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Is Wearing Sunglasses On Stage Douchey?

#181
Lukc said:
I wore sunglasses to my gig the other day mainly as a joke since I was subbing for a band and wanted to look as douchey as humanly possible. But I actually looked very badass. So are they actually douchey or is it just a few douchebags that use them?
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I wear them we have lasers so I had the issue of being blinded more than once and looking down at only a big dot where the neck is supposed to be. I think badass fits me as well ha ha ha
if I do look douchey I haven't had anyone tell me to my face :)

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#183
you sunnies will not offer any laser protection unless they are safety glasses type - FYI

I'm sure yours must be but want to make the matter clear to any readers who might don the Oakley's for extra badassness......
 
#185
Had to at last night's gig.
Stage a few hundred yards from Houston's fireworks show had WHITE FLOODLIGHTS in our face(owner-provided stage & lights, no gels, no biggie, fun gig) so sunglasses allowed you to see normally.
 
#186
1
edpal said:
People of all ages seem to wear shades. I'm thinking young people are more likely to wear them at times when they seem inappropriate, like inside a medium to darkly lit area.

Yeah probably. My opinion just comes from of all the people I've seen pull off sunglasses on stage, the majority are old.

I see a lot of young guys with guts trying to look cool - who looks sillier, young guy with gut tryin to look cool or old guy. I don't have a gut and workout so I look old & dangerous - there is such a thing. Closing in on 54 here

The gut wasn't the point of emphasis here, but I feel ya. The point I was making is just don't try and be something you ain't. If you're older, own it. Ain't much cooler than a grizzled vet who knows it, still rocks, dresses sharp and is confident in who he/she is.


Opinions on this may be generational slanted.
Definitely.


"Greasier impression" - heh!
Hah yeah, I still kinda look douchey with the glasses, but greasers were pretty douchey anyway, so I'm authentic and it works. I'll have to dig up a picture and post it here. That band does a lot of business, actually. Anyone doing Elvisy stuff these days is all about old fat Elvis singing love songs. We do young, hard, rocking Elvis type sound and style, and people eat it up.
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#187
I like sunglasses on stage, but not on me, I headbang and move around a lot, like the guitarist. Our other guitar player has that cool, calm blues player thing going for him, so sunglasses work for his style. I don't know what it is but playing David wilcox's downtown came uptown really gets me moving in heavier ways than it should :p
 

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#189
Schmorgy said:
I use them to cope with a crippling level of stage fright I suffer from otherwise. I have a natural aversion to eye contact as it is, and couple that with a whole bunch of eyes, focused in your direction...
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i used to have terrible stage fright and i cant remember when it lifted but it just went away. its a liberating feeling when its away. i had played many gigs with large audiences and the terror made it a very stressfull thing but if your sunglasses lessen the fear for you then go for it man and good luck . i hope your stage fright evaporates like mine did.
 
#190
I've been very nervous, maybe not to the point of real stage fright, but gigs have been something to get over and done with rather than something to enjoy. My way of getting over this has been being as well prepared as I can be; know the songs, know your gear, be early to soundcheck and first set, bring some water and snacks, check out the venue beforehand, visualize going on stage. This has taken away most of the stress and I'm not nervous anymore. And, as with other things, it gets easier with experience, the more you play the less stressful it becomes.

If the sunglasses are comforting, fine, but make it a goal not to have to use them eventually.
 
#191
Zoa said:
Hah yeah, I still kinda look douchey with the glasses, but greasers were pretty douchey anyway, so I'm authentic and it works.
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Fake greaser(Fonzie) are/were douchey, the real greasers were hoods/toughs/gangbangers - they had an iconic look. They were also big popularizers of tattoos, with their wife-beater shirts. The greasy hair - meh/gross.

I get owning your age, but not everyone looks grizzled. Is it douchey to rock an aged rocker/biker look? I hope not, that's about where I fall in. I can't do the grey beard thing as I grow very little facial hair, due to some Native American and Asian(Mongolian) blood. I leave the huge grey streaks in my hair alone, that's as grizzled as I can get.
 
#192
Schmorgy said:
I use them to cope with a crippling level of stage fright I suffer from otherwise. I have a natural aversion to eye contact as it is, and couple that with a whole bunch of eyes, focused in your direction...
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It will get better with more crowd exposure large & small. Remember that they are probably watching/focusing on the band in this order: lead singer, lead guitar, everyone else is bits & pieces. And 99% of most crowds wish they had the stones or talent to do what you are doing so regardless of what you are doing try to have fun, be a little proud and make them happy. I think that is a good use of sunglasses. ROck on.:bassist:
 
#197
edpal said:
The greasy hair - meh/gross. Yeah I agree, and I shower as quick as I can, but hey, if it gets me gigs. . .

I get owning your age, but not everyone looks grizzled. Is it douchey to rock an aged rocker/biker look? I hope not, that's about where I fall in. I can't do the grey beard thing as I grow very little facial hair, due to some Native American and Asian(Mongolian) blood. I leave the huge grey streaks in my hair alone, that's as grizzled as I can get.
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No, not at all. Just don't try and be someone you ain't. Unless you're in a tribute act or something.
 
#198
Zoa said:
No, not at all. Just don't try and be someone you ain't. Unless you're in a tribute act or something.
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Absolutely - I am an aged rocker & sometimes biker, so I guess it works. I don't work it too hard.

The hair grease - I remember doing that for a week as a teen, trying to train my hair to "part down the middle". I suppose one gets used to it.

lokikallas said:
Sunglasses interact with microphones in negative ways. They are usually to cover up red eyes, but if I had a band that insisted on a bright light show I might.
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I've noticed that too - in extreme sound level situations they can cause feedback. NOw someone needs to test wraparounds vs. flat specs. :)
 
#199
edpal said:
Absolutely - I am an aged rocker & sometimes biker, so I guess it works. I don't work it too hard.

The hair grease - I remember doing that for a week as a teen, trying to train my hair to "part down the middle". I suppose one gets used to it.

I've noticed that too - in extreme sound level situations they can cause feedback. NOw someone needs to test wraparounds vs. flat specs. :)
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and remember"dont mix lenses"
 

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