The feeling you get after an amazing concert sometimes feels like heartbreak. The exciting moments of getting ready, arriving, and then having the time of your life. You feel as though you’re on Cloud 9 (uplift Tinashe if you haven’t yet!!), and think nothing will make you sad from this moment on. However, all of that disappears once the concert ends, and you have to go back home, reminiscing on the amazing time you had through the videos and photos you’ve taken. Although there is one way you can preserve that memory, and it doesn’t have to be through your photos. An artist’s merchandise, or merch, is another factor that preserves the memory of a concert. Merch isn’t just a t-shirt or hoodie: it’s a reflection of the time and effort the artist put into making their fans happy. However, recently, many fans have noticed that artists have become either lazy or that their merch lacks creativity.
Personally, I only go to the merch stand after a concert if that artist is someone I listen to daily. If I do listen to them, just not as much, I wouldn’t spend any more money on merch since I already have my memories and videos. However, what gets me is when an artist’s merch just doesn’t seem very exciting or like something people would want to buy. It makes fans, including myself, very disappointed because of the amount of time and money people invest just to get one ticket for themselves, or even their friends. To take all of that and walk up to the stand, only to be disappointed, seems like a slap in the face. Understandably, not all artists’ merch is lazy, especially if the artist’s persona is better known for being subtle. However, I would appreciate a little bit of effort put into the merch, so it isn’t just memorable to me but something that others around me could be astounded by.
There has been one major artist that has been under fire for this: Steve Lacy. On Sept. 27, he began his Oh, Yeah? Tour in Minnesota, and thousands of people have been talking about it. Not only because of the setlist or the minimalist production he has been going for, but because of his merch. There have been posts on TikTok showing his merch for this tour, and people have shared their thoughts on it. The design features his name large and centered on the back, a logo strikingly similar to that of Mercedes-Benz on the side, and the tour dates throughout the shirt. Another design has his name front-and-center, with a weird, colorful design. There are lots of comments from people either confused by the design or just upset with how they turned out, especially considering how much people have paid for their tickets. In my opinion, I kind of agree with what people have been saying. I’m not the biggest fan of the design either, and I kind of wish there was more effort or even thought put into the merch especially considering how much people have spent on a ticket just to see him perform, even at today’s ticket prices. Since I’ll be attending his tour, it honestly just seems kind of sad. However, I’m not completely upset, as I believe my time there is just enough for me.
Overall, I believe the lack of creativity within an artist’s team is a big issue within the industry. Of course, not all merch designs will be big and exhilarating, but at least putting some thought and time into them would mean something. Not just for myself, but also for fans who have spent so much, or even those who have traveled from a different state just to see their favorite artist.