Concert T-Shirt Etiquette

I blatantly ripped this off from the blog Each Note Secure.

Since it's Lollapalooza weekend, and the heat of Summer concert season, I feel it is appropriate.

At the end, I'll give you my take.

1. When wearing another bands t-shirt, try to keep the same genre or influence.
ex. a) David Bowie @ NIN
ex. b) Placebo @ Futureheads

2. The ironic concert t-shirt is the big exception. if you wear a Culture Club or Michael Bolton t-shirt to a Cure show you will get many compliments.

3. There is a sliding scale of the obscurity of the band vs. the genre.
for example: A Tapes ‘n Tapes shirt could be worn to any rock show.

4. When wearing a old concert t-shirt to a newer tour by the same band, it is prefered to wait at least eight years. too soon will show you to be lame, but to follow this guide will give you street cred as a long time fan.
~It should also be noted that a shirt purchased off EBay can break this rule, therefore a stain or hole of some sort is required. (YANP Matt)

5. It is also a violation to wear any shirt of any band members former band or side project to the current incarnation of that band members show.

6. It is a violation to wear the shirt you just bought at that same concert. Especially when it is over whatever you had on before.

7. You may not wear a new concert t-shirt for 2 weeks (especially the next day)
~The exception to this is when you saw a show out of town and wear the shirt at home the next day.

8. It is a violation to wear a concert t-shirt you purchased from the band at a second show on the same tour.

9. No Beatles, Bob Marley or Jimi Hendrix t-shirts, unless you actually went to one of their concerts.

10. It is a violation to wear a concert t-shirt that has been signed by any member of the band.

Now, when going to my first concerts, my old pal Chris Dale, frontman for the L.A. band, Rurik,
taught me the rule that you should never wear a concert shirt for the band you are seeing, and I have pretty much abided by that rule. Of recent note, it's safe to say I was likely the only one in attendance at Pearl Jam's second night in East Rutherford on June 3, 2006, wearing a Fishbone shirt. At Ed Sullivan Theatre and on the previous show June 1, I wore a Dragonfly Hendrix shirt, so I broke that rule, but the preponderance of Hendrix shirts would indicate I was not alone.

And of course, I generally wear a shirt the day after or two days after a show. Oh well. And some folks don't think there's an issue wearing a concert shirt that same night they bought it.

Have a rocking weekend!