What better a way to celebrate the new year than to get out and enjoy a show that reminds you of years gone by? That’s exactly what thousands of you do each weekend whenever you attend the many free or ticketed “concerts” at local bars and restaurants with cover bands and some of those bands may concentrate on a single famous musician or band so we tend to refer to them a tribute band. Sure, some of them are better than others and that’s sometimes a matter of opinion. Some of them wear costumes or just wigs which puts them and hopefully you into the right mood for their show. Most of the bands playing locally are made up of local musicians, some of whom make a living playing “gigs” as often as possible with other original or cover bands or as solo performers. Others have full time jobs and you may not even recognize them if they delivered your mail or fixed your car but watching them on stage provides all of us an opportunity to escape from our daily lives and pretend, just for a few hours, that those guys are the “real” thing. So, sit back, relax and enjoy the show!
In addition to paying tribute to specific bands and artists, there are also many bands that pay tribute to a specific era or genre of music. For example, Down Durty Boyz, Metalucious, and Hairdays are all examples of bands that cover favorite “Hair Metal” of the 80’s. A few others including Stereotomy, The Pixels and Rubixx pay tribute to 80’s Alternative otherwise known as New Wave. We don’t have space to cover them all here but it’s always fun to attend their shows as well.
We put together a snapshot of tribute shows you can expect to see this month based on blogs and listings appearing on the live music calendars at WeekendBroward.com and WeekendPalmBeach.com, spanning from Fort Lauderdale to West Palm Beach, Florida.
Galuppi’s Restaurant & Patio-Bar in Pompano Beach
Experience tributes to your favorite artists under the stars with free admission every Friday and Saturday night on the outdoor patio at Galuppi’s. Table reservations are available starting at $50/table. Otherwise, you’re encouraged to come early for dinner and/or appetizers before the show begins as tables are given out on a first come, first served basis. More info at www.galuppis.com or (954) 785-0226.
January 4 – KISS Alive (KISS) with opening act Fremantle (AC/DC)
January 5 – Doors Alive (Jim Morrison and The Doors)
January 12 – Smooth STB (Santana Tribute Band)
January 18 – Jaded (Aerosmith)
January 19 – True Rumours (Fleetwood Mac)
January 26 – Pure Zeppelin Experience (Led Zeppelin)
The Venu Restaurant and Bar in Boynton Beach
Every Thursday night is Tribute Night at The Venu, located in the Canyon Town Center in Boynton Beach. This upscale restaurant and bar has a concert size stage on one end and a large U-shaped bar on the other end and plenty of tables in between. Tickets are sold in advance for most shows starting at $10 for general admission and up to $35 for tables in the first two rows (VIP section). For more information, visit www.thelocalvenu.com or call (561) 200-0222.
January 3 – After Midnight (Eric Clapton)
January 10 – Pure Zeppelin Experience (Led Zeppelin)
January 11 – Thunderjack (AC/DC)
January 17 – The Beatlemaniax USA (The Beatles)
January 24 – Slippery When Wet (Bon Jovi)
January 25 – The Blues Brothers Soul Band
January 31 – Simply Tina (Tina Turner)
The Pavilion at Old School Square in Delray Beach
Free and ticketed outdoor concerts every Friday night and some Saturday nights starting October 5th, 2018 and running weekly until March of 2019. We picked out only the tribute shows to feature here, however, you can find the complete list online at: Friday Night Concerts at The Pavilion at Old School Square
Jan 12 – Classic Albums Live: Fleetwood Mac (8:00 Pm – 10:00 Pm) TICKETS START AT $20
Jan 19 – Pink Floyd Laser Spectacular (8:00 Pm – 10:00 Pm) TICKETS START AT $20
The Wellington Amphitheater
The 3,200 square foot open-air facility, located in Western Palm Beach County, includes a state of the art sound and lighting system for events such as concerts, plays, school functions, and movie nights. The Wellington Amphitheater features Food Trucks and free live music on most Thursday and Saturday nights. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs. More info at: www.wellingtonfl.gov/government/departments/parks-recreation/events/amphitheater or call (561) 753-2484.
January 10 – Five Boroughs Doo-Wop Tribute Show
January 12 – Almost Ahba (Abba)
January 19 – Hot Legs (Tina Turner)
January 31 – Neil Zirconia (Neil Diamond)
Elsewhere
January 3 – Cash Unchained (Johnny Cash) at The Kelsey Theater in Lake Park [Tickets $15-$30]
January 4 – Turnstiles (Billy Joel) at Pine Island Park in Plantation
January 4 – Completely Unchained (Van Halen) at Johnny Q’s in Palm Springs
January 5 – KISS Alive (KISS) with opening act Carnivalle at Piper’s Sports Bar in Greenacres
January 17 – The B Street Band (Bruce Springsteen) at Legends Lounge (NYY Steak) in Coconut Creek
January 18 – Caribbean Chillers (Jimmy Buffett) at Mickel Park in Wilton Manors (2675 NW 7th Avenue)
January 19 – Chili Pilots (Red Hot Chili Peppers) at JD’s Lounge in Coral Springs
January 19 – The Petty Hearts (Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers) at Nectar Lounge in Coconut Creek
January 25 – Smokin’ (Boston) at Stage 954 inside the Casino at Dania Beach
January 27 – Grateful Dead Tribute at The Funky Biscuit in Boca Raton
Weekly Shows
Mondays – Catch impersonators from South Florida Legends every Monday night at Fishtales on 33rd in Fort Lauderdale
Tuesdays – Hot Rod Show pays a humorous tribute to Rod Stewart every Tuesday night at Johnnie Brown’s in Delray Beach
Also Tuesdays, 2 of Us (Beatles Tribute Duo) at The Field Irish Pub & Eatery in Dania Beach
Sundays – Crazy Fingers pays tribute to The Grateful Dead every Sunday night at Boston’s on the Beach in Delray Beach
More Live Music Updated Daily
Exact dates, times and locations for all of the above, favorite cover bands, happy hour entertainment and more live music can be found on the following two pages of WeekendBroward.com:
