Caught in a Mosh

Anthrax’s seminal hit rings true, these days, as I – and metal musicians, it would seem – have noticed that what was once a pit of frivolity and “good, friendly, violent fun,” as Exodus phrased it, has become a land of bullies and thugs.  The most recent artist to speak about it is Slipknot’s Chris Fehn, who puts it, rightly, when he says,

“I think, especially in America, moshing has turned into a form of bullying. The big guy stands in the middle and just trucks any small kid that comes near him. They don’t mosh properly anymore. It sucks because that’s not what it’s about. Those guys need to be kicked out."

He’s right, you know.  It’s changed.  The pit, that is, has become some kind of supercharged gladiator ring rather than a place to bounce off of people and have a good time.  It's an interesting dynamic, these days.  "In my day" (to sound 80 years old), which is to say back in the late 80s early 90s, pits were a bunch of folks skipping around in circles -- rapidly.  You may catch an elbow in the mush, occasionally, but you kept skipping and laughing it off because you knew there was no "intent to injure" or anything other than just a good "mosh." 

At the most recent concerts I've attended, it's some jackball who weighs 300 pounds lining up on one side of the pit and just going bowling across the middle and plowing into a bunch of folks on the other side who weren't expecting it.   Add in a bunch of other Neanderthal-acting folks who are just throwing elbows, over-head fist swings and feet with no intent, it would seem, to do anything BUT injure, and that's the state of things, it seems.  It sounds stupid as hell to say, but there's no decorum, anymore, in a pit. 

A notable exception, and a “pit” I could get on board with, occurred at the Týr show where it was a large group of people, arms locked at the shoulders, in a circle, facing inward, simply head-banging in rhythm.  Very interesting to watch and allowed the people right up at the front to enjoy the show without fear of being obliterated from behind by some ill-mannered moron.  That show was epic.  We also got to witness a “wall off death” executed perfectly, but in a way where, if you didn’t want to be part of it, you weren’t included in the mayhem irrespective of your opinion.

I've NEVER had to throw a good solid check in a pit, before, but I got to a point where I was just trying to keep the people who were on the outside from getting run over by the folks on the inside who don't respect the boundary of the pit.   It used to be you would see someone get accidentally (or even intentionally) knocked down, you'd help them up and keep the pit moving.  Now, it just looks like the goal is to knock everyone down and be the last one standing. 

I don't know when this change occurred, but it is going to kill the concert experience for the fan who would LOVE to get close and SEE the musicians up close, but doesn't want to get wrecked by someone who, in my opinion, doesn't respect the musician or the music, let alone the other fans.  I spent half of the Conquering Dystopia show squaring off behind some kid who looked to be maybe 13, was obviously attending his first show, and was not only star-struck by being right up there with Jeff and Keith, but also rightly terrified by the morons who were just plowing into him.  It’s funny, though, because I gave Keith a “BAD KEITH!!” when he did the finger circle indicating, “mosh it up!” but not because I don’t want these bands to have a pit, but because I knew the people in this particular pit were not equipped, mentally, to do a pit “right.”  I tried to make it so this kid could watch the show looking forward, at the musicians, and not behind him, bracing for impact.  No one wants this kid, or anyone else, to think poorly of the band, the venue, or the whole magical LIVE experience because some folks can’t conduct themselves in and orderly, respectfully violent manner.  If the pit had contained itself to its circle and had limited itself to ping-ponging, skipping, hopping, rhythmic “slam-dancing,” it wouldn’t be an issue.  As it stands, when a show comes to town with band I enjoy, I have to ask myself if it’s worth the effort.  Maybe it's just getting old and having back issues, and knee issues and thinking, "Strange...I'm actually here to see the band I paid money to see..."