Concert Behavior

[wwallinga]

Some observations from 3 Opeth shows in the past 2 years...

1. Why do people mosh and crowdsurf at Opeth shows? It's not the right type of music, idiots! There's definitely a time for it - say the outro to Deliverance or the chorus of DOTF. But nothing drives me crazier than when some fucking moron wants to start a pit during the acoustic part of say, Blackwater Park. Hearing UTWM was totally ruined by just a few people who couldn't have the decency to stand still and listen.

2. The same goes for talking and screaming during the acoustic parts. STFU people! If you're going to ever understand Opeth, you must first shut your mouth.

My guess is that both of these questions fall into the common category of "People are stupid." Now that Opeth is gaining new fans (thanks a lot SOTU and MTV...) I'm thinking we're going to have to deal with these people more and more often.

Does anyone else have any similar experiences or complaints about concert behavior? I know we can't really do anything about it, but I was interested in what everyone else thought.

 

[Kenneth R.]

I've gota fever and the only perscription is more headbanging.

 

[FullMetalCornflake]

Stupidity should be painful...

 

[Ermz]

The Opeth gig I went to last time wasn't that bad, considering I was up the front as usual.

But I have noticed an increased tendency by people not to be courteous. Crowd surfing, to me, is the dumbest fucking thing imaginable. Last time Bodom came by, I couldn't even keep my eyes focused on the band because I had to keep looking back to see if another asshole was going to land on my head. By the end of the gig, we were just punching them as they came over and power slamming them into the ground past the barrier.

I quite honestly hope we don't see any of that crap with Opeth. It's really music you have to be there and enjoy. I don't want to run around in a circle, smashing into guys I don't know. I want to watch the band and headbang occasionally, not have to struggle for air or watch out for my neck potentially getting broken by idiots coming by overhead.

 

[Sean Casey]

i'll mosh at Opeth concerts, but only when it's appropriate.

such as:

5:30 in The Grand Conjuration when Mikael does that scream
Demon of the Fall

 

[Tumn]

Best way to eliminate crowd surfing...Rip one of their shoes off and throw it into crowd, you won't see this person again.

 

[Kenneth R.]

But I have noticed an increased tendency by people not to be courteous. ...By the end of the gig, we were just punching them as they came over and power slamming them into the ground past the barrier.

sorry but that sounds a bit hypocritical to me. Most gigs i've been to, the security guys at the front will put a hand up or stand on something to let you know that wherever they are, someone is on their way to the front in a line from that point, and a "heads up" to those people. If they weren't doing this, then they are unprofessional.

The good thing about crowd surfing is it thins the crowd out. If you're in need of a piss or a drink or whatnot, just crowdsurf your way out. The rest of the people around you will also appreciate the extra room they just gained. I can see how people wouldn't be down with it, but I find it a perfectly normal and positive part of concerts.

Mosh pits are a little different. They can be fun and cool if people are respectful about it and pick up people who fall down, etc. When it becomes a kick&punch fest, that is when it needs to get stopped because it is just plain stupid.

If any of you guys are expecting people to stand still, arms folded, and politely nod at a death metal concert, I don't know what world you live in.

 

[SPLASTiK]

This thread reminds me of the old Megadeth video where Dave talked about the idiots who would mosh during 'A Tout Le Monde'

 

[Ermz]

sorry but that sounds a bit hypocritical to me. Most gigs i've been to, the security guys at the front will put a hand up or stand on something to let you know that wherever they are, someone is on their way to the front in a line from that point, and a "heads up" to those people. If they weren't doing this, then they are unprofessional.

The good thing about crowd surfing is it thins the crowd out. If you're in need of a piss or a drink or whatnot, just crowdsurf your way out. The rest of the people around you will also appreciate the extra room they just gained. I can see how people wouldn't be down with it, but I find it a perfectly normal and positive part of concerts.

The guards did most of the time, but the thing is that the assholes kept coming with such frequency that they couldn't keep up anymore and I jarred my neck many times. One dickhead even hung onto a foldback monitor onstage because he didnt want the security to usher him away. That took their focus away from the rest of the down pour of surfers.

I'm quite certain that it wasn't being done to 'thin out' the crowd. We had guys coming overhead CONSTANTLY... to the point where we'd paid to see the gig for no reason.

 

[Nobiss]

I fucking hate crowd surfers. They are below shit and ruin the music and the concert. At any concert I've been to there's always been a few "badasses" who decide they want to crowd surf and constantly do it over and over again. People should just hold them up in the air and beat the shit out of them while holding all their limbs. Seriously, what is worse at a concert than constantly having to be distracted and turning around all the time to watch out for dipshits? Not only that, but the moment you think it's safe you will probably get a big fucking steel toe to the face.

Moshpits can be fun if you're in with the right crowd... Chances of getting some assholes in the mix are about 50/50. I remember at a concert I was with my girlfriend and she was in front of me and I was holding onto the barricade in front of her so we wouldn't get moved apart, and some big fucking prick moshing beside me decides he wants to hold onto my girlfriend instead and started giving me shots to the ribs with his elbows and trying to trip me and take my place...Then the security guard told him to fuck off and he drifted away before I was about to take out my keys and gouge out his eyeballs.

 

[kngdymond]

this is death metal pussies
if you dont want moshing go see simon and garfunkel it will be very safe and
you wont get sweaty. when you mom picks you up or you get on the bus you will look like you got off church. go lift some weights and get INTO the PIT
stay home and listen to the record it will sound pefect everytime and no one will talk over the music.

 

[Nobiss]

this is death metal pussies
if you dont want moshing go see simon and garfunkel it will be very safe and
you wont get sweaty. when you mom picks you up or you get on the bus you will look like you got off church. go lift some weights and get INTO the PIT
stay home and listen to the record it will sound pefect everytime and no one will talk over the music.

Go listen to more slipknot.

 

[Tubbs]

Moshing is pretty gay and Slipknot-ish.

 

[Tumn]

Haha.

Don't forget the shoe trick damnit!

 

[Kenneth R.]

We had guys coming overhead CONSTANTLY... to the point where we'd paid to see the gig for no reason.

well you did go to see Bodom

Is there anything more kvlt than moshing at Yanni?

 

[Forest of Åsatrú]

this is death metal pussies
if you dont want moshing go see simon and garfunkel it will be very safe and
you wont get sweaty. when you mom picks you up or you get on the bus you will look like you got off church. go lift some weights and get INTO the PIT
stay home and listen to the record it will sound pefect everytime and no one will talk over the music.

yeah exactly! and then after the show, us tr00 moshers will go to a gas station, destroy it. fuck the clerk (whether it be a bitch or not) and steal all the mountain dew. We're EXTREME BLOOD PUMPING ADRENALINE JUNKIES TO THE MAX. FUCK YEAH. MANLINESS. YEEEAAAAHHH. After that, we'll go work out, staring at our muscles as we pump them up. FOR THE NEXT DEATH METAL SHOW PUSSIES. ALRIGHT YEAH.

 

[FRUGiHOYi]

1. They are drunk.
2. They are stupid.

 

[Vegetaman]

The way I see it, there shouldn't be too much moshing at Opeth shows. Sure there are songs that I can see doing it to (The Grand Conjuration, for example) but most of the time you need to either listen to the music (especially the clean electric or accoustic parts) or headbang like a madman. But crowd surfing? That's a definite no-no.

I've seen Opeth twice. First time was with Nevermore and Fireball Ministry, and the Nevermore fans started a pit during the heavy part of Face of Melinda of all songs... It was ridiculous. This time around with it being just Opeth, there wasn't any pit (thanks to seating) and the headbanging was good too. Of course you still had idiots screaming during the accoustic parts (like seriously, who the hell screams during A Fair Judgement... you'll take away from the eargasmic solo).

 

[HazeM*]

you sound like a moany old fool.

SHIT THREAD

 

[Tubbs]

you sound like a moany old fool.

SHIT THREAD

No! You're supposed to do it like this:

SHIT THREAD

I don't think it's a shit thread though. Just thought I'd point that out. Make sure to add the grinning smiley at the end for extra emphasis.