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Wearing a band shirt to a concert
Chu
poopspeesRegistered User regular
poopspeesRegistered User regular
I'm being completely serious and earnest here, firstly. Okay, as a child I never went to 'concerts'. I played piano in public, but those events obviously don't present the same atmosphere as a 4-piece band's concert. I finally started seeing a few different bands, live, when I got old enough to go on my own. I think my first concert was Broken Social Scene when I was 16. I saw the Decemberists twice when I was 17. I went alone to all of these concerts because none of my friends here in Philly share my taste in music.
Anyway, I went off to NYC last year for school and a lot of my friends shared my musical affinity, plus we were in a city with almost limitless musical shows. I saw a lot of acts during this period with friends. It was definitely a cooler atmosphere than I'd been accustomed to. Anyway, one of these many shows I saw last year was The Fratellis. The opening band was playing and both my friends started pointing at this guy and laughing. I asked them what was so funny.
Apparently this guy was wearing a Fratellis t-shirt. I had a blank look. They laughed more. Still confused. I then had to undergo a 10 minute conversation (shouted over gain'd guitars) explaining why it's stupid to wear a band shirt to a concert, especially if the shirt is displaying the band playing that night. At the time I dropped it, still kind of mystified, since they never really explained why it was stupid.
So it's like a year later and I'm sitting here and the thought just comes to me- hey, I never did find out why it's so weird to wear a band's shirt to their concert. I googled it and the first few responses either restated the rule 'Don't be THAT guy!' without explanation or just said that it made you look as though you were 'trying too hard'. I don't really understand the latter which is what I'm asking here.
I don't know why I'm so curious, considering I've never worn a band shirt to a concert, it's just something that's been playing on my mind for a few minutes. Can anyone explain this piece of etiquette to a dense, musically sheltered immigrant?
Thanks!
edit: lol I accidentally posted this in G&T first. Just uh, ignore that one if you see it.
Anyway, I went off to NYC last year for school and a lot of my friends shared my musical affinity, plus we were in a city with almost limitless musical shows. I saw a lot of acts during this period with friends. It was definitely a cooler atmosphere than I'd been accustomed to. Anyway, one of these many shows I saw last year was The Fratellis. The opening band was playing and both my friends started pointing at this guy and laughing. I asked them what was so funny.
Apparently this guy was wearing a Fratellis t-shirt. I had a blank look. They laughed more. Still confused. I then had to undergo a 10 minute conversation (shouted over gain'd guitars) explaining why it's stupid to wear a band shirt to a concert, especially if the shirt is displaying the band playing that night. At the time I dropped it, still kind of mystified, since they never really explained why it was stupid.
So it's like a year later and I'm sitting here and the thought just comes to me- hey, I never did find out why it's so weird to wear a band's shirt to their concert. I googled it and the first few responses either restated the rule 'Don't be THAT guy!' without explanation or just said that it made you look as though you were 'trying too hard'. I don't really understand the latter which is what I'm asking here.
I don't know why I'm so curious, considering I've never worn a band shirt to a concert, it's just something that's been playing on my mind for a few minutes. Can anyone explain this piece of etiquette to a dense, musically sheltered immigrant?
Thanks!
edit: lol I accidentally posted this in G&T first. Just uh, ignore that one if you see it.
Chu on
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Wearing the tshirt of the band playing that night IS pretty lame though. Can't really explain why, you just look kind of like a douche. It's like you're showing off that you love the band, when obviously everyone knows you like them because you bought tickets to see their live show.
The long answer probably involves things about being a bandwagon fan, or looking like you just came from the merch booth, or other such things.
Anyways, my point is, when I was there I certainly didn't get the vibe that wearing a band T-Shirt was weird or anything. Maybe it's because Tool is pretty huge though.
That was the same at the Porcupine Tree concerts I went to. I'd say 80% of the people were wearing PT shirts, and at least 30% of them were shirts bought right then.
I think it's probably more that for 60-70% of tool fans, tool shirts are the only shirts they own.
- Gary Busey
A Glass, Darkly
If I had a band shirt for a different band, why am I wearing it to another concert? I think if you wear a different band to a concert it would look pretty stupid myself. (not saying the person is stupid, it just would seem out of place to me)
In my experience, wearing a band shirt that differs from the bands playing just makes it easier for ice breakers. Its kind of hard to say "So, you like Necrophagist hey?" to a random wearing a necro shirt at a necro gig.
When Suffocation came to town, one of the guitarists was wearing the shirt of Grotesque; one of the support bands. I thought that was fuck'n cool.
My Dream Theater shirt is all ready for their arrival on the 25th of January.
I dunno, I'm just not getting that sense. I'm not trying to mock you or anything, but why in the world would someone draw that conclusion (that someone is being a showoff)? It just seems pointlessly malicious.
Maybe I'm missing one of the dynamics involved or something. It just seems kind of mean and exclusionary.
Off topic, but too funny to not post:
Link
And from what I have seen, with a well known band and a large concert there is little stigmata with wearing the band's merch.
This is what I've always thought. Wearing a shirt for a different band is entirely appropriate, however.
Is the "print is purposely distressed" part of the shirt or a disclaimer? I'm not sure which is funnier.
Which to me seems kind of a faux pas. I don't think I'd laugh at someone, but to me it's out of place even if it's similar type of music. I guess I kind of look at it like sports gear; most of the time if you're go out in public wearing, let's say, a Buffalo Bills jersey on, you're going to kind of look out of place. It looks okay, though, if you show up at a Bills' game with it on, but terrible if you show up to game where they're not playing.
Either way, who even cares .... I'm there to hear good music not be a fashion critic.
Really though, the rule for T-shirts at concerts is just generally don't wear a shirt of the band you're there to see cause it's totally not necessary to rock that shirt to let us know you like them, you bought goddamn tickets to the show, we know you like them.
I feel so special.
I guess I'll never understand.
I've never heard an "official" ruling on why you don't do that but i personally don't wear the shirt of a band that's playing that night for a couple reasons. Like some people have said, everyone already knows you like one of the bands playing that night, no reason to advertise it. Also, if people didn't wear the shirts of other bands there'd be no way to play "<Genre> Band Bingo" at shows.
The first time i ever heard that rule was on PCU (awesome movie btw if you haven't seen it).
Jeremy Piven's character: "You're wearing the shirt of the band you're going to go see? Don't be that guy."
And really, when jeremy piven makes up a rule, you follow it.
I don't really have a serious answer other than "when i see other people do it it looks stupid, so i don't"
Of course, i don't really think it's that cool to wear the shirt you bought that night, either, but that's just me.
Thanks all.
If you think it's cool or original or something to be that guy, well power to you I guess.
Like I said, I don't think the concept of 'that guy' makes any sense. It's a stupid strawman. I can't even describe how much it annoys me. I actually started this thread looking for an answer to my query because I refused to believe that anyone could actually buy into thinking that wearing a shirt makes you any certain kind of 'guy'. I love music. I guess I give music fans more credit than that. I don't assume they're exclusionary, petty, partisan folk.
Not saying you're any of the above. For all I know you're just pointing it out to me. The people who actually formulate these guidelines, though... it bewilders me.
Like wearing an 'improv' shirt to an improv show... something always seemed off about that.
Really, it's a meaningless, funny little rule. Do what you please. If somebody judges you for it, just say, "Hey, I am that guy." See if they get the reference. If they don't, you can judge them for it without hesitation.
Ah, was that actually the line that popularized this trend?
I'll have to check out the movie. Thanks.
It's kind of funny. Decent little college stoner movie with David Spade being a prick WASPM.
hahahaha fair enough. Just not sure how else to put it... I mean to some extent, everybody's gonna be a product of their experiences and environment. I could have said "yes, we know you like the fucking band, you paid for tickets to their goddamn concert", but that should be obvious to everybody. Where I am, it's just a case of being that guy. Plus I think I saw it in a movie somewhere when I was young
Up here in Canada they call that being a keener, which is a term that still doesn't really click with me. Go figure...