In Defense of Cover Music

Cover Music

Portland, and the Old Port in particular, is riddled with Cover Bands. I'd like to hear your thoughts on it, but first I want to get something off my chest:

I don't think cover bands suck. In fact, I think they can be pretty rad. Beyond doing little to advance the scene - or nothing to advance the scene, as the case may be - I don't see how they're toxic or bad for Portland.

In fact, I think they're good.

Cover bands typically play in places where music is secondary, where the focus of the bar is to move booze and keep people talking, happy and dancing. The bar isn't about the music, it's about the bar.

I'd hate to see my favorite bands in those places.

And I think that when most people head out to the bar, they are not going for the music. There are select pockets who show up at Space, Empire, Geno's, Blue and so on who are there for a band. Who are there to appreciate music. But I think the people who end up in the Old Port are not the same kind of people who show up to Space.

Cover bands serve a great purpose. They're the background noise of a bar. They get hips bouncin', legs stompin' and booze flowin'. Portland has been blessed with a large number of quality cover bands, too. The musicianship in our little town is impressive. J. Biddy and The Awesome and Travis James Humphrey have talented bands backing them up. When they play, they form a real, true connection with their audience.

Cover bands are about the music as much as any other bands. They have a real connection with the audience and they cement a real following, they have real talent and real purpose. It is a different purpose than is served by our wonderful indie scene, though. And they're serving a different crowd.

You can't say cover bands are invalid or unworthy any more than you can say Norman Rockwell is invalid or unworthy. You may not like the music - that's fine, to each his own - but they have a place in the scene. They impact the town and are important.

Hell, if it hadn't been for Cover Bands, I never would've discovered the rest of the Portland scene.

I used to think that Portland had its priorities wrong, focusing all the money, booze and volume in the Old Port, drawing all the people there and then just offering cover bands as live music. But I don't think that's bad at all. It frees up the rest of the town for new and fresh music. Plus, the clientele in the Old Port is markedly different from that of music-for-appreciation bars. I don't want to see a lot of sun-burnt, collar-popped, sideways-hatted, bud-light-swilling flatlanders at my shows.

But to each his own.

I'm trying to say Cover Bands don't really detract from the scene because the people who are interested in new, fresh and exciting music are already hunting out and the people who are looking to get hammered and have a good time already know where to go.

And Cover Bands can still rock out. They are still talented people. They know how to jam, how to get the butts out of the seats.

A confession: My Dad plays for the house band at an open mic night out in Naples at Bray's Brew Pub. As such he plays a lot of cover music. I never have a bad time when I go, though. They are forming a real and lasting connection with the audience.

That's important. Even if the audience doesn't know the guitarist from the bassist, they have a genuine connection with the music. They are feeling it in a meaningful way.

That's valid, that's real. That's honest.

And that's music.

To sum up, I think Cover Bands are talented and worthy people. They serve a purpose. You don't have to like them, but you should at least respect them.

On the other hand, I could be full of crap and I would love to hear your take on the issue. Hit me back at krister@dogandponymusic.net and I'll compile your thoughts for later publication.

Keep rocking, Portland, keep rocking.

Published By Krister