PSA: Concert T-shirt Etiquette (Part 4 of 4)

17Jan08

#5:  Past Tourmate – This is not a “tour” T-shirt.  This is a T-shirt for a band that toured with the current concert band a few years before the current concert.  It ranks high on the list because it illustrates that you share the same musical interests as the current concert band.  A word of caution: This T-shirt applies to a past tourmate so it is imperative that you make sure that the reason that they are a past, and not a current, tourmate, is not because they have sold-out or caused a feud (see #20 and #19). 

#4:  Collaborator – This T-shirt is for a band/artist that worked, or was featured, on an album of the current concert band.  This T-shirt beats out the Past Tourmate T-shirt because it indicates that you share more than just the same musical interests as the current concert band, but that you also share the same artistic essence.  Hell, if a current concert band member sees you wearing this T-shirt, he/she might ask you to help out the band the next time that they’re in-studio.

#3:  Crossover – This category is for a T-shirt of a band that is a current concert band member’s previous band or, in some instances, side-project.  Some may argue that wearing the T-shirt of a previous band demeans the current band, but I disagree.  Instead, by attending a concert by the member’s current band, while wearing the T-shirt of the previous band, you are indicating to the other band members that you were already a fan of one member and that you also approve of the artistic influences from the other members, by supporting the new band as a collective.  Additionally, this T-shirt is very effective because it illustrates your support of an artist’s growth as a musician.

As noted above, in some instances this Crossover T-shirt can be for a current concert band member’s side-project.  This is also a suitable choice as long as the side-project is just that – a side-project – and, therefore, is distinct, independent, and in no way interferes with the progress of the current concert band.

#2:  Fringe of Genre – This category is for a T-shirt of a band that is in the genre, but is so independent, so pure, and so non-commercial, that only true fans of the genre have heard of them.  This T-shirt affords the wearer the best way to show-off his/her extremely tuned musical taste, impressive connection to the underground, and true understanding of the genre.  Additionally, the T-shirt provides an additional advantage in that it simultaneously allows a fellow concertgoer to also show-off his/her musical taste by acknowledging that they are also familiar with the band on your T-shirt with a simple head-nod and, “Hey, nice shirt”.

#1:  Combo:  This final category is for those who epitomize what it means to find the perfect concert T-shirt by wearing a combination of categories #5 – #2.  If you can find a T-shirt that fits into this category, you can rest assured that you have reserved you right to walk—or better yet—swagger around the concert venue as if you own the place.  Short of being up on stage, you are the awesome-est person in the room.  Examples of such a combo include Fringe of Genre-Past Tourmate, Past Tourmate-Collaborator, Fringe of Genre-Crossover, and the mind-blowing, face-melting, Fringe of Genre-Past Tourmate-Collaborator.

This concludes my list.  It represents a collective of my observations spanning a wide variety of concerts that I’ve attended from Spin Doctors (yeah, that’s right), circa 1992, to Killswitch Engage/The Dillinger Escape plan, last week.  Comments, Suggestions, and Criticisms are welcome. 

Filed under: Uncategorized   |  5 Comments
Tags: Concerts, T-shirt