Based on all my many nights at the Wolf’s Den, I can say without reservation that there is a definite difference between a Cover Band and a Tribute Band. Cover Bands play a wide variety of music from many groups while the Tribute Band focuses solely on one particular group. While Cover Bands are usually tight musically, very often the difficulty with them is hitting the vast ranges from the various lead singers’ voices. We’ve seen several good Cover Bands, but the fact is the Tribute Band has hit a home run every time.
Last night was no exception. In 1998 the Eagles were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame...I guess that makes them Tribute Band worthy. Noel, Homework Squared and myself occupied our familiar post at the Den for a Sunday night with “Hotel California – A Salute to the Eagles”. The concert had the feel of Rock, R&B & Country – strange for a show to transcend so many music boundaries – none of which overpowered the others.
For the most part, the Eagles are a sit-in-your-chair-and-listen group. Their tunes typically have a melodic, easy listening feel. With the exception of the hand clapping “Heartache Tonight” and the stand up encore “All She Wants to do is Dance”, the crowd listened intently and applauded appreciatively to very well-played music. And there was a good crowd in attendance (of note, a Great Viz sighting, girl-girl action, and an animated blonde trifecta off to our right).
The Eagles were a bit unique in that they had so many lead singers singing their countless timeless classics. The challenge for Hotel California was to hit the sounds of Don Henley, Glen Frey, Joe Walsh and Timothy B Schmit. The group was lead by a guy who looked like a cross between Jim Varney & Geddy Lee and he did a pretty good job fronting the Glen Frey stuff, but surely the key was the guitar player who picked up many of Don Henley’s songs and nailed it. Of less consequence were the two songs sung by Joe Walsh and Timothy B Schmit – of which the strong musical accompaniment and harmonies downplayed the need to hit their voices.
Hotel California went through the whole gamut of Eagles hits, from Witchy Woman, Take It Easy, Life in the Fast Lane and a strong Desperato down to their namesake Hotel California for an entertaining 90 minute set.
For this Tribute Band...I salute you.
Randall
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