Want to join me in a U2 tribute band? I bear a good physical resemble to U2's guitarist the Edge & my guitar sound & playing style also parallel his use of delays & ambiences.
I can reproduce the album versions quite closely as to what's on CD. Concentrating on their classic "Joshua Tree" period, between "The Unforgettable Fire" until "Achtung Baby" & some of the recent material. I'd do a few earlier songs, but for the most part "Zooropa & "Pop" aren't as strong. I like U2, but am by no means a fanatic (as some players I've talked to), which gives me a much broader perspective of what a *general* audience will appreciate. No one really cares about some obscure version of "3 O'Clock Tick Tock" off of some bootleg recorded live in Hamburg in 1991 with Bono rambling on about Amnesty International in the middle of the tune for 5 minutes. People want to hear their favorite tunes, reproduced on stage as close as possible to the sound of the studio recordings. I've seen a few U2 tributes & wasn't too impressed. A great tribute band is one that if you saw a show & forgot your glasses, you'd have a hard time knowing if it was a copy or the real thing. I know I can be in the best U2 tribute there is.
So the question is can you? Are you a singer who LOOKS & SOUNDS like Bono? (or do you know of one?) By that I don't mean someone that wears sunglasses & slicks back his hair. To bear enough of a physical resemblance to him, that people often say that you look like him. You'd also have to be able to sing in full chest voice (not falsetto) without burning out halfway through every show. The guitar tuning will be in standard 440, either you can sing in that range comfortably or you can't.
The bass & drums in U2 are easy to pull off, minimal, simple, tight & solid. It will be less essential (that is, easier to find at least) but equally important that the rhythm section can look the part as well. At least for those members to have a similar body type & hair style/color.
I can play enough keyboards to program all necessary backing tracks for the shows. But It's best to keep the sequencing to a minimum, people want to see a band, not listen to Karaoke.
A band like this can earn minimum $1000 per night. Initially I'd keep the stage set-up down to the basics, so as to get started playing live ASAP. Then gradually build a more elaborate show as the demand, salary & additional crew would permit. Putting up a big show right from the beginning is not very practical or realistic. Touring would be the eventual goal, across the U.S. & even Europe. That's where the big bucks lie, closer to $2000, $5000 & even $10,000 per show. So if you've got a career or family, I doubt this would be the project for you.
I'm also a BIG Led Zeppelin fan. I've played over 30 of their tunes & can do it for the most part with one guitar, with the same distinct tone & feel as on the studio recordings. Other bands I like & can play well, the earlier material by HEART, JOURNEY, PINK FLOYD.
To listen to some of my original songs & guitar playing, see my "myspace" page:
www.myspace.com/shinecat
- A TENTATIVE SETLIST -
|
I Will Follow
New Year's Day
Sunday Bloody Sunday (Am or Bm)
Bad
Pride
The Unforgettable Fire
MLK
With Or Without You
Where The Streets Have No Name
Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
Bullet The Blue Sky
In God's Country
All I Want Is You
|
Desire
Angel Of Harlem
When Love Comes To Town
One
Wild Horses
Mysterious Ways
Until The End Of The World
Even Better Than The Real Thing
Staring At The Sun
If God Would Send His Angels
Electrical Storm
Beautiful Day
Walk On
|
MAIN
INTRO
INFLUENCES
ORIGINAL SONGS
COVER SONGS
WORK
MORE
shinecat@hotmail.com
