A lot of people don't hold tribute bands in the highest regard. After all, they're playing somebody else’s music.
But most of these people might not be aware that the tribute-band scene in Los Angeles is huge. Quite a few tribute acts have their own followings and are invariably successful when it comes to selling out prestigious venues.
Wild Child, a Doors tribute band, have been around for more than 20 years, and it’s time they got some recognition for their unending dedication to the music they’ve loved and mastered. Thanks to AXS TV’s series, The World’s Greatest Tribute Bands, Wild Child got a spot on national TV on May 6, playing in front of a packed Roxy Theatre crowd.
Having seen this band several times before at venues like the House Of Blues and the Whisky A Go Go, I knew what to expect in terms of the performance level. This time, I was curious about how they'd make the same impact within an hour’s time, since they usually play much longer sets.
After being introduced, they took the Roxy by storm, belting out one classic after another. Starting with the fitting "Break On Through," they brought their A game from the get-go. Singer Dave Brock is a well-known figure in local circles, as he has not only kept this band going strong all these years but now also performs with actual Doors Ray Manzarek and Robbie Krieger. You can’t get any better than Dave when it comes to impersonating Jim Morrison’s voice, mannerisms and appearance.
Having said that, it’s not all about Brock. His band mates mesh well with him and play their part in recreating the Doors’ magic. In this set, despite the time limit, they managed to include awe-inspiring renditions of some of the Doors’ biggest hits, such as "Riders On The Storm," "Roadhouse Blues," "Light My Fire" and "LA Woman," and they were full versions at that; nothing was abridged.
The crowd had an absolute ball during Wild Child’s set, which came to a close with "When The Music’s Over." With that, the band thanked everyone, took a bow and gracefully exited the stage.
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If you’re even remotely a Doors fan and happen to live in Southern California, don't miss out on this experience! Visit their official website for all the information. All in all, it was a fantastic performance by Wild Child, one worthy of their spot on AXS TV’s Greatest Tribute Bands series.
Andrew Bansal is a writer who has been running his own website, Metal Assault, since early 2010, and has been prolific in covering the hard rock and heavy metal scene by posting interviews, news, reviews and pictures on his website — with the help of a small group of people. He briefly moved away from the Los Angeles scene and explored metal in India, but he is now back in LA continuing from where he left off.
