Copycats: Boston's Best Cover Bands

Hearing a live band at a local club is a fairly common occurrence for most Bostonian bar-goers. While many nightclubs book original acts from around the area, cover bands also make a killing at most bars, plying their copycat wares with everything from '80s metal and pop to today's Top 40 hits. But not all cover bands are created the same. Here is a cross selection of Boston's best and most popular acts playing the cover band game.

Red Square
Top 40, Classics
Bars, Clubs, Weddings
www.redsquareboston.com/

Boston's own Red Square makes a living out of doing covers of Top 40 classics and modern-day hits, rocking out everything from Madonna and Carrie Underwood to Gaga and Green Day with a bevy of electric showmanship moves and a high-energy stage presence that has earned it fans across the city and state alike. Red Square also indulges in mash ups of audience favorites, often combining disparate genres and songs to create new, booty-shakin classics to get the dance floor all hot 'n bothered. Bars, clubs and weddings: Red Square does it all.

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The Grab Brothers Band
Retro, Covers, Originals, Musical Theater
Bars, Clubs, Theater
www.grabbrothersband.com

With a strong background in musical theory and theater, the members of Grab Brothers Band — keyboardist/vocalist Rob Scott, drummer Tom Corshia and the titular brothers Larry and Marc Grab trading off on bass, acoustic guitar, sax, trombone, flute and vocals — possess a wealth of collective knowledge. The band utilizes this to full effect in their varied set of covers and originals. The Grab Brothers Band prides itself on combining a retro, arena-rock vibe with heavy guitars and anthemic vocal melodies to take the audience back to the glory days of '70s and '80s AOR and radio rock. The band also takes the time to craft its own original tunes, some of which have made it to regular radio rotation. It's recommended for those seeking a band with artistic stage flair and a heart for Fleetwood Mac-style, heart-on-sleeve songwriting.

Big Party Orchestra
Top 40
Bars, Clubs
www.bigpartyorchestra.com

Big Party Orchestra considers itself one of the area's premier acts, competitively ruling many Battle of the Band competitions with its high-energy brand of party rock. The band considers itself to be a Top 40 hit machine specializing in the danceable hits of today, while also dishing out the timeless classics of the '50s through '80s, in the process earning fans all across the Boston area. Featuring a triple vocal attack (Ken Sullivan, Courtney Halpin and rapper Kevin Dorsey) holding the line in front of bassist/owner Peter Barquet, drummer Coran Henley, keyboardist Justin Ramos and guitarist Julian Hoffman-Beecho, The Big Party Orchestra is a bold and brash cover outfit with electricity to spare.

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Remedy
Rock, Classic Rock, Modern Rock
Bars, Clubs
www.remedyrnr.com

Remedy is a Boston-based cover outfit that specializes in the rock, classics and modern hits that span the gamut of loud guitars and iconic vocals. Although Remedy primarily covers the classic rock spectrum of Led Zeppelin, Cheap Trick, Bad Company and Aerosmith, the band also delves into the heavier side of the spectrum (Metallica, Black Sabbath), as well as jam bands (Black Crowes), alternative (REM) and modern rock (U2, Pearl Jam) to create an varied live experience guaranteed to feature something for everyone. Veterans of the Boston Battle of the Bands scene this band prides itself on creating a no-nonsense, intimate show all fans of rock can enjoy.

The Whammy Bars
Classic Rock, R&B, Funk
Bars, Clubs, Restaurants, Weddings, Conventions
www.thewhammybars.com

For those with the burning desire to hear live funk, R&B and classic rock, Boston's own Whammy Bars are a coveted cover act with a knack for kicking out hot dance floor jams to leave the audience begging for more. The band's playlist is a veritable who's who of modern-day classics and certified gold hits, from Elvis Costello's "Allison" to Sublime's "Wrong Way" and everything in between. The Stones, Gaga and Queen all make an appearance during a Whammy Bars gig, with the band's infectious stage show guaranteeing a good time for all who attend.