TRIBUTE acts have never been more popular. In the case of acts like the Bootleg Beatles, it’s the closest fans will ever get to seeing the Fab Four live.

However, with bands such as Eagles tribute act Talon and the ELO-inspired Electrik Live Orchestra, it’s a chance to see an act as the fans remember them before age, auto-tuning, ravaged vocal cords, and the second to last final farewell tour left them a little lackluster and worse for wear.

Acts that pay homage to the bands that broke big may not be the real deal but they play the songs of others with reverence and attention to detail that many groups abandon when they become a cultural and financial institution.

Hugely successful bands who have been around the block a few times and have long since said farewell to their salad days, are rarely driven by the same hunger and need to make their mark as they did when their blood was up and the world wasn’t listening.

Yet when you’re in a situation to command any ticket price from the adoring millions who will happily pay silly money to catch a glimpse of their worn and withered idols casually ruining their back catalogue in a tuneless and toneless dirge, it’s human nature to take the money and run.

However, there’s a world of difference between shining like a star and reflected glory, as any tribute act worth its salt knows all too well.

“Someone like Jeff Lynne has the luxury to do what he wants live when it comes to his own songs, but as a tribute band we’ve got to be bang on the money when it comes to replicating ELO’s studio sound because that’s want fans want to hear,” explained Jason Ball, the frontman of The Electrik Live Orchestra.

As a seasoned musician and the voice and guitar of one of the UK’s most highly-rated ELO tribute bands, that due to popular demand have just been booked for an extra night at Abergavenny’s Borough Theatre, Jason knows a thing or two about what the fans expect from a tribute act.

He added, “Diehard ELO fans won’t pull any punches if you give a lacklustre performance because their attitude is ‘come on then, impress us.’ And it’s our job to do just that.”

You would be forgiven for thinking that as someone who travels the world performing ELO songs, Jason was always something of a diehard fan of the band, but that wasn’t exactly the case.

Although he has been a huge music fan and played guitar since a young age, ELO wasn’t exactly on his radar growing up in Abergavenny.

“Like most dads, mine had a copy of ELO’s ‘Out Of The Blue’ in his record collection and I was more than familiar with the iconic album cover,” confessed Jason, who added, “But I wasn’t a fan and believe it or not I hadn’t even heard ‘Mr. Blue Sky’ until I heard it in a panto some 20 years ago.

“As many people are, I was a bit surprised just how many well-known songs ELO have penned.” He added.

The journey of a gigging musician leads to many strange and unexpected places and when some years ago Jason landed himself a gig as the lead guitarist in an ELO tribute band he learned a newfound respect for the intricate and catchy arrangements of Jeff Lynne and his gang.

Although musical technology has improved massively since the 1970s, it’s still in Jason's words, “a massive juggling act” to serve up a prime slice of ELO pop in the format that the record-buying public knows and loves, and also “a constant learning curve to master the multitude of intricacies and nuances of ELO’s back catalogue.”

One thing led to another and Jason eventually formed a new ELO tribute band alongside other local muscians where it was his turn to put on the wig and shades and sing the songs.

It worked a treat!

The Electrik Live Orchestra has gone from strength to strength and has grown in popularity with each passing year.

“I’m lucky that Jeff Lynne is not the most animated frontman, and as long as I can play the guitar and sing like him I’m ok to stand there and do my, or in this case, his thing. If it was Mick Jagger I’d probably be in trouble,” laughed Jason.

“Besides which I’m lucky that we’ve got a very lively string section who keep the audience entertained!”

To do justice to the nature and complexity of the ELO repertoire, the Electrik Live Orchestra has no less than seven members on stage at any one time. They also have other members they can call on in an emergency and their own sound engineer and lighting.

“It’s turned into quite a big production,” admits Jason. “We’ve all been surprised how things have really taken off in the last four years or so. We don’t have a PR team or any promoters behind us and kind of just let the music speak for itself rather than give it any kind of hard sell.

“It’s really been a word-of-mouth thing and something that’s taken on a life of its own.”

Selling over 50 million records worldwide, and being branded as ‘sons of the Beatles’ by none other than John Lennon, the Electric Light Orchestra has always had one foot firmly planted in the camp clearly marked “guilty pleasure.”

“The English guys with the big fiddles,” their strange obsession with spaceships, and what detractors have called “their pompous use of strings,” may never have boasted the same sort of street-smart swagger as The Rolling Stones or the elemental fury of The Who, but what they did have by the truckload, was more catchy tunes than you could shake a stick at.

And you’ll have an opportunity to reacquaint yourself with the songs your mother should know when ELO tribute band, The Elektrick Live Orchestra rolls into town this November on their mighty pop juggernaut.

The Electrik Live Orchestra will be at Abergavenny’s Borough Theatre on Friday, November 29, and Saturday, November 30. The show starts at 7.30 pm. Tickets are £28. Call 01873 850805 or visit the website for more info.