Every time. Every dang time.
Weatherstock weekend is coming up, with 18 music bands battling it out over on the Landroval server Saturday July 22. Such a huge event can be somewhat unpredictable, with the possibility of delays, server wobbles and even crashes. The only thing you can be reasonably certain of is that the members in every single band performing will wear matching uniforms.
I suppose it is natural that it is so. LOTRO’s cosmetic system is one of its strengths, giving lots of options to create individual outfits for your character. Creating a uniform makes the band stand out from the crowd, keeps things tight-knit and helps build an identity for the players. Hence, LOTRO bands are likely to spend a fair bit of time agonizing over their costumes, before settling on the way they want to look. More often than not, the result is pretty much colourful and outrageous. You can see lots of examples of LOTRO band uniforms in this Weatherstock forum thread.
Personally, I prefer to play without a set band uniform. The hobbit music collective I run, The Brandy Badgers, rarely plays in similar outfits. We have a “badger” costume which we can use every time we want to pretend that we are musical badgers (they don’t really exist, you know). But for the most part, I prefer folks to show up in their everyday outfits.
A rare sighting of Badgers in uniform. Or are they actually real?
People sometimes ask me why (hence, I suppose, this blog). There are many reasons. First of all, it is easier this way. No need to worry if someone forgot to bring their outfit or picked the wrong-coloured version of their tunic. Just come as you are. This matches also well with my roleplayer approach to the game. I mean, unless you play in a marching band or in KISS, chances are that you’d never show up in a set band uniform anyway.
Most importantly, though, band uniforms make me chuckle every time I see them
Why, you might ask? Ah, it is not to be mean, and I generally think it is grand that folks have a fun time in-game. However, I get these flashbacks to other types of bands whenever I see a set uniform. And this brings us over to Scandinavia.
In Norway and (in particular) Sweden, one of the more popular musical styles in rural areas is performed by Dansebands. This is very dance-friendly music (swing, waltzes, classic rock) performed by middle-to-late-aged lads who travel the land in tour buses, singing songs with good-natured, sappy lyrics of love, friendship and the good life in the countryside. As you might suspect, the hipper, urban-oriented part of the population is unlikely to touch a danseband with a 25-foot pole.
And this brings us over to uniforms. More often than not, the musicians in a danseband wear similar outfits. This has lead to some absolutely astonishing band pictures and album covers over the years, not least from the 70s.
So the reason is really simple. Every time I see a LOTRO band uniform, every time I see a LOTRO band poster, I think of the picture below. And that makes me chuckle.
Yer can see more album covers at Flashbak.com. Enjoy!
Gert Jonnys (picture from Flashbak.com and Svenska Dansband.se)
Oh my, that photo!
Interesting post though. For Andune, there is an outfit we can give people if needed. But players can wear what they like but we stick to one colour. It’s the opposite for the Roses who change colours every week.
Be glad I didn’t post any music videos too. I’ve been bothering the Mathoms with a remix of an old danseband hit!
Breakfast Club musicians may wear any garb of their choice as long as it’s sea blue. We always figure the eclectic look goes with our eclectic repertoire! And oh my, those Gert Johnnys may have been hot back in the day, but they make my eyes hurt now
“Band uniform” is a relative term. Picture the London Symphony not having a uniform or dress code. The King’s Men have a dress code – not as a means to match, but as to provide a professional, outward appearance. I think it is a part of the band’s persona, just like the music!
Well, aye, I touch upon the same things briefly in the blog above, and it is not as if I think a dress code or uniform is inherently wrong. It is just that ever since I made the association with the image above (and all the others in the link), I go through a brief bout of hilarity when seeing LOTRO bands all dressed up in their best. The bands I play in included.
You are totally, completely, and utterly weird.
Have you given any consideration to Psychiatry and psychotropic drugs?
Please give it some thought.
Thank you! I’ll wear the “weird” badge proudly, and I am touched by your constructive suggestions for my well-being.
Admittedly, I think I do pretty well without such substances, so I’ll just settle with tea and biscuits as usual.
Umm, I can see why you’d make that connection… if you were a Swede growing up in Jämtland to the sound of Sven-Ingvar and Vikingarna!
But honestly, I doubt that most people see it that way.
In present day, band uniforms seems a bit exotic. But since you used a 70s band as example… why not go back to the 50s and 60s?
Here’s a handful of more prominent examples of band uniforms from earlier eras… you may have heard of a couple of them. ;)
50s-60s:
http://lluviafm.com/wp-contenido/uploads/2014/12/LLUVIAFM-BEATLES-5.jpg
http://www.waybackattack.com/images/hermanshermits-wonde.jpg
http://cps-static.rovicorp.com/3/JPG_500/MI0002/441/MI0002441325.jpg
70s-80s:
https://media2.fdncms.com/metrotimes/imager/u/original/2365742/kraftwerk.gif
https://villagevoice.freetls.fastly.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/freedom_of_choice_devo.jpg
And then are those those, who wore matching uniforms, without actually wearing matching uniforms…
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2016/01/20/23/3064290A00000578-0-image-a-15_1453333019076.jpg
While I don’t give a rats rear end about band costumes as such – I don’t mind wearing them, I don’t mind not wearing them – I do understand why some think it’s fun to put a band costume together. Also, if your band has a theme or a concept you follow, the visual identity could play a role. So I’m in a couple of bands where we do wear matching uniforms. Heck, my own Blacksmiths band has a matching costume set, which I use when visiting Landroval (but that was just as much because it was a quick-and-dirty way of dressing up low lvl toons).
For quite a while, I’ve been wanting to create a band named Piewerk. In fact, I’m just waiting for shirt-and-tie cosmetics to be released into the game. :p
Them dansebands were pretty huge in Norway too.
Obviously uniforms are part of identity/fun building, so it is not as if I really mind them. I generally prefer playing without a uniform myself; It keeps things simpler, to me it feels more hobbity to just dress in your everydays when playing with others, and the association with those images… But it is not as if it is a dealbreaker. I generally got bigger fish to fry in-game.
We got our fair share of those, too. We call it “Dansktoppen”, originaly a 70s radio program, that came to be the label of the whole genre. Used to be sold as cassette tapes at gas stations and whatnot. Although rarely uniformed, they do look… kitsch, to use a mild term…
https://s.mxmcdn.net/images-storage/albums/5/6/1/2/4/3/30342165_350_350.jpg
https://images.shazam.com/coverart/t62041912-b724790512_s400.jpg
http://mp3red.me/cover/1448719-460×460/mine-32-bedste.jpg
Okay, these dudes has some kind of a uniform…
https://i0.wp.com/holbaekonline.dk/wp-content/uploads/fedefinnogfunnyboyz-lille-prfoto.jpg
There oughtta be a law…
Oh, and a fun little PS: I actually did a bit of research… 8 of the original 19 Weatherstock bands are not wearing matching uniforms. So it’s rather close to being 50-50. :)
I just removed a branch that didn’t really add much to the topic of the blog. No big harm, but keep it light and keep it friendly, folks.
Sorry about that Lina, my post was mean’t in jest, nothing more.