Wear the band's logo t-shirt while gigging?

[Rich]

I always wear the band t-shirt to the venue and wear it while setting up, but I change into a different one before playing.

[Jackroadkill]

We do.  Here's the singer wearing a t-shirt with the singer's face on it.

 

 

[Leonard Smalls]

I made a vest shirt just for our two bass players... 

It has a big bass clef with our motto round it - f#ck em all bar one and b0llocks him (an old saying from Bromsgrove...)

And there's a band logo on the back .

 

[Rexel Matador]

I dare you to tell DJ Yella it's not ok

 

[TimR]

1 minute ago, Rexel Matador said:

I dare you to tell DJ Yella it's not ok

 

 

Right guys - band uniform. Any back or white top, and baseball cap. Conspicuous gold chain, to be worn wrist or neck. No smiling in any press releases. OK?

[Crusoe]

Various members of Iron Maiden wear their t-shirts on stage. I think it's fine if it's only one or two band members. If it's the whole band, maybe a bit naff.

[Greg Edwards69]

Yes we do. I'm a graphic designer by day and have strong opinions on branding!

 

I designed and got them printed with the intention of wearing them during load-in and set up, so people know who we are. Each one has our logo/web address on the front and it says "Band" on the back with either singer, guitarist etc underneath. However, we've taken to keeping them on for some lower-profile gigs such as pubs, bars and charity events.  We'll still get changed into smarter shirts for corporate and wedding function gigs, but still keeping to the band's colour scheme (black and red) - but I must stress, we don't dress the same - we're not a cabaret band!

 

We also have a roller banner and logo on the bass drum skin. The singers are always telling people to "find us on Facebook" if they see people videoing us.

 

Yes, it might look uncool, and we may look like walking business cards, but never underestimate the power of branding and marketing. And hey, if Metallica and Iron Maiden can wear their own t-shirts, then so can anyone.

[DCS222]

On 24/08/2023 at 13:36, Paul S said:

Yes, I wear one.  I am a fat, ugly, elderly twit for whom the pursuance of 'cool' long ago lost its appeal.  Helps to remind me of the band's name, tbh.

Is the logo printed upside down so that you can read it easier whilst wearing it?

[Damnthatlazlo]

On 24/08/2023 at 14:17, rushbo said:

If any of you subscribe to Desmond Doom on YouTube (and you really should), you'll be familiar with this fantastic item of clothing: 

I saw a guy wearing just the print with new order written under it which I thought was fantastic. 

[Linus27]

Generally no but we did a gig at a music club recently and after the gig, we headed to the bar and the two girls behind the bar went crazy and started shouting, "oh my god, it's the fretless bass player, we both adore the fretless bass and we hardly ever hear anyone play one, we loved listening to you play and the sound of the fretless". This obviously made my night. We then played there again a few times and they made similar comments but refer to me as the 'fretless bass player' and even renamed the band to The Tim Shez Band and The Fretless Bass Player 😂 The funny thing about this is our singer is not overly comfortable with the band being named just after him but the drummer and I prefer to be more unknown and just the other two, his rhythm section.

 

So as a joke I got this tshirt made and have worn it a few times at gigs 😁 

 

[Downunderwonder]

6 hours ago, Linus27 said:

Generally no but we did a gig at a music club recently and after the gig, we headed to the bar and the two girls behind the bar went crazy and started shouting, "oh my god, it's the fretless bass player, we both adore the fretless bass and we hardly ever hear anyone play one, we loved listening to you play and the sound of the fretless". This obviously made my night. We then played there again a few times and they made similar comments but refer to me as the 'fretless bass player' and even renamed the band to The Tim Shez Band and The Fretless Bass Player 😂 The funny thing about this is our singer is not overly comfortable with the band being named just after him but the drummer and I prefer to be more unknown and just the other two, his rhythm section.

 

So as a joke I got this tshirt made and have worn it a few times at gigs 😁 

 

Should have got two more made with room for girls.

[Paul S]

17 hours ago, DCS222 said:

Is the logo printed upside down so that you can read it easier whilst wearing it?

 

My belly kind of restricts viewing from above but back to front would be a good idea so I can read it in the mirror.  

[fretmeister]

Newsted used to wear one in Metallica, and when he did the T shirt sales in general went up massively and the individual sales of that shirt were always higher.

 

He viewed it as a way of helping to sell Merch. 
 

But I still don’t think the frontman should ever do it. 

[TimR]

I think being cool, and advertising the band are separate things.

 

It ain't cool to be selling your band. But you have to do it some way. Subtle product placement like your (hero) bass player wearing the official tour t-shirt is great for established bands, but your cover band logo shirts just aren't cool, they're 'corporate wear' no matter how you dress it up. I wear corporate wear for my job and I am treated like Staff, even though my pay, qualifiactions, and experience are far greater than those who believe otherwise just because I'm not wearing a suit* which would be totally impractical.

 

*don't wear a suit. We did that at a Dinner and Dance and someone said we looked like a bunch of merchant bankers. And they didn't mean as a euphemism.

Edited August 26, 2023 by TimR

[Dan Dare]

I think it depends on the occasion. There's nowt wrong with wearing a tee with a band logo on it at a pub gig or similar, but maybe not at a wedding. I'll wear a suit or even a DJ and dickie bow if it's what's needed. Trying to be "cool" is for fashion victims who worry that someone might snigger at them. How many of the sniggerers are in a position to put their money down and hire the band? Few to none, I'd suggest. So ignore 'em.

 

If wearing band kit helps make the name stick, I'm fine with it. I'm not ashamed of the bands I play in and have no problem with "selling" them. We often have a banner behind us and/or pull-up signs each side of the stage (again, depending on the event and what is appropriate). As long as we get gigs, I'm happy.

[TimR]

Yes. Totally agree. But it's still not cool. Which was the original question. 

 

Should the band look cool?

Is a different thread. 

Edited August 26, 2023 by TimR

[ahpook]

Mrs Pooks take on this...

 

"If you're starting out it's cool, as you're doing a bit if advertising. But if you're established then you should only wear old merch - then you're letting the fans know that you remember when you were good too."

 

[nilorius]

11 minutes ago, ahpook said:

Mrs Pooks take on this...

 

"If you're starting out it's cool, as you're doing a bit if advertising. But if you're established then you should only wear old merch - then you're letting the fans know that you remember when you were good too."

 

but what if you where bad ?

[ahpook]

7 minutes ago, nilorius said:

but what if you where bad ?

 

"Then you shouldn't have had all those t-shirts made, you're an idiot"

 

Came the reply

 

Edited August 26, 2023 by ahpook

[nilorius]

9 minutes ago, ahpook said:

 

"Then you shouldn't have had all those t-shirts made, you're an idiot"

 

Came the reply

 

Dahhh,,,,hard core reply. Stick with it !

 

11 minutes ago, ahpook said:

 

 

[Norris]

On 25/08/2023 at 10:25, Greg Edwards69 said:

Yes we do. I'm a graphic designer by day and have strong opinions on branding!

 

I designed and got them printed with the intention of wearing them during load-in and set up, so people know who we are. Each one has our logo/web address on the front and it says "Band" on the back with either singer, guitarist etc underneath. However, we've taken to keeping them on for some lower-profile gigs such as pubs, bars and charity events.  We'll still get changed into smarter shirts for corporate and wedding function gigs, but still keeping to the band's colour scheme (black and red) - but I must stress, we don't dress the same - we're not a cabaret band!

 

We also have a roller banner and logo on the bass drum skin. The singers are always telling people to "find us on Facebook" if they see people videoing us.

 

Yes, it might look uncool, and we may look like walking business cards, but never underestimate the power of branding and marketing. And hey, if Metallica and Iron Maiden can wear their own t-shirts, then so can anyone.

Sounds like you need to print a QR code on your shirts. We have a laminated sheet with a QR code that takes people to our Facebook page - it's quite popular

[Newfoundfreedom]

11 hours ago, ahpook said:

Mrs Pooks take on this...

 

"If you're starting out it's cool, as you're doing a bit if advertising. But if you're established then you should only wear old merch - then you're letting the fans know that you remember when you were good too."

 

 

Weirdly, my take on it is the absolute opposite. Wearing your own merch in an amateur band just screams sad and desperate to me. It's way too "Butlins". If you're a well established, professional and famous band then it doesn't really matter. Your cool level is already well established, at least amongst your fan base. Although chasing "cool" is the most uncool thing any band or individual can do. So what do I know? 

[SteveXFR]

My wife wants to wear our bands t shirt at a gig and I'm unsure whether even that is acceptable. 

We will absolutely not wear our t shirt while playing.

Me and the drummer have turned up with the same unicorn death metal t shirt purely by coincidence once though.

[la bam]

On 24/08/2023 at 11:59, SumOne said:

What do you reckon to wearing your own band's logo t-shirt as you gig?

 

 

No. 

 

I don't know why, and it shouldn't do, but it's just one of those things that really annoys me. 

[DCS222]

If you’ve written your own “cool” music... you’d preform it.

if you’ve designed a “cool” logo... why not wear it? (Preferably without the name, just the logo)

if it’s just the band name in white, on a nondescript black T... then that’s pretty lame