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Dressing Alike, Yuk!!!
- Thread starter Russell L
- Start date
IMO, the band should never dress like the audience, whatever it takes; nor should the band be in the same lighting as the audience, ever.
- Jan 12, 2011
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- Artist, Trickfish Amplification Bartolini Emerging Artist, MTD Kingston Emerging Artist. Artist, Tsunami Cables
As you move up in stature and gigs, stuff happens as does a change in what you wear. You go from wearing what you want, to conforming as a group to dress sharper to someone (a stylist) telling you what to wear. Yes it does suck, seems downright non-Amernican to me but what can you do. Even Rock Royalty have stylists who help (dictate) a bands look. I do believe however that your dress should be neat and clean as a minimum 
Ric5
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- Jan 29, 2008
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- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
Ric5
Inactive
- Jan 29, 2008
- 29,772
- 30,452
- Disclosures
- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
Dressing the same:
Dressing differently:
I think we can all agree that either can work, as long as you're not Swedish in the 1970s.
Dressing differently:
I think we can all agree that either can work, as long as you're not Swedish in the 1970s.
Ric5
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- Jan 29, 2008
- 29,772
- 30,452
- Disclosures
- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
Ric5
Inactive
- Jan 29, 2008
- 29,772
- 30,452
- Disclosures
- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
Ric5
Inactive
- Jan 29, 2008
- 29,772
- 30,452
- Disclosures
- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
As I said earlier, it helps to be very, very cool.
I wouldn't be caught dead in this even in 1967.
Ric5
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- Jan 29, 2008
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- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
+1
It wouldn't matter to me where my band played, we would adhere to our visual standards, and, if anything, the audience would adapt to them, not vice versa.
There was a big trend in the 90's to dress down to the level of your audience, jeans, t-shirts, flannels. The most visually boring period in pop music ever IMO.
It's my personal opinion that just like a job interview, you should dress better than your audience. The question is, how can I convince the rest of my band on this???
Lately, I've been trying to lead by example by dressing nicer or more appropriately than the rest of the band to get the guys to change their stage dress habits. One member is exceptionally bad for wearing docksider loafers, jeans, and a really bright polo shirt...ALL THE TIME!!!! (I'll see if I can't find a photo.)
For my redneck bar gigs, I recently started going with black leather skechers shoes, dark gray jeans, and a shortsleeved black work shirt (think carhart/dickies) with my bands logo embroidered above the left pocket. It's stylish, rockish, and redneckish all in one. My wife said it's the hottest I ever looked on stage.
This Saturday, we will be playing at a more upscale club, so I'm going to try something new. I'll be sporting the black skechers and dark gray jeans, but will be wearing a long-sleeve white button up shirt with sleeves rolled up, a black vest, and a nice tie (gray with black). I won't be buttoning the top button on the shirt and will leave the tie a tad loose for that more casual look.
So, the question is....How do you get the rest of your band to try dressing better?
Lately, I've been trying to lead by example by dressing nicer or more appropriately than the rest of the band to get the guys to change their stage dress habits. One member is exceptionally bad for wearing docksider loafers, jeans, and a really bright polo shirt...ALL THE TIME!!!! (I'll see if I can't find a photo.)
For my redneck bar gigs, I recently started going with black leather skechers shoes, dark gray jeans, and a shortsleeved black work shirt (think carhart/dickies) with my bands logo embroidered above the left pocket. It's stylish, rockish, and redneckish all in one. My wife said it's the hottest I ever looked on stage.
This Saturday, we will be playing at a more upscale club, so I'm going to try something new. I'll be sporting the black skechers and dark gray jeans, but will be wearing a long-sleeve white button up shirt with sleeves rolled up, a black vest, and a nice tie (gray with black). I won't be buttoning the top button on the shirt and will leave the tie a tad loose for that more casual look.
So, the question is....How do you get the rest of your band to try dressing better?
Good question. Especially the "how do you get the women in your band to wear something skimpier" part of it.
- Jun 3, 2009
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- Bassgearu, Music Industry Consulting and Sales. Tech 21, NBE Corp, Sonosphere.
What the OP is complaining about is exactly what I HATE in all bands today.
If any of you have ever read my thread in the Band Management section you all know that I specifically state that a band should have a look, an image. In this case, the band you are in actually has an image. if the OP doesn't like it, as others have said, he is free to not be in the band.
I hate when I pay a cover charge to see a band and then its a bunch of guys who look like they just rolled out of bed and decided to jam together that night. I don't care if you feel that you aren't getting paid what you should by the bar owner. You agreed to play, for the pay. Respect ME, the audience, the guy who paid $10 to watch you.
For most shows my band has a "uniform", something I mandate based on the gig. Crap bar? Black T shirt, blue jeans, boots. Hired guns wear sunglasses or hats.
Stone Pony? Everyone wears black t-shirt, black jacket, black jeans, boots. Drummer doesn't have to wear a jacket.
Private Party? Think early Knack or Beatle-esque. Light gray suit, band wears black dress shirt with open collar, I wear white shirt with thin black tie.
Get it?
Cut me a break. I don't personally care what the OP normally wears in his life. As a band, you don't and shouldn't be the least common denominator of human life who plays with you. Individual, schmidual. Its a band. Want to be an individual? Go grab your acoustic guitar and play open mics.
My two pennies...
If any of you have ever read my thread in the Band Management section you all know that I specifically state that a band should have a look, an image. In this case, the band you are in actually has an image. if the OP doesn't like it, as others have said, he is free to not be in the band.
I hate when I pay a cover charge to see a band and then its a bunch of guys who look like they just rolled out of bed and decided to jam together that night. I don't care if you feel that you aren't getting paid what you should by the bar owner. You agreed to play, for the pay. Respect ME, the audience, the guy who paid $10 to watch you.
For most shows my band has a "uniform", something I mandate based on the gig. Crap bar? Black T shirt, blue jeans, boots. Hired guns wear sunglasses or hats.
Stone Pony? Everyone wears black t-shirt, black jacket, black jeans, boots. Drummer doesn't have to wear a jacket.
Private Party? Think early Knack or Beatle-esque. Light gray suit, band wears black dress shirt with open collar, I wear white shirt with thin black tie.
Get it?
Cut me a break. I don't personally care what the OP normally wears in his life. As a band, you don't and shouldn't be the least common denominator of human life who plays with you. Individual, schmidual. Its a band. Want to be an individual? Go grab your acoustic guitar and play open mics.
My two pennies...
Well, I suppose if your band brought nothing exceptional to the stage, just mediocre instrumental abilities, mediocre vocal abilities, mediocre or no original songs, mediocre or no lights or stage props, and no concept, then yea, I guess dressing everybody up could help you appeal to the fans that also enjoy fashion shows and posers.
But it won't help with me. I'd rather watch I guy in wrinkled street clothes blow me away with what he can do on his instrument any day of the week. To me, all the sequins and bolo ties you could get in 20 shopping malls won't impress me anywhere close to a great song that I can relate to.
Don't listen to what people say you should do.
Concentrate on achieving what you could do.
But it won't help with me. I'd rather watch I guy in wrinkled street clothes blow me away with what he can do on his instrument any day of the week. To me, all the sequins and bolo ties you could get in 20 shopping malls won't impress me anywhere close to a great song that I can relate to.
Don't listen to what people say you should do.
Concentrate on achieving what you could do.
