Is the Concert Tour T-Shirt Era Over?
Published February 23, 2007
At the height of my addiction, I probably had some 340 concert tour t-shirts. I bought at least one with each venture out to hear live music for a long while. I’m down to about a third of that number today. The ones that are left are truly classics from my own 1300-plus lifetime show itinerary. They’re all laundered, neatly folded and stored with a few Bounce dryer sheets in large Tupperware containers… to keep ‘em fresh, of course.
And when I’m overcome by the very nostalgia that inspired me to buy them – that same wistfulness I often hassle others for – I break one out and wear it someplace. The grocery store, the dog park, record stores, occasionally a party (properly accessorized, of course), family get-togethers, vacation… or wherever and whenever the mood strikes. It always draws looks.
Like every aging rocker, I trot out my best ones when I’m headed to a show. If I think someone in the crowd might recognize it and start up a conversation, it’s definitely gonna get worn. I’m talking about the crème de la crème of tour merch, concert t-shirts. As for the gazes at the shows I wear them to? I’m guessing they’re the same ones I gave to the “old coots” who were standing in the back of the club when I was younger.
Wearing a tour shirt “back in the day” was not merely a grubby, mutinous fashion statement. It wasn’t just about independence or thumbing your nose at other kids with “I was there” attitude, either. You revered your concert experiences as much as you did the globe-trotting itineraries on the backs of those shirts. You felt like you understood the artists as much as you felt they understood you. For one night (or maybe two, if you were lucky enough to live in a larger market) you were on the road with the band.
Donning one on "the next day" made you feel like a part of history, honoring the shared experiences others like you had all over the country and the world. It’s that concept of collective consciousness, full-tilt and “front row center,” and it was easily as fulfilling as a travel experience for sheltered little selves like yours truly. Sporting loot from the latest leg of a U2, R.E.M., Depeche Mode, Bowie, Gabriel, Sting or Tears for Fears tour was style and substance combined – and like getting off an airplane wearing a giant passport full of stamps across your back to boot.
Utrecht. Auckland. Copenhagen. Belfast. Vancouver. Mexico City. Detroit. Miami. Des Moines. See, you knew people in all of these places. Your shirt said so. And those people were just like you. Their fathers made them mow the lawn for the ticket money, too. Their grandparents still squeezed their cheeks on Sundays. They were suckers for “pricey car wash rags with logos” – thanks, Dad – just like you were. And yeah, they got beat up in between periods at school over them and liking Elvis Costello and Joe Jackson instead of Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and Def Leppard. (Those bullies secretly liked your favorite band... and like you, those kids you "knew" in Vancouver would later see those bullies in cover bands playing "Pump It Up" just like you did, too). All that said, I don’t see many people in concert t-shirts anymore. Sure, they still sell them at the merch kiosks at shows. And somebody must buy them I guess – I’ve all but stopped for the sake of my marriage, my wallet and closet space – but I’m guessing you don’t see kids trolling around Homeroom, French class, swim team practice or Key Club meetings in them anymore. I sure don’t see any of them in my neighborhood, anyway.
- Is the Concert Tour T-Shirt Era Over?
- Published: February 23, 2007
- Type: Opinion
- Section: Music
- Filed Under: Music: Hard Rock, Culture: Society, Culture: Media, Culture: Fashion and Beauty
- Writer: Peter Chakerian
- Peter Chakerian's BC Writer page
- Peter Chakerian's personal site
- Spread the Word
- Like this article?
- Email this
Save to del.icio.us
Comments on this articleComments
I buy shirts at all the shows that I attend. It's a way for me to remember the event. I actually have one that I've never worn (a Kiss shirt)and I'm really disappointed when there's no merch on sale at all (hello, Brighteyes.)
Over the years, I've noticed that the quality of the designs have fallen off drastically. The last time Dylan came through town, the shirts didn't even have tour dates on them, just a pic of Bob.
You should do a post with pics of your favorite shirts. One of my favorites, which is not a concert T, is one of the Grateful Dead with the Taj Mahal. I always get compliments when I wear it.
Maybe I'll post some of them on my own personal blog... then I'll give you all a link when they're up.
This article has been promoted to Digg, Reddit, and Netscapae. If you enjoyed it, use the above links to vote it up!
Peter: You should photograph and catalog them on Squirl. I'll bet that would be a fascinating collection to browse!
I have a few band shirts, but most of the shirts I've bought at shows weren't tour shirts. I think the current trend is towards general band merch that has a market after the tour is over. Might be an indicator that shirts aren't selling like they used to.
I'm a big fan of the tour t-shirt, but I always buy them after the concert. They have to give me a worthwhile experience before I plunk down the dough to get something to say that "I was there", but this happens more often than not.
...says the man with the Peter Gabriel 2003 mug on his desk at work.
only $1oo for a Pearl Jam concert t-shirt? That's not much more than some of the hawkers wanted at the time of some shows! Seriously, my absolute favorite concert tee was the New Barbarians from 1982(?) That show was basically the Rolling Stones without Mick Jagger. Anybody else remember that tour--or that very punky tee?
I knew I had gotten old when I went to a concert a few years ago (Pat Metheny Group) and decided to buy a coffee mug instead of a t-shirt because I knew the mug would probably last longer and I could relive the memories of a great show a bit more often.
I also have realized that of my concert tees, I can only fit into the one I got at a Kansas show a few years ago. Scary!
Hell, you should have known you had gotten old just from going to a PMG concert.
Hhhmmm...The whole problem from the beginning is the price and the lousy quality. I would rarely buy a concert shit because it will shrink, rip apart, etc...
Back in the 80s when I managed the Burning Spear reggae band, I would also control the merchandising instead of farming the job out for a tour. The rules were: 1) high quality shirt. 100% cotton/Beefy-T. Could play football in it. 2) Quality 4 color design printed. 3) not outragously priced. I would just charge an amount that would give us some profit and cover the venue's percentage.
#6 Hung Nguyen, your point is good. When the band plays well, the shirts do sell. Good design and quality go with it. And good price. I have sold thousands and thousands under this principle. 1989 got me a top 10 concert shirt design notice by Reggae Beat magazine. Alpha Blondy. Guess what? It was high quality and affordable.
I used to wear all concert t-shirts in high school. I was into Metallica and Heavy Metal. Buying a shirt was "proof" that you went to the concert and you wore them to school the next day to rub it in the face of the kids who did not go!! I wish I had saved all those shirts!! I think they went out of style because people are more fashionable these days and lets face it a lot of the t-shirts were tacky and ugly!! Plus it is now not cool to be a fan-boy and worship a band. There are no rock stars any more it seems. It is now hip to not like music and say all new music sucks(which it does!) so why would you be caught dead wearing one of their t-shirts??
P.S. In the world of Heavy Metal the shirts still sell like hotcakes. I went to a Heaven and Hell/Megadeth show and the Megadeth t-shirts actually sold out in size XL. All the aging Metal Heads have gotten bigger it seems!!
Speaking of creating a site to archive band shirts, here is one that does just that and more. Band Shirt Archive.com
I have been going to concerts since 1978 and used to buy shirts all the time...back when they were 10 to 12 bucks. Now I very rarely buy them because they have gotten so damn expensive ! I did make an exception for Roger Waters Dark Side of the Moon tour shirt...It was $35, and looks great, but 35 bucks for a t-shirt. Somebody's making a killing. My wife game me hell about that one !!
You guys should get a hold of Crash at www.roadsideroom.com. He's the guy who makes all the limited signed/ numbered tour hoodies for Pearl Jam, The Stooges, The Police etc.. A few months back I sent him a few of my old PJ concert tees that didnt fit me anymore which he cut up and re- designed, applied, sewed, embellished etc. etc.....basically made me some truly One- of - A -Kind hoodies using my favorite concert shirts. Im so stoked that I can wear them again. Anyway, check him out!!
Add your comment, speak your mind
(Or ping: http://blogcritics.org/mt/tb/60086)
Don't have many concert shirts, and only a few band shirts, but I love'em. If only I could fit into the ones I have....