▁( Ste ven ▁G ates ) ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 . ▁They ▁provide ▁original ▁songs ▁and ▁harm on ies , ▁str ung ▁together ▁by ▁com ic ▁ban ter . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁Live ▁shows ▁T rip od ▁emer ged ▁from ▁the ▁th riv ing ▁Melbourne ▁live ▁music ▁pub ▁scene ▁of ▁the ▁mid ▁n inet ies , ▁supporting ▁popular ▁local ▁cover ▁bands ▁in ▁such ▁places ▁as ▁the ▁Station ▁Hotel , ▁The ▁Es pl ana de , ▁the ▁Central ▁Club , ▁the ▁New ▁Orleans ▁Ta vern ▁and ▁the ▁R itz , ▁St ▁K ilda . ▁They ▁were ▁very ▁much ▁a ▁cover ▁band ▁at ▁first , ▁performing ▁three ▁part ▁harm ony ▁versions ▁on ▁hits ▁by ▁the ▁lik es ▁of ▁El vis ▁Cost ello , ▁B owie , ▁the ▁Beach ▁Boys ▁and ▁Queen . ▁Prior ▁to ▁this ▁they ▁did ▁their ▁time ▁as ▁bus k ers ▁in ▁Melbourne ▁m alls ▁with ▁a ▁far - fetch ed ▁prop ▁act ▁of ▁which ▁no ▁record ▁exists . ▁They ▁gar ner ed ▁a ▁local ▁following ▁via ▁regular ▁res iden cies ▁at ▁the ▁Com mer cial ▁Hotel , ▁Y ar ra ville , ▁just ▁after ▁it ▁stopped ▁being ▁a ▁b iker ▁bar . ▁ ▁They ▁soon ▁became ▁regular s ▁at ▁the ▁Prince ▁Patrick ▁Hotel ▁in ▁Col ling wood , ▁a ▁Melbourne ▁comedy ▁ven ue , ▁where ▁they ▁hon ed ▁their ▁skills ▁in ▁res iden cies ▁and ▁appearances ▁from ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁through ▁to ▁its ▁dem ise ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 . ▁ ▁T rip od ▁are ▁stal