Thoughts on Carpenters tribute acts?

[FineArts03]

If you have seen any Carpenters tribute acts were they any good? What are your thoughts even from videos online of them?

I haven't seen any Carpenters tribute acts live yet but I am considering it as it's the closest I may ever get to the real thing.
I've seen videos online of Queen, George Michael and Elvis tribute acts which have been astounding as some of the singers for these tribute acts have been able to sound pretty close to the real thing. However that doesn't seem to be the case with the Carpenters (at least from what I've witnessed). I suppose it's a testament to how unique Karen's voice really was.

 

[JohnFB]

I enjoy a medley of Carpentet hits done as a tribute - but only as a small part of the performance of their OWN material by an individual or group - I have no interest in anyone tying to "be" them or attempting to simulate them.

 

[JuanDela]

There's no doubt that tribute artists are also very good of course, but to me there's nothing like the real thing.
I personally find it a little uncomfortable when other people imitate my favourite artists.

In the case of the Carpenters, I find it hard for anyone to reach Karen's voice fidelity, or Richard's musical personality. They both had their own irreplicable essence.

 

[Mike Blakesley]

I have no interest in anyone tying to "be" them or attempting to simulate them.

No tribute act ever tries to pass themselves off as the artist in question -- if they did, they'd get in legal trouble -- although I did see a ZZ Top tribute band a couple of years ago that if you didn't know it was a tribute, you would swear it was the real deal. The vocals were on point, and they even had the appropriate beards.

The thing with tribute bands these days is, for a growing list of entertainers, they're all we've got if we want to hear that particular music performed live. The Beatles are gone, the Carpenters are (for intents and purposes) gone, which is just the top of the iceberg -- and many many others will be gone within the next few years. There's nothing like a live show, you can't simulate it in your living room.... so if you want to go to a Beatles show or a Carpenters show, your only option is a tribute band.

I think over the next few years various tribute acts will "rise to the top" and there will be "the best" one out there for just about any artist you could name. Maybe the owners of a particular brand name (like Richard owns the Carpenters name) would bestow a particular tribute band with the title of "Official Tribute Band of that act. There are already acts who endorse tribute bands -- the group Hotel California (an Eagles tribute) has endorsements from a couple of the real Eagles, with quotes like "If you can't see the Eagles, see these guys!" In a way, it could be a good thing. No artist lives forever and having something that's "close to" the original person's sound would be better than nothing.

Gene Simmons of Kiss once said in an interview that he thought Kiss would go on forever with just a new cast of characters stepping in from time to time. I think they might have a rough time finding a guy who plays a mean bass guitar AND has a long tongue though!

 

[newvillefan]

Wendy Roberts and Phil Aldridge were in a UK tribute band in the 90s. She was the closest I ever heard to Karen. They performed Calling Occupants which was a thrill and Wendy opened the second half sitting at the drums and singing We’ve Only Just Begun. They played the London Palladium at one point and their tour poster featured a quote from Richard, something along the lines of “an authentic recreation of our act”.

Wendy Roberts Interview

 

[Chris May]

I recently posted a response to a Facebook message on this topic in particular, something I rarely do.

Like with most things, there's a healthy and unhealthy element to the tribute act world. If they're really good at not only fooling the audience into believing they're the original artist, but also genuinely paying proper homage musically to the original, then it can be quite entertaining—in a good way.

What I personally have a big issue with is when tribute artists start believing they're actually the real deal—when clearly they're not, and operate narcissistically. It not only affects the spirit and mood both on and off the stage, but often times these kinds of tributes tend to take creative license in interjecting their own style and "re-interpretation" of the original music. Pick one or the other, in other words.

Either make it your mission to work meticulously to recreate the original, or decide that your own career as an original artist yourself is the priority and let that be your focus. The audience is paying to see a replica of the original, not a knockoff trying to selfishly showcase their "talents" separately while baiting the audience and using them as their launching pad.

OR, like @JohnFB says, be an original that is paying tribute in song to another artist. That's entirely different, and perfectly acceptable.

Okay, I'm done now. LOL

 

[JohnFB]

Another thing I will never approve of or accept is any kind of AI recreation of the Carpenters - especially Karen and very especially her voice. Unfortunately, there are some examples of this out there already...

 

[Jack A.]

I normally don’t have a problem with tribute acts, as long as they are being their own artists and playing the music at face value. Like what others have mentioned, I just don’t like when female singers try to completely impersonate Karen. It makes it seem as if Karen is replaceable, like there can be another one like her to take her place, and we know that is totally not the case. There was only one Karen, and there will ever only be one. And I’m not judging anyone who does like it - I’m just saying IMHO that I feel it’s not the right way to go about making a tribute act.

Now, perhaps some tribute acts may try to recreate some of the artist’s original “feel,” and creating a similar atmosphere may mean incorporating aspects of the artists “style” in their performances. I get that, but if I’m watching someone who is basically trying to be this other artist, that’s when it gets weird for me.