What to make of the saying ‘great live bands remind you of other great live bands’ when the band you’re watching are a great live band impersonating a great live band?

It’s a question I seem to ask myself more and more as, seemingly, each week a new tribute act pop ups. Are tribute acts the result of increasing ticket prices (£140 to stand and watch ACDC anyone?)? Is it because the impersonated bands don’t tour/ tour infrequently? Is it because impersonating bands themselves have now developed a cult following (if the words ‘Ringo is a Geordie’ means anything, you’ll know what I mean)?

Or is it, as I would hunch, because fewer and fewer new bands are breaking through to the ‘big time’ as a result of a pushed (and over-loaded) music industry?

It’s an absolute credit to Trillian’s that they put on these free music shows.  Particularly, given last years spell in administration.  It would be fair to assume that they’re not sitting with a wodge of cash in the bank.

In a time where labour (and business) is being asked to work harder, for less, whilst taking fewer risks, it’s good to see a rock bar getting out there and championing live music.

This is Britain in 2016; bars have insufficient money coming through the till to afford even a weekend DJ.

Consumer cutbacks, austerity, high rent, alcohol taxes, smoking bans, cost leading pricing models from national supermarkets all contribute to making the pub and club industries harder to survive in.  It’s one a day now. One pub closes every day.  Some of them, a free market would argue, might deserve to close.

But when a bar like Trillian’s closes we lose not just a piece of history, but also part of our community.  It’s a bar designed for outcasts.  Friendly outcasts.  We lose Trillians and we lose the place where we can go to meet other friendly outcasts; in it’s place another franchise pops up- it’s clientele being women with fake boobs & fake tan and lads on steroids; unfriendly incasts.

The demultiplier of rock music kicks in; meaning less investment in the rock industry, less bands, fewer albums, few tours, etc. etc. until rock becomes a ghost- propped up by figureheads and icons.

Megadeath UK were great.   They play the songs. They don’t go over the top with acting.  They are respectful to the artists they impersonate.

I have a love for Trillians that goes so much further than it being just a pub.  It’s good to see it busy.  It’s good to hear the cash registers. It’s good to see people in black. They’ll get my hard earned cash as long as they want it.