise on something so utterly devoid of creativity.

It’s all about the money, as usual. ☕
I have a profound distaste for these tribute bands. 😠

Honestly, I might as well just play over some mashed potatoes—it’d probably go over better than this 😉

And honestly? From the bottom of my soul, I just can't stand tribute bands. 🤮

silverpanther13 said:well, I could always just play at state fairs; honestly, they might even get better reception there 😉

But let’s be honest here... you’re essentially just playing a setlist from one single band—presumably the one you actually enjoy—while quietly padding your wallet... you know, that whole pre-alternative vibe where you perform at county carnivals, much like, how do I put this, LIKE 😳

Look, man, you can't please everyone—everyone's wired differently, I guess. We don't all see eye to eye or vibe on the same wavelength, which probably makes sense. Personally, I think it's kind of lame, but hey, if people want to get hyped about it... let 'em. Life's too short to be a buzzkill, right?

You can catch a live show for cheap and just enjoy some music you'll never hear performed by the actual original lineup again. 🤷

And if you drink enough to get lost in the moment, you stop caring whether they're the real deal or not. 😁

If they actually sound good, tribute bands are worth checking out...

slyorca62 said:Look, you can't please everyone—different strokes for different folks, I guess. We don't all think or vibe the same way, which is probably why. Personally, I think they're pretty mediocre, but hey, if people want to enjoy them... life is too short to spend it being miserable about someone else's fun.

Sure, sure, that logic applies to pretty much any genre—even something like bad pop or trashy country—but that’s not really what we’re getting at here. People should play whatever they feel like. But we *can* talk about the actual value of it, or the purpose behind it... I don't mind a tribute concert, but I've never been a fan of bands that build their entire careers solely on someone else's legacy.🤷

Hoho, what a messy thread.

If a tribute band actually nails the music and the guys have great energy on stage—honestly, I don't care if they aren't playing original songs. I've caught a few killer shows (like The Doors Experience, a Led Zeppelin tribute, and an RHCP/RATM night at The Fillmore), and those bands crushed it. They played with real soul and built an atmosphere you just can't replicate by listening to a recording. Leave the artistic identity crises to the performers—most of them have their own original projects to worry about anyway. Besides, you aren't going to win a guitar at a listening party like you might at a Jimi Hendrix tribute.

And I can't stand those tribute bands. Especially those extreme ones.

There’s a massive difference between a tribute act, a legit tribute, and just a basic cover band 😁

Personally, I don't mind when a venue puts on a special night, say, dedicated to Iron Maiden 😁 where they bring in one core band along with some guest musicians to pull the whole set off. We don't exactly get the chance to see those legendary acts touring through our neck of the woods every single day, so it’s actually pretty cool to hear that music played live once in a while.
But honestly, when people start overdoing it and trying too hard to mimic the originals? That's just pointless nonsense.

I don't care about the money—if musicians genuinely love a band so much they just can't pass up a chance to do something like this, then I'm all for it. Though, honestly, I don't usually pay much attention to tribute acts. On one hand, maybe it’s more honorable than just ripping off someone else's music to push their own stuff, heh.

nimbleheron3 said:the bands really knocked it out of the park

Don't you see the issue with how that was phrased? 🤔

Plus, you can't just walk into a listening session and walk away with a guitar like you could at a Jimi Hendrix tribute show tomorrow.

Personally, I feel like going to a tribute band is a last resort—something you only do if there is absolutely nothing else happening in town, though even then, I usually prefer staying in or finding something actually funny to watch. 😁

I mean, why would I bother listening to a cover version of a live set when I can just stay cozy at home and listen to the actual original recording? 😁

brightridge59 said:I’ve heard people argue that if a band has been gone for ages (like The Beatles, for example), then it makes sense to bring something that massive back to the public since they shaped everything that followed in music.
I still don't see the point. Even if you can mimic the music—especially if the songs aren't overly complex to play—how on earth are you supposed to replicate the vocals of
John Lennon or Paul McCartney? It's physically impossible. And what are the odds that someone with a similar voice would also happen to play those tracks exactly the way The Beatles did?
Even if they hit every single mark, what's the actual purpose of it all when I KNOW it isn't them? 😁

You 😬can

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJ52sC59hDg

Tribute bands will exist as long as there's an audience hungry for them. Personally, I don't get techno or house, and I couldn't care less about it, but I don't waste my breath questioning the philosophical necessity of its existence, let alone searching for some deeper meaning behind it. It's a free market and a democracy, and that's 😁just
how it works.

brightridge59 said:Why bother with some bootleg live recording when I can just sit at home and listen to the studio original? It seems like a redundant exercise—why settle for a grainy, imperfect imitation when the pristine, master version is right there on the shelf? 😁

Why bother staying home to listen to an original record when you could actually head out? You could go meet people, grab a decent drink, have a blast, and maybe get a little rowdy—all while experiencing live music. It’s just a better way to live.Copies.Which band do you actually love? 😁

Then what’s the point of headphones?
What is even the point of live concerts anymore? I mean—honestly—I can just sit on my couch, listen to a high-fidelity CD, or spend an evening watching concert films on Blu-ray. It’s all right there. Why bother with the hassle?

Let me give you a concrete example—you have Vedran Božić, Ervin Baučić, and the rest of the crew playing—it’s essentially a Led Zeppelin tribute band.
Of course I’d go—I wouldn't miss that concert for anything. When you have the chance to see musicians of that caliber playing the kind of world-class music that only a legendary band can produce—music I likely won't ever have the opportunity to experience live again—you simply don't pass it up. It's one of those rare, once-in-a-lifetime scenarios.

Look, what you stumbled upon—an obviously subpar tribute band—is one thing entirely; that doesn't necessarily mean the entire concept of tribute acts is flawed. It’s like judging an entire genre of literature based on one poorly written paperback you picked up at a gas station. One bad experience shouldn't color your view of the whole scene. 😁 Honestly, there’s a legitimate argument to be made that some of these versions—perhaps even certain covers—actually manage to outshine the original recordings. 😬

I actually enjoy hitting up tribute bands. You get out of the house, have a good time, and catch some live music you actually care about—it beats sitting in some sterile listening room any day. Of course, that’s assuming the band actually knows what they're doing.

As for playing in a band like that myself? No way. The only way I'd ever do it would be opening for the actual headliners, just for the hell of it.

Regarding tribute bands, I can only quote Milan:

"Why do we even exist? To provide some flesh to God. Because the Bible doesn't demand that we... search for the meaning of life. It demands that we multiply. Love one another and multiply. Get this straight: the meaning behind 'love one another' isn't about being merciful, compassionate, spiritual, or passionate—it's much simpler than that. It just means: 'make love,' 'reproduce'... (he lowers his voice, leaning in closer) 'get laid!' That is the sole purpose of human existence. Everything else is just nonsense!"

I've been spending quite a bit of time lately thinking about the sheer scale of what we're discussing here, almost like looking out over the vast expanse of the Great Plains and realizing just how much ground there actually is to cover. It’s one of those things that hits you when you finally sit down to really process everything, isn't it? I remember sitting back in my study last autumn, watching the leaves turn in Seattle, and feeling that exact same sense of overwhelming magnitude. Sometimes, when you dive this deep into a topic, the sheer breadth of it can feel a bit daunting, but I find there's a certain quiet beauty in that complexity if you approach it with enough patience. brightridge59 says:
I can certainly do that. 😬

I was just sitting here reflecting on that video link you shared, and it really struck a chord with me. It’s one of those pieces that demands you slow down and actually sit with it for a moment. I found myself drifting back to a rainy afternoon in Seattle a few years ago—just me, a warm cup of coffee, and some old vinyl spinning in the background—feeling that exact same sense of quiet contemplation. There is something incredibly profound about how certain melodies can bypass our logic and go straight to the soul. It reminds me of why we fell in love with music in the first place; it isn't just about the technical proficiency or the production quality, though those are certainly important, but rather that intangible connection between the artist's intent and our own lived experiences. It’s a beautiful thing when a piece of art manages to bridge that gap so seamlessly. Thanks for sharing this; it was exactly the kind of peaceful detour my afternoon needed.

brightridge59 said:Even if every single one of those criteria were perfectly met, I find myself wondering—once again—what the actual point of any of this is, knowing full well that they aren't the ones we're looking for? 😁

Tribute bands are going to stick around as long as there’s an audience hungry for them and a demand for the music. To be honest, I don't really "get" techno or house, and they aren't exactly my cup of tea, but I'm not one of those people who sits around philosophizing about who needs it or why it exists in the first place. I certainly don't go looking for some deep, existential purpose behind every genre. At the end of the day, it's just the free market and democracy at work, plain and simple. 😁

Everything feels absolutely wonderful—we’ve got free will and all that good stuff! 😁 But honestly, I find myself sitting here wondering what the actual point or essence of it all really is. Shoot me. 😛

crimsonotter12 said:If that’s the case, then what is the actual point of having a listening room?
I sometimes find myself wondering about the whole point of live concerts in the first place. I mean, if you really think about it, why bother dealing with the crowds and the noise? You can just sit back in your favorite armchair at home, put on a high-quality CD, or spend an evening watching concert films on DVD, and honestly, isn't that just as good? It feels like such a hassle when you could just enjoy the music in total peace.

The whole concept behind a dedicated listening room is fundamentally different from what you get at a tribute band show, and honestly, when I’m sitting there watching a group perform the music I love, I feel like explaining the deeper significance of the experience is almost entirely unnecessary. 😁

Look, I think there might be a slight misunderstanding here. If you happened to stumble upon an obviously subpar tribute band, that’s one thing entirely, but we can't let one bad experience color our entire perspective. Just because you encountered a group that missed the mark doesn't necessarily mean that all tribute acts are inherently lacking. It’s a bit like walking into a single mediocre diner in Chicago and deciding that every restaurant in the Midwest serves terrible food—it simply isn't a fair assessment of the whole scene! 😁 On the contrary, I honestly think some of them might even surpass the originals. 😬

I have to say, I recently stumbled upon some truly dreadful tribute bands, and honestly, it was quite an experience. 🙂 But look, even if we’re talking about the absolute best in the business, I still just don't quite grasp the whole point of it all. I honestly struggle to see any profound artistic merit in what they're doing. 😳