Impersonators and tribute bands go in and out of popularity as people decide whether or not they’re cringe. One year it might be fun and exciting to see that Beatles cover band, and the next year it could be embarrassing even to go: but why is that? Why are these performers so alluring at times?
These are the top things to consider when deciding whether or not you enjoy an impersonator or tribute band: and why they’re so divisive.
The Original Performers May Be Dead
Unfortunately, nobody lives forever. This means that performers we love can be gone one day, and then we’ll never get to enjoy their incredible energy again. For this reason, tribute bands and impersonators offer something that nobody else can. This touch of magic that allows for people to feel like they’re seeing someone that’s long gone can be fantastic and can keep the magic of that person alive for longer.
Great examples of this are Elvis and Marilyn Monroe performers and bands that do covers of groups like the Beatles.
It Reminds Them of a Different Era
Sometimes the passage of time can feel like it’s rocketing by before you can really enjoy things happening in the modern-day. Because of this, we find ourselves reaching out to cover bands and tribute groups or celebrity impersonators who are able to bring back some of the magic we feel like we missed out on back then. Although they’re not the people we idolized at the time, they can bring out the same energy and excitement that the originals did, and for a moment, let us imagine we’re back in those times.
Dancing to Other Fans of Something You Love
If you struggle to understand cover bands or celebrity impersonators: think of it as enjoying another fan’s art. They’ve studied and worked hard to replicate the same feeling and energy on stage as the originals, and because of this, they should be celebrated. You’re both enjoying something that clearly means a lot to you, so lean into it and let yourself have fun instead of overthinking the fact that they’re not the original performers. Enjoy the magic instead of picking it apart.
They’re Automatically Camp
Camp can be a term that’s hard to define, but it’s a descriptor for anything that’s so striking or so much that it’s automatically good and fun again. Also known as leaning into cringe, people enjoy it for the same reason others love sour candy; it just scratches something just right in our brains. Tribute bands and famous impersonators can bring that energy through and have fun without shame as they lean into the performance, and because of that: they’re camp.
Tribute Bands and Celebrity Impersonators Deserve All of the Love
Whether or not you’re eager to watch them perform every single day, tribute bands and celebrity impersonators are skilled individuals who put all of their time into encompassing the feeling and personality of another person, and for that, they deserve our respect! They’re incredible performers.