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Bon Jovi is enjoying a meal of fish and chips. Axl Rose is embracing Tina Turner. David Bowie, who is both bald and Scottish, is wandering around aimlessly. Something seems amiss with Andy Bell of Erasure. His bandmate Vince Clarke is focused on his keyboard, playing upbeat electronic music as expected. Despite Bell’s blonde, wavy hair, tight-fitting shirt with a bold pattern, and slight resemblance to a club singer, there is something odd about him. “I actually like this song,” he remarks a few songs into their set as they begin to play “Ship of Fools.”
On Saturday evening, at Tribfest, the self-proclaimed largest tribute band festival in the world, held at Sledmere House in East Yorkshire, there was a last-minute change to the lineup. The singer for the Bell tribute band, who usually performs with the Erasure tribute band A Little Respect, was unable to attend due to a stroke. In their place, a replacement was brought in who was not a fan of the band. Things took an unexpected turn when the original singer, Dave Tyler, joined the performance dressed in a flashy red jacket, leather pants, and sunglasses. Despite his recent stroke, he managed to sing a few songs before exiting the stage. The replacement singer was so eager to finish the performance that he got into an argument with Alan Bicknell, who portrays Clarke, when Bicknell announced that there were two songs left. The replacement declared, “I’ll only do one and then I’m done.”
“I find it surreal to be a part of this world,” states Mandy Watson, a former primary school employee who now dedicates her time to performing as Kate Bush in Cloudbusting. Despite the occasional strange occurrences, tribute bands are experiencing a surge in popularity. With the passing or retirement of older music legends and the rising cost of concert tickets, these imitation acts are filling a void and selling out venues all across the country. Justine Riddoch, who has been portraying Tina Turner in Totally Tina since 2011, shares, “After the pandemic, we were unsure if anyone would want to spend £25 on a ticket. However, our sales have been at an all-time high for the past two years.”
Riddoch is talking as she searches through a large suitcase behind the scenes, selecting her shimmery outfits. “There are approximately 16 dresses here,” she states. “We have them specially made and it may be expensive, but it’s definitely worth it.”
The commitment and dedication required to accurately recreate the music goes beyond just playing the notes correctly. Jack Walker, a 22-year-old employee at 02 Academy who performs as Jamie Cook in Arctic Numpties, spent £2,500 on the same guitar that Cook uses. Mike Pickering, who has been portraying U2 frontman Bono for the past two years in U2 2, estimates he has spent at least £10,000 to fully embody the role. Even his clothes are from the same designer as Bono’s and his sunglasses can cost up to £300 each, of which he owns 10 pairs. Despite the expense, Pickering loves being able to channel his hero every night and feels a strong connection to the character.
According to Pickering, he believes that Bono is a part of him in a literal sense. He explains that they were both born in the same hospital and have a striking resemblance. To confirm this, he and his wife conducted DNA tests and found a connection to the Rankin family, which is also linked to Bono’s mother, Iris Rankin. Therefore, it is possible that they are related.
He describes performing as his potential distant relative as a profoundly spiritual encounter. In order to fully embody the role, he must envision himself as that person, as the audience expects him to be Bono. And he also wants to be Bono. After the performance, people often approach him for photos and he even speaks with a Dublin accent, having mastered Bono’s distinctive signature.
Watson has a different approach to Kate Bush. She states, “I do not try to imitate her.” She adds, “It would be mortifying for me. On stage, I am simply Mandy and I share my personal experience with the music. It is not meant to be a mockery. Kate used to embody characters in her songs, so if I do anything, I am embodying the character but never Kate herself – there is only one Kate Bush.”
Sometimes, there are mistakes that happen. According to Watson, “One man traveled all the way from Japan. I believe he mistook me for Kate Bush. He asked me to sign a program, but he seemed confused by my name as I had written ‘Best wishes, Mandy.’ I still don’t know if he still believes I am Kate Bush.”
Watching the Arctic Numpties whip up the audience into such a crowd-surfing frenzy that one reveller loses a shoe, you can feel the hours spent studying their near-namesakes. Walker wears identical outfits to Cook, mimicking his unique stance and sway, while Ben Curry as Alex Turner is alarmingly accurate. “Even the new songs we try and get on top of as soon as possible,” says Walker. “We learn those from fan videos at concerts.” The band have even had to expand their lineup in order to keep up with the sonic evolution of Arctic Monkeys.
As the night progresses, Morrissey and I are facing difficulties in maintaining a stable connection due to signal problems. The singer, in a dramatic manner, laments on stage that he is supposed to be interviewed by the Guardian, but they are unable to locate him. After I eventually find him, we sit on a hay bale with Johnny Marr and Andy Rourke, while the music of the Human League drifts in from the main stage. Jason Alexander Ure, who portrays Marr in “Frankly, the Smiths,” works at a Morrisons warehouse and his life was greatly impacted by the band. “I used to be into rap, but when I discovered the Smiths, everything changed,” he shares. “I never even thought about playing guitar until I heard Johnny Marr.”
Similarly, Steven Stafford, who works as an art teacher during the day, feels a strong connection to the singer. “Morrissey is a perfect fit for me because I am introverted, awkward, and clumsy,” he explains. “I couldn’t imagine trying to imitate anyone else. It comes naturally to me, even though I am portraying someone else. I feel most like myself when I am performing as Morrissey.” On stage, Stafford gracefully twirls flowers and tosses them into the crowd, all while perfectly capturing the singer’s voice. “But it’s important not to become a caricature,” he adds. “There’s a delicate balance.”
Peter Stretton, known for his portrayal of Bez on Happy Mondaze, has fully embraced the role of a wild dancer, even going so far as to write his own autobiography as his character, Fake Bez. Titled “From the Big House to Brighouse,” the book details his experiences as a rebellious dancer. Stretton reveals that he did spend time in prison, but only for a short period of seven days due to not paying a fine. While he shares a similar background as the real Bez, Stretton has not fully immersed himself in the role, stating that he has never used drugs in his life. This has led to some criticism from others who believe he is not an accurate portrayal of Bez.
Some musicians may see tribute acts as unnecessary rivals, but others welcome the trend. Happy Mondaze has shared the stage with Bez himself multiple times, and Bono has expressed his appreciation for U2 2, even going as far as donating clothes to them after a tour. However, for some bands, the chance to meet their idols is still a distant but exciting possibility. “I wouldn’t mind if Alex Turner told me I was awful, to be honest,” says Curry. “Just to have a conversation with him.”
Watson is less interested in the allure of celebrity and simply has a steadfast dedication to the music that changed her life as a 10 year-old watching Top of the Pops. “I don’t have a yearning to meet her,” she says. “If Kate ever came to one of our shows I would hope she would come away thinking the music she spent so many years crafting is in safe hands. That would be enough for me. I’ll die happy knowing that I’ve done her music justice.”
All of the listed performances will take place in 2024. Please refer to social media for further information.
Source: theguardian.com
