"Large Draw" Tribute Bands - Royalties?

[Rhyvven]

  Have a question for anyone to answer really, but maybe the Pros would know best.

  I am curious as to whether a well known tribute band has to pay royalties to the the band they "cover"? I inquire after watching on TV last week, the "Australian Pink Floyd" tribute band. They were quite good, stage production and all. They were playing at, ah, can't remember, Royal Albert Hall? Regardless it was a well known, well-filled concert hall.

  Obviously these people are making some money. I know there are "local" tribute bands that may sell out "clubs" and I am pretty sure they are treated as a cover band when it comes to the "law".

But what about these tribute bands that can fill some large establishments?

[kohei]

Don't confuse performance rights with mechanical rights. Venues pay to use copyrighted music in any form - be it live or just switching on the radio and anything in between. Those uses are considered performance, generally you can see the ASCAP/BMI/SESAC sticker somewhere in the establishment.

If the cover band were to record the music for release, those are mechanical rights. You can clear through the publishing company or (easier) through Harry Fox Agency. It's about $45 per 5 minutes of song per 5000 units (CDs whatever).

[Bermuda Schwartz]

I concur, it's normally the venue's responsibility to pay for songs performed, even when it's by a look-/sound-alike to the original artist (well, original writer actually...)

Bermuda