There’s an old joke around town among musicians: While original bands can make hundreds and hundreds of dollars gigging, tribute bands can make thousands and thousands of dollars.
The Blender by Kevin C. Johnson keeps you up to date with the latest concert news and more from the ºüÀêÊÓƵ music scene.
The joke appears to be true. More and more acts, locally and nationally, are finding success leaning into the thriving tribute-band culture.
Tribute acts typically perform the music of classic, legendary acts, either faithfully replicating them or performing the music with a twist. Sometimes tribute acts perform in full costume and wigs; sometimes there's no special costuming at all.
Tribute bands give more targeted performances than cover bands, which typically perform a range of artists during a show (some bands are both).
Tribute shows have come a long way from the Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson imitations that were once so popular. And love it or hate it, ºüÀêÊÓƵ is all over tribute bands.
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“ºüÀêÊÓƵ has its own sort of affinity for tribute bands,†says Sean Canan of Sean Canan’s Voodoo Players. He heads up 65 different local tribute bands, all under the banner of Voodoo Players (Voodoo Tom Petty, Voodoo Doors, Voodoo Grateful Dead, etc.). He started Voodoo Players in 2014.
Steve Litman, president of Steve Litman Presents and exclusive concert producer at the Fox Theatre, has brought a number of nationally touring tribute acts to venues such as the Fox Theatre, the Factory and River City Casino. He says ºüÀêÊÓƵ “definitely has an appetite for this kind of experience, and it's not just ºüÀêÊÓƵ.â€
Local tribute bands include short-run shows such as ºüÀêÊÓƵ singer Terry Rogers doing a one-off Usher show at Blue Strawberry or Taynka MiMi with her Beyonce tribute on the Missouri History Museum's front lawn. There are also ongoing acts like Taylor Made, a Taylor Swift tribute band; Thunderhead: The Rush Experience; and El Monstero, a tribute to Pink Floyd which packs Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre and the Pageant with its elaborate shows.
But it wasn't always that way. Litman says for a long time he resisted booking tribute acts.
“It was just something we didn’t do. At one point it was viewed as something that was subpar, something that was not really considered legitimate,†he says.Â
But that perception changed, Litman says.
“As time went on and life happened to some of these artists, people still had an emotional connection to the performances... And they wanted to experience it live in a communal setting with other people who were fans.â€
He realized he could present tribute acts who offered elevated, void-filling experiences. He began about 15 years ago with Rain: A Tribute to the Beatles.
“I was able to tap into the desire of Beatles fans who wanted to have that live Beatles music experience in a concert setting with other fans,†says Litman, who followed it with his first booking of the Australian Pink Floyd Show at the Fox Theatre (the show is at the Factory in September).
“I thought they had a lot of potential and were not only note-accurate, but have a tremendous visual show, and it’s a very exciting experience for Pink Floyd fans. I remember guys there with their arms crossed, very doubtful. The band started to play, and you could see their whole body language change. They were sold. By the end of the show they were standing and clapping.â€
He recently presented "One Night of Queen" for two nights at the Factory.
He also sees the value in ºüÀêÊÓƵ tribute bands like El Monstero.
“What we have in ºüÀêÊÓƵ is local tributes who can sell a substantial amount of tickets. I’m not aware of any market where a local tribute can do that kind of business.â€
Jimmy Griffin, guitarist and vocalist for El Monstero (David Gilmour parts), says when El Monstero started 25 years ago, tribute bands weren’t the thing they are now.
“If you think about how many tribute bands there were, it was significantly less. Now there’s a tribute to everything, which is fine if people want to do it,†he says. “Anytime something looks successful, other people will try to do it. I don’t begrudge anyone trying. People looked at it, and they saw dollar signs.â€
Griffin, who also plays guitar with Celebration Day (Led Zeppelin) and sings and plays guitar with the Hard Promises (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers), says performing in tribute bands is his passion, not his life’s work.Â
He likes paying tribute to bands with deep catalogs, bands he personally loves and bands that aren't coming back.
Griffin believes one of the reasons El Monstero remains so popular is that fans bring their children and grandchildren to shows, creating new generations of fans. Not to mention “it's great music. It's not like people stopped listening to Pink Floyd. And we go to great expense to go over the top with what we do production-wise. If anyone else did this it would cost $100 a ticket.â€
Canan of Voodoo Players started out in an original band, but as the need to provide for his family grew, he decided to follow the money. He saw he could build an audience much more quickly with tribute shows.
“I realized the tribute shows were selling better, and I started this brand, Voodoo Players. Initially it was to make money. But I also figured out a way to do the tribute shows and have my own creative input,†says Canan, who was formerly in a jam band and brings that sensibility to shows.
Canan believes that tribute bands are popular because of music streaming. It became harder for bands to brand themselves, so many of them took on others’ brands and found success. He credits classic rock radio station KSHE for helping keep those classic brands strong.
“I personally like the older classic bands and classic songwriters, not to say anything against the new bands,†Canan says.
His biggest tribute show thus far was the Voodoo Talking Heads show at the Pageant in January. He recently did his first Voodoo Huey Lewis show and is considering what other new shows he can debut this year.
ºüÀêÊÓƵ singer Laka has been making sweet noise with her growing Tina Turner tribute. The tribute originated as part of her one-woman show “ºüÀêÊÓƵ Woman†at .ZACK a couple of years ago when she portrayed several different women. But her Turner was the breakout portrayal.
She first debuted the Turner show at the National Blues Museum and says every time she has done it, it was a sell out, including a show at Blue Strawberry that took place while “Tina: The Tina Turner Musical†was on stage at the Fox Theatre.
“One thing that helps me is on some of the songs I actually sound like Tina,†says Laka. “The shows sell so well, and they’re easier to market than other shows. People are still getting to know me. But they already know Tina.â€
Her tribute shows help her learn who she is as an artist, “I’ve been writing songs, and I’m in the figuring-out process. It’s much more challenging. You’re much more vulnerable. I’m writing about my love life, heartbreak, my emotions.â€
She’ll debut her Whitney Houston tribute May 17 at Blue Strawberry, and brings her Turner show to the Sheldon later this year. She’ll do Turner and Houston in a joint show at Diamond Music Hall this summer.
Mattie Schell brands herself as an original artist first. In fact, she says 90 percent of her shows are of her original music. But she has found a supplementary outlet, and income, with tribute shows.Â
She definitely understands the appeal.
“Everybody likes to know the music when they go see someone live. They want to sing along,†says Schell, formerly of River Kittens. “It's a magic moment when everyone is singing along. You don't always see that with new artists and new music.â€
Additionally, “I think it's just a fun thing to do. One night I get to be Stevie Nicks. The next night I get to be June Carter Cash.â€
Sometimes instead of doing an artist’s greatest hits, she'll perform a key album from an artist, as she did for Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings, and the Grateful Dead and the Band.
“I like the album shows. They’re a cool thing to do. Not a lot of people do the tribute in that way.â€
She likes the way tribute acts tap into nostalgia. People can experience a band that's no longer performing, or one they never got to see.
And for her, the shows also draw new fans to her original music.
“If anything, it can benefit an artist with original music. It never hurts. It only helps,†says Schell, who will be part of an R.E.M. tribute show at the Blueberry Hill Duck Room May 17. She’s opening for a Beatles tribute show May 18 at Off Broadway, and she and Hillary Fitz are singing in a Voodoo Fleetwood Mac show later this year.
She continues balancing her tribute and original shows with ease.
Ultimately, “it's about whoever gives me a call.â€
Here’s a selected rundown of tribute shows playing the ºüÀêÊÓƵ market.
• Rumours ATL: A Fleetwood Mac Tribute, 8 p.m. April 12, River City Casino, 777 River City Casino Boulevard, $35-$60,
• Billy the Kid: Billy Joel Tribute, 8 p.m. April 12-13, Wildey Theatre, 252 North Main Street, Edwardsville, $33.50,
• Pink Houses USA: Tribute to John Cougar Mellencamp, U2 Hype: Tribute to U2, 7:30 p.m. April 13, Diamond Music Hall, 4109 North Cloverleaf Drive, St. Peters, Missouri, $15-$20,
• Gipsy Social: The Music of Gipsy Kings and Buena Vista Social Club, 7:30 p.m. April 13, Kirkwood Performing Arts Center, 210 East Monroe Avenue, Kirkwood, $25,
• Richrath Project 3:13: The Music of REO Speedwagon, Chained Lighting: A .38 Special Experience, 7:30 p.m. April 13, Red Flag, 3040 Locust Street, free,
• Arrival From Sweden: The Music of ABBA, 7:30 p.m. April 14, the Factory, 17105 North Outer 40 Road, Chesterfield, $39-$69,
• Voodoo Dave Matthews Band, 9 p.m. April 17, Broadway Oyster Bar, 736 South Broadway, $14,
• ºüÀêÊÓƵ Cardinals’ Grateful Dead Night with Jake’s Leg, 5:30 p.m. April 19, Busch Stadium, 700 Clark Avenue, (after party 9:30 p.m. at Broadway Oyster Bar),
• The Loop 420 Street Fest with Jake’s Leg, 11 a.m. April 20, Delmar Loop,
• Elvis Meets the Beatles Tribute Show, 6:30 p.m. April 20, Hecker Community Center, 230 East Washington Street, Hecker, Illinois, $15-$20,
• Tribute Show to System of a Down, Soundgarden, Audioslave, Highly Suspect, with Tonefist, 7:45 p.m. April 20, Red Flag, 3040 Locust Street, $12,
• Red, White and White: Tribute to Pink Floyd, Backspacer: A Tribute to Pearl Jam, 8 p.m. April 20, Pop’s, 1403 Mississippi Avenue, Sauget, $15-$24.75,
• Michael B. Whit presents a Tribute to Garth Brooks, 7:30 p.m. April 20, Westport Playhouse, 635 W Port Plaza Drive, $39.50,
• Landslide: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac, Saucy Jack, 8 p.m. April 20, Diamond Music Hall, $15-$20,
• Smooth R&B Concert Series with the Anita Baker Experience featuring Andrea Taylor, 5 p.m. April 21, Backstreet Jazz and Blues Club, 614 W Port Plaza Drive, $25,
• Steve Brammeier’s Johnny Mathis: "Different Stands Alone," 7 p.m. April 21, Blue Strawberry, 364 North Boyle Avenue, $15-$20,
• Voodoo Grateful Dead, 9 p.m. April 24, Broadway Oyster Bar, $14,
• Evil Woman: The American ELO, 7:30 p.m. April 25, the Factory, $29-$59,
• Jeremy Taylor and Latoya Sheeran’s “The Light Experience” honoring Jesse Prather and Angela Winbush, 7 p.m. April 25, the Dark Room, 3610 Grandel Square, $20-$25,
• Strangelove: The Depeche Mode Experience, Electric Duke: Tribute to David Bowie, 8 p.m. April 26, Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar Hall, $25-$32,
• Black Magic celebrates Santana’s “Supernatural” 25th anniversary, 8 p.m. April 26, Wildey Theatre, 252 North Main Street, $34,
• Cemetary Gatez: The Pantera Tribute, Brutallica: Aggressive Tribute to Metallica, 8 p.m. April 27, Pop’s, $15-$30,
• Jake’s Leg, 6 p.m. April 27, the Loading Dock, 401 Front Street, free,
• Sean Canan’s Voodoo Players: Voodoo Uncle Tupelo, 8 p.m. April 27, Blueberry Hill Duck Room, 6504 Delmar Boulevard, $25,
• Soul Brunch Presented by Pure Soul: Tribute to '90s R&B with Chartel Findlater, 12 p.m. April 27, City Winery, City Foundry, 3730 Foundry Way, $20-$25 with $25 brunch add-on,
• Smooth R&B Concert Series the Maze All-White Experience with Keith Conway, 5 p.m. April 28, Backstreet Jazz and Blues Club, $25,
• Voodoo Stevie Ray Vaughn, 9 p.m. May 1, Broadway Oyster Bar, $14,
• Jason Marsalis Vibes Quartet: Tribute to Lionel Hampton, 7:30 p.m. May 1-2, 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. May 3-4, 6:30 p.m. May 5, Ferring Jazz Bistro, 3536 Washington Avenue, $45-$50
• Twilight Thursdays: Chaka Khan Anthology directed by Jeremiah Allen with Cherise Louis Mason, 6 p.m. May 2, Missouri History Museum front lawn, 5700 Lindell Boulevard, free,
• Steeped in Foo: Tribute to Foo Fighters/Taylor Hawkins Tribute, Jagged: Tribute to Alanis Morissette, 8 p.m. May 4, Diamond Music Hall, $10-$15,
• D’Angelo tribute with Dakota Pagan, 9 p.m. May 4, House of Soul, 1204 Washington Avenue, $20-$30, 314-504-7405
• The Carole King & James Taylor Story, 7:30 p.m. May 4, City Winery, $22-$35,
• Voodoo Billy vs. Elton, 9 p.m. May 8, Broadway Oyster Bar,
• Twilight Thursdays: Classic R&B with Anita Jackson directed by Phil Graves, 6 p.m. May 9, Missouri History Museum front lawn, free,
• Rocky Mountain High Experience: Tribute to John Denver starring Rick Schuler, 7:30 p.m. May 9-10, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. May 11, 2 p.m. May 12, Westport Plaza, $60,
• Fire and Ice: Tribute to Pat Benatar, 8 p.m. May 11, Miners Theatre, 204 West Main Street, Collinsville, $15,
• Taylorville: A Tribute to Taylor Swift, 7:30 p.m. May 11, Ballpark Village, 601 Clark Avenue, $30-$35,
• Voodoo Tom Petty, 8 p.m. May 11, the Big Top, 3401 Washington Avenue, $18-$20,
• Arvell Keithley: A Tribute to Ray Charles, 10 a.m. May 14, Kirkwood Performing Arts Center, $20,
• Twilight Thursdays: The Music Band Compilation with music director Terry Coleman, 6 p.m. May 16, Missouri History Museum front lawn, free,
• Whitney featuring Laka: I’m Every Woman Whitney Houston Tribute, 7:30 p.m. May 17, Blue Strawberry, $20-$25,
• 120 Minutes presents a Tribute to R.E.M. with Mattie Schell, 8 p.m. May 17, Blueberry Hill Duck Room, $10,
• Dogs of Society: Elton John Tribute, 8 p.m. May 17-18, Wildey Theatre, $33-$39,
• Shakey Deal presents a tribute to Neil Young, Backspacer presents acoustic tribute to Pearl Jam, 7:30 p.m. May 18, Westport Playhouse, $15, the
• Jake’s Leg, 9 p.m. May 18, Broadway Oyster Bar, $14,
• All Together Now: Celebrating the Music of the Beatles with Mattie Schell, 7 p.m. May 18, Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Avenue, $18,
• Legends 77: Lynyrd Skynyrd Experience, 8 p.m. May 18, Miners Theater, $20,
• Motley 2: A Tribute to Mötley Crüe, 7 p.m. May 18, Pop’s, $15-$40,
• Sabbath Knights: Tribute to Black Sabbath with Vinny Appice, 8 p.m. May 19, the Golden Record, 2720 Cherokee Street, $39, thegoldenrecord.live
• Rain: A Tribute to the Beatles, 7 p.m. May 19, Fox Theatre, 527 North Grand Boulevard, $39-$110,
• Voodoo Bob Dylan, 9 p.m. May 22, Broadway Oyster Bar, $14,
• Twilight Thursdays: Teena Marie Catalog with Saman Swanson and music director Ken Black, 6 p.m. May 23, Missouri History Museum front lawn, free,
• Through the Looking Glass with the Hard Promises: A Tom Petty Tribute, 8 p.m. May 24, the Pageant, 6161 Delmar Boulevard, $25-$30,
• Miles in May, 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. May 24-25, Ferring Jazz Bistro, $25-$30,
• Bob Case: A Bob Dylan Birthday Celebration, 8 p.m. May 24, Focal Point, 2720 Sutton Boulevard, $20-$25,
• Skid Roses, 8 p.m. May 24, Blueberry Hill Duck Room, $20,
• Voodoo Doors, 8 p.m. May 24, Old Rock House, 1200 South 7th Street, $15-$20,
• Dead Letter Office: An R.E.M. Tribute, 7:30 p.m. May 24, City Winery, $18-$25,
• Free Fallin’: The Tom Petty Tribute Experience, 8 p.m. May 25, Diamond Music Hall, $10-$15,
• Rockin’ Chair: A Tribute to the Legendary Artists of Laurel Canyon, 7 p.m. May 25, the Grandel, 3610 Grandel Square, $25,
• Ticket to the Beatles Brunch, 12 p.m. May 26, City Winery, $18-$25,
• A Star Full of Stars: The Definitive Coldplay Tribute, OasiStl: Tribute to Oasis, 8 p.m. May 31, Diamond Music Hall, $15-$30,
• Dr. Zhivegas Performing the Music of Prince and the Revolution, 8 p.m. June 7, Old Rock House, $20-$25,
• Grand Illusion: A Tribute to Styx with Emily Wallace, 6 p.m. June 8, Chesterfield Amphitheater, 631 Veterans Place Drive, free,
• Made in America: A Tribute to Toby Keith, 10 p.m. June 8, Ballpark Village, 601 Clark Avenue, $10,
• El Monstero: Tribute to Pink Floyd with Jon Anderson and the Band Geeks, 7:30 p.m. June 15, Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, 14141 Riverport Drive, Maryland Heights, $33-$182,
• 2 Pedros: An Evening of Yacht Rock, 7:30 p.m. June 15, Blue Strawberry, $20-$25,
• An Evening of Nat King Cole with Bryan Eng, 7:30 p.m. June 19, Blue Strawberry, $20-$25,
• Voodoo the Band, 9 p.m. June 19, Broadway Oyster Bar, $14,
• Breakfast in America: A Supertramp Celebration, 6 p.m. June 21, Chesterfield Amphitheater, free,
• Pyromaniacs: A Tribute to Def Leppard, 6 p.m. June 22, Chesterfield Amphitheatre, free,
• Night Fever: Tribute to Bee Gees and Dancing Queen: Tribute to ABBA, 6 p.m. July 13, Chesterfield Amphitheater, free,
• Turn Back Time: Tribute to Cher with Katie Hubbard, 6 p.m. July 20, Chesterfield Amphitheater, free,
• Matt Stone as Elvis, 7 p.m. July 20, Westport Playhouse, $50,
• Killer Queen, 8 p.m. July 26, River City Casino, $30-$65
• Trippin’ Billies: The Dave Matthews Tribute Band, 8 p.m. July 27, Old Rock House, $20-$25,
• Voodoo Grateful Dead, 11:30 p.m. July 30, Old Rock House, $15-$20, (after-party for the Phish concerts at Chaifetz Arena),
• Voodoo Talking Heads, 11:30 p.m. July 31, Old Rock House, $15-$20, (after-party for the Phish concerts at Chaifetz Arena),
• Asbury Park: The Music of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, 8 p.m. Aug. 9, Off Broadway, $20,
• Infatuation: Tribute to Rod Stewart, 6 p.m. Aug. 10, Chesterfield Amphitheater, free,
• When Doves Cry: The Prince Tribute Show, 8 p.m. Aug. 17, the Sheldon Concert Hall, 3648 Washington Avenue, $41-$51,
• Tina: Tribute to Tina Turner featuring Laka, Wanna Dance Witih Somebody: Tribute to Whitney Houston, 8 p.m. Aug. 23, Diamond Music Hall, $15-$30,
• Black Magic: A Tribute to Santana at Backstoppalooza, 6 p.m. Aug. 24, Chesterfield Amphitheater, free,
• Voodoo Paul Simon, 8 p.m. Aug. 30, Delmar Hall, $15,
• The Australian Pink Floyd Show, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 4, the Factory, $39-$79,
• Liliac featuring Vinny Appice performing the hits of Black Sabbath, Dio, Rainbow, 7 p.m. Sept. 15, Pop’s, $30-$50,
• 7 Bridges: The Ultimate Eagles Experience, 6 p.m. Sept. 19, Chesterfield Amphitheater, free,
The Blender by Kevin C. Johnson keeps you up to date with the latest concert news and more from the ºüÀêÊÓƵ music scene.