Any chance of Australian Pink Floyd Show?

[ralph250]

Seen them a couple of times and they are excellent, but not sure they'd be right for a headliner spot either. It's a tricky one, because their stage setup might require it, and the light show would have more effect in the dark, but as stated at the end of the day, they are just a cover band; Would prefer Glasto to get Gilmour.

[grumpyhack]

I have mixed feelings about tribute bands. In theory I should hate them - nothing original etc. But in reality I have loved seeing some of the good tribute bands.

The Bootleg Beatles are a theatrical experience and thanks to improvements in stage technology can deliver sounds 'live' that The Beatles were never able to achieve in their time.

Unlike the BB, Aussie Pink Floyd don't do anything other than put on a very good Floyd show. But I think that's legitimate too when the chances of the genuine Floyd playing together are so slim. I saw them at the Cambridge Rock Festival last year and they were excellent and I'd happily go and see them again.

Another great tribute band is Limehouse Lizzy. Again their justification is that Phil Lynott is no more and Limehouse are as close as you'll get to a real TL experience.

The interesting one that might help put this discussion in perspective is Fleetwood Bac. They had a bit of a problem a couple of years ago when Fleetwood Mac reformed halfway through a Bac tour. They were able to joke that there was quite a good Fleetwood Bac tribute band going on the road called Fleetwood Mac that they recommended people catching!

But just think about it. Now we've got the possibility of the real Fleetwood Mac playing Glasto that, unquestionably, would justify a headline slot. But Fleetwood Bac headlining would be out of the question.

I can't imagine even the Bootleg Beatles or APF having a headline slot at Glasto, though I think they could still play lower down the bill.

Some of us have been lucky enough to see the originals. For others a good tribute band is going to be their only opportunity to experience the music live.

All that said, there is this strange thing about it now only being 'acceptable' for the original composing bands being able to perform their music. In the past composers and performers were viewed separately. No one would suggest that Chopin's music can no longer be played in concerts because Chopin isn't around to do it himself.

Some performers do, quite acceptably, perform material written by others and can headline doing it. Examples at Glasto would include Joan Baez who largely does material written by others (traditional folk songs through to Bob Dylan) and Shirley Bassey who, as far as I know, hasn't written any of the material she performs.

But they are there in their capacity as performers, not composers.

It's a hard one for tribute bands. They will always be 'Marmite' bands - that you either love or hate.

Perhaps the only way forward for most is to carve out a reputation as performers - like The Hamsters - who are a band in their own right, with some of their their own material, but who can take a show on the road that is billed as including sets by Hendrix and ZZ Top.

[Sam Crawley]

I saw APF last year in the Albert Hall, and whilst the show was great, the audience were as stale as Labour's election pledges. I think there was one other group of young 'uns we could see in the hall, the rest of the crowd were aged rockers, which in itself I don't mind one bit, but they all just sat motionless and clapped politely between songs.

Now what happens if Gilmour clashes with APF?! Awkward times!!!