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Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Tribute Acts - Part 1

Tribute acts, a performer or band that primarily plays the music of one band, have been around forever. Over the last decade, or so, they've grown in popularity.

Elvis impersonaters are probably the best known purveyors of this craft. There's 'real money' in the tribute arena, so, let's take a closer look.

There's a chain of 'chicken joints' that feature 'live' music in the Southeast called, Wild Wing Cafe. They locate primarily around big-cities and colleges, drawing on the 20-something crowd. They have incredible draws by featuring 'big hair' tribute bands. A popular act is, 'Slipery When Wet,' a Bon Jovi tribute band.

Before you scoff and say, 'I ain't cheesy, I'm a musician,' know that these tribute bands are pulling up to $1,500 from bars for a single night!

In my next post, I'll give you some suggestions of what you'll need to do prior to launching your tribute act.

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4 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  2. Why can't it be Grateful Dead, Allman Brothers, Stones, Beatles, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Dylan, etc., and some good originals squeezed in between known material?

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  3. Art - The acts that you mentioned are all great choices to cover with a tribute band. If you do it right, you'll attract a huge following.

    One bit of advice, don't try to infuse originals into a tribute band act. The draw is in playing only songs from the band your covering. Save the originals for another venue.

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  4. After re-reading Art's comment, I realized that he was proposing a 'classic rock cover band.'

    That has been the 'standard' band model for years.

    I'm suggesting a 'twist' on that model, one that can significantly increase your draw and your income.

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