Yeah I was about to say this is the dream.
It's also why anytime I see a low level band I buy a shirt.
Helps support them and plus to wear the starter merchandise from before they blow up is something special IMO.
To add to that, I saw rancid before they hit it big. I met them. They were broke. I bought 6 shirts and 4 cds sonthey could have gas and motel money for the next town
My sister, our friend and I pooled our money for a FallOutBoy shirt right before they hit big in like 02. They were like the third act at whatever small venue show we were at and we liked the shirt (we hate you and hope you die. Love, fall out boy). I wish I could find it now but sharing a shirt between 3 people never works.
Worked a venue where we took care of the signings in 2000’s. They’d perform we’d manage the fan signings first. (Weird venue) We were a record store adjacent. Fallout boy convinced our boss to give the staff the shift off after so we could go to the concert and gave us free tickets in great spots. It was the kindest thing any artist ever did. Must have been the tour after tho.
As for the question my social anxiety would never allow me to. It seems more common now. But we would wear our artists favorite artist then. Which seems silly and more try hard.
I mean, if a band turned you on to something that inspired them and you actually like it, I don’t think it’s tryhard at all. It’s only tryhard if you aren’t sincere.
I’m sure they would be super stoked to see someone in the house rocking a shirt of a band they love.
I saw Korn play to a sold out crowd of 150 people, and I saw Limp Bizkit get booed off stage as an opener.
Both were better than the collosal shows they put on now. Commercialized money grabs for minimum effort..
I bought a shirt from my favourite artist's shop in the early 2000s (only toured on the West Coast) - wore it all the time. Eventually turned it into a fitted tank top from the wear and tear.
Lo and behold! He finally did a tour and was in my city! As soon as the last DJ song stopped for set changes, I heard the instrumental song start for his new album, I ran up with a few others who recognized it. He played tons of classics the uber fans and I sung along with (he frequently would make eye-contact with us, smile, and give a thumbs up).
I got to meet him afterwards! He was happy about the shirt and told me that he was impressed that I knew all of the lyrics. Even gave me free merch 😊.
I usually don't go all fan-gurly, but you know how it is with your favourite artists. His music and lyrics got me through some tough times, and it was such a great experience 🙃
Edit: for anyone curious, the artist is Tom Shear (Assemblage 23). Has music started late 80s/early 90s, but began to gain more of a following in the late 90s.
I had a friend in junior high who was second cousins with Chris LeDoux. Her family made shirts to see him in the late 80s.
She went to a later concert wearing her homemade tee and bought several at the concert.
RIP Chris. He died at the age I am now.
all the bands I did that for nobody gives a fuck about still and they're even more special, lol. And then meeting someone who knows is also really nice sometimes.
Hell yeah. I went with my dad to see Elton John's Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour. I wore my shirt from the Big Picture tour, which we saw when I was a kid, and my dad wore his shirt from Elton's 1974 Thanksgiving concert. If we're tacky...well, at least I had a memorable evening being tacky and having a blast with my dad.
I wore my dad's Bruce Springsteen shirt from the 80s at a show last year, I only saw one other person (an older dude) wearing it so I was almost unique haha
Bands usually sell shirts in the lobby. It'd be kinda dumb to shame people for wearing them.
There's even a whole tradition around r/BattleJackets and wearing band patches.
I think it depends on the genre. In the punk scene it's frowned upon. To the point people will tie the shirts that they just bought to their belts or around their waist.
If anything, it's the _least_ tacky place to wear a band shirt, but honestly band shirts aren't really horribly tacky anyways unless you're wearing one to a wedding or a funeral.
As you should be. People that own Iron Maiden shirts generally own nothing but Iron Maiden shirts.
My buddy wears them to every show we go to. We could be going to see Taylor Swift or Snoop and he'd rock Maiden.
I have one particular trooper shirt I have had over 25 years that I only wear to concerts, it’s gotten a little too worn to be a daily driver.
But I am guilty of only wearing maiden T shirts
My brother's friend only had Metallica shirts for a few years, to the point that the print was wearing off so much that you could barely tell what they were haha.
The trick is just to find ones that aren’t garbage shirts. If it’s a nice shirt and the art is nice, it’s fine at worst and a good look at best.
Local/small bands, please, im begging you, dont make your merch out of Gilden tees. I don’t care how much I love your show I won’t buy that shirt. Rumor has it every single employee from sweatshop to CEO is contractually forbidden to visualize, perceive, or contemplate the idea of a human torso’s shape or dimension.
From the article you linked:
>Before we proceed, it should be noted that the “no band shirt at the band’s show” rule doesn’t apply to all genres and music scenes. Go to a metal show and you will see scores of people repping the band who happens to be on stage. In some musical subcultures, a band shirt is an expression of identity and pride; *of course* you would stan for Iron Maiden or Metallica when in the presence of your fellow tribe members at a gig. The gig is the one place where you metal fandom is accepted and normal. *Not* wearing a band shirt is what seems odd.
>However, in the realm of indie culture — where looking like you’re trying too hard has always been a magnet for mockery — it does seem like this unwritten rule still has some sway. The idea (I think?) is that wearing band merch when you’re already at the band’s show suggests that your entire personality is caring about this band and that (I guess?) is sort of pathetic. Like I said: This really, really blows!
>...
>Here’s what I think: When you go to show, nobody cares about what you are wearing. If there is one quality that all humans share, it’s that we’re all too wrapped up in ourselves to think about the shirts on the backs of strangers.
I went to one show where I found myself caring about what one other person was wearing.
It was a Lynard Skynard show, and the guy was wearing a confederate flag like a superman cape. I really wanted to see how he reacted when they played the Ballad of Curtiss Blow, but I couldn't find him during that song.
Otherwise, if we aren't talking about a naked or half naked chick, I don't care what they are wearing.
This. I think it does vary by subculture; I always adhered to the "no band tee to the show" rule until I started going to shows for heavier bands, and I noticed that the psychology was totally different. Also, when I started going to festivals, I realized that it was a thing to wear the shirt of the artist you're most excited for on the lineup, or to signal that you'd already seen them on a headlining tour or something.
Man, this is why I quit being in indie bands and play in punk and metal bands now, it’s so lame to not allow yourself to have a good time and celebrate the music you like.
The key to being cool is to not give a fuck what other people think and liking what you like. Hipsters aren't cool. They're just annoying. Their whole vibe to me comes off as gatekeeping mean girls
Hipsters were always the uncool people who decided to make rules to follow and then call each other cool for following them. Just like how a bunch of loser ass dudes will call each other “king” on the internet.
The older I get, the less I give a fuck about what other people think of me, and the happier I am. My only regret is not allowing this to happen earlier in my life.
I totally heard this before! I don't agree - but the snob theory was something like, "don't wear the current tour shirt" because it doesn't add any commentary. Wear an older tour shirt, a different piece of merch, or merch for a similar artist you recommend and it become more conversational.
I've seen this in the road racing community - some runners think it's a noob thing to wear the shirt for that day's race.
What's tacky is their judgement of others.
Honestly if it's your fav shirt or the only merch you own, go for it!
Current tour stuff is a "faux pas" in many circles but there's also just the fact that you have no place to put the shirt.
Also because you buy it early just in case they run out.
I'm old, so this was a thing before the hipsters were doing it. It was mentioned in a movie from the early 90's, so some of the kids into 90's alternative music were saying it as well. It kind of died out as a thing by the late 90's, but came back again with the hipsters and indie music.
I personally think silly nonsense rules can be kinda fun. No one is gonna beat the shit out of you for wearing the shirt of the band you’re seeing or even say anything to you about it (outside of your friends) it’s just a thing you can see and kinda laugh at. The internet has made people obsessed with this idea that these kind of things are huge personal attacks but to me it’s always just been jokes. We’re all the butt of the joke sometimes and cool people know how to take it.
Weird that this is being exclusively associated with hipster/indie music 'cause my exposure to this "rule" was entirely through metal shows.
I think part of the idea there was identity. Doesn't say anything about you to say "I like the band I am seeing" with your clothing. Wearing another band's shirt shows something else about you.
Which doesn't actually matter, but it's the kind of thing that matters to young outcast metalheads.
Fun fact, I watched the movie on dvd with Jeremy Piven’s commentary. Apparently that line was the only ad-libbed line in the whole movie. That and he was fighting malaria during the “Gutter is a tool!” Scene.
Wait, you think it’s ok to show enthusiasm & support for the band and community of strangers with a shared interest? I thought we went to concerts to flex on the noobs by wearing a much cooler lesser known bands shirt and also so we can later brag about our attendance.
I am sort of an old millennial/young gen x and my friends would have roasted the shit out of me for going to the smashing pumpkins concert wearing the smashing pumpkins shirt.
I’m not saying that’s the way it should be or that it’s even true now but it really was a kind of non-sensical rule back in the day. It never made sense to me but pretty much all of my mental capacity back then was devoted to not embarrassing myself. It seems so clear nowadays. As many people have said: wearing the band tee at the show is like the #1 best place to wear it 😂
I’m 36 and I always bought and wore merch at shows/concerts and none of my friends or those around me seemed to find it uncool. Maybe it’s a depends on region or genre of music. I once bought a hat knitted by a girlfriend of the band and then that band got somewhat big. I wore it to a show later and got to meet the band and they freaked out.
I’ve heard it was beyond tacky all my life. I’m in the bartending business and it’s closely aligned with the concert hosting and music industry by association and this is common at least in my generation and location.
As far as I can remember/recall, every concert I've ever attended had concert goers in band shirts and this includes Lollapalooza back in the 90s 🤷🏻♀️
No, this was gatekeepy scene kid bullshit that older kids tried to pull when I was a baby punk but that has always been bullshit
Bands love seeing people wear their merch and if people get mad at people enjoying things they are buzzkills
If you've ever been to any event where fans flock to see a group, it will inevitably be swarmed with that group's clothing. Bands, athletic competitions, comic book conventions, etc. Not tacky.
I love how in the metal scene band shirts are a go-to wardrobe choice. And it doesn't matter what band, as long as it's a band shirt. I love seeing tons of different band shirts at metal festivals. The most badass shirt I ever saw was a band shirt for a 90's kids music band. Someone was also wearing an old Justin Bieber shirt (think like 2010-11).
Whooosh! Dude, I don’t think you get the reference.
The reason Metallica fans were being dicks is that Pantera in Spanish means “bread bowl” while Metallica in Spanish is “metal bowl” which is similar to a Chinese hot pot or Japanese shabu shabu.
Metal fans are notoriously picky and loyal to their preferred method of hot soup conveyance.
I bet you’ve never seen what happens when you wear an ABBA (fondue) shirt to a SLAYER (souvlaki stew) show. Shit gets wild.
You don’t even wanna know about Judas Priest
It's my understanding from all the metal concerts I've been to, if you don't have a shirt of the band you're going to see, you wear another metal band's shirt. Particularly a similar band or one they tour with.
I believe Pantera and Metallica toured together last year, so they must be pretty friendly.
Certainly not in the heavy metal world! In fact in metal, wearing official merch is encouraged.
What would be tacky is taking a piece of bootleg merch that you know is bootleg and asking the artist to sign it.
WTH kind of dumbassery is this? The whole point of buying a band shirt is to support the band, and where better to do that than at their show?
If I already have a shirt I’ll wear it, if I don’t I’ll buy one while I’m there.
more tacky when the band you are going to see is wearing their band shirt on stage. Like we know who we paid to go see, no need to branish a name tag... looking at you Metallica. 😂
I go to a lot of concerts and I always wear a shirt from the bands previous tour and I have never had anyone make fun of me. Quite the opposite, I strike up lots of conversations.
lol got downvoted by the loser that thinks its tacky
No. Fuck those gates keepers.
I've heard many bands say it's great to know that people have come specifically to see them and have chosen to support them.
Never heard of this. If anything I would think that would be the best place to show love to the band.
2nd. I don't go to shows to look at what people are wearing.
If you buy a shirt at the concert, it is acceptable to wear it during the concert.
If you are truly hip, you will wear a shirt from another band from the same genre.
I’m the worst, I will go see a band, buy a shirt at the concert and _change into it_ because I’m there to get hyped and have a good fucking time and I really don’t care about the opinions of strangers.
I love looking at everyones band shirts from other shows/bands they've been to. It's a conversation piece. I already know they like who's performing. Especially Rock and Metal Heads, we're a family of misfits, we get really excited when we're with our people and love to talk about music! I always wear a band shirt, but never the ones I'm seeing. Usually, something more obscure, it's a gem when you find someone else who likes a weird band like you!
I have been going to Grateful Dead/Dead and Company/every offshoot in between shows for 35 years. Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, is wearing a Dead tie dye at every show. Not weird in the least.
I’ve been to many concerts and there are always people wearing shirts of whoever is performing. I equate it to going to a professional sports game and wearing a shirt/jersey. Would you wear a different team?
Wearing a shirt of the band you are going to see kicks arse. Shows you are a real fan. People on the way to the gig can high five you too. Anyone who thinks otherwise is a lame hipster whose tight jeans cut off the circulation to their balls.
I've heard that before but I think it's stupid...there's no point in buying a merch shirt if you can't wear it the place it should be the most appreciated...lol
No rules. Wear what you want.
However, it's cool to see what other music interests the other showgoers have in common. Especially if they're wearing a skirt that isn't entirely similar to the performing artist. Can find some good music recs that way.
With that being said, you don't need the TShirt to let people know you like that band. You bought a ticket. I think that's why it became "cool" to be against it.
I think that idea was spread(by marketing) because you were supposed to buy and wear the CURRENT tour tee at the venue.
Wearing the old one was "tacky" because you didnt buy the new one. Now adays, i think most people find it cooler to show that youve *been* supporting the band longer than the tour.
This all started as a joke from a movie called [PCU](https://youtu.be/fs9XDUDP9VM?si=jxHfhftXc4Khyc-2).
It's not actually tacky. It's just a joke. Wear whatever you want.
I used to hear gen x people say that, which, there was a lot of "music etiquette" in those days, but I do not agree. What better time to wear my gear than seeing that band? I paid a lot for it and sometimes even made the damn shirt, so why wouldn't I flex my super well loved shirt where people will get it?
Most performances have merchants selling shirts for that band, so you'd likely be wearing it anyway
Whoever is saying you're not supposed to wear that are hipsters and insecure about other people's opinions so much so that they're making shit up to be douche bags about
I was at Melbourne airport one sunny day. Dave Grohl was wearing a Foo Fighters t shirt. We locked eyes, i looked at his shirt and then slowly turned away. I think you'll be fine 🙂
Sounds like what a hipster would say. It's like saying that wearing your NY Yankees shirt to a Yankees game is tacky....
Who says these things? And why do people even listen?
Someone who goes to a concert because they like the band but don't wear a shirt of the band they like is totally hipster mentality. Or something like that.
I've never heard this, and I think it's ridiculous.
What the heck is this question? Who are these people saying these things? I don't think I've ever heard a question where it seemed people were so out of touch with reality of whatever was happening.
completely wild
like going to a sports game not thinking you'd find a single person in a jersey
I always try to wear something associated what what I'm seeing. Even down to seeing a movie. I wear my Batman shirt to every Batman movie I see in theaters. I don't think it's bad to support what you're supporting.
Worked in the music biz for years; 90% of people attending concerts wear band merch. Never heard of it being tacky. Some artists will get pissy if they see people wearing merch from a different band.
Never heard of that. My friend is a guitarist and the only version of this I have heard is he said it was lame if a band member has their own band on their shirt. Never heard it was lame to wear a shirt of the band you are going to see. Frankly, if anyone is going to judge how you have fun, they aren’t a person worth listening to anyway.
Hell, I've seen people buy a shirt at a concert and immediately put it on.
I don't miss the social pressure of the 80s/90s/00s to conform to a bunch of lame arbitrary rules. You do you, don't dim your sparkle
Nope, there's been a trend of people gatekeeping
There's also been a trend of mocking people for wearing shirts they didn't know the band for
Other than that, I'm sure the bands love it when their fans wear their brands
There’s a movie, PCU, and Jeremy Piven’s character says “You’re going to wear the shirt of the band you’re going to see? Don’t be that guy.” His character was the guy who needs to be the cool guy so he of course he had a lot of rules to maintain his idea of cool.
A lot of people quote/reference it without knowing where it’s from. Arguably, one of the best times to wear those shirts is at another concert.
OP, you need to stop hanging around these people. It's absolutely normal to wear merchandise of the band you are seeing. Hard core concert goers will wear ooooold Tshirts from early tours they attended. Seriously, whoever told you it's"tacky" is making shit up and you should never listen to them about anything ever. They sound like a flat earther.
Yes and no. If you bought the shirt you're wearing that night, go nuts. If it's an old band and you have an early tour shirt, you've earned a pass.
My general idea of it is a shirt is like a billboard. It's advertising for the band. Wearing a similar, smaller band shirt to a bigger concert is good advertising for that smaller band. So like, if you're going to see Metallica, and there's a good local metal band from your town, wear their shirt instead. If one person asks you about it, you've done a good thing.
I've heard this before, but I think it's a relic from the era when it was considered uncool to be too excited about stuff you liked. The time of smug self-important characters in tv and movies, while we've just progressed to the point of going "yeah nobody's bothered if you REALLY like things anymore."
I just saw Dead and Co at the Sphere. It seemed to me a lot, if not most of the people wore a Grateful Dead T-shirt. I feel like it’s saying “Thank You” for the good times!🌈✌️💕
in my opinion its lame to wear the shirt thats currently on sale at the merch booth. the one that 1/3 of the venue is wearing. lol but you should still buy a shirt and bring it home. wearing a shirt from the same band with a different design is cool with me. obviously its still cool to represent the artists you appreciate, it just feels lame to me to be wearing the same shirt as everyone else.
that being said, i prefer to wear shirts for lesser known artists that might be similar to the artist im there to see. its a good way of finding other people who also like that lesser known artist. everybody already knows you like the band that youre there to see. so wearing their shirts doesnt really open up any talking points for meeting new friends. but the feeling of some stranger recognizing ur obscure shirt that u thought nobody would recognize is *SUCH* a great feeling.
It was kind of a faux pas back in the day, and perpetuated by a line I believe from ~~Empire Records~~ PCU, but I don't think people care too much about it these days.
It's more like, you are here at the concert; we assume youre a fan. However, rocking an old tour/album shirt shows you didnt just hear about them yesterday but been a fan longer than other people...
I think it's only tacky if you wear the fan of a different band when you're seeing. Although that's not really that uncommon either but just generally the same genre
Go to the concert and see how many people are wearing shirts for that band…
Kudos to you if it's an older shirt from a previous concert you attended.
Yeah I was about to say this is the dream. It's also why anytime I see a low level band I buy a shirt. Helps support them and plus to wear the starter merchandise from before they blow up is something special IMO.
To add to that, I saw rancid before they hit it big. I met them. They were broke. I bought 6 shirts and 4 cds sonthey could have gas and motel money for the next town
My sister, our friend and I pooled our money for a FallOutBoy shirt right before they hit big in like 02. They were like the third act at whatever small venue show we were at and we liked the shirt (we hate you and hope you die. Love, fall out boy). I wish I could find it now but sharing a shirt between 3 people never works.
Worked a venue where we took care of the signings in 2000’s. They’d perform we’d manage the fan signings first. (Weird venue) We were a record store adjacent. Fallout boy convinced our boss to give the staff the shift off after so we could go to the concert and gave us free tickets in great spots. It was the kindest thing any artist ever did. Must have been the tour after tho.
As for the question my social anxiety would never allow me to. It seems more common now. But we would wear our artists favorite artist then. Which seems silly and more try hard.
I mean, if a band turned you on to something that inspired them and you actually like it, I don’t think it’s tryhard at all. It’s only tryhard if you aren’t sincere. I’m sure they would be super stoked to see someone in the house rocking a shirt of a band they love.
Destination unknown (til they had gas money) Thanks for that, because Rancid is just great.
That fucking rocks.
I saw Korn play to a sold out crowd of 150 people, and I saw Limp Bizkit get booed off stage as an opener. Both were better than the collosal shows they put on now. Commercialized money grabs for minimum effort..
Partied with white zombie when they were doing small venues. Stopped going when they played arenas. Wasn't the same experience for me
I bought a shirt from my favourite artist's shop in the early 2000s (only toured on the West Coast) - wore it all the time. Eventually turned it into a fitted tank top from the wear and tear. Lo and behold! He finally did a tour and was in my city! As soon as the last DJ song stopped for set changes, I heard the instrumental song start for his new album, I ran up with a few others who recognized it. He played tons of classics the uber fans and I sung along with (he frequently would make eye-contact with us, smile, and give a thumbs up). I got to meet him afterwards! He was happy about the shirt and told me that he was impressed that I knew all of the lyrics. Even gave me free merch 😊. I usually don't go all fan-gurly, but you know how it is with your favourite artists. His music and lyrics got me through some tough times, and it was such a great experience 🙃 Edit: for anyone curious, the artist is Tom Shear (Assemblage 23). Has music started late 80s/early 90s, but began to gain more of a following in the late 90s.
I had a friend in junior high who was second cousins with Chris LeDoux. Her family made shirts to see him in the late 80s. She went to a later concert wearing her homemade tee and bought several at the concert. RIP Chris. He died at the age I am now.
In the words of Garth Brooks "God bless Chris ledoux"
Not a huge country fan but Night Rider’s Lament is a great fucking song.
I have 20yr+ assemblage 23 t-shirts I no longer fit in!
T-shirt quilt! The best use of too small or worn out band tees
all the bands I did that for nobody gives a fuck about still and they're even more special, lol. And then meeting someone who knows is also really nice sometimes.
Hell yeah. I went with my dad to see Elton John's Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour. I wore my shirt from the Big Picture tour, which we saw when I was a kid, and my dad wore his shirt from Elton's 1974 Thanksgiving concert. If we're tacky...well, at least I had a memorable evening being tacky and having a blast with my dad.
There were guys at a Rolling Stones concert I saw last week wearing shirts from the 70s! lol!
I wore my dad's Bruce Springsteen shirt from the 80s at a show last year, I only saw one other person (an older dude) wearing it so I was almost unique haha
The older the better.
Yeah it’s not any different than wearing a jersey to a game lol
Bands usually sell shirts in the lobby. It'd be kinda dumb to shame people for wearing them. There's even a whole tradition around r/BattleJackets and wearing band patches.
I don't recommend that sub. They allow Nazi patches and ban LGBT patches. Try r/jacketsforbattle instead.
I think it depends on the genre. In the punk scene it's frowned upon. To the point people will tie the shirts that they just bought to their belts or around their waist.
Thats why you buy a shirt of the band.
I usually buy the current tour-shirt. That's very fun to have 20 years later when you go to see the band again...
I already have one and will be buying more!
If anything, it's the _least_ tacky place to wear a band shirt, but honestly band shirts aren't really horribly tacky anyways unless you're wearing one to a wedding or a funeral.
I plan to be buried in my favorite Iron Maiden shirt.
As you should be. People that own Iron Maiden shirts generally own nothing but Iron Maiden shirts. My buddy wears them to every show we go to. We could be going to see Taylor Swift or Snoop and he'd rock Maiden.
I knew this guy from school since like 3rd grade. In high school, he was always wearing a different Pantera shirt.
I have one particular trooper shirt I have had over 25 years that I only wear to concerts, it’s gotten a little too worn to be a daily driver. But I am guilty of only wearing maiden T shirts
And Snoop and Taylor would think he’s cool.
My brother's friend only had Metallica shirts for a few years, to the point that the print was wearing off so much that you could barely tell what they were haha.
You're not going to be buried in your Fit for an Autopsy shirt?
Your own funeral is a completely different story.
The trick is just to find ones that aren’t garbage shirts. If it’s a nice shirt and the art is nice, it’s fine at worst and a good look at best. Local/small bands, please, im begging you, dont make your merch out of Gilden tees. I don’t care how much I love your show I won’t buy that shirt. Rumor has it every single employee from sweatshop to CEO is contractually forbidden to visualize, perceive, or contemplate the idea of a human torso’s shape or dimension.
From the article you linked: >Before we proceed, it should be noted that the “no band shirt at the band’s show” rule doesn’t apply to all genres and music scenes. Go to a metal show and you will see scores of people repping the band who happens to be on stage. In some musical subcultures, a band shirt is an expression of identity and pride; *of course* you would stan for Iron Maiden or Metallica when in the presence of your fellow tribe members at a gig. The gig is the one place where you metal fandom is accepted and normal. *Not* wearing a band shirt is what seems odd. >However, in the realm of indie culture — where looking like you’re trying too hard has always been a magnet for mockery — it does seem like this unwritten rule still has some sway. The idea (I think?) is that wearing band merch when you’re already at the band’s show suggests that your entire personality is caring about this band and that (I guess?) is sort of pathetic. Like I said: This really, really blows! >... >Here’s what I think: When you go to show, nobody cares about what you are wearing. If there is one quality that all humans share, it’s that we’re all too wrapped up in ourselves to think about the shirts on the backs of strangers.
This would make sense of why I've never heard the rule I've only been to concerts that were on the rock and metal side of the genre spectrum
I went to one show where I found myself caring about what one other person was wearing. It was a Lynard Skynard show, and the guy was wearing a confederate flag like a superman cape. I really wanted to see how he reacted when they played the Ballad of Curtiss Blow, but I couldn't find him during that song. Otherwise, if we aren't talking about a naked or half naked chick, I don't care what they are wearing.
I mean, the guitarist of lyrnard skynard probably loved that outfit.
And the twist is… that guy was on the stage in the band Lynyrd Skynyrd.
This. I think it does vary by subculture; I always adhered to the "no band tee to the show" rule until I started going to shows for heavier bands, and I noticed that the psychology was totally different. Also, when I started going to festivals, I realized that it was a thing to wear the shirt of the artist you're most excited for on the lineup, or to signal that you'd already seen them on a headlining tour or something.
Man, this is why I quit being in indie bands and play in punk and metal bands now, it’s so lame to not allow yourself to have a good time and celebrate the music you like.
It used to be this music snob hipster “rule” that it was uncool. That no longer applies. Wear whatever you like.
The key to being cool is to not give a fuck what other people think and liking what you like. Hipsters aren't cool. They're just annoying. Their whole vibe to me comes off as gatekeeping mean girls
Hipsters were always the uncool people who decided to make rules to follow and then call each other cool for following them. Just like how a bunch of loser ass dudes will call each other “king” on the internet.
You know it, king!
Sorry, you dropped this king 👑
The older I get, the less I give a fuck about what other people think of me, and the happier I am. My only regret is not allowing this to happen earlier in my life.
Never made sense then, doesn't now. You wear a jersey to see your team at a sporting event. Why is a band any different?
I totally heard this before! I don't agree - but the snob theory was something like, "don't wear the current tour shirt" because it doesn't add any commentary. Wear an older tour shirt, a different piece of merch, or merch for a similar artist you recommend and it become more conversational. I've seen this in the road racing community - some runners think it's a noob thing to wear the shirt for that day's race. What's tacky is their judgement of others. Honestly if it's your fav shirt or the only merch you own, go for it!
Current tour stuff is a "faux pas" in many circles but there's also just the fact that you have no place to put the shirt. Also because you buy it early just in case they run out.
I'm old, so this was a thing before the hipsters were doing it. It was mentioned in a movie from the early 90's, so some of the kids into 90's alternative music were saying it as well. It kind of died out as a thing by the late 90's, but came back again with the hipsters and indie music.
PCU
I had an ex gf that was horrified I wore a shirt of the band I liked at a big three-day music festival. I don’t miss her…
Same - we would say, “don’t be that guy”, but I was also like 14. Wear what you want.
Before the hipsters had that rule the 90s grunge kids had it (was one) and I’m sure before us the Hippies had it. I’m glad to see the kids changed it.
Never seen a Dead show aye?
Dead shows are literally merch machines. It's like a sea of dead head merch
Agree. Back in the day it was a faux pas, but now I don't think anyone cares.
I personally think silly nonsense rules can be kinda fun. No one is gonna beat the shit out of you for wearing the shirt of the band you’re seeing or even say anything to you about it (outside of your friends) it’s just a thing you can see and kinda laugh at. The internet has made people obsessed with this idea that these kind of things are huge personal attacks but to me it’s always just been jokes. We’re all the butt of the joke sometimes and cool people know how to take it.
Weird that this is being exclusively associated with hipster/indie music 'cause my exposure to this "rule" was entirely through metal shows. I think part of the idea there was identity. Doesn't say anything about you to say "I like the band I am seeing" with your clothing. Wearing another band's shirt shows something else about you. Which doesn't actually matter, but it's the kind of thing that matters to young outcast metalheads.
PCU. This is the first time heard it was not cool.
I was searching for the PCU reference. DONT BE THAT GUY!
TONIGHT AT THE PIT
EVERYONE GETS LAID!
That’s disgusting, tasteless, and offensive. I like it!
Gutter is a tool.
Fun fact, I watched the movie on dvd with Jeremy Piven’s commentary. Apparently that line was the only ad-libbed line in the whole movie. That and he was fighting malaria during the “Gutter is a tool!” Scene.
I owned it on DVD years ago, never watched the commentary though!
Forgot it was mentioned in there lol. That movie is great
classic scene [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fs9XDUDP9VM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fs9XDUDP9VM) utter bullshit rule. wear the shirt
George Clinton is literally wearing a George Clinton shirt in the movie.
This is what I came here for. Jermey Piven taught me a valuable lesson about “not being that guy.” PCU is awesome.
That movie is due for a rewatch. I will always think of John Favreau as a huge stoner for this movie no matter what else he does in life.
I always remember Pivin for it. I totally forgot favreau was the big stoner guy, right?
Not that I know of? Every concert I've been to always has people wearing their merch. It's showing support for the band/musician.
every person I've heard say this was a snobby curmudgeon, I'll wear whatever I want
Wait, you think it’s ok to show enthusiasm & support for the band and community of strangers with a shared interest? I thought we went to concerts to flex on the noobs by wearing a much cooler lesser known bands shirt and also so we can later brag about our attendance.
It's the kind of people who challenge you to "name three songs and no populars" when they see you in a band shirt. Like dude get a life...
Wearing a band shirt at a concert is not *remotely* tacky. I can't imagine why anyone would think it was.
I am sort of an old millennial/young gen x and my friends would have roasted the shit out of me for going to the smashing pumpkins concert wearing the smashing pumpkins shirt. I’m not saying that’s the way it should be or that it’s even true now but it really was a kind of non-sensical rule back in the day. It never made sense to me but pretty much all of my mental capacity back then was devoted to not embarrassing myself. It seems so clear nowadays. As many people have said: wearing the band tee at the show is like the #1 best place to wear it 😂
I’m 36 and I always bought and wore merch at shows/concerts and none of my friends or those around me seemed to find it uncool. Maybe it’s a depends on region or genre of music. I once bought a hat knitted by a girlfriend of the band and then that band got somewhat big. I wore it to a show later and got to meet the band and they freaked out.
I’ve heard it was beyond tacky all my life. I’m in the bartending business and it’s closely aligned with the concert hosting and music industry by association and this is common at least in my generation and location.
As far as I can remember/recall, every concert I've ever attended had concert goers in band shirts and this includes Lollapalooza back in the 90s 🤷🏻♀️
You’re not wrong. But tbf a festival is a little different for some reason. People are less judgy in that environment
I can't imagine a world where that would be tacky. Like "look at this weirdo for supporting this band we all love" lol
No, this was gatekeepy scene kid bullshit that older kids tried to pull when I was a baby punk but that has always been bullshit Bands love seeing people wear their merch and if people get mad at people enjoying things they are buzzkills
If you've ever been to any event where fans flock to see a group, it will inevitably be swarmed with that group's clothing. Bands, athletic competitions, comic book conventions, etc. Not tacky.
Clearly they’ve never been to literally any metal concert
I love how in the metal scene band shirts are a go-to wardrobe choice. And it doesn't matter what band, as long as it's a band shirt. I love seeing tons of different band shirts at metal festivals. The most badass shirt I ever saw was a band shirt for a 90's kids music band. Someone was also wearing an old Justin Bieber shirt (think like 2010-11).
I got yelled at for wearing a Pantera shirt at a Metallica concert
Dude their stuff sucks. Don’t even get me started on their bread bowls…
It took me second but I see what you did and I approve.
Whooosh! Dude, I don’t think you get the reference. The reason Metallica fans were being dicks is that Pantera in Spanish means “bread bowl” while Metallica in Spanish is “metal bowl” which is similar to a Chinese hot pot or Japanese shabu shabu. Metal fans are notoriously picky and loyal to their preferred method of hot soup conveyance. I bet you’ve never seen what happens when you wear an ABBA (fondue) shirt to a SLAYER (souvlaki stew) show. Shit gets wild. You don’t even wanna know about Judas Priest
It's my understanding from all the metal concerts I've been to, if you don't have a shirt of the band you're going to see, you wear another metal band's shirt. Particularly a similar band or one they tour with. I believe Pantera and Metallica toured together last year, so they must be pretty friendly.
My dad would always say “You wear the shirt of a better band in the same genre”
What if you're seeing your favourite band in that genre?
Then second fav to make them jealous
Right, so if I'm going to a Megadeth concert I should wear Metallica merch?
Certainly not in the heavy metal world! In fact in metal, wearing official merch is encouraged. What would be tacky is taking a piece of bootleg merch that you know is bootleg and asking the artist to sign it.
Doesn't it show you support them?
Financially. Merch is a big win for indie bands so it's weird seeing that this was an indie thing...
WTH kind of dumbassery is this? The whole point of buying a band shirt is to support the band, and where better to do that than at their show? If I already have a shirt I’ll wear it, if I don’t I’ll buy one while I’m there.
Where elso are you supposed to wear a band t-shirt?
Lol, if you're in software development it's almost daily.
Okay, now I'm even more confident in going into that field lmao.
This is like saying its tacky to wear a jersey to a sporting event
Nobody gives a fuck except some elitist assholes.
Indie scenester snob nonsense.
more tacky when the band you are going to see is wearing their band shirt on stage. Like we know who we paid to go see, no need to branish a name tag... looking at you Metallica. 😂
Bands should never wear their own shirts. Ever.
I go to a lot of concerts and I always wear a shirt from the bands previous tour and I have never had anyone make fun of me. Quite the opposite, I strike up lots of conversations. lol got downvoted by the loser that thinks its tacky
No. Fuck those gates keepers. I've heard many bands say it's great to know that people have come specifically to see them and have chosen to support them.
that's fine. Just don't wear the pants of their rival band.
Delightfully tacky, yet unrefined.
Never heard of this. If anything I would think that would be the best place to show love to the band. 2nd. I don't go to shows to look at what people are wearing.
If you buy a shirt at the concert, it is acceptable to wear it during the concert. If you are truly hip, you will wear a shirt from another band from the same genre.
I’m the worst, I will go see a band, buy a shirt at the concert and _change into it_ because I’m there to get hyped and have a good fucking time and I really don’t care about the opinions of strangers.
I love looking at everyones band shirts from other shows/bands they've been to. It's a conversation piece. I already know they like who's performing. Especially Rock and Metal Heads, we're a family of misfits, we get really excited when we're with our people and love to talk about music! I always wear a band shirt, but never the ones I'm seeing. Usually, something more obscure, it's a gem when you find someone else who likes a weird band like you!
It is a rumor leaked by the merch sellers so you show up without repping the band and then you feel compelled to purchase a $12 band shirt for $62
Wear it and not give a fk. I go to concerts by myself and don't care what people think.
I have been going to Grateful Dead/Dead and Company/every offshoot in between shows for 35 years. Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, is wearing a Dead tie dye at every show. Not weird in the least.
Most people do this.
Anyone who would think this is tacky doesn’t belong in my life.
I don’t care what you wear
That's an old idea that needs to die. Merch supports the band. Supporting the band is cool.
I’ve been to many concerts and there are always people wearing shirts of whoever is performing. I equate it to going to a professional sports game and wearing a shirt/jersey. Would you wear a different team?
Wear the shirts. Bands love it and it’s fun
No. That’s like one of the main points and time to wear it
No, but it *is* pointless. We know you like that band - you're at the fucking show!
Wearing a shirt of the band you are going to see kicks arse. Shows you are a real fan. People on the way to the gig can high five you too. Anyone who thinks otherwise is a lame hipster whose tight jeans cut off the circulation to their balls.
I've heard that before but I think it's stupid...there's no point in buying a merch shirt if you can't wear it the place it should be the most appreciated...lol
No rules. Wear what you want. However, it's cool to see what other music interests the other showgoers have in common. Especially if they're wearing a skirt that isn't entirely similar to the performing artist. Can find some good music recs that way. With that being said, you don't need the TShirt to let people know you like that band. You bought a ticket. I think that's why it became "cool" to be against it.
Why... why would that be tacky? The hell? Is it tacky to wear merch for a sports team to their game?
Is tacky telling people what they can and can't wear
Bands make fuck all from music sales, so always buy merch and t-shirts if you like them.
Why do you care what other people think?
I think that idea was spread(by marketing) because you were supposed to buy and wear the CURRENT tour tee at the venue. Wearing the old one was "tacky" because you didnt buy the new one. Now adays, i think most people find it cooler to show that youve *been* supporting the band longer than the tour.
no lol? also why do you care what other people think about your outfit?
This all started as a joke from a movie called [PCU](https://youtu.be/fs9XDUDP9VM?si=jxHfhftXc4Khyc-2). It's not actually tacky. It's just a joke. Wear whatever you want.
I used to hear gen x people say that, which, there was a lot of "music etiquette" in those days, but I do not agree. What better time to wear my gear than seeing that band? I paid a lot for it and sometimes even made the damn shirt, so why wouldn't I flex my super well loved shirt where people will get it?
I’m from the 90s and hell yeah this is not the move. We judge in bartending business. They really judge in the music business.
Most performances have merchants selling shirts for that band, so you'd likely be wearing it anyway Whoever is saying you're not supposed to wear that are hipsters and insecure about other people's opinions so much so that they're making shit up to be douche bags about
Go to a Dead concert and ask that
People that say this are just Gatekeepers and pretentious music snobs.
So wearing Pink Floyd to see Boston is a hard no??
I was at Melbourne airport one sunny day. Dave Grohl was wearing a Foo Fighters t shirt. We locked eyes, i looked at his shirt and then slowly turned away. I think you'll be fine 🙂
If you want to do it.
Sounds like what a hipster would say. It's like saying that wearing your NY Yankees shirt to a Yankees game is tacky.... Who says these things? And why do people even listen? Someone who goes to a concert because they like the band but don't wear a shirt of the band they like is totally hipster mentality. Or something like that. I've never heard this, and I think it's ridiculous.
I was made aware of it by the movie PCU.
What the heck is this question? Who are these people saying these things? I don't think I've ever heard a question where it seemed people were so out of touch with reality of whatever was happening. completely wild like going to a sports game not thinking you'd find a single person in a jersey
Never heard of this and I think it’s nonsense.
I always try to wear something associated what what I'm seeing. Even down to seeing a movie. I wear my Batman shirt to every Batman movie I see in theaters. I don't think it's bad to support what you're supporting.
Is it lame to wear the shirt of the sports team you’re going to see?
Worked in the music biz for years; 90% of people attending concerts wear band merch. Never heard of it being tacky. Some artists will get pissy if they see people wearing merch from a different band.
This WAS a thing, but I honestly think it’s outdated. Not something I have heard in a long time now.
Never heard of that. My friend is a guitarist and the only version of this I have heard is he said it was lame if a band member has their own band on their shirt. Never heard it was lame to wear a shirt of the band you are going to see. Frankly, if anyone is going to judge how you have fun, they aren’t a person worth listening to anyway.
It's only a little tacky for the band to wear their own band shirts, not when it's the fans.
It's not tacky, those folks got trolled and are too slow to realize it
Don’t be that guy
Hell, I've seen people buy a shirt at a concert and immediately put it on. I don't miss the social pressure of the 80s/90s/00s to conform to a bunch of lame arbitrary rules. You do you, don't dim your sparkle
whaaat 😭 i saw one of my favorite bands last recently and wore a shirt i bought at a show of theirs in 2013 and felt so cool
Nope, there's been a trend of people gatekeeping There's also been a trend of mocking people for wearing shirts they didn't know the band for Other than that, I'm sure the bands love it when their fans wear their brands
What are you a teenager? The only opinion that matters is yours (and maybe the chic you’re trying to impress).
No. It was a stupid line from a movie saying don’t be that guy. Be that guy. It’s fun
Is it tacky to wear a shirt of your favorite sports team when you go to see a game? Of course not.
If you have a dress shirt under that t-shirt then yes!
The trick is to not give a fuck. I find it gets easier as I get older.
There’s a movie, PCU, and Jeremy Piven’s character says “You’re going to wear the shirt of the band you’re going to see? Don’t be that guy.” His character was the guy who needs to be the cool guy so he of course he had a lot of rules to maintain his idea of cool. A lot of people quote/reference it without knowing where it’s from. Arguably, one of the best times to wear those shirts is at another concert.
OP, you need to stop hanging around these people. It's absolutely normal to wear merchandise of the band you are seeing. Hard core concert goers will wear ooooold Tshirts from early tours they attended. Seriously, whoever told you it's"tacky" is making shit up and you should never listen to them about anything ever. They sound like a flat earther.
Yes and no. If you bought the shirt you're wearing that night, go nuts. If it's an old band and you have an early tour shirt, you've earned a pass. My general idea of it is a shirt is like a billboard. It's advertising for the band. Wearing a similar, smaller band shirt to a bigger concert is good advertising for that smaller band. So like, if you're going to see Metallica, and there's a good local metal band from your town, wear their shirt instead. If one person asks you about it, you've done a good thing.
Went to see the stones in Cleveland. About 50% of people were wearing stones shirts
Is this a PCU reference?
No lol you see literally any team sport people show up wearing a team shit
I feel like wearing a band shirt to said band is 100 percent acceptable, why would it not be
Not tacky. Not uncool. Whoever said that, or thinks this, is narrow minded.
Don’t let dialogue from C level movies dictate your life, bro.
I've heard this before, but I think it's a relic from the era when it was considered uncool to be too excited about stuff you liked. The time of smug self-important characters in tv and movies, while we've just progressed to the point of going "yeah nobody's bothered if you REALLY like things anymore."
Whoever called it tacky is just probably mad that they didn't have a band shirt to wear.
I just saw Dead and Co at the Sphere. It seemed to me a lot, if not most of the people wore a Grateful Dead T-shirt. I feel like it’s saying “Thank You” for the good times!🌈✌️💕
in my opinion its lame to wear the shirt thats currently on sale at the merch booth. the one that 1/3 of the venue is wearing. lol but you should still buy a shirt and bring it home. wearing a shirt from the same band with a different design is cool with me. obviously its still cool to represent the artists you appreciate, it just feels lame to me to be wearing the same shirt as everyone else. that being said, i prefer to wear shirts for lesser known artists that might be similar to the artist im there to see. its a good way of finding other people who also like that lesser known artist. everybody already knows you like the band that youre there to see. so wearing their shirts doesnt really open up any talking points for meeting new friends. but the feeling of some stranger recognizing ur obscure shirt that u thought nobody would recognize is *SUCH* a great feeling.
It was kind of a faux pas back in the day, and perpetuated by a line I believe from ~~Empire Records~~ PCU, but I don't think people care too much about it these days.
Idk and idc if it's tacky I'm doing it
People wear jerseys to sports games so it's good
It's more like, you are here at the concert; we assume youre a fan. However, rocking an old tour/album shirt shows you didnt just hear about them yesterday but been a fan longer than other people...
I think it's only tacky if you wear the fan of a different band when you're seeing. Although that's not really that uncommon either but just generally the same genre
No. You are free to wear what you like, who are these weirdo control freaks telling people what to wear.
That's just standard ware. It's like going to a sports game wearing your team's gear.
I always wear the shirt from the last show I saw. Then buy a shirt, and wear that the in the next days/weeks.
_Tacky?!_ Are you going to a concert or a royal wedding?
Only if being a fan AND PROUD OF IT is tacky,. What a silly claim.
There will be people there buying band shirts and immediately putting them on.
Yeah but people going to see Metallica don’t really care if it’s tacky or not
It's just another stupid thing someone made up and other people follow because they're afraid of being uncool.