The finer art of the 'mosh pit'
jake Desalvo
Issue date: 5/6/09 Section: The Edge
Many of Western Illinois University's illustrious students find themselves in some form of a musical environment. Many of us happen to frequent live shows around town in any number of locations, whether it be the Café for an open mic night, or just happening to come across a garage band. It's a certain number of you that this article is geared toward.
Whether you're at a punk show, seeing a rock band or listening to metal, hardcore, psychobilly, or any of the cross-bred genres, there's one thing you're bound to run into: a pit. Circle pit, mosh pit, whatever floats your boat, if you end up at a live show and there's beer involved, you're guaranteed to get the crowd a little rowdy.
Rowdy is good. I like rowdy. A pit is a great way to release some energy, have fun and "dance" your inner rocker out. Sometimes things get out of hand and somebody gets hurt or falls down, but the people involved are usually courteous enough to watch out for each other. Never have I been to a show where somebody has fallen or been hurt and not immediately been picked up and taken care of.
There's an unspoken social understanding, even amongst the most hardcore of hardcore and punk of punks, that in a pit, you watch each other. Each and every one of you is there for the same reason, and that makes you allies, if not friends.
I've noticed over the past few months that this heretofore
previously unspoken social credence is quickly needing to be communicated.
I was at a show this weekend with a number of people who apparently had no idea what mosh pit etiquette involved. I won't say who or where, but the sheer amount of bad attitudes and just plain rude behavior appalled me. I watched as one patron put a smile on his face and walked into a pit swinging. Not dancing swinging, I mean balls-to-the-wall, out for blood swinging. He was out to hurt people. It didn't take him long to figure out that people will hurt him back. This bothers me, considering I've watched him do this before to the same effect.
Whether you're at a punk show, seeing a rock band or listening to metal, hardcore, psychobilly, or any of the cross-bred genres, there's one thing you're bound to run into: a pit. Circle pit, mosh pit, whatever floats your boat, if you end up at a live show and there's beer involved, you're guaranteed to get the crowd a little rowdy.
Rowdy is good. I like rowdy. A pit is a great way to release some energy, have fun and "dance" your inner rocker out. Sometimes things get out of hand and somebody gets hurt or falls down, but the people involved are usually courteous enough to watch out for each other. Never have I been to a show where somebody has fallen or been hurt and not immediately been picked up and taken care of.
There's an unspoken social understanding, even amongst the most hardcore of hardcore and punk of punks, that in a pit, you watch each other. Each and every one of you is there for the same reason, and that makes you allies, if not friends.
I've noticed over the past few months that this heretofore
previously unspoken social credence is quickly needing to be communicated.
I was at a show this weekend with a number of people who apparently had no idea what mosh pit etiquette involved. I won't say who or where, but the sheer amount of bad attitudes and just plain rude behavior appalled me. I watched as one patron put a smile on his face and walked into a pit swinging. Not dancing swinging, I mean balls-to-the-wall, out for blood swinging. He was out to hurt people. It didn't take him long to figure out that people will hurt him back. This bothers me, considering I've watched him do this before to the same effect.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
MattJ
Matt
posted 5/06/09 @ 3:10 PM CST
I have noticed people like that as well when I go to shows. I have been in countless mosh pits, but no one had ever started swinging intending to harm people. (Continued…)
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