I should probably also add that I disagree with points on both of those links.  My own rules are no more definitive than anyone else’s, but I like to think that my roughly 30 years of concert going experience means something (other than just that my ears ring a lot).   Still, consider these as just rules of thumb.  Ok, so here’s my take:

First off, in the Metal community it’s best to wear the most obscure, yet badass t-shirt that you own to a  show.  The more corporate the concert you’re attending, the less obscure your shirt needs to be as obscurity is relative, but to a really underground show - you best bring out your hard won Ebay treasures. 

Wearing a Nickleback T-shirt to an Amon Amarth show, for example - might get you an assbeating.  Wearing Amon Amarth to Nickleback will get you a few knowing nods from other more experienced metalheads in attendance.  It’s really kind of an art form, matching the appropriately kickass shirt to the audience & show you’re going to.  I actually know a guy who brings 3 shirts with him, changing throughout the show - especially if someone has the same shirt on that he has.  Probably taking things a bit far, no?

Wearing a t-shirt of the same band (or bands) of the concert you’re attending is generally a no-no unless you have a few extraordinary circumstances.  Wearing an older tour shirt of the current band is acceptable in some situations (depends on the band, really) as it can mean “Hey, I saw these guys back in the day”.  Iron Maiden fans, for example, often appreciate that you saw the Powerslave tour when going to their shows now. 

Another reason it could be ok is if the shirt you own is rare in some way.  Autographed shirts, although technically rare, shouldn’t be worn.  It makes you look like a self-important prick to wear an autograph.  Aside from that, it’s best to advertise some OTHER band to the masses, kinda helping to spread the word.

I never wear a shirt I just bought at the current show, instead preferring to tie it to my belt and use it almost like a kilt.  I think wearing the new shirt AT THE SHOW just looks dumb, especially if you’re wearing another shirt under it.  At Blue Oyster Cult, however - I broke this rule bigger than shit.  I liked the ‘More Cowbell’ shirt so much, I put it on immediately.  I probably helped the band sell a lot of shirts that day as I walked the crowd & people are like “where did you get that shirt?”.  I only needed to point to the merch table & they skipped off like Dorothy to see the Wizard.  Like I said, these are rules of thumb.

If going to a metal show, do NOT wear a golf shirt, or a dress shirt, or anything trendy to the normal public.  Really, act like you’ve been to a concert before - even if you haven’t.  Metalheads don’t suffer fools well & you could really regret trying to “look good for the chicks”.  Besides, metal chicks have a different idea of what looking good is.

After the concert, feel free to wear your new swag whenever.  I don’t think there’s anything wrong with showing people that you attended a given concert & many folks may stop you to ask your opinion.  The two week rule?  Psshaw.

So there you have it, or at least the finer points that come to mind.  I’m sure I’ll get the disagreeing emails & that’s fine.  To each his own.  But if you are stupid enough to wear your favorite Emo band to see Manowar. . . well, don’t say I didn’t warn you.

While at the concert, I saw another gentleman about my age also wearing the same shirt.  In heavy metal, t-shirts are viewed one of two ways - you either wear the shirt of a band at the show, to advertise that this isn’t your first time seeing them or who you’re really here to support (kind of bragging).  OR, you wear the shirt of a band NOT at the show, to kind of educate the unclean about some band that you’d rather be attending (kind of metal snobbery).  The true elistist (such as myself on occasion) will wear the most obscure, unheard of, unsigned piece of backwoods Euro-noise just to truly sharpen that point to a nice gleam.  Maybe because they have a cool logo.  Maybe because the shirt was on sale at some headshop.

It’s not uncommon to see folks, American’s mind you, with a shirt like Burzum, which HAS to be bought in a store seeing as how the sole member of that band (Varg) is in a prison in Norway for murder and has never toured.  Not in OHIO at least.  So you see that this whole thing can get carried away.

Anyhow, wearing the EXACT SAME shirt as another guy is pretty much like showing up at the Prom with the same dress as another woman.  But as men, we handle it differently.  Rather than sulk, we usually greet one another because, well after all, we both appear to have great taste in shirts, right?

So, this gentleman and I began talking, and I soon discovered he had some friends accompanying him, and they all began telling me this little story.  It seems this motley crew (no, not THEE Motley Crue) had a tendency to shout out “GOATWHORE” during concerts.  As they explained it to me, they’d shout out “GOATWHORE” before the main act in hopes that the headliner would be as good as . . .you guessed it, Goatwhore.  And if the headlining act failed to impress, they’d continue to shout out “GOATWHORE” to somehow, someway invoke Goatwhore into appearing, slaying all of the currently performing band’s members, and then transforming the dismal set into a blistering performance of thrashing, black metal goodness.  Ok, I added that last part but the truth is not much more realistic, or sensible. 

There didn’t seem to be a contingency plan for if the headlining act was actually GOOD, so I quipped how this was some kind of black metal “Freebird” ritual.   The little group denied this vehemently but to be honest, even now as I write this I don’t see much difference between yelling out “GOATWHORE” or “FREEBIRD”.  Heckling is heckling.

They went on to explain how they’d gone to see Dope three times this year at the Alrosa Villa.  Each time, they said it ended with them chanting “GOATWHORE” at Edsel Dope, causing everything to deteriorate into threats of violence and on one occasion, Edsel screaming at them from the stage “Thanks for ruining the first show of the new tour” and slamming down his mike.

However exaggerated their prevarications, and the gleeful ignorance in their voices, I found myself appalled.  I dislike hecklers, unless it’s me, in which case it’s brilliant observations offered for consumption of the masses within earshot.  In others, especially those who are actively seeking to disrupt a show, I have little regard.

I mean, they didn’t actually have to pay to see Dope all three times, if in fact they don’t even like the band!?  How stupid is that??  So, before I could stop myself, I pointed out that it was kind of a shame they chose that particular band to harass.

“You guys do realize”, I began “Dope was, by Rick Cautela’s own admission, the first band to call after the Damageplan shootings at the Alrosa.  Yeah ,they called the very next day and asked to be booked at the venue.  Because they knew Rick would need support.  I can’t really get behind giving them such a hard time.  Not that band.”

I’m paraphrasing but that was the jist.  And that was pretty much the end of our conversation, as I was no longer popular.  I had dared not see the fun, in their fun.

And I still don’t.  By their own words, they once told Louis Benjamin Falgoust II (current singer for Goatwhore) how they like to yell out his band’s name during concerts.  Louis replied “Is that good or bad?”  

Exactly Lou.  Exactly.