Lake Arrowhead is new world capital of mock 'n' roll

If I told you that U2 and Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin will be performing live in Lake Arrowhead, for free, you'd be pretty excited, right? Well, hold your horses.

[Allen]

These are a bunch of unoriginal bands who can't think up their own songs, so they imitate others. They are actors, not musicians. There are local musicians, even some in the Lake Arrowhead area that are writting their own songs and even have put out some CDs of their own. I would much rather see them take the stage instead of the Rip off Bands.

[Watch Dog]

Tribute bands are pathetic. A pathetic moneygrab for the people in the tribute band, and a rip off for the original artists (due to a lack of royalities). Most of them are downright embarassing, with few exceptions. At best, these acts are comic relief. Period. No matter how good they think they are but, I suppose after four or five beers, anything sounds good. I'll take an original band with original talent and original music any day. Anyone can run a Xerox machine.

[Steve]

I'd like to see a tribute band cover J. Geil's. Most great bands start out as tribute bands, master the genre, then come out with original material. Most of the "original" bands in the I.E. sound like losers on the early rounds of American Idol.

[Real Deal Holyfield]

Steve wrote:

I'd like to see a tribute band cover J. Geil's. Most great bands start out as tribute bands, master the genre, then come out with original material. Most of the "original" bands in the I.E. sound like losers on the early rounds of American Idol.

Austin Law is a very good local band.

[Seventies Rocker]

Steve wrote:

I'd like to see a tribute band cover J. Geil's. Most great bands start out as tribute bands, master the genre, then come out with original material. Most of the "original" bands in the I.E. sound like losers on the early rounds of American Idol.

I was fortunate enough to see The J. Geils Band open for The Rolling Stones back-in-the day, and J. Geils blew The Stones off the stage! I'd pay $$$ to see a reunited J. Geils Band in concert now. Calling Peter Wolf, calling Peter Wolf..........

[Seventies Rocker]

.........and I agree with one of the previous posts, actually, a couple of them, who alluded to the fact that most tribute bands suck. However, I did see on Lake Arrowhead Village's web site that The Swwet and Tender Hooligans are scheduled for Memorial Day weekend, and, for a tribute band, they've got The Smiths looks and sound down-to-a-tee. Gotta give credit where credit is due. But more tribute bands are a joke, agreed. I'll always go for bands with original material. Put it this way: I'd never PAY to see a tribute act.

[Tribute Guitarist]

Yes, there are a lot of Tribute Bands that completely suck, however, there are some that are fantastic. How is this different than any other genera of music? There are a small number of bands that are really good and there is a ton of garbage out there. Hit the Sunset Strip on any night and it's all right there. I dont care to see a carp tribute in the same way I dont care to see a crap original band. Crap is crap.

Most people I have met spewing that "tribute bands suck" are people: A: Who have never actually seen a good tribute band. B: Are musicians who lack the talent to do anything significant in music themselves. OR C: Think, like the misrepresentation above, the tribute band members are just actors and not good musicians. That is the most ignorant statement ever. So a crap band playing to 5 friends in a bar...they are real musicians but Tribute player that can draw crowds to fill places like House of Blues are not? They are just actors? Many of the better Tributes in LA area are guys that are pro musicians. Guys that have "been there, done that" with original music and now do a Tribute because it's fun. They are at another place in their lives with careers outside of music and families and many also have original projects they are still involved in. The talent is there is you'd open your mind and listen.

Also, if Arrowhead were to bring in just original bands all summer, they'd have no one show up. They are providing something that people want to see. The crowd that show up and success of the summer series bears that out. I'm sure much to your displeasure.

[Steve]

Tribute Guitarist is right. It's not whether your original or a cover, but whether it's good.

[Allen Kephart]

Tribute Guitarist wrote:

Yes, there are a lot of Tribute Bands that completely suck, however, there are some that are fantastic. How is this different than any other genera of music? There are a small number of bands that are really good and there is a ton of garbage out there. Hit the Sunset Strip on any night and it's all right there. I dont care to see a carp tribute in the same way I dont care to see a crap original band. Crap is crap.
Most people I have met spewing that "tribute bands suck" are people: A: Who have never actually seen a good tribute band. B: Are musicians who lack the talent to do anything significant in music themselves. OR C: Think, like the misrepresentation above, the tribute band members are just actors and not good musicians. That is the most ignorant statement ever. So a crap band playing to 5 friends in a bar...they are real musicians but Tribute player that can draw crowds to fill places like House of Blues are not? They are just actors? Many of the better Tributes in LA area are guys that are pro musicians. Guys that have "been there, done that" with original music and now do a Tribute because it's fun. They are at another place in their lives with careers outside of music and families and many also have original projects they are still involved in. The talent is there is you'd open your mind and listen.
Also, if Arrowhead were to bring in just original bands all summer, they'd have no one show up. They are providing something that people want to see. The crowd that show up and success of the summer series bears that out. I'm sure much to your displeasure.

It just shows that some people like actors pretending to be real bands. Just because a lot of people like the same thing doesn't mean that the thing that they like is any good.