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Wardrobe & Stage Precence


blue
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Fred Perry, skinny (but not skin tight) black jeans, DMs. We make sure we`re not all wearing the exact same Fred, and me and the singers DMs are different colours. Since we`re a punk/oi band we may as well have the right image - and being a skinhead is easily achieveable for me :lol:

With regards to stage presence - well both the singer/guitarist and myself try to move as much as the stage will allow. Re myself I try to not look at the neck of the bass too much and try to look at the audience as much as possible, though at one gig a guy in the audience said he loved the way I "stared the audience out". I didn`t have the heart to tell him I`m just looking to see if they`re enjoying the gig.

Edited by Lozz196
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We have brushed the topic of the over 60 guys in gigging rock bands trying to maintain some sort of appropriate stage presence. It's always going to be a struggle.

These guys seem to have a good handle on it. When I see these pics I see rock stars, when my kids see it they see old men. What gives?

Edited by blue
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[quote name='blue' timestamp='1413926775' post='2583816']
No offense to the other band members , but for me, your the only one on stage that looks the part and is in the game.

Blue
[/quote]

None taken...and I agree with you! Looks even better with the T'bird :sun_bespectacled:

Edited by DaytonaRik
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[quote name='DaytonaRik' timestamp='1413884206' post='2583022']
For the record the band is a rock covers band playing material from the 70's onwards and are aged between 20 something (everyone else!) and a late 40 something (me!)
[/quote]
[quote name='blue' timestamp='1413926775' post='2583816']
No offense to the other band members , but for me, your the only one on stage that looks the part and is in the game.
[/quote]

And again - NOI to the others, Rik - but you're the only one [i]not[/i] staring at his fingerboard. Age brings the benefit of experience. :lol:

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[quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1413929534' post='2583852']
And again - NOI to the others, Rik - but you're the only one [i]not[/i] staring at his fingerboard. Age brings the benefit of experience. :lol:
[/quote]

I can't argue with that either! Given that I started gigging before any of the rest of the band were born and I'm old enough to be a father to any of them of them then I guess I'm the experienced one! To be fair, they all comment on my stage presence/craft so hopefully things will change. Early days and all. I try to emphasis that you're there to entertain, so take the effort to look up, engage with the crowd - if you're enjoying it the crowd invariably comes along for the ride.

For me, getting changed after setting up into something I'm going to gig in is like putting your work overalls on...time to have fun!

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[quote name='DaytonaRik' timestamp='1413884206' post='2583022']
We're a bit of a mixed bunch...
[/quote]

Now don't get too cocky Rik, but that does look like a picture of an average band with a rock star Photoshopped into it. ;)

Edited by discreet
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[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1413930450' post='2583862']
Can't be bothered with all this bollocks & is reason # 342 why I can't be bothered gigging anymore.
[/quote]

That's not a problem. I know many fine musicians that never had interest or had a connection with live performance. It's a lot of work and I say if it's not fun,don't do it.

Hey you have no idea, I mean even last Friday & Saturday night with my arthritic frame at 61 and in pain lugging my cabs into the club and reflecting back on being in the same spot 40 years ago, I ask myself what am I doing this for? The answer;

"[i]I love it now more than ever and still can't think of a better way for me to spend a Friday or Saturday night."[/i]

[i]Blue[/i]

Edited by blue
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[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1413931061' post='2583871']
Now don't get too cocky Rik, but that does look like a picture of an average band with a rock star Photoshopped into it. ;)


[/quote]

Your right, he looks comfortable, looks like an entertainer and all his gear makes sense.

This pic is an excellent example of the focus of my thread. The rest of the band looks like they just don't get it.And I bet they don't know that he's the only one that looks the part.

Blue

Edited by blue
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I have always thought that assuming that you are not going for the costume type image (KISS, Lady Gaga, Blues Brothers, etc) then the idea is to look like your audience only a bit cooler…! Ideally people should be able to work out who is in the band as soon as they enter the room. Jeans and tee-shirts are fine if you look cool in jeans and tee-shirts!

However, if you look like you are trying too hard then you’ve blown it! Part of the secret is look like you don’t give a f***! Of course, the whole of the secret is to genuinely not to give a f***…

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[quote name='DaytonaRik' timestamp='1413931534' post='2583883']
Where do I send the cheque?
[/quote]


Huh? ...but I received your cheque already weeks ago, as soon as I was done with the last batch of persons I had to make look bad!?!?
I even PM'ed you to confirm!

Confused,
Bert



:P :D


Seriously though, your pic hopefully is just a snapshot of one moment in which you looked good and the rest not so good. But taken at face value, for me it illustrates well what we're talking about here.
I think that how the band "looks" (not necessarily in their clothing) is indeed important, as it's part of the total package the audience presumably pays for - directly or indirectly. Now I personally dislike corporate thinking in this, as well as band uniforms, but I do like respect for the audience.
In this, attitude and personality are probably more important than the exact style of clothing. For example, musicians being preoccupied with how in the world to play that next chord are maybe more detrimental to the audience's experience of the performance, than a combination of bad t-shirt with denim and basketball shoes.

Edited by BassTractor
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Generally the rest of the band can be a little 'preoccupied' and 'static' - as you say, worrying about the next bit. Sure, if it's a tricky run or phrase I'll look down to make sure I've got it nailed but then heads up, lots of eye contact and smiles and it's onto the next bit! I've always been accused of playing a pub like it's a stadium but is that a bad thing? I'm there to entertain so I make sure that the focus of my attention are the folks I'm playing to - I move around whenever possible, try to elicit responses, get folks to clap along/join in - I try to be entertaining rather than a mannequin or a cardboard cut out.

I agree that how you engage with your audience is more important than how you look, but for myself making the effort to look a bit like a 'rock star' and playing that part when I'm performing is all part and parcel of my role as an entertainer.

Edited by DaytonaRik
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[quote name='DaytonaRik' timestamp='1413986050' post='2584424']
making the effort to look a bit like a 'rock star' and playing that part when I'm performing is all part and parcel of my role as an entertainer.
[/quote]

Yup, and if the snapshot doesn't lie, you do this very well indeed.
BTW, I'm all for it, and try to think along the same lines - given the right band and the right type of music.

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When I got to 30 I decided I'd better stay in shape if I was going to continue to go on stages, so I don't eat like a builder and I do some weights a few times a week so although I'm 40 I don't look like I've contentedly eased into middle age.

I think Iggy Pop has hit on a neat look for the older rocker. He looks a quite compelling mix of wise old head and scrawny youth. Not saying that we can all flail around half naked but clearly it's possibly to look wild and vital despite age.

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[quote name='dand666' timestamp='1413992063' post='2584538']
We have to look smart each night, and our singer has to look 'glam' whatever that means...

I think i have posted about them before, but we always based our look on Vintage Trouble. Looking sexy but with class lol
[/quote]

I fall victim to judging a book by it's cover. I went to a club with my GF a few weekends ago and the band was getting ready to play. I said, these guys don't put much into their appearance. They're sound and gig prep was as bad as they looked.

Have I been blown away by guys when their appearance was questionable, yes a lot.

Blue

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[quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1414014968' post='2584966']
When I got to 30 I decided I'd better stay in shape if I was going to continue to go on stages, so I don't eat like a builder and I do some weights a few times a week so although I'm 40 I don't look like I've contentedly eased into middle age.

I think Iggy Pop has hit on a neat look for the older rocker. He looks a quite compelling mix of wise old head and scrawny youth. Not saying that we can all flail around half naked but clearly it's possibly to look wild and vital despite age.
[/quote]

What about Mick?

Blue

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The band I'm in at the moment is basically a front man and a revolving succession of people backing him. So the code is 'wear black' and the underlying message is 'stand at the back and don't take any of the audience's attention away from [i]me[/i]' so it's an absolute piece of piss turning up for gigs, just different variants of black. Ho hum.

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