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Shoes for onstage?

I agree with the answers of "whatever is comfortable" and "blend with the band's image". If you're a "jeans and t-shirt" band, than regular shoes work. If you're country, than cowboy boots are the way to go. If you're rock or metal, that gets tricky. You can go anything from street shoes to Dr Martens to New Rock's and be ok. Whatever you choose to wear though, just like any other job, you need to "dress for the job", meaning you should be presentable and wear something in good condition. Unless you're into grunge, of course. That's when shoes with all sorts of issues are acceptable. kinda...
 
On my most recent indie-rock band gig it was either sneakers or boots. I found some certain ones that worked well for me.

For sneakers, Converse All Stars are a classic look. The regular ol' Chucks are cheap at $35 - $45 for a basic pair, but you get what you pay for. They really don't give you great support. And if you're going to be on your feet for a while you're probably going to be hurting by the end of the night. That said, I found some Chucks that really are comfortable in the Converse John Varvatos series. I can have those on all day and my feet feel great.

As for boots? I found a two pairs that I've had for a couple of years that are super comfortable. They're from a company called [Invalid or Expired Link Removed], and they had a model called the Born Bronson Harness boots. I got a pair in black first and was astounded with how comfortable they are. And I liked them so much that I got a pair in brown, too. As for gigs? I think they'd work on most rock, blues or folk gigs where you want to dress up a little more than in sneakers. They do have a little bit of a biker boot look, but you really only look like a biker with these on if you do the whole biker look.

And if I was to do a shoe? I'd probably go for something like a Chukka boot or some Clarks Desert boots. That's a look that's both contemporary and timeless.
 
Lst 2 gigs I wore
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and these
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I've also worn these
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and lightweight hikers
Salomon+Men's+Exit+Aero+GTX+Hiking+Boot.jpg


For the formal occasions
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