With the ever-increasing price of concert tickets, the logistics of travel to out-of-state venues and the fact that many iconic rock musicians are no longer alive, it makes sense that Maine tribute acts continue to draw crowds who still want to hear the songs they know and love, played live.

There are many tribute acts performing around the state through the rest of the year. Some are local, and some tour around the country.

The lead singers of Queen tribute band Masterstroke Queen Experience and Talking Heads tribute act Start Making Sense unpacked why they love their jobs, and why tribute bands have earned respect in the live music world.

A THING CALLED LOVE

Sean Slaughter, who lives in Portland, said this year marks the 10th anniversary of the Masterstroke Queen Experience. Prior to that, he fronted rock bands Clubber Lang and John Hughes Radio.

Queen’s lead singer Freddie Mercury died in 1991. While Slaughter never got to see Mercury perform live, he has been a Queen fan since childhood, thanks to his cousin Howie’s record collection.

In 2011, Slaughter was a finalist in the Queen Extravaganza, a singing contest put on by the surviving members of Queen so they could still tour. Although he didn’t win, Slaughter’s audition clip of “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” is still online.

A few years after the contest, Slaughter and several of his friends put together a Queen tribute band.

Slaughter said being in Masterstroke Queen Experience is a dream because it lets him sing the songs he loves so much in front of an audience. “I love the smiles on the faces of the people in the crowd.”

Masterstroke Queen Experience doesn’t dress like Queen. “We’re a large group and we’re really trying to nail how the music sounds with a tip of the cap to the way they perform live.”

Slaughter does, however, own a version of Freddie Mercury’s famous black and white leotard, and he’s considering wearing it at the Portland show this week.

There was a time when Slaughter was committed to only playing original music. “I had that whole, ‘I’m an artist’ kind of mentality.”

But a whole other world opened up to him after the Queen contest. “I realized I really had fun singing other people’s music, and I actually learned by studying other people’s singing, songwriting and lyrics,” he said. “I think it helped me grow as a musician.”

MAKING SENSE

Singer and guitarist Jonathan Braun is the David Byrne of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania-based Talking Heads tribute act Start Making Sense.

Byrne and the other members of Talking Heads are still active and performing, but Talking Heads officially disbanded in 1991, and a reunion seems unlikely.

Local fans were treated to a recent appearance by Byrne at Merrill Auditorium, which included several Talking Heads songs. But those pricey tickets sold out quickly, and it’s only the second time Byrne has performed in Maine in the last decade.

That’s where Start Making Sense comes in. The band formed 16 years ago, initially as a one-off for a specific show. The show went so well, they decided to stick with it.

Start Making Sense first performed at Port City Music Hall, then graduated to the State Theatre. The band has also performed in Waterville. They have the last show of the year at the State, and will be on stage when the clock strikes midnight.

Braun said Start Making Sense played 70 shows last year and will log 65 shows this year, with most of the shows in the U.S. and Canada. The band also did two Australian tours in the past few years, and performed in Cuba in 2017.

Braun loves performing, and so do his bandmates.

“The whole reason we’re doing this is because of the joy it brings to us, and the joy of the audience,” he said.

Braun added that validation has also come from another source. All four members of Talking Heads have either publicly or privately said they like what Start Making Sense is doing.

To make ends meet, Braun said everyone in Start Making Sense teaches music lessons when not on the road. “None of us are buying houses or making a large sum of money off of this,” he said.

“The reason we’re still doing it is because watching people have that much fun is priceless.”

UPCOMING TRIBUTE SHOWS

Masterstroke Queen Experience

8 p.m. Thursday. Portland House of Music, 25 Temple St., Portland, $15 in advance, $20 at the door, 21-plus. portlandhouseofmusic.com.

Just Dance: A Tribute to Lady Gaga

8 p.m. Oct. 31. Vinegar Hill Music Theatre, 453 Old Post Road, Arundel, $25 in advance, $35 at the door. vinhillmusic.com.

Another Tequila Sunrise: Eagles Tribute

8:15 p.m. Nov. 7 & 8. Jonathan’s, 92 Bourne Lane, Ogunquit, $36.50-$77.50. jonathansogunquit.com.

Life In The Fast Lane: A Tribute to The Eagles

7:30 p.m. Nov. 7. Merrill Auditorium, 20 Myrtle St., Portland, $32-$82. porttix.com.

Tusk: The Classic Fleetwood Mac Tribute

8 p.m. Nov. 13. Aura, 121 Center St., Portland, $29, $39, 18-plus. auramaine.com.

Traveller Meets Outlaw: Chris Stapleton and Outlaw Tribute

8 p.m. Nov. 14. Jonathan’s, 92 Bourne Lane, Ogunquit, $42.50-$83.50. jonathansogunquit.com.

Moondance: The Ultimate Van Morrison Tribute Show

8 p.m. Nov. 15. Jonathan’s, 92 Bourne Lane, Ogunquit, $32.50-$73.50. jonathansogunquit.com.

Northern Cross: New England’s CSNY Tribute

8 p.m. Nov. 15. Vinegar Hill Music Theatre, 53 Old Post Road, Arundel, $25-$40. vinhillmusic.com.

Wake Up Mama: Allman Brothers Tribute

8 p.m. Nov. 15. Portland House of Music, 25 Temple St., Portland, $14.40, 21-plus. portlandhouseofmusic.com.

Def Leppard’s Journey

9 p.m. Nov. 21. Aura, 121 Center St., Portland, $19.50-$29.50, 18-plus. auramaine.com.

Creamery Station (Grateful Dead and Allman Brothers Tribute)

8 p.m. Nov. 22. Vinegar Hill Music Theatre, 53 Old Post Road, Arundel, $40, $50. vinhillmusic.com.

The Shadow Riders: Tribute to the Marshall Tucker Band

7:30 p.m. Nov. 22. Chocolate Church Arts Center, 804 Washington St., Bath, $35 in advance, $40 at the door. chocolatechurcharts.org.

Zach Nugent’s Dead Set: A Psychedelic Tribute to the Grateful Dead

7:30 p.m. Nov. 25. Merrill Auditorium, 20 Myrtle St., Portland, $32-$82. portix.com.

Rose Alley: A Tribute to Jerry Garcia Band

8 p.m. Nov. 28. Portland House of Music, 25 Temple St., Portland, $15, 21-plus. portlandhouseofmusic.com.

Spencer and the Walrus: Tribute to The Beatles

8 p.m. Nov. 28 & 29, 4 p.m. Nov. 30. State Theatre, 609 Congress St., Portland, $21 – $31, multi-show ticket packages available. statetheatreportland.com.

David Clark: All About Joel: A Billy Joel Tribute

7:30 p.m. Nov. 29. Chocolate Church Arts Center, 804 Washington St., Bath, $40. chocolatechurcharts.org.

Let’s Sing Taylor: An Unofficial Live Taylor Swift Tribute Show

7 p.m. Dec. 5. Waterville Opera House, 1 Common St., Waterville, $45-$55. watervillecreates.org.

Eclipse: A Tribute to Pink Floyd

8 p.m. Dec. 6. Portland House of Music, 25 Temple St., Portland, $20 in advance, $25 at the door, 21-plus. portlandhouseofmusic.com.

Chris Collins & Boulder Canyon: A John Denver Christmas

8 p.m. Dec. 12. Jonathan’s, 92 Bourne Lane, Ogunquit, $40-$81. jonathansogunquit.com.

Pink Talking Fish: A Fusion of Pink Floyd, Talking Heads and Phish

8 p.m. Dec. 20. State Theatre, 609 Congress St., Portland, $25 in advance, $30 day of show. statetheatreportland.com.

Katie Matzell & Friends: The Music of Bonnie Raitt

8 p.m. Dec. 27 & 28. One Longfellow Square, 181 State St., Portland, $36 in advance, $40 at the door. onelongfellowsquare.com.

Dark Star Orchestra: Grateful Dead Tribute

7:30 p.m. Dec. 29. State Theatre, 609 Congress St., Portland, $45 in advance, $55 day of show. statetheatreportland.com.

Start Making Sense: Talking Heads Tribute

9 p.m. Dec. 31. State Theatre, 609 Congress St., Portland, $28 in advance, $35 day of show. statetheatreportland.com.