I remember this came up on the Yahoo group awhile back, but I figured I'd shoot for some fresh input.

Do you guys assume a stage persona as a band, or do you go for the more "let the music do the talking" approach? Do the clothes make the band? Is a surf band in matching outfits (suits, lounge shirts, lucha-masks, whatever) more appealing to watch than a jeans-and-tshirt combo?

Just curious what y'all's thought on the matter are.

The Disasternauts

We call em' "uniforms" here, and we've had a evolving outfit which now contains cardigans, black pants, skinny ties, and Chuck Taylors. Our amps and guitars match, so why not the clothes?
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And of course the music should come first. But what's wrong with looking semi-professional on stage? And like Jon says...I wouldn't want to be caught dead in shorts and hawaiian shirts!

Of course the "uniforms" get hot and don't always last all night. But I think they added a little charm to the band, it's traditional, and it's can be interactive with the crowd. We've had chants of "take off the sweaters". If people pay attention more it's only better.

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"as he stepped into the stealthy night air... little did he know the fire escape was not there"

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well, lately I have been wearing a tube sock...

just like my heros the RHCPeppers:

image

kickthe_reverb_
Definitely makes a difference, and most likely more to "regular people" (as opposed to surf geeks like us), who come to see a whole show.
People usually don't come just for the audio (they could have listened to a cd instead), they come for an audio-visual experience.
Having a band outfit, that follows a theme (that matches the band's name), and MOVING on stage, is very important IMHO.
I know some of my friends don't care , but I care a lot.

Good subject to rehash for the sake of posterity
Ran

Hmm wonder who he's refering to??
I agree that a matching outfit does make a statement, and is probably better for a band.
But Is not a must in my book.
I'm there for the tunes, not the look.
Definetly No Hawiian shirts, especially matching new cheap ones form
K-mart or Target.
Old cool Hawiian shirts are for tiki parties/bars/events.
No Offense to the Sweater guys, but you'd never catch me in one of those.
I guess I got enough guff from people in High school for being in Choir and having to wear a tuxedo with tails( now that's classy) But Occasionally at Assemblys in the Gym we had to wear Lettermen sweaters( Oh the Humanity) I felt like Buddy Holly.

Don't know if i posted this before. But I'd like a surf band to wear
matching white Levi shorts, Van's High tops( dark Blue/Light Blue), and then other bands t-shirts.
Too show support for the scene.

Jeff(bigtikidude)

Jeff(bigtikidude)

No matter how I dress him up, our bass player still manages to look like a hippie.

kick_the_reverb
People usually don't come just for the audio (they could have listened to a cd instead), they come for an audio-visual experience.

that's it, absolutly. whether people realize it or not (and lots don't, esp. musicians with an "I aint gonna dress up like it's halloween" attitude ... (got one in the band)

there's different ways to approach it - the main thing is it's gotto "fit" with the music. nothing wrong with just wearing what you always wear, as long as everybody's dressed in the same style anyway, and that style fits the music. the phantom four springs to mind. also, Slacktone looks good to me on stage, no uniforms, but also no sore thumbs sticking out. they seem to wear ust what they're wearing, nothing spectacular but also nothing wrong. boring but effective, you might say, it doen';t do anything ecxtra for the music, but it also doesn't take the attention away 'cause somethings wrong.' (that's I think the _least _you have to pay attention to as far as stage presence goes)

than there's different ways of approaching the uniform thing.

same style but different clothes
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slick suits, looks normal but dressed for the occaison ....

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than there's the matching upto almost tongue in cheeck refference to a theme, ... 'happy days' in this case...

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although some op for a the Fonz letter jacket ....

and than there's the real 'dress up' - which makes the band more or less a theatre act.

image

I find this VERY cool if it's done right, but I know lots of people think it's way over the top. it's the same people that won't dress up at all, or won't wear a white shirt when everyone else wears one.
I think it has something to do with whether you just take the experience on its face or need to put it in some category of 'rock' ..... much like in a lot of places (here in the netherlands at least) you'll be playing for an audience of 90% male, 60 % guitarists, who are ALL in the back with leather jackets, arms crossed, discussing whether or not your influenced by Yngwie Malmsteen and if you've got a '65 or a '66 guitar.
luckily, there are also lots of people, esp in the surf crowd, who just come to have a ball!

WR

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"When in Italy, if the menu says something's grilled, don't assume it is."

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Last night we played to pretty much a empty house. So it was basically a practice for us. But we didn't get fully dressed up becuase the poeple that were there, were friends and family. But I have to say the vibe is much different. Even when looking across the stage at the other members. It seems like everything just became ordinary and that we were just another band.

When we don the outfits and make-up, I think it also psychs you out a little and motivates you to go out there and kick some ass on stage.

I am the old guy in my band and has taken a little bit of finesse to get everyone in my band on the same. The youngs one want to go overboard with the horror thing and the others have a thing about looking more like auto mechanics than zombie surfers. But they are coming around. It is a learning experience for them. I was in Goth and Industrial acts before, so the over tht top fashion and theatrics doesn't bother me. Especially if it makes "Seeing" the music more memoriable.

BillAqua

bigtikidude
No Offense to the Sweater guys, but you'd never catch me in one of those.
I guess I got enough guff from people in High school for being in Choir and having to wear a tuxedo with tails( now that's classy) But Occasionally at Assemblys in the Gym we had to wear Lettermen sweaters( Oh the Humanity) I felt like Buddy Holly.

Jeff(bigtikidude)

Feeling like Buddy Holly to me would be the equivelant to what you "long hairs" refer to as reaching a state of Nirvana.

Redd_Tyde
When we don the outfits and make-up, I think it also psychs you out a little and motivates you to go out there and kick some ass on stage.
.

I agree 100%.

We try to match, but we don't go overboard, and we NEVER wear hawaiian shirts.

You have to put on a show, and be interesting to look at, as well as sounding good.

PolloGuitar
Wannes could go on stage in a pink tutu and nobody would be looking at him
image

I don't have too much to add to the thread...I just wanted to look at that picture again...

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