Cover Me

Over the years I’ve seen several tribute bands for groups like Rush, AC/DC, DMB, Jimmy Buffett, U2 and it’s always a strange phenomenon. So when Sunday night rolled around and the Guns-n-Roses tribute band “Appetite for Destruction” was playing down the street I agreed to go because it was cheap, it was close and I felt like channeling my late 80’s white male testosterone into rocking out to some old school G-n-R.

We rolled to club and grabbed some seats about half way back in the venue. We were there about ten minutes when this black chick struts in wearing full on Gene Simmons, God of Thunder, over-sized, KISS boots, tights and an old Guns t-shirt. On my list of things that I expected to see at the show that night, a sister sporting old school hard rock gear was just below a drag queen dressed as Dolly Parton carrying a dwarf in a Baby Bjorn.

The opening band came out, and they had an L.A. Guns meets The Crow vibe going on. It must be weird being a band playing original music trying to make a name for yourself and you have to open for a group that plays dress up and mimics an already successful band. “Dude, I heard that you’re opening for Guns-n-Roses, that rocks!”… “Uh, not really, we’re opening for a Guns-n-Roses tribute band.” *Crickets*

Show time! They open with “Welcome to the Jungle” and they sounded great and looked the part. They tore through most of the Appetite for Destruction and Lies albums, although one of the few songs they didn’t play was my personal pick track for the night “My Michelle”. What a gip! For most of the evening we were three rows back on the Izzy Stradlin and Duff McKagen wannabe’s side of the stage. After a couple of hours reveling in our throwback rock and roll fantasies, the night came to a close and I have to admit that they were actually tighter than the real G-n-R I saw back in ’91.

Now if you’ll excuse me I need to find my way out of this jungle because I don’t want to die.