It really should come as no surprise that tribute acts have become hot commodities. In the unstable economy of the late '80s and early '90s, the tribute band flourished as a lean, mean commercially viable vehicle. That success has lingered. Without paying for any PR, club owners can conjure an image of what a band will look like, what it will play and, most important, who will come. With far fewer variables to consider than with any original outfit, club owners are also more likely to pay tribute bands the big bucks.
Instant recognition is like an insurance policy as far as they're concerned.
As the adage goes, it pays to specialize, and people like Mikara's manager Rich Demattia have made an art form out of appealing to various well-defined demographics at their clubs. Mikara's holds dance nights and male reviews, but the weekly reggae, modern and classic rock tributes are the club's true cash cows. It's much easier to feed them what they want. What they want at Mikara's are the likes of Itchy Fish, a Pearl Jam tribute that guarantees a draw of about 700 to 800 people a night. That's a staggering figure, and one that Demattia says is forcing major city venues and college towns throughout New England to rethink their own booking practices.