origin of 'that guy'

where did the term 'that guy' for someone who wears the shirt of the band to their concert originate?

i think it's from the movie pcu.

It certainly is!!! PCU rocks.

Droz (to Gutter):
*What* is this? You're gonna wear this to the show. You're gonna wear the shirt of the band you're gonna go see. Don't be that guy!

Okay, so now the question is, at what shows will you find many 'that guy's?  Of all the shows I've gone to, the biggest offenders are Weird Al fans.  Tons of Hawaiian shirts everywhere, and kids doing the even more blasphemous thing, buying the t-shirt and putting it on immediately.  #2 would be Dream Theater, #3 would be TMBG.

The thing to do is to not wear the t-shirt of the band, but wear the t-shirt of another band, to promote that you are part of 'their' camp.  And the more different the band from what you are seeing, the better.  At TMBG shows, I've worn EFO, Dream Theater, Bosstones, and DVN.  Fruvous at a TMBG show is almost as bad. :)

At Dream Theater, I've worn TMBG, Billy Joel, and Fruvous.

The best is when you get comments from strangers because of the band T-shirt you're wearing.  Or even better yet if you find someone wearing the same one.  It's an instant connection, ice-breaker, and a great way to make new friends with common interests.  How do you think I fell in league with you guys?

And no, I'm not pathetic because I remember what I've worn to shows.  It's just that I make a note to wear a band t-shirt to almost every show I can. :)

I've also seen a ton of those guys at BNL shows.

Yeah, that was EVERYWHERE at the TMBG show last night. I was like: dudes! Calm down! :)

All my band t-shirts are dirty anyways. ;)

See, that's a much better idea. Hell, if you like the band who's doing the show, AND this other band... odds are someone else at the show might also like them, will see your shirt, and either:

a: also know them

b: go check them out

if i wear a band shirt to a show, i usually pick a similar band, or one with overlapping fans (for example, wearing an efo shirt to a dvn show, or a nields shirt to a dar show). that's a good way to meet people and to strike up conversations.

the only time i'll make an exception to the "that guy" rule is at festivals, when so many people are playing anyway. melissa and i were "that guy" twins last year during dvn's frff main stage set, and all the frff attendees who had been at the frubcue wore their house concert tshirts on saturday of frff 2000.

I got yelled at for wearing an EFO shirt on Saturday at Falcon Ridge 2001!  I was FORCED to change my shirt!  But yeah, festivals are the exception to the rule because there are so many bands.

The other exception I had was the TMBG 20th anniversary show.  I decided to wear the special 20th anniversary shirt that day as part of the celebration.

I was actually 'that guy' at my 2nd Dream Theater show though.  Lisa L. can attest to that.

yes he was and I mocked him mercilessly! (but what a show!!!)

Of all the shows I've gone to, the biggest offenders are Weird Al fans. Tons of Hawaiian shirts everywhere,

uh, Hawaiian shirts != Weird Al t-shirts. otherwise, guys who wore solid colour pocket t-shirts to TMBG shows would be "that guy," too.

but the people who wear hawaiian shirts to weird al shows are probably wearing them because he does. solid color pocket tshirts are more common items of clothing; i doubt most people wearing them to tmbg shows are wearing them because linnell does.

That's precisely what I meant.  Poeple wearing Hawaiian shirts because Al does, so it is the same thing.

Of course, there's also Jimmy Buffett fans, who put Weird Al fans to shame when it comes to dressing up at shows.

Yeah, but parrotheads are SUPPOSED to dress up.

I'm 'that guy' a lot. Particularly with wearing my old Wood-era shirt to fruvous shows, and stuff.. if I have something like that that very few other people have, it's what I wear to shows where it'll be appreciated. :)

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh yes they are. Just as much so.

See, I don't mind being that guy. It's kinda fun. Especially when you actually hear people call you 'that guy'. *grins*

Ew *shudder*

you mean people at BNL shows wear creepy old guy shirts?

wow. freaky. :P

sorry, just testing something out. haha, i run rampant in my boyfriend's account! ;)

Thanks Eri! Now I can have an icon when I offer my two cents, or maybe more like a nickel or dime given my propensity for verbosity.

 I think something that bears discussing is the mentality behind "those guys". I imagine it's simply a desire to show everyone that they're "real" fans. "I must like them if I even bought the shirt!" As if the fact that you came to the show isn't enough.

That said, I think those with Gordon shirts are as much "that guy", as those with Stunt shirts. Only for a slightly different reason.

I love wearing my Captain Tractor shirt to their shows, but it's old and beat up, and virtually unrecognizeable as a C.T. shirt as old as it is. I wear it because the issue I feel I need to prove is that I was a fan from day one, and all the other people at the show are just wannabes, relative to me. Or something like that. I also had the somewhat rewarding experience of having one of the guys recognize the shirt, Exclaimed that he hadn't seen one in years, and proclaimed me to be "Bonafide" and "Old School".

But there are limits to being "that guy". I would never buy a T-shirt at a show and then proceed to wear it, like I saw at the last Great big sea Concert I was at. (I would swear that at least 50% of those in attendance had a sea of no cares shirt on, most of them nearly identical.) That's just �ber-lame.

But if I have a shirt that can mark me as someone who's been a fan for a long time, I'll wear it. I can't claim noble goals like wanting to broaden the musical horizons of other concert-goers with varied shirts. It's mostly about me, and my own validated sense of self worth, when - like at my last Weezer concert - I encounter some one who recognizes my shirt as being "first-album" era, and offers a compliment.

yeah, I suck.

Which is where I was going with the mention of my Wood t-shirt. *nods*

I'm going to start wearing 'Nuf Sed t-shirts to every concert I go to. ;)

So really.. you're much like the people who say, "Gordon was the best album, then they sold out".

In the sense that you're saying, "I've been a fan longer, therefore, I'm better."

I dunna get it.

I think it's more the idea that if you're wearing an older shirt, fewer of the people there will recognise it. being "that guy" is about recognition. if on one gets it, you're not "that guy."

what about wearing a frucon shirt to a fruvous show? or a Dar Williams shirt to a Cry Cry Cry show? or a Ben Folds Five shirt to a Ben Folds solo show?

that'd all be being "that guy"

ah, but what if you made a tall new buildings shirt and wore that to a fruvous show? :)

I know some of you don't remember what "concert-going" looked liked in the early 80's...but

I remember you were concidered a "dork" if you DIDN'T buy the "concert T of the moment"  You saw this at MANY a Areosmith/G&R/Metalica-ish type show...BIG TIME! (and then you'd have to show it off at school the next day!)

did I mention the "hair" had to match the band too?....oh scary scary days..and you also had to smoke the same...never mind! ;)

~J~

Yes, well... we're all trying to forget that 80's hair bands ever happened. :D

Some people haven't.  Iron Maiden just sold out Madison Square Garden in 20 minutes.  They're baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack......

*shudder*

The first time I heard of Eddie From Ohio was at the South Norwalk Festival in 1999 (I think) and Jian started making fun of a guy in the audience for the Edhead swag.

Of course, I *did* wear a Jian tee-shirt to a DVN show...I mean, where else am I gonna wear it?

everybody scream if you think I'm tight!!!!!!

heee. best. typo. ever. *applauds shelly*

You sure it's a typo? ;)