What's with all the cover bands?

If you look at any suburban music club's calendar, one category dominates: cover bands.

Prince, Led Zeppelin, John Mellencamp, Journey ... almost every well-known band has a cover band, and they are particularly popular in this area.

“It's not just a suburban thing ... people want to hear music they know,” explains Viper Alley Director of Entertainment Paul Panicali.

You'll find cover bands at House of Blues in Chicago, and an ABBA tribute band at Ravinia, for example.

“If you bring in the right quality of cover band, it can be great,” said Viper Alley owner Scott Greenberg.

Chicago has some of the best cover bands in the country, adds The Fuel Room owner Mark Khayat. They're comparatively inexpensive, and they draw a big audience.

“They're pretty bulletproof, and they're entertaining,” Khayat said. “Maybe people like them because it brings back better times.”