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Music Zirconia in the press

The agency reporters call for tribute-band expertise

Journalists covering tribute bands, live entertainment economics, intellectual-property questions, casino programming, and nostalgia-driven touring regularly turn to Michael Twombly and Music Zirconia for context.

Expert source

Michael Twombly has been quoted by national, international, trade, and regional outlets as a tribute-band industry expert.

Buyer confidence

Coverage from Marketplace, AARP, The National, Music Connection, and San Diego Reader validates the agency behind the roster.

Media contact

For interviews about tribute acts, venue demand, pricing, legal issues, or booking trends, contact Michael Twombly directly.

Verified sources

National and international media

3 mentions

Marketplace

Why Tribute Bands Are Having a Moment

December 31, 2025

Marketplace used Michael Twombly as the expert source for a national segment on why tribute bands are having a moment.

Michael explains the size of the Music Zirconia roster, the economics of tribute shows, and why the format gives venues lower-risk entertainment.

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AARP The Magazine

Musical Mimics: Tribute bands are a real draw

April/May 2023

AARP cited Michael Twombly and Music Zirconia in coverage of tribute acts for older live-music audiences.

The article identifies Michael as cofounder of Music Zirconia and uses his market read on the growth of tribute acts.

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The National

Tina Turner is suing her tribute act, so what does that mean for the industry?

November 26, 2021

The international daily quoted Michael throughout its tribute-act legal analysis.

The story describes Michael as running the US's largest tribute agency and uses him to explain how tribute acts operate.

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Music and production trade press

2 mentions

Music Connection Magazine

Tribute Bands: Flattery Through Imitation

February 25, 2020

Music Connection profiled Michael as a prominent tribute-band booker and interviewed him about the state of the market.

The trade piece notes Music Zirconia's nearly 1,800-act roster and Michael's path from The Cured to national booking.

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Front of House Magazine

Paying Tribute

June 13, 2017

The live-production trade magazine cited Music Zirconia while explaining the infrastructure behind modern tribute acts.

The feature calls Music Zirconia one of the leading tribute-band agencies and discusses the agency's rehearsal and recording infrastructure.

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Regional features

2 mentions

The Post and Courier / Free Times

Send in the Clones: Tribute Bands Thrive in Tertiary Music Markets Like Columbia. Why?

2019

The Charleston paper's Free Times cover story used Michael as an industry source on tribute-band economics and buyer demand.

The article frames Music Zirconia's market perspective for venues outside the largest touring markets.

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San Diego Reader

Music Zirconia pays tribute

December 16, 2015

The Reader featured Music Zirconia's growth and Michael's read on tribute-band market saturation after major artist deaths.

The story says Michael and Brent Meyer built Music Zirconia into the largest agency of its type in the world after starting in 2008.

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Founder profiles

1 mention

SDVoyager

Conversations with Michael Twombly

May 18, 2026

SDVoyager profiled Michael and the founding story behind Music Zirconia Talent LLC, operating as MZ Tribute Bands.

The profile connects the agency back to Michael's own Cure tribute act, The Cured.

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Video and broadcast

1 mention

Vimeo

20 Questions with Music Zirconia Tribute Agency

Sizzle reel

Video sizzle reel walking through Music Zirconia's agency model, founder story, and tribute-act roster.

Captures Michael Twombly on-camera explaining how Music Zirconia represents tribute and cover acts at scale.

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Verified sources

Archive and origin coverage

1 mention

San Diego Reader

Music Zirconia

March 10, 2010

An early origin feature captured Music Zirconia when the agency roster was around 60 tribute bands.

The article identifies Michael as agency cofounder and describes the booking model before the national roster scaled.

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Interview requests

Need a source on tribute acts?

Michael can speak to venue programming, casino and festival demand, booking economics, act quality, artist impersonation boundaries, and why audiences keep choosing tribute shows.