I thought I’d replace some old T-shirts with some brewery ones and it has to be said that the price range is mad. So Affinity have a four colour print t-shirt for £12 and Unity have a one colour one for £9. You then have some breweries charging £20 for one colour prints. I really like the hardcore punk themed art on the Burning Sky t-shirts but £21.50.
(Disclaimer 1: I may be living in the past here but who the fuck pays £20 for a t-shirt?)
(Disclaimer 2: although band t-shirts all seem to be about £20 now or in the case of the new Mega City Four ones, £25).
Surely Mega City Four aren’t still going?
That was a great time for music… Ned’s, Carter, PWEI and co. Ned’s t-shirts were the best though!
Edit: a quick search has revealed a t-shirt with Marvel’s Groot wearing headphones & saying “Sometimes I need to be alone and listen to Ned’s Atomic Dustbin”. Unexpected. But sadly £22.
Wiz suffered a brain haemorrhage a number of years ago whilst in practice with his then band, Ipanema. The t-shirts raise money for a trust set up in his name. I did ask for one of the hoodies for Christmas, I don’t mind someone else spending the money.
I thought brewery t-shirts were free, don’t think I’ve ever bought one. Still waiting for my free ‘Ratebeer’ one, which I asked for a while ago.
<*))))))><
Looking at the description of the BS t shirt you mention it says:
Full colour 4 screen shirt [edit: looks like I may have the wrong shirt, but point still stands], hand screened by local independent printer.
Fair Wear Foundation approved 100% cotton unisex t-shirt
I guess, like many other things, we have a warped perception of what things should cost because they are often produced by children in Bangladesh who are given 50p a day for the priviledge.
The Burning Sky t shirt sounds like a decent amount of money would be going to those involved in the production of the garment, or is at least an attempt to pay people fairly. Personally, I’d rather pay (and have paid) 20 quid plus for a shirt in the knowledge that people are being fairly rewarded for their labour.
My t shirts also tend to last me a decade plus, so 20 quid seems reasonable when I could spend the same amount on a few cans of beer that might last an evening…
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Band shirts are £20 standard now, pretty sure. Cheapest I got at a gig pre-lockdown was Pigsx7 for about £12 which was a 7 colour print. Not even sure why it was that cheap, and not at least £15.
That probably depends on whether a band is ‘pro’ and signed up with a merchandise company or if they are keeping it real. Although I seem to remember bands make more profit on the merch than their share of the tickets.
Back in the day yes. Now, ticket prices have soared and tours very profitable. Taken over profits from CD sales very nicely.
I remember last year a grind band I worked with from Singapore got loads of shit from the punks in Europe for charging £25 a shirt which no one could afford. They doubled down, criticising them for not supporting them. I think that’s too high.
My view is, brewery merch shouldn’t be seen as a huge money maker, relied on like bands on tour. £15 a shirt is fair.
I may well have been thinking of general concert revenue v album sales.
It occurred to me that I’ve only bought one T-shirt at a gig recently (Samiam, about £15) and the rest have been online from Finland (£12) or Sweden (£16).
