Anyone toured UK in a semi pro tribute band?

fastonebaz

Just wondering,  would touring the UK in a semi pro tribute band pay enough to call it "a living"?

Obvs very general but I'm sure you know what I mean. 

Wondered if there's anyone here who has been/is in that position who could share some of their experience of it. 

Cheers

John_P

It would need to be a popular tribute that can get plenty of work and fill venues,  but if you can live cheaply then with the right act it’s very doable, the market is quite crowded now though so it’s needs to be a good show.   
What band are you thinking of doing?

fastonebaz

Not specifically me,  a friend is thinking of getting into it and it got me wondering. 

horse

The busiest one of these I know myself only gigs at weekends, although they do a lot of theatre shows per year across the uk. The guitarist has a day job, and I suspect the front man does other stuff in the week to help pay the bills.

UnclePsychosis

@Danny1969 is (or was) in a very good Kate Bush tribute band 

https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/145068/my-kate-bush-tribute-band-did-a-promo-on-the-cheap/p1

EricTheWeary

The bassist in a band I was in worked as a pro/ semi pro for years. They did tours and functions but mostly Butlins and things like that. He gave it up as he wanted more of a family life.
I don't know what he earned but he said it was a lot more than the day job he had when I knew him ( warehouse work I think). 
I suspect it's a bit of a disappearing thing and, obviously, you are paid to do what people want to hear and not what you want to play. 

fastonebaz

Hmm it doesn't sound quite as lucrative as I thought.  Bands must have to be pretty famous before they start to make enough to call it a living. 

markr76

Me and the singer from my old band were approached after a gig at a festival we were playing and asked if we were interested in joining their band. I think they were called A whole lotta DC and we’re the headliners at the festival we were playing. Well the slot for Malcolm Young and a Bon Scott era singer was opening up with them, so they asked us about our interest. 
This would have been around 2006-7 if I remember correctly. They said they made £150-200 per gig each. They had their expenses like accommodation when on the road payed for. They said they played 4 or 5 shows a week most weeks and a minimum of 3. Also said we’d need to keep our passports current as they had a big following in Ireland and Germany. And spent a lot of time on the road as there was so much demand for Acdc tribute acts. All of the current members only kept part time jobs or took short contracts as they made enough from the tribute thing. 
The 2 members were leaving as they wanted to spend more time with family.

I never took them up on the offer as I’ve a good job. Plus I was more interested in writing and doing my own music at the time.

I do think the arse has fallen out the tribute band thing these days as so many venues have shut down and the ones left are not interested in paying the money anymore.

Danny1969

UnclePsychosis said:

@Danny1969 is (or was) in a very good Kate Bush tribute band 

https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/145068/my-kate-bush-tribute-band-did-a-promo-on-the-cheap/p1

It's early days for us but the gigs are figures are starting to go well. We have done festivals and various other gigs but we are predominately a theater band who sell tickets. Last gig we did 200 odd tickets at £15 a pop and we were on a 75\ 25 deal with the theater. That's split 5 ways after some fuel and advertising expenses. It's a good earn and as a band your treated professionally .... proper sound checks, dressing rooms and lighting etc. One of my friends is in a Who tribute and makes a good living from it. Another friend is in a Fleetwood Mac tribute, another in a Bon Jovi tribute. There's money there for sure if done right. 
The money you make as a tribute is really down to you. The more tickets you sell the more money you get. So you have to promote it properly with newspapers, radio interviews, Facebook, local what's on flyers etc. 

Ultimately though like most of my friends in music I have a lot of fingers in different pies ..... I have the tribute band, a decent earning rock band, a good brit pop band, I do a bit of teaching, a bit of PA hire and FOH sound, fix electronics, do a bit of onsite I.T support plus I design and sell my own little gadgets.

stimpsonslostson

Someone on here literally wrote a book about it IIRC. 

Found it. See below

stimpsonslostson

@Dave_Vader ;
https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/82230/i-wrote-a-book-about-being-in-a-covers-band

DiscoStu

We saw One Night of Queen last weekend in our local Town Hall, Gary Mullen who won Stars In Their Eyes as Freddie.
Great band, and the place was sold out. 700 folk at £24 each = £18000. No idea how that money gets divided up but clearly the right kind of tribute can make some decent money.
I saw a David Bowie tribute a few months ago who also put on a superb show. Not sold out but certainly packed.

Dave_Vader

Thanks @stimpsonslostson it's not strictly speaking about a tribute band but....

the sequel coming out some time in the next 6 months or so is.

Ta for the shout out