So, what’s the deal with tribute bands?

What would you give to see Prince in concert? Fleetwood Mac? What about Frank Sinatra?

If you aren’t picky about looks, then it wouldn’t need to be much. Tribute bands are taking to the stage now more than ever, providing fans with new opportunities to experience their favorite music live.

“Oh, I love ’em,” Spokane resident Jim Harding said. “I really enjoy watching tribute bands. It sounds weird, but I really do.”

At Pig Out in the Park Wednesday, Jim and Jaymie Harding stood near the clocktower stage and cheered for the Robin Trower tribute band Bridge of Sighs. Trower is a U.K. guitarist who used to be a member of ’60s rock band Procol Harum.

“I mean, most of these guys are too old or too expensive to go see,” Harding said. “So you get a band that’s as good as this, that’s dedicated to playing the music accurately, it’s very entertaining.”

Longtime fans, the Hardings have seen Trower perform three times before, a well as a number of other tributes to him. Jaymie Harding said that Bridge of Sighs was “spot on” in their rendition.

“I’m never gonna see Robin Trower again,” Jim Harding said. “But here’s a quality Robin Trower cover band, and that was great to see.”

Pig Out is set to host a number of tribute and cover bands over the next few days, including AC/DC tribute “BC/DC” on Sunday and Ramones tribute “Loudmouth” on Monday.

Jaymie Harding said that sometimes, the tributes at Pig Out are even better than the real deal.

“We seen an Eagles tribute band last year at Pig Out,” she said, “It blew us away.”

Despite the high praise, the vocalist from Bridge of Sighs, Kosda Panidis, spoke humbly about his band’s musical abilities.

“We try to be as true to it as we can. Obviously, we’re not going to be as good as Robin Trower or we wouldn’t be here,” Panidis said. “But we try to pay tribute to what he does and emulate it as closely as possible.”

Panidis and most other Bridge of Sigh’s players are a part of a local circle of musicians who get together to form tribute bands for a variety of different artists. The group began around 9 years ago, playing songs from the Yardbirds – the precursor to Led Zeppelin and Renaissance.

“These are bands that when I was a kid, I grew up listening to and loved them then. So it’s kind of fun to play that stuff now rather than some new young label,” Panidis said.

With members mostly retired, Panidis said that they form the tribute bands for fun and love of music.

“It’s wonderful when I can look at the crowd and see people singing along their songs, because then you know you’re hitting the mark,” Panidis said. “And Pig Out is a wonderful venue. The crowds are always receptive.”

But the tribute band craze extends beyond music festivals. Next month alone, the Bing Crosby Theater in downtown Spokane is set to host tribute bands for Jimmy Buffett, Frank Sinatra, Prince and Fleetwood Mac.

“We are seeing an uptick of people interested in attending cover bands,” Friends of the Bing director Nickie White said. Because of the central location of Spokane in comparison to Boise, Bozeman, Seattle and Portland, “we’re a great touring location for people to come through and our theater is such an amazing, intimate space – and a historical space.”

The Coeur d’Alene-based “Paper Flowers” is the Fleetwood Mac tribute band coming to the Bing Sept. 21.

Lead singer Allison McCready said that the band is unique among tribute artists.

“We look at it as honoring the music rather than trying to be needle drop copying it, because we want to be ourselves presenting this music.” McCready said. “You will recognize every note. It’s not like we’ve changed anything, but we just put our own spin on things.”

McCready said that Paper Flowers started in 2022 after she and her husband lost all of their musical gigs during the pandemic.

“We just didn’t have a lot to do for about a year and we thought, well, we got to do something. And he just came up with the idea of Fleetwood Mac,” McCready said. “It’s just music that we love so it was, more than anything, just trying to think about ‘who would we want to honor?’ and we love Fleetwood Mac.”

The first time all the members met up to test their musical chemistry, it was clear there was no going back again.

“We started playing Rhiannon and we hit the first harmony on that first ‘Rhiannon” and all the lights in the house went out. And we knew that was a sign we were meant to be together,” McCready said. “I mean, all of us were just sort of flabbergasted. It was like, ‘Rhiann–’ and then all the lights – every one of the lights in the whole house – just blew out.”

The Paper Flowers have sold out all 18 shows that they have done since forming. McCready said that the fan interactions have been humbling.

“We’ve had this really big, emotional experience of connecting with people through this music,” she said. “People just wanna hug you and tell you about like, ‘Oh my gosh, when you sang that song it reminded me of when my dad would drive me to school and that would be on the radio,’ and so many stories that people want to share with us about the music.”

But what really draws people to tribute bands, according to McCready, is their accessibility. Wanting to see Stevie Nicks perform, McCready was shocked to find that the “worst seat in the room” was $350.

“It was always a thing to go see tribute bands, but it’s really big for sure right now,” McCready said. “And I think it’s because you can see an amazing show, music that you love, kids are welcome – so it can be a whole family experience – and you can get in there for like 30 to 50 dollars. So its a great value for a live concert experience.”

White, with Friends of The Bing, had a similar take.

“It gives them a chance to relive some of their younger years or yesteryears and not have to get in the car and travel, or fly somewhere, to see these huge bands,” White said. “Or pay tons of money to go see them, because everybody’s a little strapped.”

This attractiveness of tribute shows for audiences has led to some musicians taking up tribute gigs in order to get their own names out there.

“For me, it’s really just because I wanted to play at the Bing Crosby theater,” Shawn Stratte said. “I feel like if I was doing a show at the theater just doing my music, I don’t think I have enough name recognition or draw.”

Stratte is performing a Frank Sinatra tribute concert at the Bing on Sept. 13.

“If I tell people its a Frank Sinatra show, they’re like, ‘Oh, I know Frank Sinatra,’ so they’ll come,” Stratte said. “And then hopefully they’ll come and enjoy my artistry, because I’m not doing the songs exactly like the record.”

Regardless of approach, the demand for local, live music is there in Spokane. The Fab Four – a Beatles tribute, Mania – an ABBA tribute, and No Quarter – a Led Zeppelin tribute are all bands that return to the Bing yearly and sell out their shows, according to White.

“It’s definitely quality that’s coming through. It’s not, you know, your basement tribute,” she said. “It’s not a garage band.”

The quality of tribute bands is not lost on Jim Harding, who attended the Trower tribute at Pig Out.

“People should come to support them because they won’t come to town if they can’t make a living,” Harding said. “They’ve gotta make a living. They’re dedicated to the music and you’re gonna have a great show. You’re gonna have a great time.”