The tribute band is an odd beast. While cover acts are happy to knock out some of their/their audience's favourite tunes, tribute bands go several steps further. Not only do they choose to play music by just one act (or at least various groups associated with one person), they try and replicate their hero's live performances; sometimes just musically, sometimes with wigs, costumes and even laser shows. The results can be a bit naff (fat men in bad wigs and jumpsuits trying to 'be' Jimmy Page), but tribute acts provide a trompe les orielles/l'œil opportunity for music fans to watch bands they wouldn't normally be able to see, at least without visiting an enormodome and spending ten times as much.
And they also have some amazing names. Want to see an Oasis tribute act? You could try Nowaysis, Oasish, Oasisn't or Quoasis. Dread Zeppelin play Led Zeppelin songs in a reggae style while Bon Geordie are a bunch of guys from Newcastle who dress up like Bon Jovi. Then there's all girl tributes Iron Maidens and AC/DShe, Jewish Robbie Williams impersonator Rabbi Williams and R.E.M. botherers aRe. wE. theM. Not forgetting Nearly Dan, The Faux Fighters, Husker Don't and The Not Quite Stripes. LOL out loud. Unfortunately some bands don't put the effort in, speaking of which...
Along with my fellow members of Novacain I was seriously into Radiohead in the late '90s and early '00s. The music press was full of stories about the forthcoming follow-up to 'OK Computer' in early 2000 and, when I saw that the blandly named Radiohead tribute band No Surprises were playing Joseph's Well in June, I thought it might be fun to go along. Mike, Sug and Spenner agreed.
After watching 'Final Destination' at the Warner Village on Kirkstall Road, then seeing Holland thrash Yugoslavia (!) 6-1 in the Euros, me and Spen headed down to the Well where we met Mike and Sug.
No Surprises lived up to their name, adopting the 'just play the songs' approach to tributeness, which was probably a good thing as they looked sod all like Thom, Jonny et al. The show wasn't very well attended and the lack of any real stage presence from the band didn't exactly make for an electric atmosphere. It was still entertaining though. The set leaned heavily towards 'The Bends', probably because the slightly more 'straight ahead' nature of the songs on that album made them easier to play. Having said that a faithful version of "Paranoid Android" was probably the highlight of the evening. That and the cheap alcohol. I ended up getting hammered, then 'chilling out' at mine with Mike and Suggy. We ordered pizza when the munchies set in and I ate a whole Quattro Fromaggi. Which I then threw up the next morning. Like a total Lad.
And they also have some amazing names. Want to see an Oasis tribute act? You could try Nowaysis, Oasish, Oasisn't or Quoasis. Dread Zeppelin play Led Zeppelin songs in a reggae style while Bon Geordie are a bunch of guys from Newcastle who dress up like Bon Jovi. Then there's all girl tributes Iron Maidens and AC/DShe, Jewish Robbie Williams impersonator Rabbi Williams and R.E.M. botherers aRe. wE. theM. Not forgetting Nearly Dan, The Faux Fighters, Husker Don't and The Not Quite Stripes. LOL out loud. Unfortunately some bands don't put the effort in, speaking of which...
Along with my fellow members of Novacain I was seriously into Radiohead in the late '90s and early '00s. The music press was full of stories about the forthcoming follow-up to 'OK Computer' in early 2000 and, when I saw that the blandly named Radiohead tribute band No Surprises were playing Joseph's Well in June, I thought it might be fun to go along. Mike, Sug and Spenner agreed.
After watching 'Final Destination' at the Warner Village on Kirkstall Road, then seeing Holland thrash Yugoslavia (!) 6-1 in the Euros, me and Spen headed down to the Well where we met Mike and Sug.
No Surprises lived up to their name, adopting the 'just play the songs' approach to tributeness, which was probably a good thing as they looked sod all like Thom, Jonny et al. The show wasn't very well attended and the lack of any real stage presence from the band didn't exactly make for an electric atmosphere. It was still entertaining though. The set leaned heavily towards 'The Bends', probably because the slightly more 'straight ahead' nature of the songs on that album made them easier to play. Having said that a faithful version of "Paranoid Android" was probably the highlight of the evening. That and the cheap alcohol. I ended up getting hammered, then 'chilling out' at mine with Mike and Suggy. We ordered pizza when the munchies set in and I ate a whole Quattro Fromaggi. Which I then threw up the next morning. Like a total Lad.
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