You constantly see bands and musicians wearing sunglasses inside. Why?
Obviously I’m not talking about Ray Charles or Stevie Wonder
You constantly see bands and musicians wearing sunglasses inside. Why?
Obviously I’m not talking about Ray Charles or Stevie Wonder
Comments
To look cool?
Mostly to look cool.
Possibly because stage lights are really bright.
Hiding their eyes because they’re absolutely off their grids
Stage lights can be blinding, especially when fixed at a low angle, like they are in bars and rooms with low ceilings.
Probably still rollin from the nights excesses
I think with performing inside, and even outside at times it makes sense as stage lighting is constantly pointed at you. Outdoor venues can mean the sun in your eyes the entire time…maybe that played a role in just wearing them all the time…but probably more so just to look cool.
Good question!
Some people have actual eye problems. Some people are sensitive to lights, even if it’s just candles on a table. I don’t believe in the explanation that drugs, blah blah blah.
The drummer Joe Morello had severe eye problems and only had partial vision. Stevie Wonder is blind, so he wears sunglasses just as Ray Charles did.
But it’s mostly because of the lighting. Try turning the lights out in your bathroom and let your eyes get accustomed to the dark. Then, open the door to a brightly lit room. It’s blinding!
Hope this “sheds some light” on the matter.
Traditionally many band members would wear sunglasses to hide signs of drug abuse in their eyes. It became a fashion.
Social anxiety, hiding drug use, or light sensitivity.
The future’s too bright for them.
For fashion, to hide their sleep deprivation, to hide their red eyes from being high, to protect their eyes against paparazzi flashes, to protect their eyes from the sun, to look cool, to be able to look around without people being able to see their eyes…
Since many musicians mostly the ones on the richer side, tend to dress to impress (though to me it lookes douchy), I think the sunglasses are just one part of the puzzle in terms of trying to look cool.
Because you rarely ever see a guy in a tshirt and jeans wearing the sunglasses. It’s usually the dudes with the hair, bling, scarves, fashionably ripped jackets, etc…
I should add that I mean in interviews and everyday life, not on stage.
“You know who wears sunglasses inside? Blind people and douche bags.”
Lights and eye contact
Lights from camera crews
Edit: lights focused on them in general
Hiding their dark eye circles from sleepless nights lol
One musician I know needs regular prescription glasses.
Regular clear glasses= nerdy, Roy Orbison looking (not that that’s a bad thing imho), ect
Prescription sunglasses= cooler looking
I often wear sunglasses when performing live ukulele music in Las Vegas, indoors or outdoors, because I am deaf since age 3 (I am 54 now) and I have light sensitivity (heightened senses.)
Fluorescent lighting and sunlight are both super blindingly bright. That on top of any partying the night before. That sun is so bright these days it almost makes me nauseous at times. They have an image to keep up with as well. I used to think it was for style until I performed for a circus for 4 years haha.
because the future’s so bright they gotta wear shades.
Who needs those camera lights blaring when you have a hangover.
Stage lights are painfully bright.
many drugs affect pupil dilation etc which can make bright lights painful
It’s a look—cosplaying
I wear sunglasses when I play live because I close my eyes a lot and I don’t want the audience to feel like I’m disconnected from them.
I’ve found myself doing it because I don’t have my normal glasses with me. Given how important their appearance is, I wonder if some do it because they don’t want to be seen wearing regular eyeglasses.
Because once Corey Hart sang, “I Weat My Sunglasses at Night”, they were like, “Yeah, that’s a good idea,” for multiple things. 🤣
Maybe the lights on stage are too much? Performing in front of audiences is very eye blinding with the right lights, depending on what you do. If the lights are too bright, you can’t see your audience, too, so you can’t always see what crowds you’re connecting to. Some people perform better on the feedback of the crowd. It could also be the opposite if the lights are low. If an artist wants to reach into their soul and not focus on the crowd, but that they’re performing well, they might wear them in low light.
Then you probably also have some idiots who just think it’s cool and have no purpose.
Because the eyes are an easy way to tell when someone is stoned and not getting enough sleep
Also…when you are hungover, bright lights suck
Social anxiety for me. I can play guitar with my eyes closed just fine though.
In the case of Bono who isn’t blind but just is very sensitive to bright lights.
In the case of Bono, he has said in interviews that he has glaucoma.
It helps with stage fright and stage lights – aside from the other more obvious reasons
Joe Satriani said it was because stage lights are freaking bright
It’s to help other people recognize that they’re Rock Stars.
Same reason that detectives wear trench coats, and construction workers dress like a traffic cone.
If you haven’t been on stage with the lights, you’ll never know. Older theaters had lights that were like the sun.
Everyone wants to be Ray Charles.
While performing? Those lights are bright.
Lighting and anxiety in my and my other bandmate’s case. Plus fashion!
Cause they’re not as attractive as actors and even interview lights are bright
Drugs
I don’t know, but I know how many wear theirs at night
Nose beers
To add to the above.
I play guitar, and whenever I solo or improvise I make a lot of weird faces, for those who know, I do a bass face. When I have sunglasses on, it looks cool. If I don’t, I look constipated.
But most of the other comments are completely spot on.
Lights are bright af
Maybe they’re on drugs/hungover, maybe the bright lights bother them, maybe maybe it helps with stage fright, maybe they just think it looks cool
So I can see you in the dark
Stage lights are bright man
Because when you’re truly cool, the sun shines on you 24 hours a day
Studios are their caves, they are not used to the light
Because they are stoned and their pupils huge. Or else it is because they create with their eyes shut and don’t want to appear that way.
High or hangover?
The stage lights shining directly on them. Especially if it’s a light show and special effects.
Pupils would be going nuts.
Stage lighting can be brutal.
To hide tired eyes, at least allegedly in the case of that dude from ELO
Why is roger daltrey going blind?
Looks cool/gives them an air of mystery
Hides the fact they might be insecure or anxious
Hides the fact they might be on drugs
Hides the bags/circles under their eyes from lack of sleep.
Stage lights can be really bright, often bright enough to cause retinal damage, especially if lasers are used and not set up correctly.
Lights can feel brighter if you are hung over or coming down
Trying to be kewl.
I would wear sunglasses everywhere if I was a celebrity. Lights are the devil. And I’d be famous so I could get away with it 💅🏻
“You know who wears sunglasses inside? Blind people and assholes.”
-Larry David
Stage lighting is very bright (on top of the reasons others have mentioned)
Cos they’re so coooooool
I’ve been shitfaced at quite a few shows I’ve played, so that’s definitely why 🤣
Several things. Ego. Being fucked up. Being hungover. Or if they are doing say an awards show where there is flash photography even inside buildings, to block said flash a bit. But usually more of one or a combo of the first three options.
Bright lights hurt. If you’re not on stage you have no idea how hot and bright those lights can be.
Their hungover
Not a rockstar or famous but this is why I wear sunglasses inside.
The frontman/main songwriter for my band often wears sunglasses on stage bc he’s autistic and the bright lights can be too much sensory overload for him.
Because they think they’re so cool with their complicated shoes.
Many have/had problems with their eyes so they constantly wear/wore sunglasses. Cases in point-
– Ian Hunter
– Joey Ramone
– Bono
– Roy Orbison
Sensitivities to light would be included in this.
I’ve scrolled about four or five of the top answers and none of them are correct. I’m a musician. I wear them because the stage lights are too damn bright and I can’t see anything beyond 5 ft in front of me otherwise.
They’re either high or stage lights are bright asf and given how typically they’re staring directly at them for hours on end it makes sense to wear sunglasses
Drugs