What do you wear when you play gigs?

[Btbp]

Wear what you will. As an audience member, I find it super cringey when bands dress up like “rockstars”. All black, chains/spikes/studs, eyeliner, hair styling etc., or they have band gimmick/stage persona. It all just smacks of insincerity.

I want to see the performers as a genuine person, not some character. ...

Am with you on this.

It's like tattoos or piercings - always struck me as just newer forms of conformity. And more often than not, trite or passé.

Outside of specific types of gigs where some form of uniform (because that's what they are) is called for like a Wedding / Country / New Wave / 80s / Glam / Hard Rock / whatever gig, a lot of what I see just looks either silly or overly sloppy or predictable.

If I'm not doing some kind of themed event, my only guidelines are no jacket (uncomfortable, confining, messes up my instrument and strap setup), shirts with buttons that will scratch or catch my instrument, no belt buckles, and rarely a t-shirt because I prefer a Henley or other non-restrictive collar.

I do agree to, depending on the venue, look a little better than the audience.

But whatever you wear, I guarantee no one wants to see your feet. Some of us will pay more not to.

 

[ThumperBird]

80s hard Rock band so don't need to be dressy, just have a "look"

My songwriting partner and I are getting ready to play our first public gig with our original music at an Irish pub this Friday night. I’m digging your look with the hairband and I’m thinking about wearing one. Intrigued to hear your thoughts and experience with it/reactions to it…to me it doesn’t look over the top or overstated…

 

[Stephen Moore]

Im 60! Obviously I wear spandex pants and big shouldered girl shirts! Eye liner and a studded neck collar the chicks dig it!

 

[hrodbert696]

I'm going to be a jerk and share a pet peeve: musicians wearing music-themed clothes or accessories onstage. I mean bass players with bass clefs on their clothes, guitarists with a graphic print of a guitar, anyone with musical notes on anything, those keyboard ties from the 80s, all that stuff. That always rankled me, because it's like a badge that announces "I am a musician!" Yes, we can SEE you're a musician. You're onstage playing an instrument. I always felt that stuff was appropriate OFFSTAGE when people can't already see you play music.

 

[pklima]

Do clothes with instrument brand logos, say Fender, also feel like they fit into that category?

 

[Gluvhand]

I'm going to be a jerk and share a pet peeve: musicians wearing music-themed clothes or accessories onstage. I mean bass players with bass clefs on their clothes, guitarists with a graphic print of a guitar, anyone with musical notes on anything, those keyboard ties from the 80s, all that stuff. That always rankled me, because it's like a badge that announces "I am a musician!" Yes, we can SEE you're a musician. You're onstage playing an instrument. I always felt that stuff was appropriate OFFSTAGE when people can't already see you play music.

Totally agree. To me, it ties in with the thread about last song of the night and picking something as painfully obvious and hack as "Closing Time".

 

[Eli_Kyiv]

I'm going to be a jerk and share a pet peeve: musicians wearing music-themed clothes or accessories onstage. I mean bass players with bass clefs on their clothes, guitarists with a graphic print of a guitar, anyone with musical notes on anything, those keyboard ties from the 80s, all that stuff. That always rankled me, because it's like a badge that announces "I am a musician!" Yes, we can SEE you're a musician. You're onstage playing an instrument. I always felt that stuff was appropriate OFFSTAGE when people can't already see you play music.

Well, my wife bought a couple of music-themed shirts for me and forces me to wear them on gigs.

Strange thing is she didn't order anything like that for herself so her stage clothes don't bear any musical insignia.

 

[Gluvhand]

Well, my wife bought a couple of music-themed shirts for me and forces me to wear them on gigs.
View attachment 5481229 View attachment 5481247
Strange thing is she didn't order anything like that for herself so her stage clothes don't bear any musical insignia.

She only bought that stuff and forces you to wear it to keep everyone away from you.

 

[51PRI]

I'm going to be a jerk and share a pet peeve: musicians wearing music-themed clothes or accessories onstage. I mean bass players with bass clefs on their clothes, guitarists with a graphic print of a guitar, anyone with musical notes on anything, those keyboard ties from the 80s, all that stuff. That always rankled me, because it's like a badge that announces "I am a musician!" Yes, we can SEE you're a musician. You're onstage playing an instrument. I always felt that stuff was appropriate OFFSTAGE when people can't already see you play music.

That doesn't bother me so much, but I think it's weird when a member of the band wears their own band's T-shirt at gigs.

Well, my wife bought a couple of music-themed shirts for me and forces me to wear them on gigs.....

Do you get to pick out what your wife wears, too?

 

[Bag of Lazers]

Well, my wife bought a couple of music-themed shirts for me and forces me to wear them on gigs.
View attachment 5481229 View attachment 5481247
Strange thing is she didn't order anything like that for herself so her stage clothes don't bear any musical insignia.

She found a way to get other women to avoid you after the show?

 

[Bag of Lazers]

That doesn't bother me so much, but I think it's weird when a member of the band wears their own band's T-shirt at gigs.

Do you get to pick out what your wife wears, too?

Hard agree, but I'm not telling Ginger Baker a damn thing

 

[Eli_Kyiv]

Do you get to pick out what your wife wears, too?

I probably do... at least she asks me what I think. Not that she always complies.

 

[friskinator]

I'm going to be a jerk and share a pet peeve: musicians wearing music-themed clothes or accessories onstage. I mean bass players with bass clefs on their clothes, guitarists with a graphic print of a guitar, anyone with musical notes on anything, those keyboard ties from the 80s, all that stuff. That always rankled me, because it's like a badge that announces "I am a musician!" Yes, we can SEE you're a musician. You're onstage playing an instrument. I always felt that stuff was appropriate OFFSTAGE when people can't already see you play music.

100%. Wearing music-themed clothes or t-shirts from a musical instrument company is a level worse than wearing your own band's shirt.

 

[Neil Folkard]

Since our band name is Lon Chaney Movie, I can get around the 'don't wear your own bands t-shirt' issue. I'll sometimes wear a shirt of Lon Chaney as the Phantom of the Opera, soooo...technically, I'm not breaking the rules, haha.

 

[BassGuyFL]

100%. Wearing music-themed clothes or t-shirts from a musical instrument company is a level worse than wearing your own band's shirt.

At least one of my band mates is always wearing one of our band shirts and it’s just cringey. I think it’s so cheeseball.

 

[KenSmithFan]

There are a lot of great things about TalkBass, but wow does it contain some of the most judgmental people on the planet. Don’t wear sunglasses, don’t wear hats, don’t wear music related clothing, don’t wear band t-shirts, don’t wear YOUR band’s t-shirts, don’t wear shorts, don’t wear sandals and on and on. It must be exhausting finding fault with everything.

 

[Neil Folkard]

^^ I could not agree more.

For example, I'll be wearing slim fit black shorts to my gig this Saturday, and it will look awesome.

 

[gln1955]

View attachment 5481439 There are a lot of great things about TalkBass, but wow does it contain some of the most judgmental people on the planet. Don’t wear sunglasses, don’t wear hats, don’t wear music related clothing, don’t wear band t-shirts, don’t wear YOUR band’s t-shirts, don’t wear shorts, don’t wear sandals and on and on. It must be exhausting finding fault with everything.

Makes me glad I live in a part of the country where people dress to be comfortable - shorts, sandals, ball caps, sunglasses and logo t-shirts. Theydon't expect the band playing at the local watering hole to dress any different.

 

[Joe Olson]

We all wear our band t-shirts. It may be cringy or cheeseball to some of you, but we don't care. Everything we do is a bit tongue-in-cheek. We actually have a sense of humor.

 

[Gluvhand]

We all wear our band t-shirts. It may be cringy or cheeseball to some of you, but we don't care. Everything we do is a bit tongue-in-cheek. We actually have a sense of humor.

Everyone does. They’re not all good though.