There’s an old joke told about bandstands:
 
Q: How do you make a bandstand?
A: Take away their chairs.
 
The joke has been cited in print since at least 1976. “How do you make a hot dog stand?” is a similar joke.
 
 
24 December 1976, Lubbock (TX) Avalanche-Journal, pg. 4, col. 4:
Q — How do you make a band stand?
A — Take away the chairs.—Wayne Mackey in Oklahoma City Times.
   
17 January 1979, The Morning Union (Springfield, MA), “Fun Time—The Riddle Box,” pg. 51, col. 2:
How do you make a bandstand?
Pull their chairs away.
 
17 September 1982, The Times-Picayune (New Orleans, LA), Jelly Bean Journal, pg. 15, col. 3:
Q. How do you make a bandstand?
A. Pull away the chairs.
Angie Frans, age 13
 
Google Books
December 1983, Boys’ Life, “Think & Grin,” pg. 81, col. 3:
Matt: How do you make a bandstand?
Ben: I don’t know. How?
Matt: Play the national anthem.—David McMurray, Ithaca, N.Y.
 
Google News Archive
9 January 1999, The Daily Reporter (Spencer, IA), “The Bubble Gum Rapper,” pg. 8, col. 3:
Allen: How do you make a band stand?
Cory: Take away their seats.
 
Klosi Jokes
Category: Music jokes
Date Added: 11/10/2007
Joke: How do you make a bandstand?Take away their chairs
 
Facebook
jenni alpert
May 3, 2015
How do you make a band stand? Take their chairs away…. Or see them when play at the HOTEL CAFE THIS SUNDAY May 3rd at 8:30 - 10pm - 1623 Cahuenga - most likely they will be standing - except the drummer gets a chair - we would love you to come check it out
 
Twitter
Abdon
‏@_abdonn
”@DianaMedina76: How do you make a bandstand? Take away their chairs”
12:04 PM - 30 Aug 2015