Peacocking vs dressing for the gig...

[doc]

Those who have been exposed to a TV show called "The Pickup Artist" may be aware that there is a culture of guys who try to develop picking up girls to an art/science. One of the techniques is called "peacocking", where you dress in a blatantly outrageous way in order to attract attention and make you more desirable. I see a lot of parallels with what you might want to wear to the gig in some cases, not so much in others. Comments?

 

[germs]

like most genres or performance arts...our chosen profession has a required uniform.

my goal is to NEVER look like someone in the audience. and that's getting tougher to do as time wears on. i don't know if i'm not as fashion-forward as i used to be or what. nowadays it seems like EVERYONE is wearing the same thing i'm wearing.

i'm about to start wearing suits and ties to gigs.

 

[Scott Miller]

I like being able to wear stupid cheesy clothes. I wear stuff for gigs I wouldn't ever wear someplace else.

 

[ABKB]

Actually, I'm right in line with germs here. My idea always was to dress different than anybody in the room. Didnt have to be "peacocking", just different. But that's starting to run out now. And EVERY store I see online designed for musicians ALL have the same stuff or so near to what everybody else is wearing, it's just a waste. And the upcharge (why do people think musicians make money?) at those places is obscene. I own 1 suit , so that's out. Maybe I will buy a ripped up suit cheap and wear that Actually, that's not a half bad idea.

We have one rule onstage for clothes. And that is, no shorts. The only exception being if you are a short Australian dude with an SG and schoolboy hat

 

[The Last Rebel]

If you "peacock" you deserve to have the right to be seen in public taken away form you. Violently.

 

[Shredtrash]

I make it a point to look like I'm in the band. It's part of the performance. Count me in as a "peacock".

 

[mtmartin71]

I would like to dress differently, but when you're 6'6" and in good shape, just finding cool clothes of any kind is a chore. So, if I can stand out as in the band, great, but fashion is not a luxury for the oversized people of the world. Actually, if I was bigger i.e. a fat guy or something, I'd have better luck. The tall fit guys are screwed. Too tall for "normal" size fashion and too skinny for big & tall fashion.

 

[D.Cooper]

If you "peacock" you deserve to have the right to be seen in public taken away form you. Violently.

Tell that to Mr. Jimi Hendrix.

 

[AustinIsPresent]

I just wear the same stuff I do every day. Now, I live in a small town, so a tiny bald man in his early 20's wearing very tiny jeans with a cardigan sweater and thread-spool-sized plugs in his earlobes may be "peacocking" as it is. So who knows!

 

[Tone_Terrific]

I just wear the same stuff I do every day. Now, I live in a small town, so a tiny bald man in his early 20's wearing very tiny jeans with a cardigan sweater and thread-spool-sized plugs in his earlobes may be "peacocking" as it is. So who knows!

One of the techniques is called "peacocking", where you dress in a blatantly outrageous way in order to attract attention and make you more desirable.

You may have to reread the criteria!

 

[Steve73]

Oh yeah, I wear stuff onstage that I'd never wear offstage but I think the audience appreciates that. I am not looking to score ladies anymore (married), I just think you are on stage, the focus of attention, so you should look the part. Showing up in flip flops, bermuda shorts and a golf shirt is just lazy....

 

[Luke]

Showing up in flip flops, bermuda shorts and a golf shirt is just lazy....

You just have to make up for it by using a PRS into a Dumble clone and make constipation faces whilst playing blooze licks in Em pentatonic.

 

[bsteff666]

I'm not sure about peacocking....But I think that if you are in a band & you are up on stage...you need to look the part.

I have worn some things when I'm playing that I would not wear out otherwise.

...and I agree with the 'No Shorts On Stage' rule.

 

[The Last Rebel]

Tell that to Mr. Jimi Hendrix.

There's a huge difference between Hendrix and this douche nozzle:

 

[thesteve]

I wear the same thing I wear on a regular day. Shoes, jeans, t-shirt of some sort...

I think it really depends on the band. If my guitarist dressed the same why I did for a show in early June, he'd probably feel like he was peacocking. If I dressed the way he normally does for summer shows, I'd feel like I was getting ready to lounge around the house on a lazy Saturday.

 

[snarkle]

Too tall for "normal" size fashion and too skinny for big & tall fashion.

Ah...tell me more about this big & tall fashion...I sure could use some!

Do the purple Dickies Ms. Snarkle just bought for me count?

 

[Big Tim]

Always dress at least one level above your audience.

 

[Shake]

 

[Vibrolux]

Natural. I wouldn't wear anything on stage that I would wear on the street and never have, and yes I have played over 1000 shows in my life. If you don't look the part in your regulars then you aren't going to look the part in a costume.

I have never been in a glam or metal band so that would help to stay out of the costumes. I have also never played in a cover band if that matters.

I get annoyed going to see a band and it is sooooo obvious they have their "gig" clothes on. That flashy shirt, the vest! or the balding bass player has to have his beret.

A nice suit can be great though. Have to say some of the old jazzers (be bop era) looked great in the suits. I wear suits on the street.

Exceptions I take for others....classic old rhinestone cowboys & Gwar

 

[freekbird]

The bassist and other guitarist in our band are twins and they pretty much wear basketball shorts and tshirts every gig, but me and the drummer are generally so outrageous that its alright : )

then again, playing the florida summers, i occasionally do partake in shorts only because i may die of heatstroke otherwise. Not to mention I recently got a tattoo on my upper shin/calf and wearing pants was one of the worst things ever for a week or so : P