- Sep 16, 2008
- 874
- 7
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- Master Luthier: Ironclad Bass Guitars
Usually a black band T or Raglan, tight jeans or dress pants, workboots or chucks...it all depends
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What do you wear on a gig?
- Thread starter The Metal Guy
- Start date
I wear a dress shirt, nice jeans and black or brown shoes when I gig with our Rock/Blues cover band.
With our Hard Rock ala Alter Bridge, Metallica band I wear an Affliction shirt with ripped jeans and brown boots.
With our Hard Rock ala Alter Bridge, Metallica band I wear an Affliction shirt with ripped jeans and brown boots.
It really depends on the gig.If it's a nice establishment,I'll dress accordingly.But,if I'm playing at a redneck dive(which happens a lot),I'll go with the ol' blue jeans and an old concert t-shirt route.I sweat profusely,so I always dress cool.
For bar gigs: jeans, collared sport shirt (short sleeve Hawaiian/bowling style or long sleeve depending on temp of the venue), casual shoes (but never tennies).
For corp parties and private gigs: khakis, long sleeved collared shirt and dressier shoes & belt. Occasionally a sport coat but never a tie.
For church: either of the above depending on the season, the church and my mood.
NOs:
- I have only played one gig my whole life in shorts - 1 o'clock spot on an outdoor festival, 90 degrees in full sun with high humidity. Hate 'em.
- Sleeveless T-Shirts and tank tops are also on my "no" list... I have seen too many guys my age try to pull off that look and it's just pathetic. And I'm in decent shape for my age.
- Also "no" to flip-flops, sandals, crocs or any other kind of open-soled footware, for safety and hygiene reasons.
For corp parties and private gigs: khakis, long sleeved collared shirt and dressier shoes & belt. Occasionally a sport coat but never a tie.
For church: either of the above depending on the season, the church and my mood.
NOs:
- I have only played one gig my whole life in shorts - 1 o'clock spot on an outdoor festival, 90 degrees in full sun with high humidity. Hate 'em.
- Sleeveless T-Shirts and tank tops are also on my "no" list... I have seen too many guys my age try to pull off that look and it's just pathetic. And I'm in decent shape for my age.
- Also "no" to flip-flops, sandals, crocs or any other kind of open-soled footware, for safety and hygiene reasons.
When I'm playing with my Ska Band, we've decided to adopt a band "style" (Fairly dressy, but casual dressy). As in, if you were dressed well, but unwinding after a long day.
I usually wear a suit vest, dress shirt, Blazer, skinny tie, Black Dress shoes, and nice jeans, although, that is normally what I wear most days anyways, so............
I usually wear a suit vest, dress shirt, Blazer, skinny tie, Black Dress shoes, and nice jeans, although, that is normally what I wear most days anyways, so............
Oh yeah and I never wear clothes with any sort of logo or slogan on them. Nobody's paying me to advertise for them, and no one who came to the show gives a hang about my personal opinions or beliefs.
My "group" if you can call it that yet is intended to be a hybrid project. Each member dresses in accordance with their best style. Being the closest thing to the "black metaller" in the group, I go with corpse paint. I'm in the process of making my stage outfit: a Gothic era peasant's dress, only inverting the colors so that the underdress is black with the smaller overdress in white. Once its ready I'll worry about period shoes.
Standing next to a guitard in a thrash band t-shirt and ripped Dickies.
Standing next to a guitard in a thrash band t-shirt and ripped Dickies.
Funny as hell, 1 sock.
Seriously though, Black shoes, black shirt, black hat cadillac (go Mighty Mighty Bosstones). I was always told to wear black never white unless everybody has the exact same brand/ style. Suits are a major staple, I have found that people usually tip more the better you look on stage. I mean who wants to give a $5 bill to the sweaty guy a fishnet shirt, leather vest, and shorts. Suits also usually (had some hot ones) cover sweat stains, looking touchable is a huge part of people wanting to tip you or get closer to you, especially with those female types.
A pork pie hat.
Although I play experimental rock rather than jazz, I regard a proper pork pie hat on a bassist as much like a white collar on a priest, a yarmulke on a rabbi, or reading glasses on a scholar--a signifier of authenticity and full embrace of the essential but underappreciated. If nothing else, it is my homage to perhaps the greatest of us all--Charles Mingus.
They come in both felt (fur and wool) and straw (or cocoanut) to suit any season. Mine is a greenish brown 1950's vintage. Combine one with a crisp white shirt and a vintage pair of wingtip shoes and you'll really look good playing any kind of music.
Although I play experimental rock rather than jazz, I regard a proper pork pie hat on a bassist as much like a white collar on a priest, a yarmulke on a rabbi, or reading glasses on a scholar--a signifier of authenticity and full embrace of the essential but underappreciated. If nothing else, it is my homage to perhaps the greatest of us all--Charles Mingus.
They come in both felt (fur and wool) and straw (or cocoanut) to suit any season. Mine is a greenish brown 1950's vintage. Combine one with a crisp white shirt and a vintage pair of wingtip shoes and you'll really look good playing any kind of music.
I've found that in the past, when my jazz quartet has been booked for private gigs we've been asked to dress 'smartly' to make an impression. But normally, we just wear whatever's most comfortable to play in.
+5
i agree with no shorts,flipflop and cut off shirts.....i also have my issues with white shoes for some reason....
but I also play in an original rock band,so we stay pretty picky about how we do things......even though we let our drummer slide with a baseball hat (for obvious reasons)
i have three stage shirts that i rotate...all american apperal (for the comfort) and all dark and plain in color....no logos,or fancy off-center prints..nothing.
i also discovered to absolute comfort in playing in solid black dress slacks.....the polyester kind,i think??....the really soft material....not like dockers or anything....
i now have two pair....dark grey,black,....awesome.
i bought a pair of $13 dollar shoes at walmart...thier all black,with two velcro straps....extreeeeeeemely light and comfy.....
by far my favorite live show wear ever!!!!
Totally depends on the mood. I like to have a band that is at least semi co-ordinated. If everyone is scruffy, great or if everyone is smart this works but it's always a bonus if the band looks like they belong on the same stage together! Wear stuff that you are comfortable with - even if it's theatrical costumes! You have to concentrate on playing well so don't want to worry about looking stupid
I'm an old dude, 54 and the band is close to my generation. We used to have a Sunday Champagne Jazz brunch where we all wore Black Slacks and the same color dress shirt, sport coats/jackets but they come off when we go on stage. Usually we do classic rock gigs and everybody wears what they want, but all in all we are sort of relaxed, casual, dressy. I wear Levis, what ever shirt (might be a teee, might be a long sleeve button up, a blazer, and Clark's Walabees (I know, they went out in the '70's but you can't beat them for comfort) and I wear an old fedora style hat, a Stetson Gun Club that I buddy gave me way back in the '70's. He said at least I'd look like a jazz man.
Black dress shirt and black pants
By myself... When I'm with my company, it's a floral button up shirt with white pants.
(It's the West Indian Folk Dance Company. We play Reggae, Folk, etc.. Figure it out yourself.)
By myself... When I'm with my company, it's a floral button up shirt with white pants.
(It's the West Indian Folk Dance Company. We play Reggae, Folk, etc.. Figure it out yourself.)
I guess I don't get what I said wrong. I was referring to something like either leather moccasins or possibly wooden clogs.
...
ew.
And, like others have said, I can go more conservative if playing a specific gig requiring a dress code. Definitely done the black on black before.
