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The only thing more sad and lame than a cover band is a tribute band. (Usually.)
Well, even worse is a tribute band that plays the music of an another band that still exists.
No, wait—a tribute band that plays songs from a one-off band’s one-off album … whose members live on. That’s truly scraping the musical barrel-bottom.
Okay, okay. Worser yet is a national tour of three tribute bands that run this lamentable gamut ... and cover three acts from Seattle’s early 90s heyday.
Yes, it's the 2008 Sounds of Seattle Tour, featuring Pearl Jam Ten, Nirvana Nevermind, and Temple of the Dog Hungerstrike!
PARSIPPANY, NJ January 10, 2008 - On That Note Entertainment announces the availability of a new 1990’s tribute show scheduled to tour the United States in 2008. The “Sounds of Seattle” Tour will hit the road in Spring of 2008 and offers are currently being solicited to bring the first of its kind show to concert venues throughout the US … The 3+ hour show will feature each act performing individual power sets of the greatest hits of their namesakes including mega-hits Evenflow, Black, Jeremy, Smells Like Teen Spirit...
Unprecedented! Unbelievable! Unlikely.
When we want to see Pearl Jam, we'll buy tickets to their next show (and BTW, a recent email to fan club members stated the band is "looking forward to a busy year.") Or pop in one of their myriad official bootleg CDs. If we want Nirvana live, we'll watch the finally-released Unplugged in New York. And if we want Temple of the Dog, we'll harness 1.21 gigawatts of electricity and hop back to 1991. (Wish we could.)
We respect and applaud everyone who can play an instrument, anyone who can sing--let alone those who can (apparently) match the sound of grunge greats--but if you have musical talent, why not be original?
Our money says the Sounds of Seattle Tour won't dare hit its titular city. If we're wrong, will you be there for the show?
Guitar tribute by Seattlest Flickr pooler bamassippi.
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Oh, I certainly agree. 99.999% of "tribute bands" are pathetic excuses for somewhat talented musicians with no songwriting chops of their own to have a crack at the sex/drugs/rock/roll lifestyle. What's even worse is when tribute bands play self-written songs "in the style of..." GAH! Chuck Klosterman's shadowing of a GnR tribute band really summed it all up.
That said, there is one tribute band that I can't argue isn't phenomenally good, and ranks right up with my handful of favorite bands. That would be Dark Star Orchestra, the Grateful Dead tribute, who recreate the sound of the GD with such authenticity and perfection that it is absolutely uncanny.