Tribute bands, as authentic as the originals
I'm going to propose a game. Close your eyes and imagine you're at one of Michael Jackson's This is It concerts, the ones he never got to perform in the summer of 2009, belting out his hits. Are you more of an Abba fan? Then try traveling back to the 70s and 80s, when platform boots and glittery dresses were the order of the day and their songs were blasting. And for rock lovers, who wouldn't want to feel the magic of Dire Straits concerts again, those where the guitars spoke and Mark Knopfler's hair blew in the wind? Well, it's all possible to relive thanks to tribute bands, which are increasingly successful and in-demand.
Although it's impossible to recreate the essence of the original singers and bands, tributes are a good way to enjoy songs that have left their mark live again, and also offer a way to cope with current prices. There are two types: those that recreate artists and bands still active—from Bruce Springsteen to Estopa—and those that remember musicians and bands we miss so much now. And it's the latter that are the most successful and will be the ones that will have the most attention in the coming weeks.
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Regarding the King of Pop, there are many shows that recall his career, his songs, and his choreography. Two of the most acclaimed are coming to Barcelona and Cambrils: Michael Legend and This is Michael. The former, with over a million and a half spectators over its 15 seasons and 12 artists on stage, will visit Barcelona's Apolo Theatre from July 1 to 20. The latter is one of the highlights of the Cambrils Music Festival (July 6), and for two hours, singers, musicians, and dancers will offer a "refreshed" show with "meticulous, high-level choreography," according to the show itself.
Elvis Presley will be present at the Apollo Theater (17/VIII)
Apollo TheaterAnother legendary band that has received several tributes around the world is Queen, with stage performances that try to resemble the remembered concerts of the British group and, of course, with vocalists characterized as the late Freddie Mercury with his moustache, his ripped t-shirt and even his crown. According to Rolling Stone magazine, the best tribute band to the Londoners is the Argentinian God Save The Queen, with three decades of career, a show in which they review all the hits of the group from 1973 to 1991, and a singer, Pablo Padín, who physically and vocally closely resembles what many consider the best voice of all time. This summer they will visit two festivals that are well known: Les Nits in Barcelona (15/VII) and Porta Ferrada in Sant Feliu de Guíxols (18/VIII) . And they won't be the only tribute to Queen to come to the Catalan capital: Queen Is Back will take to the stage at the Apolo Theatre from July 23 to August 3 to present a show with "unprecedented technical displays" for a spectacle "without equal that will leave no one indifferent."
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In the world of tributes, another band highly respected for its musical quality is Abba The New Experience, which performs the Swedish band's greatest hits. It has concerts scheduled until November, including the Menorca Music Festival (2/8) and the Palau de la Música Catalana (4/10), further proof that these types of events attract thousands of spectators. Likewise, Abba's music will also be present at Les Nits de Barcelona with Björn Again (10/7), an Australian band founded in 1988 inspired by the name of one of the members of the Swedish group – Björn Ulvaeus – and which, according to the festival, offers a show with "a meticulous staging and faithful reinterpretations" of Abba songs. A month later, the Apolo Theatre will present another tribute to the 1974 Eurovision-winning band, EuroAbba, from August 6 to 16, a must-see at the Paral·lel .
Abba The New Experience will visit the Palau de la Música (4/X)
Abba The New ExperienceIn this same theatre, which is probably the one that most supports tribute bands in Barcelona, you can also enjoy The Bootleg Beatles (3/VII), who will commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Liverpool band's concert at the Monumental , and Elvis Lives (17/VIII), with Greg Miller and his band who will bring the King of Rock to this popular stage.
Read also Dire Straits is another group that has had several revivals around the world, even with original musicians.A band that played its last concert 33 years ago—curiously, in Zaragoza—and is still fondly remembered is Dire Straits. Until now, it was still possible to hear some of their anthems performed by Mark Knopfler. But after their retirement, tribute bands are the only option. And three proposals stand out: gREAT sTRAITS, led by Óscar Rosende –with a style that even surprised the original keyboard player Guy Fletcher, who thought it was Knopfler himself– will perform the group's greatest hits at the Coliseum theater in Barcelona (19/X), Dire Straits Legacy, with musicians such as Alan Clark, Phil Palmer, Danny Cummings and Mel Collins who played live with the band and will be at Razzmatazz within the Banco Mediolanum Festival Mil·lenni (9/X), and bROTHERS iN bAND, who perform countless concerts around the world every year and this summer will be in Punta Umbría, Algeciras, Úbeda and Alicante, and will return to Catalonia in 2026 with a show in Tarragona (14/III).
On a national level, a group that defined an era and, despite being the dream of many, doesn't seem likely to reunite again is Mecano. One of their most acclaimed tributes is Hija de la luna, which will be performing at Occident Summerfest Cerdanya (29/8) with songs about hangovers and how hard it is to forget those we've loved.
The Bootleg Beatles will recall the concert at the Monumental (3/VII)
The Bootleg BeatlesThe variety of tribute bands across the country is vast, both in styles and stagecraft. But one thing is clear: they're as authentic as the originals. And that's the key to their success.
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