It was a tribute to the tributes.
On the stage of the Surrey Arts Centre, June 7, were tribute bands Aerosmith Rocks (as, duh, Aerosmith), Blaze Of Glory (Bon Jovi) and Barracuda (Heart).
In the audience were tributes to ZZ Top and Tina Turner. They were there to check out the competition and, to some degree, to cheer on each other .
The tribute act has become one of the most successful arms of the club/concert business. It is, as semi-retired personal manager, Barry Samuels, states, “where the money is.” Sort of, if you’re convincing enough, have a good show and have reached a commanding level of popularity. Otherwise, as Samira, who appears as Truly Tina (Turner) points out Vancouver audiences don’t care. Regardless, Vancouver clubs are full of tribute acts.
What this says about the state of new rock and its ability to create an audience for it, is beside the point. The tribute business has reached a new level if concerts at the 400-seat Surrey Arts Centre are evidence. It’s a kind of legitimacy. Art imitating art.
The bands formed a weird parallel to the originators as Aerosmith Rocks was all male, testosterone rock and appealed on that level, Blaze Of Glory was as much for the women as the men (which is what Bon Jovi told me about 30 years ago) and the relatively new to the game Barracuda probably learned from watching the other two. They played and sang well – an argument could be made that a Heart tribute is more demanding than that of Aerosmith or Bon Jovi – but the dodgy costuming and wigs suggested more than the other acts that Barracuda was still play acting. That’s theatre. A tribute is theatre, and there is room to explore and grow into its role.
