Costumed Cover Bands: Yay or Nay?

No prob - they'll put on a show that folks want to see while you play to crickets .

 

If you're in a jazz group, if everyone is wearing nice suits of the same color, it's not a gimmick. Your probably doing covers of standards.
When it's an actual gimmick, I do think it's lame

 

I don't wear a Wrangler pearl snap and cowboy boots to work, but I'll wear them on stage. Is that a costume?

(Actually, I think my suit and tie are the real "costume")

 

If it was something that I felt would draw a crowd, as well as not making me feel like I was stepping all over my personal ideals,
then yeah, I'd do it for sure.

My last gigging band didn't wear a costume, but we all did dress in black and red for the gigs. It wasn't the same black and red outfit,
but we'd all be wearing something black and something red. It set the tone that we were a group.

 

While it is not something I would do, I do not have an issue with bands that do.

 

Why not? There are people who love to dress up. If they get a band of like minded people I could see it working.

 

I listened to This American Life on NPR today, a story about a guy who was making up for loss in his life, and he dresses up like Superman every chance he gets and walks around town.
Maybe he needs to join a band

 

Doesn't bother me. Unless, if you see a band photo where one member looks extremely uncomfortable.

We all wear a uniform to some degree in the world

 

You mean like this? A band I was in during the mid 60s. This would have been taken in the fall of 66 and I was playing drums then. One of the guitar players was obsessed with the Mothers of Invention.

 

If it works then it works. And cover bands are no lower in "respect" than any other musician. Unless you are the songwriter, or had a significant part in the creative process, you are playing someone else's music.

 

there is a fine line between cool and coming off as joke. If you look like Devo- you better be able to kicka$$ musically. I personally wonder where the fashion sense has gone in music. Most bands look the same as the folks in the crowd now days.

 

Hi,

Here's a few of our costumes.

















For all of our gigs we have a theme, or a color, or sometimes matching "uniforms". I even have a tux. We play a ton of corporate events, private parties, amusement parks, etc, high end stuff. I'm embarrassed to say how much money I'm paid. If you want to know, PM me. It's worth it. We look good. We sound good. The people have a great time. We play the music, we look the music, we give them a memorable time. A professional presentation goes a long way toward keeping our clients happy.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

 

If the gig warrants it dress up, but in matching thematic duds. I don't think so.

Blue gig suit is herstory practically since everyone seems to dress like they are from Manhattan anyway(in black).

I dress appropriately for someone who sweats a lot, keep a change of tees handy.

 

@BassCliff

Wait, wait. A six string, coffee table looking bass for a country band. You should be ashamed, you heathen.

 

Nice!!Are some of those Shirts Scully's? How's the fit on those? I'd love one but I hate to order a $80 shirt not knowing if it fits (sizes are so variable now days)

 

Exactly. I think it works for bands that are doing something interesting musically like Devo. But if it's just some cover band, I think it would come off as lame and cheesy.

Personally, I wouldn't consider matching wardrobes a costume per se. GWAR wears costumes. Rocket From The Crypt and The Hives wear matching stage outfits. Or is a costume and a stage outfit the same thing?

 

I find costumes to be "corny" and will never join a band that insists on wearing them. My former lead singer is in a 60's tribute band and they all wear white suits since many bands from that era were doing the same. He recently asked me to join and despite the fact that they are very good and have a lot of gigs, I refused, solely because of the insistence to were the same suits. I have always believed that most people really don't care what you look like as long as the songs are performed accurately.

 

I love Mac Sabbath's costumes

 

I would have a look for an original band rather than a cover band, but that's just me.