Concert behavior

[Vortex]

Are you one of those people who just stands still at shows and looks confused at people having fun around you? Listening to your favorite band live and showing no sings of amazement?

I've never understood it. I don't think I can stand still even at an Opeth show while they usually have a reputation of being "not so wild". I have to show my dedication to a great song somehow, otherwise I feel very cheated afterwards. Even more important is sharing your excitement with the people around you. It's the hardest when no-one around you wants to have fun. While this may sound like it, I'm not even what you'd call a "wild" or "rude" person! I'm very relaxed and nice in normal life.

If headbanging, playing air guitar and screaming along looks silly, well, it's about the only thing you can do to the music. Something like dancing looks more acceptable and cool for sure, but that doesn't work. I have to admit I sometimes try to "dance" along the more groovier or quieter parts.

Moshpits are another case. I understand people moshing together have their common rules of what is right and what is not, but there's always the ones who have to stand right next to the pit. I never do anything which could harm or disturb other people.

Comment, please!

 

[bleed for me]

well i usually stand on the side with my friends away from the moshpit...i don't just stand and i watch, i usually nod alaong witht he music...i never get involved in the pit coz i wouldn't want to ruin a good night by getting hurt

i guess i'm a pussy

 

[RETIREDTrapped]

I sit out of the pit because i don't want to go to jail.













(explanation: Trapped goes into the pit, moshes around, and OPETH shirt gets ruined.... Trapped then proceeds to murder every single fucking person in the pit and make them all drink their own blood and uri.............. uh....... )

 

[Brutalizer]

Originally posted by Vortex
I've never understood it. I don't think I can stand still even at an Opeth show while they usually have a reputation of being "not so wild". I have to show my dedication to a great song somehow, otherwise I feel very cheated afterwards. Even more important is sharing your excitement with the people around you. It's the hardest when no-one around you wants to have fun. While this may sound like it, I'm not even what you'd call a "wild" or "rude" person! I'm very relaxed and nice in normal life.

I agree with this. I am like that too.

I only wanna mosh and headbang when i see a band i really like.
And this doesn't mean i don't listen or watching the show, it's just that i can't stand still! hehe (well, who can?)
If i see mediocre bands live, i have hard to mosh, but this doesn't happen
often since i almost always go and see bands i really like.
The crowd is often more important than the bands themselves when
it comes to moshing. If it is a good crowd, the show almost automatically gets great!

So let the adrenaline flow!

 

[Kushantaiidan]

I don't really like concerts at all...

I'm a wimp, and I get crushed, and everyone is so damn tall. And the moshpit should be moved away from right uop at the stage, and should be put in the back corner or something, so those of us that want to watch the band can pull up a chair, and sit down.

A cinema style arrangement would be much more suitable for an opeth show, or an outdoor show, where we all sit on the grass.

Though, nodding to music i spose is unavoidable.

 

[RETIREDTrapped]

For once, i agree with Kushman...

I would love to see a band in a cinema type setup... just pull a chair up and be immersed in the music... not the crowd!!

I saw segression a few years ago (when they were actually GOOD *glare at sven and red*), and there was a HUGE mosh outdoors, it was at market-day... basically just a small festival for bands. It was so fucking voilent, i just sat back against the fence and listened to the music, and had a great time. My friends there were all like "Ohh man, your so antisocial, your not having fun a all, are you!?"

The sad thing is, i probably had a better time than all of them.

 

[Kushantaiidan]

segression..

they had a show here. I was gonna go to it, but I saw a few old friends walk into the pub, and decided against it.

the old segression was kinda ok, but the later stuff is yuk. he's a little white rapper now.

I must goto metal for the brain this year tho.. i must.

not that I'd know anything about our local metal scene, cause I haven't listened to the radio recently...

 

[Vortex]

Immersed in the music? When I am immersed in the music I HAVE to sing along and move my body somehow. Don't you people ever feel like this?

Of course I'm not like this at home listening to the albums. It's just the volume and having many people together, and of course showing the band your appreciation. I don't have to gaze at the band every single second, image is not that important, rather the spirit the band creates in the venue. From a musician's side I understand that it's very important for bands to get some sort of feedback! If everyone just stood still, how would they know anyone enjoyed it?

 

[MetalManCPA]

When I leave a concert of a band I like - I am usually pretty pumped up and sweating.

I usually go to concerts solo, because most of the people I know are musical wimps. I totally avoid mosh pits, because I just find moshing a waste of time and a distraction from the reason I went to the concert in the first place - to listen to music.

I am an accomplished concert air guitarist (even though I play keyboards). When I hear a song I don't know, I usually do the nod the head thing, but when it's a song I know - I let loose a bit. My eyes are focused on the stage, and I just bang away at that fake guitar.

 

[RETIREDTrapped]

the old segression was kinda ok, but the later stuff is yuk. he's a little white rapper now.

Old segression was MORE than OK. LIA is a great album... CAGE OF NAILS !!!!

5th/5th is okay, not great, but his vocals were awesome. Some good songs, but WHERE THE FUCK DID ALL THE SOLOS GO???!!

Smile is just crap. not even worth looking at.

 

[redblueyes]

Originally posted by Trapped
For once, i agree with Kushman...
I would love to see a band in a cinema type setup... just pull a chair up and be immersed in the music... not the crowd!!

I saw Opeth in a setting like this, it was like a cinema/theater, at NJ fest (I think?). It guess it was cool for the crowd to sit on nice velvety custion chairs, but if I recall the band didn't like it much cause it seem like the crowd weren't as into it. I think it's pretty common for a band to feed off the energy of a live crowd, so when the crowd is sitting down takin a chill.. the band probably want to too!
Still I certainly see the appeal from a viewer standpoint, cause you can really focus on watching them play vs having some sweaty fucker jam his elbow into your side or getting a foot in the head as some nut goes flying overtop ya. Course the bands really dig this!

 

[RETIREDTrapped]

cause you can really focus on watching them play vs having some sweaty fucker jam his elbow into your side or getting a foot in the head as some nut goes flying overtop ya.

sad but true...!!

 

[Ahnasihn]

Hmm...seems like I am one of the most aggressive concert goers around here... I almost always push myself right in front of the stage at club gigs and start a madman's headbanging and hand waving with the 'devil sign' or whatever it is called...and then afterwards feel the pain in my neck and the sweat under my shirt And, last but not least, as my hair is really thick and curly but not yet long enough, my hair looks like electrified. Imagine a guy from the Static-X...

 

[[KOTNO]Narrot]

my concert behaviour changes from band to band. if i know all songs of a band and the lyrics and stuff i try to get into the first row....if it's a semi-known band to me i go into the pit. if i don'T know the band i just watch and "listen" to the music...

 

[Vortex]

Originally posted by Ahnasihn
Hmm...seems like I am one of the most aggressive concert goers around here... I almost always push myself right in front of the stage at club gigs and start a madman's headbanging and hand waving with the 'devil sign' or whatever it is called...and then afterwards feel the pain in my neck and the sweat under my shirt And, last but not least, as my hair is really thick and curly but not yet long enough, my hair looks like electrified. Imagine a guy from the Static-X...

I know what you're like, you know what I'm like, and I can be pretty aggressive too in a good way.
LOL @ the hair thing

But you know what? It's said that headbanging is safer for people with long hair, because the weight of the hair balances the tension somehow. I'm NOT going to grow it again anyway.

I'd like to emphasize the line between headbanging and moshing. With moshing I mean throwing yourself at other people like crazy and bouncing around. That I dislike if it's aimed at "innocent" bystanders as well. Too often actually, but otherwise no problem!

The cinema thing might work with bands like Opeth. But metal bands in general - no. The musical style just isn't made for relaxing, it's definitely in general a positive outlet for releasing energy. Opeth are kinda hard to describe because there are definitely some parts you HAVE to move to, but some send you in a trance.

 

[Lina]

Originally posted by Kushantaiidan
And the moshpit should be moved away from right uop at the stage, and should be put in the back corner or something

I agree! I have no problem with moshing, but I wish those of us who actually want to watch them play could get close enough to do so without fear of being trampled.

I sing along and headbang at shows. I'm usually tapping a foot too.

 

[Frodnat]

I enjoy headbanging and growling too. Opeth are a really relaxed band. When I saw them last, I wasn´t disturbed by the people who wanted to have some fun, no, the people standing there and talking a the time... they sucked, especially during the silent parts. They totally killed the atmosphere... Opeth had a great sound, not loud, hey I need my ears... Acoustic disturbance is what I hate...

 

[Blackspirit]

WOW! ))
Vortex; I'd LOVe to go to a concert with you sometime! hehe...
I've never heard or read about a GUY wanting to dance when
listening to metal )) I'm one of those chicks >P hehe...
I just can't NOT move around when the music and energy is
flowing.... When my fav song comes on here at home you can
be sure I'll headbang or at least nod my head, and if I'm home
alone I'll do some serious dancing!! >) hehe... Picture us
dancing away to Opeth! Lol >P

Anyways... at concerts I do a bit of everything. This depends on
if I know the band, know all their songs, if the crowd goes crazy
etc. If it's a band I love I'll probably move around with the
crowd, try to get upfront, headbang etc ) But if the crowd is
very "slow" I'll stand there headbanging or nodding + move a
bit from side to side... Just feeling the music )

As anyone I know, I just HAVE TO move when music comes on )

 

[S4R]

I'm rather neurotic so I always have some body part moving at concerts. I stay clear of mosh pits for the reasons most people do, I paid to see and hear a band not get my nuts trampled.

 

[Triste]

Originally posted by redblueyes


I saw Opeth in a setting like this, it was like a cinema/theater, at NJ fest (I think?). It guess it was cool for the crowd to sit on nice velvety custion chairs, but if I recall the band didn't like it much cause it seem like the crowd weren't as into it. I think it's pretty common for a band to feed off the energy of a live crowd, so when the crowd is sitting down takin a chill.. the band probably want to too!
Still I certainly see the appeal from a viewer standpoint, cause you can really focus on watching them play vs having some sweaty fucker jam his elbow into your side or getting a foot in the head as some nut goes flying overtop ya. Course the bands really dig this!

Yes it was at the NJ Fest, and it was a really nice setting. With that orchestra pit right in front of the stage, the atmosphere wasn't exactly cozy. All the guys needed was poet shirts... But, contrary to what Opeth may think, the crowd was REALLY into it. I spent most of my day in that theater and OPETH was the ONLY band that people stood up for.
Another band that I saw in a similar setting was ANATHEMA when they played Milwaukee Metalfest in 2000. They had red velvet curtains on their stage...how fitting! And Vinnie Cavanaugh DID have a poet shirt on!