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Your experiences of playing in a tribute band.


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18 minutes ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said:

Eek - that’s a drive and a half from South Essex 🙁

Well, I'm expecting that we may get around a bit - there's talk of gigs all over the place. Whether we get down to South Essex is another thing, but you never know (I have done gigs on the Kentish coast before now)! 

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I joined a startup Iron Maiden tribute last year with little to no knowledge of the band’s music.

I've really enjoyed the process of learning the material and getting the show together and have also gained massive respect for Steve Harris!

 

Edited by BigAl
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9 hours ago, FinnDave said:

That's the best bit  - I play in a Grateful Dead tribute, so we are not making piles of money, or playing every weekend, but have a very enthusiastic and knowledgeable  audience when we do. It's a great feeling when the audience cheers at the first three notes of a song because they know and love it as much as we do.

I made more money playing in pubs every weekend, but playing to indifferent audiences drains the enthusiasm out of you after a while. 

Very definitely this.  You get a wave of appreciation coming back at you that is nothing remotely like what you get as a pub band.  Above all it is immense fun, which is what it is all about.

I'm in a Bon Jovi tribute - Just Jovi.  For reasons I can't quite still understand we have no professionally shot film yet but this is what we have by way of a demo.  (plug - next gig 23rd Feb Leigh Community Centre)

 

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2 hours ago, BigAl said:

I joined a startup Iron Maiden tribute last year with little to no knowledge of the band’s music.

I've really enjoyed the process of learning the material and getting the show together and have also gained massive respect for Steve Harris!

 

Did you break into Maiden's wardrobe? I've been a Maiden fan for 30+ years and play Maiden songs on my Steve Harris p bass. Lots of respect for you guys for  wearing all that gear. I could not do it no matter what.

Edited by SH73
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Just started a Dr Feelgood tribute with three other Feelgood nuts, we have our first session together in a couple of weeks, and having all played the music in previous bands and knowing their music well, we are hoping it will all come together quite quickly, we are aiming to get the sound and feel as close as possible but we definitely won't be a look-a-like tribute act.

We know Dr Feelgood weren't a massive band and lots of people won't have even heard of them, but having played about a dozen of their songs in a previous "old school" R&B band, I know that their no-nonsense, in-your-face music appeals to many ,and certainly got people up dancing.

We are not looking to play anything more than local pubs, clubs, and maybe the odd local festival, so we know we won't make money out of it, but we will be playing the music we all enjoy. 😉

 

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19 minutes ago, thebrig said:

Just started a Dr Feelgood tribute with three other Feelgood nuts, we have our first session together in a couple of weeks, and having all played the music in previous bands and knowing their music well, we are hoping it will all come together quite quickly, we are aiming to get the sound and feel as close as possible but we definitely won't be a look-a-like tribute act.

We know Dr Feelgood weren't a massive band and lots of people won't have even heard of them, but having played about a dozen of their songs in a previous "old school" R&B band, I know that their no-nonsense, in-your-face music appeals to many ,and certainly got people up dancing.

We are not looking to play anything more than local pubs, clubs, and maybe the odd local festival, so we know we won't make money out of it, but we will be playing the music we all enjoy. 😉

 

saw the 'real' feelgoods (no original members, so a tribute really) a couple of years ago, they were awful

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I formed and then spent 26 years with the KISS Tribute 'Dressed To Kill'. We were one of the first tributes in this country (along with T-Rextasy/Bootleg Beatles/Counterfeit Stones) and so were lucky enough to get in first with fan clubs, Promoters, the band themselves etc....
It was hard work - I immersed myself in the character and had to have an expensive costume made, learn to firebreathe, stomp around on 7" monster stack heels, spit blood and lead sing while hip grinding and playing bass (!!) etc.... but it was well worth it for the life experiences, travel, reasonable financial reward and people (women) *ahem* I met!

5095095

Highlights included:
10 day 'tribute package' tour of major Japanese theatres and arenas (inc 12,000 at the Tokyo Ariake Coliseum!) with TV interviews and live show on NHK
Halloween 'private party' at Casino De Paris in Monaco for the highest rollers
Multiple dates across Spain, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Norway & Sweden for Promoters and Fan Club events
Appearing with Gene Simmons in both his 'Rock School' & 'Family Jewels' TV series'
MTV Interview/Feature on Headbangers Ball
3 page 'spread' in Kerrang on our FIRST ever show!
Live reviews in major rock publications (RAW, Kerrang, Metal Hammer ettc)
KISS Product launches (album releases, DVD promo)
Volvo corporate launch party
Playing to 5000 people on the beach as the sun went down at Lloret De Mar in Spain.
Headlining various tribute festivals etc
etc etc

However, after you've done it for the length of time I did, you look across the stage and see a bunch of tired, ageing guys paying tribute to an even older group of guys and realise that it would be nice to go out on top so I stopped. They have continued on and are proving my point for leaving...

I now perform with a fantastic theatre tribute to 'Rock Anthems & Power Ballads' called 'LEATHER & LACE' which I love as I get to stretch my musical muscles and I don't have to wear costume armour with 7" monster stack heel boots etc... lol!

Here's our promo (all music is us!):

 

Edited by cetera
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1 hour ago, SH73 said:

Did you break into Maiden's wardrobe? I've been a Maiden fan for 30+ years and play Maiden songs on my Steve Harris p bass. Lots of respect for you guys for  wearing all that gear. I could not do it no matter what.

😆

For me that’s all part of the fun!

It helps me get into character too.

We’re trying to recreate the ‘Live After Death/World Slavery’  tour with as much detail as we can hence the getup.

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12 hours ago, peteb said:

We are based around Leeds and surrounding areas. Let me know if you can make it to a gig once we get up and running and I will make sure we can meet up and I can introduce you to the guys. 

The band is called 'A Storyteller's Night' and the first gig is in Rotherham on 30 March. The website can be found at on https://www.storytellers-night.co.uk/ and of course you can find us on Facebook as well. There are a few clips from (very) early rehearsals on the Facebook page if you're interested. 

I will try to keep tabs on this venture. Unfortunately I have a gig myself on Mar 30th but hope to see this at some point. I have family in west yorkshire so I get up there from time to time and Rotherham is doable from Nottm (occasionally get to classic rock society gigs there) so might see you at some time Pete. I've tried singing along to classic Magnum in the car and it always makes my throat hurt so I suspect Bob's voice isn't that easy to get someone to do justice to ! Good luck with it.

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59 minutes ago, cetera said:

I formed and then spent 26 years with the KISS Tribute 'Dressed To Kill'. We were one of the first tributes in this country (along with T-Rextasy/Bootleg Beatles/Counterfeit Stones) and so were lucky enough to get in first with fan clubs, Promoters, the band themselves etc....
It was hard work - I immersed myself in the character and had to have an expensive costume made, learn to firebreathe, stomp around on 7" monster stack heels, spit blood and lead sing while hip grinding and playing bass (!!) etc.... but it was well worth it for the life experiences, travel, reasonable financial reward and people (women) *ahem* I met!

5095095

Highlights included:
10 day 'tribute package' tour of major Japanese theatres and arenas (inc 12,000 at the Tokyo Ariake Coliseum!) with TV interviews and live show on NHK
Halloween 'private party' at Casino De Paris in Monaco for the highest rollers
Multiple dates across Spain, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Norway & Sweden for Promoters and Fan Club events
Appearing with Gene Simmons in both his 'Rock School' & 'Family Jewels' TV series'
MTV Interview/Feature on Headbangers Ball
3 page 'spread' in Kerrang on our FIRST ever show!
Live reviews in major rock publications (RAW, Kerrang, Metal Hammer ettc)
KISS Product launches (album releases, DVD promo)
Volvo corporate launch party
Headlining various tribute festivals etc
etc etc

However, after you've done it for the length of time I did, you look across the stage and see a bunch of tired, ageing guys paying tribute to an even older group of guys and realise that it would be nice to go out on top so I stopped. They have continued on and are proving my point for leaving...

I now perform with a fantastic theatre tribute to 'Rock Anthems & Power Ballads' called 'LEATHER & LACE' which I love as I get to stretch my musical muscles and I don't have to wear costume armour with 7" monster stack heel boots etc... lol!

Here's our promo (all music is us!):

 

Are you sure you aint still wearing those 7" boots. You're still a good foot taller than the guitarist. 

Band sounds excellent and hopefuly you'll be taking this on a full UK tour. I've seen a few tributes to of Rock, Story of the Guitar kind of shows in Motherwell Concert / Theatre Hall and this would pull a good crowd i reckon Gary.

Dave

 

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I've recently joined a Marillion tribute band, doing both Fish and H era material. Not that I look a lot like Pete Trewavas, but I do play a Warwick Thumb. Now I just have to try and play more stuff with a plectrum.

We're still looking for a singer though - based in Nottingham, if anyone should know somebody who might be interested.

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3 minutes ago, dmccombe7 said:

Are you sure you aint still wearing those 7" boots. You're still a good foot taller than the guitarist. 

Band sounds excellent and hopefuly you'll be taking this on a full UK tour. I've seen a few tributes to of Rock, Story of the Guitar kind of shows in Motherwell Concert / Theatre Hall and this would pull a good crowd i reckon Gary.

Dave

 


Lol! I'm 6ft 2 without boots anyway!
The boots are in storage..... and may come out if I want to win a high stakes 'Halloween costume' competition! ;)

Cheers mate - we're getting around England/Wales a fair bit during 2019 but hope to get up to Scotland in 2020 :)

 

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54 minutes ago, PaulWarning said:

saw the 'real' feelgoods (no original members, so a tribute really) a couple of years ago, they were awful

I saw the band that call themselves Dr Feelgood after Lee Brilleaux died, Pete Gage fronted the band and was a good frontman, and to be fair, they were pretty good, but I saw them a few year's ago after Robert Kane replaced him, and I must admit, they weren't that great.

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1 hour ago, BigAl said:

😆

For me that’s all part of the fun!

It helps me get into character too.

We’re trying to recreate the ‘Live After Death/World Slavery’  tour with as much detail as we can hence the getup.

My favourite album. I listened to it twice a day as a teenager when it came out both LP and tape. I still own the Live After Death VHS.

It is 'The' album that made me play bass. Got a walking Edddie too ? ( no, I'm not looking for a part time job).

Edited by SH73
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25 minutes ago, thebrig said:

I saw the band that call themselves Dr Feelgood after Lee Brilleaux died, Pete Gage fronted the band and was a good frontman, and to be fair, they were pretty good, but I saw them a few year's ago after Robert Kane replaced him, and I must admit, they weren't that great.

While respecting your evaluation of their musical worth, I don’t think we can deny them the right to continue given that the ‘other 3’ were longest-serving members. They’re in a cleft stick, really - too imitative and they’ll get slagged, too different and they’ll... well, you see what I mean?

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14 hours ago, peteb said:

I’ve just joined a Magnum tribute band, which hasn’t done a gig yet but still getting a load of interest. Great players with an excellent singer and a keys player who has a bit of history with the original band (played / wrote on the singer’s first solo album)…

Just make sure you don't beach endlessly about your keyboard player if he leaves the band ... ;)

I'm guessing there's certainly a niche there - with Kingdom Of Madness going out doing the older stuff, and Bob Catley sounding more like a death metal singer nowadays ...

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17 minutes ago, SH73 said:

My favourite album. I listened to it twice a day as a teenager when it came out both LP and tape. I still own the Live After Death VHS.

It is 'The' album that made me play bass. Got a walking Edddie too ? ( no, I'm not looking for a part time job).

Yes we have a tall friend who comes out dressed as a mummy Eddie 😃

It’s a great album for sure!

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2 hours ago, cetera said:

I formed and then spent 26 years with the KISS Tribute 'Dressed To Kill'. We were one of the first tributes in this country (along with T-Rextasy/Bootleg Beatles/Counterfeit Stones) and so were lucky enough to get in first with fan clubs, Promoters, the band themselves etc....
It was hard work - I immersed myself in the character and had to have an expensive costume made, learn to firebreathe, stomp around on 7" monster stack heels, spit blood and lead sing while hip grinding and playing bass (!!) etc.... but it was well worth it for the life experiences, travel, reasonable financial reward and people (women) *ahem* I met!

5095095

Highlights included:
10 day 'tribute package' tour of major Japanese theatres and arenas (inc 12,000 at the Tokyo Ariake Coliseum!) with TV interviews and live show on NHK
Halloween 'private party' at Casino De Paris in Monaco for the highest rollers
Multiple dates across Spain, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Norway & Sweden for Promoters and Fan Club events
Appearing with Gene Simmons in both his 'Rock School' & 'Family Jewels' TV series'
MTV Interview/Feature on Headbangers Ball
3 page 'spread' in Kerrang on our FIRST ever show!
Live reviews in major rock publications (RAW, Kerrang, Metal Hammer ettc)
KISS Product launches (album releases, DVD promo)
Volvo corporate launch party
Headlining various tribute festivals etc
etc etc

However, after you've done it for the length of time I did, you look across the stage and see a bunch of tired, ageing guys paying tribute to an even older group of guys and realise that it would be nice to go out on top so I stopped. They have continued on and are proving my point for leaving...

I now perform with a fantastic theatre tribute to 'Rock Anthems & Power Ballads' called 'LEATHER & LACE' which I love as I get to stretch my musical muscles and I don't have to wear costume armour with 7" monster stack heel boots etc... lol!

Here's our promo (all music is us!):

 

Absolute respect to you guys, excellent band with great vocals (not forgetting bass), I would definitely pay to see the band perform. 👍

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13 hours ago, peteb said:

We are based around Leeds and surrounding areas. Let me know if you can make it to a gig once we get up and running and I will make sure we can meet up and I can introduce you to the guys. 

The band is called 'A Storyteller's Night' and the first gig is in Rotherham on 30 March. The website can be found at on https://www.storytellers-night.co.uk/ and of course you can find us on Facebook as well. There are a few clips from (very) early rehearsals on the Facebook page if you're interested. 

Is that at the Cutlers Pete?

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9 minutes ago, steantval said:

Absolute respect to you guys, excellent band with great vocals (not forgetting bass), I would definitely pay to see the band perform. 👍


Thank you very much Sir! We'd love to see you....
We have a website at: http://www.leatherandlaceshow.com and a facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/leatherandlaceshow

Dates are listed on both :)

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1 hour ago, cetera said:


Lol! I'm 6ft 2 without boots anyway!
The boots are in storage..... and may come out if I want to win a high stakes 'Halloween costume' competition! ;)

Cheers mate - we're getting around England/Wales a fair bit during 2019 but hope to get up to Scotland in 2020 :)

 

Remember to mention on BC and i'll make a point of attending the gig.

Dave

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