[Dixielandjazz] Dixieland Dress

[Tony Orr]

In Melbourne, most bands wear some sort of uniform. It makes it easier
as long as everyone remembers not to wear their band shirt when working
under the car. In Sydney where the scene is a bit more "hip", ties and
nice suits/jackets are the thing. After a while you know what
jacket/tie/suit to expect some guys to turn up at a festival wearing
but, they always look good.

If you can't reach a consensus on the if/what of uniforms, leave it to
the band leader. You employ him and pay him handsomely to make the
difficult decisions and, to let you know know which uniform to wear.
As long as prevailing weather conditions, venue and
the occasion are allowed for. It also makes it easier for those who
don't have any dress sense, which applies to none of us here, of course.

Some bands take the uniform issue very seriously. I rember playing in
shirt sleeves in a hail storm at the local agricultural show. The band
leader insisted on "jackets off". 2 members were coming to blows over
the issue when my suggestion was fortunately accepted to put our snow
jackets on UNDER the shirts and ties. The same band toured Northern
Australia later on wearing our uniforms. The temperature was over 40C
every day. The local kids turned out to see these strange guys from the
cold South in long pants and long sleeve shirts. They had never seen
such a thing before except on TV.
They loved the music which is what counts.

There is a story of a guy who was asked to leave a Dixieland band after
he was observed coming out of a milk bar on the way to a gig with a
packet of cigarettes but NO band jacket and tie. Smoking was not the
issue.

must iron the shirts now............

cheers

Tony Orr
banjo, Creole Bells