So what does it mean to play in a tribute band?

I get to play some of the best music ever written to people who in the main appreciate it. When we play a certain song that is someone’s favourite and they tell me how much they enjoyed it, that is a great thrill, especially as I know that a lot of these people travel the world to see the real thing. The one thing that is equal to that feeling is playing the music. Imagine yourself standing on the stage while the band is putting their collective soul into Jungleand and thinking I am part of this, I can only imagine for one second what it must be like to be part of the mighty E Street Band. Every single time we tear full throttle through Born to Run I think to myself that this might be the last time I get to sing what has got to be the greatest rock song ever written (I want this played at my funeral along with Jumping Jack Flash by the way) so sing it like you mean it. I get a feeling that I cannot describe every time I sing the “Come on Wendy Tramps like us baby we were Born to Run", it could be relief that I’ve hit the notes after singing at the top of my lungs for two and a half hours or it could be a sense of that was great fun and it will probably be another month till I get to do it again.

I spend many hours on message boards following set lists from around the world with great wonder at the wealth of material played and because of that we find ourselves playing longer and longer sets. It could be that someone asks for a certain song and I think good call, why didn’t I think of that one, we learn it then I think what can we take out, the reply every time is nothing so the set gets 5 minutes longer. The bass player came to a recent rehearsal having listened to The River and asked, why we don’t do Sherry Darling, especially as summer is here. There is no good answer so now we play Sherry Darling.

In short I play in a tribute band for the love of the music, I play for the chance to meet new friends along the way with that same love and the sense of community it brings. I play for the magical experience of playing Jungleland and standing in wonder and the emotions that it brings forth every time.

all the best

Steve