It’s hard to write and perform songs that people love. But performing songs others have written well enough to impress fans of the originals isn’t easy, either, and each of these three bands has carved its own personality out of the works of the biggest names in music. Uncommon Denominator is a group of fresh-faced musicians, including several alums of UWEC Jazz I, who play “the classics,” defined here as an array of ’70s and ’80s pop/rock staples. The Dead Ringers, with Durand native Sarah Spindler on vocals and band members from across western Wisconsin, focus more on classic-rock classics, while Bear Creek Band, also representing the left half of the state, blend a bit more country into their crowd-pleasing setlists. – Eric Rasmussen