Moshing: Yay or Nay

[Misanthrope]

Emm...you have a misconception from those Earth Crisis shows. True it is like that MOST of the times but sometimes is worst than angry metalheads trying to beat eachother. In everytown there is always your bunch of hardcore tought guys wannabes that hunt the shows and enter trowing direct blows at the faces of those straight edge kids, and then everyone else enters and tries to stop them and it becomes a goddamn mess. Ive seen that at least 10 times in local shows if not more still no one actually got too hurt exept when those macho idiots have one to many beers and decided it would be fun to trow the glass bottles at the crowd. But that almost never happened.

 

[Lina]

I suppose moshing has its time and place -- i.e., to a shitty band that doesn't warrant concentration. But in general, when people do that, I figure they're just into metal for the "scene" and to piss off their parents.

I was HORRIFIED at the Milwaukee Metalfest that people were jumping all around to Katatonia! It wasn't really a pit, just individual people, I guess. Now, you all know I don't really care for Katatonia, but jesus christ, their music is not meant to be moshed to! This one guy next to me kept knocking me in the head. I mean, think about that -- Katatonia's depressive music and this idiot with ADD jumping all around.

 

[mindflesh]

I usually don't mosh, one of the reasons being that I simply don't want to leave a concert with a broken nose or something else...
I like to headbang or just watch the show.

 

[Evisceratrix]

Originally posted by Lina
I suppose moshing has its time and place -- i.e., to a shitty band that doesn't warrant concentration. But in general, when people do that, I figure they're just into metal for the "scene" and to piss off their parents.

I was HORRIFIED at the Milwaukee Metalfest that people were jumping all around to Katatonia! It wasn't really a pit, just individual people, I guess. Now, you all know I don't really care for Katatonia, but jesus christ, their music is not meant to be moshed to! This one guy next to me kept knocking me in the head. I mean, think about that -- Katatonia's depressive music and this idiot with ADD jumping all around.

well...maybe he was trying to cheer their more somber fans up!


moshing doesnt bother me, so long as its not near me. i dont like doing it, but i dont like looking like a pussy running off when fifteen rabid metal head's bodies come hurling at me. lol.

the absolute most rude thing ever though.....a friends punk band played this show a few weeks back. they wanted me to get some pics of them, so i went and took my camera. there was a huge clearing at the front the stage, and i went up there and got ready to take a picture and this ASSHOLE just did that lame punk music dance and knocked into me pretty hard-i was so irate-if my camera had gotten hurt he wouldve died. its not the best camera in the world but the thing wasnt cheap!

()@#@&*$ punks!

 

[Blackspirit]

Well, to a certain extent!
I saw Therion yesterday, and I stood back
and mostly just watched and listened....
Did some nodding with my head etc >)
Well, the crowd wasn't too big, and the
people there were not crazy moshers.
Mostly just longhaired headbangers playing
airguitar!! It was really cute to watch, and I
wanted to run down there and dance
around with them >) I didn't though....

Anyways.... I like a little moving around at
a gig...just for the feeling of movement....
But I know when to leave the front rows
and go to the back... When it starts getting
violent and I can no longer breathe I leave...
It's quite simple... Just have to know yourself,
and when you're feeling safe )

 

[Sullen Jester]

When I saw Kyser/Sativa/Segression in November it was a very friendly moshpit; they'd be rumbling around, knocking eachother over, but when someone went down that "wasnt a part of it", they'd all stop, help him/her up, make sure he/she's alright and then, only then, they'd carry on.

It appeared extremely safe, and even when the two or three fellows were chosen by anonomous (sp.) moshers everyone took care to keep them up in the air and away from Mr. Floor.

But I guess not everyone is a helpful goth as were there, so a lot of moshpits will probably get out of control and people get hurts.

I suppose its one of those "depends on the crowd" things, but that more or less sucks as an answer.

Eh?

To me moshing is to be a part of the music, you know, there are just some bands whose music is not just a song, but an environment you can crawl into and live in it (Like Opeth, but more energy and noise, but less emotional and good) and you just start..moshing..

 

[Demonspell]

Moshing is a barbaric ritual...

 

[dill_the_devil]

Seems like there's a lot of people bitter 'cos they got hurt in a pit in this thread, and because of that they're assuming that all moshers are wannabe metal-scenesters out to annoy their parents or violent psychopaths merely out looking for a fight.

Well, I mosh at shows. I don't set out to hurt people, and at all the shows I've been to, any idiots who do are usually taken out of the pit. Anyone who has fallen over at any of the shows I've seen has been helped to their feet. And it's rubbish to say that if you're moshing, you can't concentrate on the music - like Misanthrope said - it's still possible to pick out little errors in the songs. I personally think that moshing (when it's appropriate - you won't catch me flailing about to Katatonia, for instance) is both an excellent form of therapy for pent-up aggression (which doesn't necessarily mean violence) and a great way to show the band that you appreciate and enjoy what they're doing.

Obviously, opinion is split right down the middle on this issue - but maybe the two groups should have a little tolerance of each other - non-moshers, please stop accusing us of being brainless macho men with psychopathic tendencies. It simply isn't the case.

 

[Eclipse]

depends on the music of course, but nothing in the world matches a good sky dive on a decent metal song.

As for moshing, I prefer an air guitar.

 

[MacMoney]

Don't usually mosh since I'd only get hurt in the pit. Headbanging is cool though.