Attack of the tribute bands

There’s no music like live music. But not everyone is lucky enough to catch their favorite band before a breakup (or death) makes that a pipe dream.

Fortunately, the age of tributes is upon us, and it’s given rise to a sea of obsessive cover bands that resurrect everyone from Jimi Hendrix and The Beatles to Queen and The Who (it’s worth noting that an alarming number of these bands are dedicated to currently touring artists, begging the question why?). Not only do tributes have a remarkable knack for hitting every insignificant note of your favorite record, they tend to look an awful like the band in its heyday. This week, the sea of tributes will break the shores of Asheville with an impressive tide of these musical double takes, offering Ashevillians a second crack at The Grateful Dead (Dark Star Orchestra at The Orange Peel on Wednesday, Feb. 22), The Talking Heads (Same as It Ever Was at Asheville Music Hall on Friday, Feb. 24), Led Zeppelin (Custard Pie, featuring an all-local lineup, at Highland Brewing Company on Saturday, Jan. 25) and Sublime (Badfish at The Orange Peel on Sunday, Feb. 26).


SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

One thought on “Attack of the tribute bands

  1. Dionysis

    “…Jimmi Hendrix and The Beatles…”

    Proof reader still on vacation it seems. That’s ‘Jimi Hendrix’, with only one ‘m’. But hey, the Beatles were spelled correctly.

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.