Stage Clothes?

[Thumpalumpacus]

you should wear whatever matches your girlfriends purses cause that's clearly where your balls are

If you can see it, there's image involved. Whether or not the band has actually designed the image is a different issue altogether. But the fact is, when you see something, it will color the way the band is seen.

The only way to avoid that is to not be seen.

 

[Kezia]

I dressed like this a few years ago in a band I was performing with during my "metalhead" phase when I was like 13 or so

(yes that's a choker, yes that's eyeliner)

Nowadays it's pretty much just jeans, toms, and a button-down shirt or flannel or a v-neck. Looking back at some of the shit I used to wear it's an embarrassment...

Don't look ANYTHING like I did in that picture and you're good

 

[RichardH]

Metallica by poptal, on Flickr

This is how you wanna look like onstage. A pair of skinny jeanz, and a T-shirt/Sleeveless Tee/Button Down shirt..

That's what I basically look like everyday (weather depending of course. If it's over 25 degrees celsius outside, I'm in my shorts.)

 

[SJJMcGhee]

Here. Pearl Jam, early 90s. Weird hats, fancy jackets, even the tee shirts look fancy somehow. All looks pretty image conscious to me.

If they were so unfussed about image, why'd they cover the Tele in stickers. The only reason that EVER happens in to look cool. That alone proves they had an image in mind. Anything you think makes you look cool is creating an image. I like suits, gives a sense of occasion to a gig, some guys like just jeans/t-shirt. They think it's cool. Therefor it's an image. I aint fussed by any side of the arguement, aint effecting me, just putting down my view

 

[SJJMcGhee]

If you were truely unfussed, they'd dress like this, and use the beat to hell old guitars/amps The La's used:

 

[chrisuk]

Dressing like 'regular dudes' doesn't stop it being an outfit. Dude.

 

[Leumas]

Hell will freeze over before I take sartorial cues from a lead singer.

Area Guitarist Mourned in Scarf Tragedy



I'm surprised nobody's mentioned it already, but a simple black blazer works wonders...

and if it gets hot...lose it.

You're welcome.

I've done that too!

wow, i look down at my pedals a lot

Well look at the SIZE of it! You could smuggle 3 roadies in that case!

 

[snaredrum]

Not really. There was a similar thread a while back, and I dug up a bunch of old photos of several of the most popular grunge bands of the time - Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and the like. All of those dudes were wearing clothes that showed how image conscious they were. Some of which were pretty outlandish looking, especially in retrospect.

Sure, their "look" was less over the top than the hair metal guys from the previous popular trend, but it was still a completely thought out image, and pretty much all of those popular bands played that game.

Seriously, go look up some old photos if you don't believe me. There might be a few photos of those bands wearing flannels and jeans, but most I found had dudes wearing suit jackets over t shirts, funny looking hats, and other stuff to create a look.

absolutely. i mean, my dress sense is the same as it was when i was 15 back in the early 90s. it's just that these days on stage, i pick a cool looking t-shirt to wear instead of the shitty one i did the load-in wearing...

 

[snaredrum]

first gig pic. all clothes chosen carefully, bear in mind

 

[VictorB]

Awesome.

 

[snaredrum]

honestly, if i could get away with dressing like this all the time - on and offstage - i would.

 

[VintageGuitarGuy]

Me lucky gig shirt...

 

[DLChance]

honestly, if i could get away with dressing like this all the time - on and offstage - i would.

Come to Texas, and you can!

 

[snaredrum]

Come to Texas, and you can!

don't tempt me. i'd out-texas EVERYBODY.

 

[Leumas]

don't tempt me. i'd out-texas EVERYBODY.

I very much believe you!



I'd go for the guy in the middle. The James Dean. Damn schmoove.

 

[snaredrum]

I very much believe you!



I'd go for the guy in the middle. The James Dean. Damn schmoove.

billy gibbons. killer.

 

[mudfinger]

Come to Texas, and you can!

Or California.

It occurs to me, after reading this thread, that there are people who don't dress like they're onstage 24/7. I spose it's just my situation, living in Southern California and such, but the way I dress every day makes it clear that I'm a musician. I don't have a "dayjob" to contend with, and I don't have any sort of limits on what and how I do. This is California we're talking about, after all!

I guess what I'm driving at is this: If you're wearing a "costume", or "dressing up" for a gig, you're faking it, and people see right through that shit, whether you know it or not, whether they know it or not.

Be yourself, your true self, onstage, and the audience will LOVE you. That's what they crave, something real and authentic, that makes them feel alive.

All that said, one of the most brilliant bits of advice I've been given by an A-list player is this: "People hear with their eyes, and think with their asses".

The point he was trying to make was that if you look like you know what you're doing, and belong onstage, and you can make the audience dance, you've won. But the implications are endless...

 

[LesPauI+SG=Win]

It's all in the hair.

 

[River]

It's all in the hair.

Yeah, buddy. I'm letting mine grow out. On your recommendation. You'd better be right.

 

[River]

honestly, if i could get away with dressing like this all the time - on and offstage - i would.

What? You want permission?

You got it, my friend. I know no one more qualified. Least of all those three Southern California posers.