Concerts are terrific. Seeing an artist make their music live can be an unforgettable experience, possibly even good enough to make a person forget how much they had to shell out to see a moving blur of color playing a blotch that kind of looks like a guitar on a stage a quarter mile away. No body guaranteed an intimate setting. So, at the end of the evening when the artist has dramatically disappeared below the stage or whatever, what's the first thing that have the crowd does? Buy a forty dollar shirt with the name and face plastered across the front. Sometimes the shirt is more than the ticket. For the longest time, I wondered why. I never much had the compulsion to pay more than five for a poster...why is it that some concert goers cannot resist? I've got a few theories.
BOASTFULNESS: We all know what costs what and maybe they think it looks impressive and some people will be awe struck. It wasn't enough for them that they actually went to the damn thing. Might as well display your recreational budget on that shirt and that especially goes for people who seem to own only concert T's.
LOOK AT ME! : In some cases though, I'm inclined to think that it's a way to advertise what awesome taste in music a person thinks they have. If they get a couple people to fawn over how they love that band too or ask when they were in town because they totally would have seen them...extra points. The more indie the better. If no one's heard of the band on the shirt...extra extra points.
LIFESTYLE: It's like saying that a person has nothing better to do than keep up with who is playing at what hole in the wall or big venue and then attend. It makes them seems very much "in-the-know" and how great is that. But then one of the most anoying things is the fake concert T. Sometimes I have to refrian from shouting at a 15 year old kid, "you weren't even alive when the Doors were playing!"
In the end, I'm not swearing off concert T's, I'm just making a request for the exploration behind motives. If someone is cool with being a advertisement for a band for free because they genuinely like the band and maybe want to help get the poor guys off the ground, that's fine and everything done lightly to moderately is always cool. Let's not over do it, people. I still say they should be paying us to wear their apparel, but whatever. Concert T's : Wear Responsibly.
1 comment:
Good theories. But I'll admit to owning two, for nightshirts mainly. Why buy them then? Purely for souvenirs of the rare great event. Sure, they were ridiculously overpriced, but then again, so were the wine carafes and hot dogs.
Good music, good friends, good time...
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