What everyone else said...
and also to add some things I've learned along the way..
...it's good to keep things in perspective...Internet fan boards are just that, internet fan boards..and I say this NOT to discount the value or significance of the great fans the tributes get support from on this and other sites, and God knows I'm a bit of a blue crack junkie myself
but realistically the people who attend these boards, and the the smaller subset of people who actually post (as opposed to lurk) are an even smaller subset of the huge fan base U2 has nation/worldwide...we're really tiny in comparison to that larger group...
We've played shows in cities and towns across Canada where absolutely no-one in the audience has heard of Interference, U2_GTA, Wire, etc etc...and they're still all great U2 fans who cheer for their favorite music...for that matter I've been to U2 shows where no-one around me was a member of any fan club.
My only point is...threads and numbers of responses on Interference or other boards do not a good band make. So any attempt by a band to elevate themselves on a board by bashing another or getting all their friends to post overblown 'we're the best U2 band to the exclusion of all others' hype about their band is realllly weak, imo. People can't be convinced that you are doing a good job, the music does the talking.
At the same time, and I'm sure the guys I know in U2 tributes feel the same way, we do respect and value unbiased opinions about how us tributes are intepreting the music and very much appreciate feedback from Interferencers, many of whom are also our real life friends/acquaintances.
And anyways, isn't the only valid comparison whether or not the band is doing the music we love, respectful justice?
The barometer is U2, plain and simple.
at Chas, Jason, Brady, Mick...etc...