These thoughts are prompted by two things. First, Karnataka touring this year with just founder Ian Jones remaining from the original band that imploded two years ago. Second, the news that Gabriel-era Genesis tribute band The Musical Box is touring at the same time as much-hyped reunion of the Phil Collinsoid version of Genesis.
When you go to see a live concert, what are you really going to see? Is it to see the and hear artists perform on stage, or to experience the music performed live? Obviously it’s a bit of both, but which is most significant for any given band?
Tribute bands get a bad rap from a lot of quarters, and with some justification. But surely sometimes a good tribute band can be better than a bunch of has-beens going through the motions, especially when there’s only one or two original members left. It depends on the band, of course. If the main appeal of the original artist was the frontman’s charisma or virtuosity, a tribute band is pretty much pointless; it could never match the original. But when the appeal was the music itself, it’s less clear. Pink Floyd were very much four anonymous guys playing wonderful music. How is four or five different anonymous guys playing the same music that much different? On the other hand, what’s the point of someone pretending to be Jimi Hendrix, no matter how good a guitar player he might be? (Disclaimer, I know of no Hendrix tribute bands on the circuit. That doesn’t mean that no such thing exists)
The Musical Box are an odd case. Unlike a generic tribute band playing a generic greatest hits set, TMB have carefully reproduced the original 1970s shows as accurately as possible with the original staging and vintage instruments (including a real live Mellotron!). The setlist is taken exactly from the historical shows, and even the dialogue between the songs is authentic. Yes, you have got a guy in a French-Canadian accent pretending to be Peter Gabriel, but having seen them live before, they do what they do very well.
As for Karnataka, I’ll approach it with an open mind. I never got to see the original band live. They were booked as support for Blue Öyster Cult about three years ago, but pulled out at the last minute because Rachel Jones suffered a throat infection and lost her voice. Then the band imploded just before the already-announced UK tour for which I was planning on seeing the Manchester date. The new Karnataka are playing Crewe in March, and I’m quite likely to be there.
Interesting points, I personally have no intention of seeing Genesis on tour, but will make the effort to see Karnataka. The Australian Pink Floyd Show are a spectacular tribute, worthy of the origianl Floyd, and I would very much like to see The Musical Box.
Not all bands with few original members are bad. I list Procol Harum and King Crimson as evidence of this. Caravan too are always worth seeing, but their Canterbury counterparts Soft Machine were badly affected by constant personnel changes.
As you say its all about the Band themselves, and personal preferences
King Crimson are an extreme case; it’s really half a dozen completely different bands that don’t really sound much like each other at all, and the only constant factor is Robert Fripp.
Agreed on the Fripp statement, Tim.
I go to shows for the live music from my favorite artists, so yeah, it’s a blend of both. But then, my favorite artists typically play different shows every single night, so you never get a repeat performance.
That’s why I’ve seen Railroad Earth 29 times in two years.
Fantastic music and you just never know.
I passed on The Musical Box recently, simply because I couldn’t justify the exorbitant price for tickets. We’re talking $80 range for a tribute band. Yes, yes, I know, they’re different.
But still.
80 Dollars! That’s more that 40 quid at current exchange rate. That’s quite a bit more that I paid to see Yes two years ago.