Inuvik (Feb 24/06) - Ever wonder what it feels like to be a rock star?

Well, this Saturday at the Mad Trapper four musicians will try on what it's like to be No Doubt, the California quartet who rose to fame and fortune in the '90s via a bucketload of pop hits mixed with wild fashion statements.

"I've always believed that the show is more important than the music. People come to see a band," said band leader Ian Morrice, putting the emphasis on the word "see."

Calling themselves L.A.M.B., after No Doubt front-woman Gwen Stefani's clothing label, singer Candace Burke - who will play the role of Stefani - explains what separates a cover band from a tribute.

"We're not just walking around on stage playing a few No Doubt songs, but paying tribute to them," she said.

"We'll be in costume and Saturday, I'm not just going to sing like Gwen, but I'm going to be Gwen."

While this may sound a bit strange to some, but tribute acts have actually become quite commonplace on the bar circuit, according to Morrice.

And often you can gauge the popularity of a band by the amount of tribute acts paying homage to them.

"Playing in bars, you usually have to do the hits, so this will take it up a notch, the flashier the better," he said. "If you can do something special to draw people in, then that's something I want to do."

And Morrice even managed to convince the Trapper's resident guitarist Mark Stevens to get in on the act.

A fan of more traditional beer drinking music like blues and classic rock, Stevens says he's finding the experience interesting.

"It's really quite different from what I usually do. You know sometimes I'll be standing there for 28 bars not playing a thing and then I've got this really cool riff to go at for a while," he said after a L.A.M.B. band practice last Monday evening.

L.A.M.B. will make their Inuvik premiere this Saturday evening, headlining a benefit concert for the End of the Road Music Festival.

Also on the bill are Legion favourites Jumpstart, a host of Trapper Saturday afternoon jammers and Dennis Allen and the Revelators, who will warm up the stage for Gwen and her band of merry-makers.