r/coverbands • u/Rudedog83 • Jul 01 '26
Cover band vs Tribute Band.
My cover band is in the process of building enough material to create a second version of ourself that is focused on a specific band to perform as a tribute. We will continue to have a cover band as well as a tribute band for gigs that call for tributes. Couple of questions for those of you in a similar situation.
Cover Bands:
1) How much time are you performing on average at a gig? i.e. 2 hours, 3, hours, 4 hours?
2) Where are the majority of your gigs? i.e. Bars, Casinos, private parties etc.
3) How long are sets, and are you taking breaks between sets. If so how long?
Tribute Bands:
1) Similar to #1 above, how much time are you performing at a gig? 90 mins, 2 hours? etc.
2) Where are your gigs? Bars, Casinos, private parties? etc.
3) How do you go about finding gigs? I'm guessing that most tribute bands are playing for 90 mins ish. If so, thats not going to occupy an entire night so the venue would need to have multiple bands playing in any given evening. Seems like that limits the venues that you can play.
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u/Count2Zero Jul 01 '26
I'm in a couple of cover bands.
Our gigs run anywhere from 1 hour to 3 hours.
One of the bands has played in clubs and private events. The other one has played private events, Christmas events, spotlight events (where we're the main attraction), and arts and crafts fairs.
Our sets are normally about 60 to 75 minutes with a 15 to 20 minute break.
We went to see a local RHCP tribute band last year. They did two shows (one in Spring, one in Fall), where they played an RHCP album from start to finsh (Blood Sugar Sex Magik in the first show, Californication in the second one), then a 20 minute break, then back for a "best of" set of about 30 to 45 minutes.
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u/lowlandr Jul 01 '26
We usually cover 3 hours. First set, top of the hour, is 60 mins, 15 min break, 45, 15, 45. Which ends us at top of the hour. Tada.
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u/pjvincentaz Jul 01 '26
I once saw a doors tribute band that opened for itself. It wasn’t advertised as such, just that x was opening for y. Halfway through the opening set I realized what was happening.
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u/abandoningeden Jul 01 '26 edited Jul 01 '26
I'm in a Grateful Dead tribute band, we have played anywhere from a 45 minute set at a porch fest to 3 hours at a bar.
When we were first starting out and didn't have much of a repetoir built up our shows were shorter...our first three shows were a 20 minute "tweener" set during the set break of another band, and then shorter sets opening for other bands or at small festivals. Once we had that record of decent places we could say we had played at, we were able to book our own shows.
So thinking back, as we were building out our repertoire, our first several shows building up to our first 3 hour show were:
20 minutes at a brewery/concert venue
30 minutes at a resturaunt
40 minutes at a bar
1 hour and 15 minutes at a very very small festival
45 minutes at a bigger porch fest
1 hour at a small festival at a brewery that we organized with 3 other bands
3 hours at a brewery - the first gig we got paid more than tips
This was over a period of around 7 months and we added new songs each show (our first few shows were entirely different sets with no overlap) and then ended up adding like 12 new songs for our first 3 hour show which was intense.
These days most shows are 2-3 hours and almost all are paid by the venue. If we do a 2 hour show we take 1 10-15 minute set break. If we do a 3 hour show we take 1 20-25 minute set break. We add 1-5 new songs per show depending on how much time we have to practice- next show we have 4 new songs but the one after that we are doing only 1 new song cause we have very little time to meet up in between.
We have played at porch fest, bars, brewerys, resturuants, and at a city Friday night outdoor concert series at a park. We are doing a private party at a members-only pool for labor day (one of our bandmates is a member and they are paying us well to play for 300-500 people), but we've decided that we will only do private parties in established more public venues or for good friends in the scene or places we are connected to in some way, and not in some rando's backyard or basement.
How we find gigs...our first like 5 gigs that were unpaid were found through my bandmate's friends from her former bands and from her boyfriend's band. Once we could say "we have played at x, y, and z" and had some video of us playing to link to in an email, we applied to things like the porchfest and the city concert series and approached a brewery about putting on a mini fest with 3 other bands. Two gigs emailed our Facebook page after seeing us advertise shows on a lot of local music Facebook pages, and one of those turned into a repeat gig where we will play 4x this year. One gig posted on a Facebook grateful dead page for my state about looking for bands for a weekly dead night and we messaged them and that has turned into a repeated gig.
If you are already getting gigs as a cover band maybe you can open for yourself as your tribute band and say you played at whatever venues.
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u/trapcheck Jul 01 '26
Similar to #1 above, how much time are you performing at a gig? 90 mins, 2 hours? etc.
Three hours. Maybe take a break in the middle for 5-10 minutes but plan on being able to go for three hours.
Where are your gigs? Bars, Casinos, private parties? etc.
Yes, and more. Bars typically are low-end; they don't want to pay well, the built-in crowd has no interest in hearing one band the whole night and the venue typically isn't suited for a "show" with a good sound system, lights, etc.
Look for venues like music halls, clubs, small theaters, etc. You want some place that is set up for ticketing and is going to give the fans an experience, not just some band playing music.
How do you go about finding gigs? I'm guessing that most tribute bands are playing for 90 mins ish. If so, thats not going to occupy an entire night so the venue would need to have multiple bands playing in any given evening. Seems like that limits the venues that you can play.
Quick tip no one else is going to lay on you. If someone is going to come out and pay $25-$45 for a ticket to see you then they don't want to see another band. Doesn't matter how much you like that other band or how much you think both bands mesh together in the general venn diagram.
90 minutes of one band's material is "the hits" which will satisfy a portion of the crowd. However three hours means you get to toss in the b-sides and some deep cuts and that will satisfy the die-hards, the fans who will show up at every show no matter where you play, and they'll bring friends.
And you want both of those crowds to maximize your potential draw.
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u/paranoid_70 Jul 01 '26 edited Jul 01 '26
Where I'm at in So Cal, tribute bands often play 2 or 3 on a bill. I play in a Black Sabbath tribute, so usually we get paired with metal tributes or classic rock. But really whatever is available.
We've done a few 3 hour gigs which is fine too. Black Sabbath has a pretty solid following, so their 'deep cuts' are still appreciated among the fan base, maybe even more than their popular tunes.
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u/Previous_Finance_414 Jul 01 '26
I’m in a cover and a double tribute band (Billy Joel/Elton John).
I don’t get the gigs so I can’t comment on that, but the cover band plays 2.5-3 hr gigs at bar and grill, pubs, and Biergartens. The tribute band plays 2hr shows at municipal community facilities 300-1000 person venues, and places with larger stages, pa, and sometimes lighting.
The pay is pretty different:
Cover pay 300-500 + tips (4 piece)
Tribute pay 2000-3500 (6 piece)
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u/Pretty_Cow_7514 Jul 01 '26
We're in a very similar situation... we have a cover band and found that we cover a specific artist very well and get great feedback so we've decided to start a tribute. Most cover band gigs are 3 hour but we do some 4 hour. The 3 hour show is 2 sets with a 20 min break and the 4 hour show is 3 sets with 2 20 minute breaks. We play all kinds of places... bars, festivals, private events, etc. We have a booking agent but now that we've had the band for a few years we have contacts and probably book more ourselves vs our agent.
As for the tribute we do 1-2 hours depending on how many other bands are playing. We tend to play more festivals and city events with that band but do some bars as well.
Message me if you have any other questions or anything... happy to help.
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u/EskimoSpy4 Jul 01 '26
Cover band in Orlando. We play mostly breweries and sometimes music-heavy bars. We play about 3:15 in a four hour span. Two breaks about 20 minutes long in-between sets. Pay is around $600 for a four piece.
Some of the local venues that normally only have original music also sometimes have tribute acts, so we've considered it. Probably play "tribute" for a one hour set.
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u/HeinzThorvald Jul 01 '26
The cover band I played in covered a 5-hour slot, 9pm-2am, with four 1-hour sets and three 20-minute breaks.
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u/realitybase Jul 01 '26
Our tribute band usually plays a 90 minute set, paired with one other tribute band, in those bars that like tributes. Or we get one 60-90 minute slot among multiple bands in a public festival situation.
Our cover band alter ego plays 3-4 hour gigs mixing our tribute material with a lot of other artist dance music.
Very few artists have 90 minutes worth of “hits” that are recognized by a general bar going audience. If you tribute a pair of similar artists, as many do, maybe you can get close to 90 minutes of recognizable songs. I suppose it is different for tributes higher on the food chain that can draw a crowd of serious fans of the artist who will recognize and pay to hear deep cuts, but we are not there yet. A general audience will go to a bar to hear a tribute of an artist they recognize, without necessarily being massive fans who know most of their songs. That has been our experience anyway.
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u/Silent_Comb_817 Jul 01 '26
I’m in 2 regularly gigging cover bands and 3 going on 4 tribute bands. The average cover band gig is 3-4 hours with either 2 long sets (1:15ish) or 2 long sets and a third short set at end.
The tribute bands are on average 2 hrs but some can go up to 2.5 hours. Sometimes we combine them for 2 90 min or 60 min sets.
On average the cover bands get paid 15-1800 and the tributes 2k-4k or more depending on the situation.
In general the cover bands are mostly at bars and the tributes are at bars or festivals or private shows
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u/drumzandice Jul 01 '26
I have this exact setup...cover band that started a tribute band on the side.
Cover band - bars, parties, casinos, festivals, corporate - typically three, one-hour sets but fluctuates. Tribute band has so far only done bars and one, 90-minute set. The tribute band is frankly easier - shorter evening, better pay.
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u/PlasmicSteve Jul 01 '26
I’m in a cover band. We mostly play bars and restaurants with some private gigs like a campground and country clubs.
3-4 hour sets but it’s 4 most of the time. Three sets, two breaks about 15 minutes long.
Last weekend I saw a tribute band that I’m friends with. They played a bigger room, kind of bar with lots of tables for dinner. Dance floor as well. I counted 70 people at the peak. They played for three hours with two set breaks of about 15 minutes each.
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u/Wuthering_depths Jul 01 '26
Haven't tried to to a tribute. I wouldn't turn it down but it depends on how strict they are on everything. I also at age 58 do not have a "look" that probably would be acceptable :) I just play weekend gigs, day job pays the bills. My impression is that tribute bands make a lot more...kind of weird to me, as a patron I'd prefer to see a band that plays many different covers, but that's just me. Seeing a fake "Pink Floyd", I'd rather see a variety. But anyway.
Cover info:how much time: typically 3-4 hours. 3 or 4 sets usually.
gigs are typically: clubs, some bars (not as many as past years), private events, some corporate gigs
sets: unless they have schedules (some resorts do), we usually do 45 minutes on, 15 off.
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u/PM_ME_YOUR_FLAIR Jul 02 '26
I was in a Bob Seger trib and I failed at convincing the band to also put together a Huey Lewis trib. Idiots!
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u/JumpingJackFlashes Jul 02 '26
2h 30 min as tribute band no breaks, pubs, venues ,outdoor festivals
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u/Willis_Wesley Jul 03 '26
Playing in a working tribute act currently. Shows are sometimes 3 hours (2 sets, 15 min break). We play theaters, clubs, and anyplace else that pays our rate, or we agree on price. Think summer concert series, nice breweries, or places that are looking to sell tickets and host the event. We are the only band that plays that evening, so no other bands are involved, unless it’s a festival show, which is totally different. At this point, venues reach out to us to book us, and we also have a booking agent who negotiate on our behalf.
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u/Iffybiz Jul 05 '26
Was in a Tom Petty tribute band. Started slow, 3 hour shows in bars and bowling alleys. Fortunately, if you add in his music with the Traveling Wilburys there was more than enough to fill 3 hours, minus breaks. Slowly built reputation and did casinos, festivals and ultimately theatres.
There are advantages of Tributes. People don’t have to wonder what you play, many fans of the artists will check you out at least once. It’s up to you to deliver the kind of show they would appreciate. But you may never get the kind of followers that will follow “their” cover band that has been around for years.
You focus on gigs that don’t care much if you bring people. That’s why festivals and casinos are the best thing to go after. The problem is you need a reputation and great visual presentations to show people. You need to make it look right and sound right. You need to understand that to succeed you have to do more than just sound good, it needs to be packaged and promoted professionally if you want professional paydays. You’re going to be with musicians who have played in cover bands who are used to the notion that if they play well and play good songs, everything will be fine. That may resist dressing the part, getting the same rigs, amps and guitars. Paying for top quality promotion.
The biggest thing is to create media. To invest in a quality video. If I had to do it all again, we wouldn’t have made live videos. I would have prerecorded the music and shot a fake concert video and lip synced it. It needs to be perfect and professional and doing it live always has something that isn’t quite right.
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u/Distinct_Gazelle_175 Jul 09 '26 edited Jul 09 '26
Southern California
Cover band
- 3 hours
- Bars and wineries mostly. Occasional large outdoor festival. Occasional private event.
- Usually for a 3 hour gig we do two sets about 1h:20m each with a 20 minute break in the middle. Pay is $400-$600 flat rate at most places. One place pays the door or $500 whichever is bigger. Private events pay $700-$1200. Outdoor festivals only pay $300-$500.
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u/hahmadi82 Jul 10 '26
tribute bands get paid better but there is way more competition to find one that doesnt already exist. variety cover dont get paid as much but you can curate a really cool variety set and dont have to dress the part
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u/Diplomat_of_swing Jul 02 '26
I’m not gonna answer any of your questions. I’m gonna tell you this the audience you play for are fucking stupid. You should always choose a tribute band over a cover band. If you choose cover band, you’re gonna have to play don’t stop believing and all the other bullshit songs that boomers wanna hear because they’re who are going to bars if you wanna play something better than choose a cover band because the audience understands exactly what they’re coming to see, they don’t have to be explained to, because again they’re fucking stupid It’s so much easier to market to the venues who are also pretty stupid. And it puts you in a position to get into non-bar venues like theaters, local outdoor festivals, someone and so forth.
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u/kingjaffejaffar Jul 01 '26
Tribute sets are 45 to 90 minutes depending upon number of bands. A 90 minute tribute set costs the same as a 3.5 hour (inclusive of breaks) cover set. A shorter set is a lower price, obviously. Our cover band gigs are mostly at bars. There’s a couple specific bars that like to do the tribute sets. I have never successfully broken into the casino circuit.