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Dressing alike - I feel like a Wiggles

Is dressing alike (for a bar band):

  • a) Normal

    Votes: 30 15.6%

  • b) Classy

    Votes: 47 24.5%

  • c) lame

    Votes: 115 59.9%
  • Total voters
    192
#41
Did someone say "uniform"?

Sauce 1.JPG


Touring band I was with in the 70's. Top 40/variety band (this is before "classic rock" became classic) that worked constantly 7 and even 8 nights a week. Me on left, bottom row "on bended knee". If you're doing banquet/corporate/wedding gigs it pays off (in many ways) to bite the bullet and be "uniformed". Dive bar or local bucket-of-blood, not so much.
 
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#42
Depends on the gig and the clientele. If you're at the local bar, as long as you not risking being arrested for indecent exposure, wear whatever you like. If it's a corporate gig for the annual stockholder's banquet, I'd shy away from the torn, blood splattered tee shirt look. Dressing alike and dressing identically aren't the same. Both send a similar message, but on different scales. As a rule of thumb, the less casual the gig, the more stringent the attire. When in doubt, ask at the time of booking the gig. Good managers (even if it's the BL) take care of this sort of thing beforehand. One thing is for certain, matching lime green bell bottom tuxes went out in the '70's and haven't returned. Hope this helps.
 
#43
If you have a paying client specifying dress code for their banquet event, then for goodness' sake of course you comply with their dress code.

For other kinds of gigs (bars and clubs and all), I don't think you want uniformity (unless that's the band's schtick), but consistency is good. A lot of people have posted pics already of bands that aren't uniformed but they're consistent. I got very frustrated in a couple of bands where I would come to a gig in tie, vest, jacket, whatever, and the others would just be in dumpy jeans and a tshirt. Then I gave up and came to the next gig in a tshirt and the guitarist decided to show up in suit and tie (without forewarning anyone).

This was me at the highest-visibility gig we got, opening for Michael Shenker -
11107179_1594517587481906_4407454921881482293_n.jpg


and this was my guitarist -
11088542_1594517550815243_2609524066212670285_n.jpg
 
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#47
Bugeyed Earl said:
Agreed, vests can be tough to pull off. I always feel like a complete tool in a vest, the notion of the entire band wearing them makes me cringe. Having said that, plenty of the "matching" outfits pictured on the previous page look pretty sharp.
Click to expand...
Vests... think Gangster-influenced.
- Buttoned-up FITTED vests,
- Slim (ie not baggy) shirt sleeves,
- add a Fedora hat (esp if you're balding),
- colourful & funky braces/ tie/ socks/ pocket-square to add some class and your own personality.
 
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#53
I think I'm coming around. I'm not much of a "joiner" but I think I can handle "same theme" (as opposed to identical dress) dressing without activating the gag reflex.
I note that all of the band pictures posted with common cloths make a lot more money making music than I do. Going to have to change my vote.
Thanks for all the input Talkbass!
 
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#56
Although I started gigging during the glory days of late 70s garage / punk / R'n'R, I don't think tight jeans, a black t-shirt and a leather jacket are appropriate for all bands / venues. (and I've got some issues with old men, me included, dressing like we were still nineteen)

I was always impressed with the statements and attitude of the original Fabulous thunderbirds when it came ot how they dressed on stage. I don't remember the exact quote, but they thought that every other white blues band dressed like aging hippies. I don't necessarily agree with the choice they made for themselves (I sweat profusely if I even look at anything made of polyester) but at least they didn't look like the road crew for the Eagles. They looked like a band - a band stuck in some late 50s bowling alley / gas station - sort of like the wardrobe department from the show "Laverne & Shirley" came to life and started a blues band.

Personally, I'm at a crossroads myself. I sweat too much to follow the Blues Brothers stylistic lead, I just can't play more than 1 or 2 songs with a jacket on; not sure how guys used to play all night dressed like that??? But I don't want to be one of those guys trying to look like the clock stopped in '76. What is an adult blues bassist supposed to wear? Until I figure out a good answer, I'm stuck with the Levis 501, black cotton shirt, black boots..... the same look I had in the 70s, only with a lot less hair........
 
#57
2behead said:
To dress coherently is great. But to all match 100% is cheese. My band wore all red/black for a record release. But no one was dressed identical. One had all red with a black tie, one had black shirt, red pants, one all black. And so on
Click to expand...

Yep - my cover band is "Red Delicious" (female lead singer is a red head) - we all just wear some combo of red/black/white. Of course we get dressier if it's a wedding or upscale corporate gig vs a bar gig.
 

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