Author |
Topic: Shorts |
Frank Freniere
From: The First Coast
|
Posted 21 Jun 2022 6:37 am
|
|
I’ve seen hundreds of photos of pro steel players sitting at the instrument over the years and I can’t recall any of them wearing shorts. The only picture that comes to mind is Severed Heads In A Bag. I’m sure there are exceptions, and many good reasons why this is so. But it’s summertime now and long pants should be in the bottom drawer.
I only play outdoors these days & baby it’s hot outside. So I recently saw a couple of pictures of myself behind the steel wearing shorts and frankly it looked a little … strange. My bare legs disappeared beneath the steel skirt (hmm …) and you might think I was naked from the waist down! Maybe Paul Bigsby was onto something when he designed his early steels with those huge modesty shields.
So I’ve switched back to trousers even though they’re not the most comfortable. The lone positive I see is that it does protect your legs from cuts and scrapes from all the gear when loading in and out. |
|
|
|
Howard Parker
From: Maryland
|
Posted 21 Jun 2022 7:03 am
|
|
I giggled when I read this.
I have one photo of me on an elevated stage wearing shorts.... and boots.
Closest thing to a "booty shot" that I have.
Never again.
h |
|
|
|
Dave Mudgett
From: Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee
|
Posted 21 Jun 2022 7:06 am
|
|
There's a picture of me at a summer gig around 16 years ago playing pedal steel in a Hawaiian shirt with shorts. I resolved not to do it again, but I was wilting on a 100 degree, 100% humidity day at an outdoor Zoom gig during the pandemic a couple of years ago. Everybody - rest of band, sound people, etc., were wearing shorts. So I changed into shorts, and viewed the video later - it was equally hideous. Never again, I don't care how hot it gets. Not so bad for an outdoor surf guitar gig, where I might be standing up at a console steel part of the time. It's sort of part of the schtick. But for steel sitting down, it's long pants.
On a real hot day, I'll do a breezy Hawaiian shirt and light/loose khakis. I have an outdoor gig tomorrow evening, temps predicted near 90, high humidity, and thunderstorms, so that's the plan. |
|
|
|
Jack Stanton
From: Somewhere in the swamps of Jersey
|
Posted 21 Jun 2022 7:34 am
|
|
Can't do it, no matter how hot it is. Just not a good look |
|
|
|
Matthew Walton
From: Fort Worth, Texas
|
Posted 21 Jun 2022 9:10 am
|
|
Most of my steel guitar gigs are pretty strictly "cowboy hat, jeans, and boots", so I don't have much choice there.
Playing with my traditional jazz band I used to wear shorts a bit, but I saw some videos with me dressed like that and decided that's not a look that screams "hire us," so I've stopped doing that. That said, we played on a boat last Friday where shorts were an option, and if I had a do-over I'd definitely wear 'em for that!
My secret weapon these days is linen pants. They still look pretty good, and they're nice and breezy.
Maybe the real answer is a collection of neat tapestries to hang in front of the steel guitar! _________________ If something I wrote can be interpreted two ways, and one of the ways makes you sad or angry, I meant the other one.
1981 MSA "The Universal" 9/5 | 2009 MSA S-12 SuperSlide | Peavey Nashville 112 |
|
|
|
Jeff Garden
From: Center Sandwich, New Hampshire, USA
|
Posted 21 Jun 2022 9:28 am
|
|
When I was stationed in the UK there was a front page newspaper photo of Prince Charles seated on a stage facing the audience at some formal ceremony. He was wearing a kilt. The paper added a blackout box covering the Crown Jewels and the headline was something like "And Now We Know What A Scotsman Wears Under His Kilt!" I think I might have a flashback if I see you playing in shorts, Frank lol! |
|
|
|
Larry Dering
From: Missouri, USA
|
Posted 21 Jun 2022 10:13 am
|
|
Never have and never will. My son does it often and I give him static about the look. But he's behind a drum kit so what would you expect. Fred Justice did it all the time. I'm not sure it helped his sales of Justice Steels, Lol. |
|
|
|
Donny Hinson
From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
|
Posted 21 Jun 2022 10:29 am
|
|
There may be times when we wear shorts, like when we're at the beach. But for crap sake, if you're making a video or know you're going to be "visually immortalized" for the next century by someone with a camera...please try to show a little class.
"Look, on the side of the road - is that a homeless person, or Willie Nelson?" |
|
|
|
Dale Rottacker
From: Walla Walla Washington, USA
|
|
|
|
Ben Lawson
From: Brooksville Florida
|
Posted 21 Jun 2022 12:48 pm
|
|
Ronnie Miller goes up North in the summer and plays in shorts. With Charly Pride he dressed in long pants and I think that's what was expected. You certainly don't want to get the 'look', or the 'words of wisdom'. when you play with a Superstar. Ronnie is a classy guy no matter what he plays in. |
|
|
|
scott murray
From: Asheville, NC
|
Posted 21 Jun 2022 1:13 pm
|
|
JUST DON'T DO IT _________________ 1965 Emmons S-10, 3x5 • Emmons LLIII D-10, 10x12 • JCH D-10, 10x12 • Beard MA-8 • Oahu Tonemaster |
|
|
|
Michael Sawyer
From: North Carolina, USA
|
Posted 21 Jun 2022 3:33 pm
|
|
I wear em .Never heard a negative comment from a band member or an audience member.
Nice,pressed blue denim,with a plaid pearl snap shirt,sperrys on my feets.
The same way i dress when i take my wife out for supper.
First frost comes i break out the bib overalls. |
|
|
|
Mitch Ellis
From: Collins, Mississippi USA
|
Posted 21 Jun 2022 5:49 pm
|
|
Jack Stanton wrote: |
Can't do it, no matter how hot it is. Just not a good look |
Same here.
Mitch |
|
|
|
Ben Lawson
From: Brooksville Florida
|
Posted 21 Jun 2022 6:37 pm
|
|
I can't even wear shorts when I play at home. The knee levers are always cold. I live in Florida and I don't wear shorts much anyway. |
|
|
|
Jeremy Reeves
From: Chatham, IL, USA
|
Posted 21 Jun 2022 7:04 pm
|
|
don't even own any shorts |
|
|
|
Mike Neer
From: NJ
|
|
|
|
Dave Hopping
From: Aurora, Colorado
|
Posted 22 Jun 2022 6:49 am
|
|
Dylan said it best:
"You used to laugh about
"Ever'body that was....
HANGIN'OUT
|
|
|
|
Larry Hamilton
From: Keller, Texas, USA
|
Posted 22 Jun 2022 7:12 am
|
|
Yes it was hot 🥵. Just don’t wear Daisey Dukes _________________ Keep pickin', Larry |
|
|
|
Ian Rae
From: Redditch, England
|
Posted 22 Jun 2022 7:19 am
|
|
I live in shorts all summer but I put jeans on to play out.
My playing is borderline and I don't want my aging legs to be the deal-breaker!
_________________ Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs |
|
|
|
Joachim Kettner
From: Germany
|
Posted 22 Jun 2022 10:37 am
|
|
Mike Neer wrote: |
I play some gigs every year with a polka band and we wear lederhosen. The crowd mostly does too and my god do I have a thing for women in a dirndl. |
And a Tiroler hat is nice! This is Billy Mo who slept in our little hotel in the sixties and me in einer Lederhose.
_________________ Fender Kingman, Sierra Crown D-10, Evans Amplifier, Soup Cube. |
|
|
|
Frank Freniere
From: The First Coast
|
Posted 22 Jun 2022 11:38 am
|
|
Larry Hamilton wrote: |
Yes it was hot 🥵. Just don’t wear Daisey Dukes |
My man, Larry, stylin’! |
|
|
|
J R Rose
From: Keota, Oklahoma, USA
|
Posted 22 Jun 2022 6:17 pm
|
|
Looking good Larry, Nice to see you on the forum. Been meaning to drop you a line but just too busy, ha. Your Okie Friend, J.R. (Jim) _________________ NOTHING..Sold it all. J.R. Rose |
|
|
|
Jack Stoner
From: Kansas City, MO
|
Posted 23 Jun 2022 2:10 am
|
|
Living in Florida, shorts are the uniform of the day. I never wore shorts on a job, but have on a casual jam and see no problem with that. _________________ GFI Ultra Keyless S-10 with pad (Black of course) TB202 amp, Hilton VP, Steelers Choice sidekick seat, SIT Strings
Cakewalk by Bandlab and Studio One V4.6 pro DAWs, MOTU Ultralite MK5 recording interface unit |
|
|
|
Dave Grafe
From: Hudson River Valley NY
|
Posted 23 Jun 2022 2:36 am
|
|
The next worst thing to a bad cleavage shot, only the legs are all moving back and forth under there alla time.
Unless you're playing the nudist colony's summer dance don't go there. |
|
|
|
John Peay
From: Cumming, Georgia USA
|
Posted 23 Jun 2022 6:16 am Tried it ONCE!
|
|
Great thread . And ok, I have to say after having tried it (only) once, I agree with the majority opinion here of "just don't do it" lol.
This was a 100-degree July afternoon last summer in GA, around a pool for a senior facility. Never again!
|
|
|
|