Aspiring musicians flock to Athens to find fame onstage. However, some bands find that originality is not a factor of success.

“We decided to become a cover band because (cover songs) had a better response from our friends and fans,” said Cleveland Brown, the drummer for Xtra Medium, a band that covers ’90s music. “We love playing music from the bands we grew up listening to and idolizing.”

Bands like 311, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rage Against the Machine and Stone Temple Pilots were the reason Brown and his bandmates started their cover band, he said.

But the focus of a cover band is the show they put on and how they represent the original band.

“There is no doubt that our shows will be different than the original band,” Brown said. “But I can promise that we will bring as much, if not more energy than the original band.”

Brown also said they study music videos, albums and DVDs and attend live shows – if the original band is still together.

This helps the members focus on imitating the band they are covering – not just the music, but the clothes, props and stage presence.

Some bands even copy the originals down to using the same equipment.

“We’ve crafted our guitar tones to match each album, sometimes even down to the stomp box used on one song during one part,” said Braxton O’Neal, vocalist and guitarist for El Scorcho, a Weezer tribute band.

El Scorcho tries to stay as true to their inspiration as possible.

O’Neal said they take their music seriously; the group tries to be “the next best thing to actually seeing Weezer live.”

Although cover bands don’t write or compose their own music, they do take more criticism from fans – unlike traditional bands.

Brown said sometimes they have to deal with the occasional belligerent fan who feels the group didn’t do the original artist justice.

“You have your ups and downs, you break things and lose stuff, you stay up late and get up early sometimes, you argue and fight, you lose relationships to time lost on the road, but it is fun,” said Chad Atkins, vocalist for Appetite for Destruction, a Guns ‘n’ Roses tribute band.

Loren Coleman, manager of Wild Wing Cafe, said the bar chooses to book cover bands because people already know the music and “freak out to it.”