The Orchestra

Music snobs can attack cover bands for their lack of creativity, but they can't dismiss their instrumental virtuosity. Rudimentary riffers don't cover the Ramones per se; they simply rip off the chord progressions and christen themselves something like the Donnas or the Queers. If a tribute band chooses a complicated model such as Electric Light Orchestra, hecklers can't bring it down: Yeah, we didn't write it -- but let's see you play an instrumental overture or rainy-day concerto any better than this. Any takers? Didn't think so. Though the marquee "The Orchestra playing the hits of ELO" screams "Liverpool as the Beatles" or "Coming soon to a laser-light show near you," this isn't just any homage act -- it's actually such vintage-era EmpLOyees as Mik Kaminski and Kelly Groucutt, plus a few folks who contributed to its ill-fated, Starshipesque '90s efforts. It's always strange magic when a band plays without its creative catalyst, but these seasoned sorcerers should still be able to bring the rockaria.