# Poll: Is it ok for rock musicians to wear shorts onstage? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 7, 2014, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-is-it-ok-for-rock-musicians-to-wear-shorts-onstage/695002 "2014-08-07T02:54:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mr.Natural](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a9adbd/32.png) [@Mr.Natural](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Natural)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-is-it-ok-for-rock-musicians-to-wear-shorts-onstage/695002/1 "2014-08-07T02:54:31Z")
Is it ok for male rock musicians to wear shorts onstage? ---
**Author:** ![Octarine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/22d042/32.png) [@Octarine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Octarine)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-is-it-ok-for-rock-musicians-to-wear-shorts-onstage/695002/2 "2014-08-07T02:58:30Z")
Uh . . . yes? It can get quite hot onstage, so I don’t see why they shouldn’t. What brought up the question? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-is-it-ok-for-rock-musicians-to-wear-shorts-onstage/695002/3 "2014-08-07T03:03:09Z")
[Angus Young](http://th05.deviantart.net/fs44/PRE/f/2009/076/8/a/Brian_Johnson_and_Angus_Young_by_anczaa.jpg) and [Anthony Keidis](http://cbswhfs.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/147478278_10.jpg?w=620) do it all the time. I wouldn’t question either of them and that’s just off the top of my head. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-is-it-ok-for-rock-musicians-to-wear-shorts-onstage/695002/4 "2014-08-07T03:14:32Z")
[Axl and Slash](https://d2g892zuoe3k49.cloudfront.net/51e5bffaaac9b7332e000070/233851746_700.jpg) I’m guess that this is after a concert, but Axl wore shorts (or a kilt) during plenty of shows. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-is-it-ok-for-rock-musicians-to-wear-shorts-onstage/695002/5 "2014-08-07T03:36:40Z")
Why on Earth wouldn’t it be? Are their sartorial rules for rock musicians (of all people!)? Rock musicians have performed in suits, in t-shirts and shorts, and virtually naked. Male rock musicians have performed in women’s dresses, and in gold lamé, and women have performed in bikinis and in latex. Lady Gaga has appeared in a dress made of meat. Arthur Brown used to perform with a headdress that was set on fire (and, when I saw him, one of his backing band was painted gold). Shorts are nothing. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-is-it-ok-for-rock-musicians-to-wear-shorts-onstage/695002/6 "2014-08-07T03:50:13Z")
It worked for Freddie Mercury. When you’re a big rock star, youc an wear whatever the fuck you want. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-is-it-ok-for-rock-musicians-to-wear-shorts-onstage/695002/7 "2014-08-07T04:14:50Z")
Eddie Vedder. Yeah buddy! ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-is-it-ok-for-rock-musicians-to-wear-shorts-onstage/695002/8 "2014-08-07T04:18:21Z")
Hell, Flea has worn much less. Extremely NSFW: [http://4.bp.blogspot.com/\_shzp-xeuBHg/SfIRhEJPzpI/AAAAAAAAB2g/dKmPOeW8\_78/s400/flea+2.jpg](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_shzp-xeuBHg/SfIRhEJPzpI/AAAAAAAAB2g/dKmPOeW8_78/s400/flea+2.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-is-it-ok-for-rock-musicians-to-wear-shorts-onstage/695002/9 "2014-08-07T05:22:47Z")
No. They should wear jock straps and nothing else. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-is-it-ok-for-rock-musicians-to-wear-shorts-onstage/695002/10 "2014-08-07T05:54:03Z")
It’s grungy but okay, although I hope my favorite band doesn’t do this. It would probably detract from the stage appearance. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-is-it-ok-for-rock-musicians-to-wear-shorts-onstage/695002/11 "2014-08-07T06:10:18Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > [Angus Young](http://th05.deviantart.net/fs44/PRE/f/2009/076/8/a/Brian_Johnson_and_Angus_Young_by_anczaa.jpg) and [Anthony Keidis](http://cbswhfs.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/147478278_10.jpg?w=620) do it all the time. I wouldn’t question either of them and that’s just off the top of my head. Yeah, this is what I was going to say. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-is-it-ok-for-rock-musicians-to-wear-shorts-onstage/695002/12 "2014-08-07T06:16:21Z")
Black tie or GTFO. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-is-it-ok-for-rock-musicians-to-wear-shorts-onstage/695002/13 "2014-08-07T11:17:46Z")
It’s fine, and this is a bizarre question. That aside, I do think shirts look silly on grown men. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-is-it-ok-for-rock-musicians-to-wear-shorts-onstage/695002/14 "2014-08-07T11:20:25Z")
Shirts? ---
**Author:** ![Archeonomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7cd45c/32.png) [@Archeonomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Archeonomist)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-is-it-ok-for-rock-musicians-to-wear-shorts-onstage/695002/15 "2014-08-07T11:22:53Z")
No. In fact, it’s not OK for any adult male to wear short trousers in public (apart from beaches). ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-is-it-ok-for-rock-musicians-to-wear-shorts-onstage/695002/16 "2014-08-07T11:31:48Z")
> [@Archeonomist](#): > > No. In fact, it’s not OK for any adult male to wear short trousers in public (apart from beaches). Tell that to the businessmen in Bermuda. [https://lacithedog.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/the-look.jpg](https://lacithedog.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/the-look.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Natural](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a9adbd/32.png) [@Mr.Natural](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Natural)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-is-it-ok-for-rock-musicians-to-wear-shorts-onstage/695002/17 "2014-08-07T11:35:06Z")
To answer the question as to why I ask: I’m a musician, and though I only ever tend to wear shorts onstage is when I’m playing outdoors in the summer, I am curious what the average music fan thinks about it because since I joined a couple of musician forums I have learned that it’s a pretty big issue for some of those guys that one should never wear shorts while playing, regardless of the situation. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-is-it-ok-for-rock-musicians-to-wear-shorts-onstage/695002/18 "2014-08-07T11:40:15Z")
> [@Mr.Natural](#): > > To answer the question as to why I ask: I’m a musician, and though I only ever tend to wear shorts onstage is when I’m playing outdoors in the summer, I am curious what the average music fan thinks about it because since I joined a couple of musician forums I have learned that it’s a pretty big issue for some of those guys that one should never wear shorts while playing, regardless of the situation. If the music is good enough, it doesn’t matter what you wear. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-is-it-ok-for-rock-musicians-to-wear-shorts-onstage/695002/19 "2014-08-07T11:48:47Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > Shirts? and / or ?? ---
**Author:** ![Archeonomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7cd45c/32.png) [@Archeonomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Archeonomist)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-is-it-ok-for-rock-musicians-to-wear-shorts-onstage/695002/20 "2014-08-07T11:59:04Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > Tell that to the businessmen in Bermuda. [https://lacithedog.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/the-look.jpg](https://lacithedog.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/the-look.jpg) Aaaargh! My eyes! Who would do business (or go to a rock concert) with someone like that? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-is-it-ok-for-rock-musicians-to-wear-shorts-onstage/695002.md?page=2)