Gig Footwear?

[Altitude]

I am of the (perhaps not widely shared) opinion that band members should look and dress like they are in a band, so there are some at least subtle visual cues that they are not part of the audience.

I agree, but I do cue from the audience. And the norms change with the times. These days, household name acts tour football stadiums wearing t-shirts and jeans. In the 80s, every hair band was pretty much in drag. It affects the shoe choices!

We play in a few hot, sweaty bars where people are there for the music but are very casual. I wear jeans and a t-shirt to those gigs, with Adidas sneakers, because that context feels right in those clubs.

We also play in a couple suburban bars (cougar bars, honestly). The clientele there is older and somewhat more dressed out. I do the same, usually a nicer pair of jeans with a button-up shirt and a pair of comfortable black dressy shoes.

 

[Maxfenderbass]

Docs

 

[Fredrik E. Nilsen]

But someone has to speak to my guitar player often sporting sandles and black socks..

Fire the guitar player.

 

[JeroB666]

Cherry Red Doc Martens. Always.

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I always wear my crimson Doc Martins to gigs!

 

[higain617]

In the other, it's Vans of your choice to go with the Rockabilly theme.

Too Mike Ness circa '91. You need some leopard creepers.

I usually wear Adidas sneakers or black boots.

 

[dalkowski]

Blundstones, usually. Super comfortable for hours on stage.

Blunnies rule. And if you ever need them re-soled, there's a place in Oregon that'll hook you up for around 1/2 the price of a brand-new pair.

 

[Kmonk]

Sneakers for me

 

[hennessybass]

These two pair of boots have covered most every gig for the past 10 year or so...

 

[rafitoprtx]

I use Crocks shoes. Very comfortable and stable. And Converse Cons look like Chuck Taylors but way more comfortable.

 

[andawun]

Black Sketchers w/memory foam insoles.

 

[2F/2F]

Same things I wear everywhere else:

Jungle boots (two pairs all black, one pair Vietnam style black and green)

Black M.I.U.S.A. Justin ropers (three pair)

Black no-name harness boots (had 'em almost 30 years, resoled multiple times)

My old navy boondockers (generic looking black, steel-toed, hard-soled, lace-up work boots, 20-something years old and still kicking)

8-hole or 10-hole Docs (also 20+ years old, one black pair and one dark blue pair)

Converse High Tops (built like garbage these days, so they don't last long – I have black, white, red, yellow, bright green ATM).

Black, tall, pointy side-zipper "rock-n-roll boots." Thrift store find not too long ago. Looked 'em, up. $300+ boots originally. I got 'em for $40 in excellent condition. I had a feeling they were high end when I found them.

I never wear open-ankled footwear unless running/exercising (almost never) or wearing dress shoes (maybe once a year, if that). I hate the way open-ankled footwear feels (and looks). I also do not wear brown leather – only black.

I almost never change for a gig; I wear what I wore that day.

 

[Mantis Tobaggan]

 

[Kevan Campbell]

Converse for the most part, usually black. On fancy gigs I’ll wear cowboy boots but I generally prefer not to...I found out the hard way that cowboy boots aren’t the ideal footwear when jumping off of stages or bars.

 

[bigswifty1]

Fun thread, enjoying all the photos.

I should start off by saying that I have a lot of problems with my feet. Ok, so I wear these if I have zero lug (rare) or I have a sitting down gig (rare) or if it's slightly dressy (rare). But I pay for it in pain:

In dry summer weather and a short lug I might wear:
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If it's a long car trip (ie 2 hours plus, common for me) or I might combine the away gig with some hiking (common for me), then

And 90% of regular gigs - long hours upright, nasty lug with lots of gear banging me around, late nights in sketchy places, then I'll wear:

I guess Timberlands these days are kinda uhh... how to say .... too many urban wannabes (that includes me I suppose). But what the heck can you do? They're comfy, waterproof (enough), look fine after getting banged about, protect my feet (enough, they're not steel toed) and (so far) seem to last forever. Also I may be imagining it, but something about the way I stand in the Timberlands - I think my actual timing might be better with them.

Mike

 

[fnp5150]

Never - EVER flip flops. I once had a cymbal come crashing down onto my foot across the strap of my flip flop. Hurt unbelievably bad, but only damaged my flop. I have also seen symbols cut straight through heavy gauge cables. It is not worth the risk!

Many, many years ago during marching band practice the handle for a cymbal broke, fell straight down, and cut a girls toe off who was wearing flip flops!

 

[Ric5]

Gig Footwear?

atheletic shoes

 

[Bemo]

When I was a guitarist in the 80s, I wore wrestling shoes. Lightweight, good grip and I could feel my pedal board better through the soles. Looked like sneakers felt like barefoot. But that was when I wore a younger man's clothes. It's the old man NB for me just about exclusively now.

 

[JGbassman]

 

[chaosMK]

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[Jokei]

...as an aside, an old band I was in supported a goth/glam band.
The drummer was a 6ft+ transexual who absolutely kicked-butt in very high heels - double bass kit!