Obscure tribute bands

[SteveXFR]

I keep seeing Metallica tribute bands everywhere, there's hundreds of the buggers and most are probably terrible (even worse that the real thing post Newstead). And it got me thinking, every obvious band has their tribute act, but what's the most obscure tribute you've seen?

I once saw a Melvins tribute band which seemed pretty odd. They even had two drummers and were pretty good.

[wateroftyne]

Swedish Gentle Giant tribute, Egentligen Giant. Absolutely mind-blowing.

 

 

 

[ezbass]

One of the BC collective was in a Wishbone Ash tribute, AshboneUwish. As they were friends of mine, I saw them a few times and they were always better than the contemporary version/s of the actual band.

[Sean]

I know and chap who was in a UFO tribute act.

[Jackroadkill]

25 minutes ago, Sean said:

I know and chap who was in a UFO tribute act.

 

It must be Elvis, right?!

[chriswareham]

I was on the same bill as a Mott The Hoople tribute a few years ago. They had a right strop when they found out they were support, and in the end we let them headline. Sadly for them everyone was there to see us, a Joy Division tribute, and the audience promptly scarpered as soon as we finished. To their credit, they proceeded to play for what seemed an eternity until the sound engineer finally pulled the plug on them ... which was before they'd even got to the Bowie penned track that the original band is remembered for.

[BigAlonBass]

5 hours ago, ezbass said:

One of the BC collective was in a Wishbone Ash tribute, AshboneUwish. As they were friends of mine, I saw them a few times and they were always better than the contemporary version/s of the actual band.

I spent an enjoyable couple of years in "Wishblowin' Ash", and we worked the North-East regularly. Bit of a niche Band, but the people who were into the original Band seemed to rather enjoy themselves at our Gigs. 

[Alanko]

I saw a Pink Floyd tribute act years ago called Ummagumma. They played songs exclusively from pre-Dark Side of the Moon Floyd albums. Therefore, no Money, Wish you were Here or Comfortably Numb, but everything from Live at Pompeii except that song where they wheel out a dog. 8/10 for authenticity.

[SteveXFR]

23 minutes ago, Alanko said:

I saw a Pink Floyd tribute act years ago called Ummagumma. They played songs exclusively from pre-Dark Side of the Moon Floyd albums. Therefore, no Money, Wish you were Here or Comfortably Numb, but everything from Live at Pompeii except that song where they wheel out a dog. 8/10 for authenticity.

 

I like that. Tribute to a hugely popular rock band that doesn't play the songs everyone wants to hear.

[Alanko]

10 minutes ago, SteveXFR said:

 

I like that. Tribute to a hugely popular rock band that doesn't play the songs everyone wants to hear.

I don't even think they even played the Syd Barrett stuff, which at least has cudos points in the realm of Paisley Underground and the lighter end of Britpop, with a chic outsider art thing going on.

This was strictly the wilderness years of post-Barrett, pre-Dark Side. Lots of fiddling around with guitar slides and delay pedals.

[SteveXFR]

9 minutes ago, Alanko said:

I don't even think they even played the Syd Barrett stuff, which at least has cudos points in the realm of Paisley Underground and the lighter end of Britpop, with a chic outsider art thing going on.

This was strictly the wilderness years of post-Barrett, pre-Dark Side. Lots of fiddling around with guitar slides and delay pedals.

 

Their live sets must be constantly interrupted by drunk people shouting "Play Money/comfortably numb/brick in the wall"

[Boodang]

I started an Eberhard Weber tribute band doing his solo work, took three bass players to take his place. Did one gig, everybody said what the actual F was that and the project hasn't seen the light of day since. Took a year to learn the songs and get them down properly but the effort was worth it from a musical growth perspective if nothing else (certainly wasn't a financial success!). 

[warwickhunt]

I'd guess that our Cheap Trick tribute 'Cheat Trick' will be the most known obscure tribute on BC!    

 

 

 

[lemmywinks]

15 hours ago, chriswareham said:

I was on the same bill as a Mott The Hoople tribute a few years ago. They had a right strop when they found out they were support, and in the end we let them headline. Sadly for them everyone was there to see us, a Joy Division tribute, and the audience promptly scarpered as soon as we finished. To their credit, they proceeded to play for what seemed an eternity until the sound engineer finally pulled the plug on them ... which was before they'd even got to the Bowie penned track that the original band is remembered for.

 

 

 

I sincerely hope they were called "Nott the Hoople", otherwise what's the point?

[FugaziBomb]

[Cliff Edge]

There was a Queen tribute band I shared the bill with years ago called Flash Harry.  They put on a good show. 

[Cosmo Valdemar]

9 hours ago, SteveXFR said:

 

I like that. Tribute to a hugely popular rock band that doesn't play the songs everyone wants to hear.

That's the MO of my Sabbath tribute. No Paranoid, Iron Man or anything. Alas it's still just at the planning stage.

I imagine the lights dimming to the sound of the air raid sirens... drummer counts out 6/8 and - straight into Wheels Of Confusion 😆

[chriswareham]

1 hour ago, lemmywinks said:

 

 

 

I sincerely hope they were called "Nott the Hoople", otherwise what's the point?

 

A quick Google (other search engines are available), and there is a "Not the Hoople". They look to young to be the guys we were on the same bill with, as they were a bunch of guys who looked and sounded like they had quite a bit of history. They were very polished, but it seemed like a fairly niche band to be a tribute act for.

[Bassassin]

Back in the 90s there was an excellent Thin Lizzy trib in Glasgow - Fat Betty.

 

For years I've wanted to create a tribute to Sweden's two greatest musical exports - ABBAration will either play the music of Opeth in the style of ABBA, or the music of ABBA in the style of Opeth. Or possibly both.

[Doctor J]

Alternatively... Fernanodopeth

[warwickhunt]

33 minutes ago, Bassassin said:

For years I've wanted to create a tribute to Sweden's two greatest musical exports - ABBAration will either play the music of Opeth in the style of ABBA, or the music of ABBA in the style of Opeth. Or possibly both.

 

There was a Swedish rock band doing ABBA songs in the rock music genre/style... entertaining for 30 seconds per song; they might have even done rock songs in an ABBA style!

[Alanko]

25 minutes ago, Doctor J said:

Alternatively... Fernanodopeth

"Fernandopeth" sounds like it should be followed by "epidemic". Some sort of synthetic party drug that makes promising college freshmen eat their own faces when taken in higher doses.

[Woodinblack]

13 hours ago, Alanko said:

This was strictly the wilderness years of post-Barrett, pre-Dark Side. Lots of fiddling around with guitar slides and delay pedals.

 

I would happily go and see a pink floyd tribute that did meddle and promised not to do money!

[SteveXFR]

4 hours ago, Cosmo Valdemar said:

That's the MO of my Sabbath tribute. No Paranoid, Iron Man or anything. Alas it's still just at the planning stage.

I imagine the lights dimming to the sound of the air raid sirens... drummer counts out 6/8 and - straight into Wheels Of Confusion 😆

 

Every cover band does Paranoid (badly) and Iron Man is a bit over played. The Wizard should be in your set as well, I covered it in a band once it's great to play on bass 

[Cosmo Valdemar]

1 hour ago, SteveXFR said:

 

Every cover band does Paranoid (badly) and Iron Man is a bit over played. The Wizard should be in your set as well, I covered it in a band once it's great to play on bass 

Our singer is a killer harp player so we absolutely will do The Wizard! Also, true to the aim of the band, we'll do Swinging The Chain as well 😆