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July 24, 2008 |
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By Corey Bonnett
August 25, 2005
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It seems the older I get, the more concerts I attend. I guess it's a combination of being able to afford to travel for shows, and my desire to witness more & more bands in a live setting. First, some quick history:
I can clearly recall almost 20 years ago, as if it was yesterday, attending shows at a small bar across town called Crocks-N-Rolls. A restaurant by day, Crocks was a popular stop along Lake Superior's North shore for many metal and punk acts including RAZOR, DAYGLO ABORTIONS, ANNIHILATOR, NAPALM DEATH, BUNCHOFFUCKINGGOOFS, NINE POUND HAMMER to name just a few. Frank, the owner, was a big metal fan and managed to talk these bands into spending a night in Thunder Bay and doing a show for our small but dedicated fanbase, often for nothing more than beer and overnight accommodation.
A usual evening at Crocks included meeting up with the same 50-75 people who were at each show, time after time. There were always about another 50 or so that would show up, depending on the bands playing. This bar covered no more square footage than that of my house! The drum riser would get pushed back as far as possible into the corner, the guitar stacks often filled the rest of the stage (aka dancefloor) which often resulted in the band standing out on the dance (aka mosh) floor.
That, being said, I'd like to discuss The Pit.
Fans, curious onlookers, waitresses etc. were all in The Pit at one time or another during the show. People would be banging into each other song after song, metal fists flying high, and the crowd often sang along as loud as the band. This was a metal show...very personal, very exhilarating, very fun. That's what metal shows are about - getting out your aggressions but still having fun. If somebody went down in The Pit, there was always a half-dozen fellow moshers extending a hand to help him/her up. If somebody's glasses got knocked off their face, a handful of people would scramble to find them before they were crushed. If you'd been out there so long that your shirt was soaked thoroughly with sweat and looked 3 sizes too big, you could leave The Pit, stand back, catch your breath, or get a drink…whatever. Soon enough, you'd find yourself wanting to get back in there.
Fast forward to around 1999-today. I still don't mind jumping in The Pit every now and then, but lately, I prefer to still get close and watch the show. I understand I'll be getting bumped into and shoved around standing at/near the edge of the pit - I don't mind. However, what I do mind is the guy who walks to the outer-edge of The Pit and beyond, thinking it's his job to populate The Pit and throw me and any other bystanders in there! Don't be grabbing me by the arm or the neck while I'm enjoying the show because you think I'd be having more fun in The Pit! If I have the urge to get in there, I'll do so myself thank you very much! I was doing this since you were soiling your diapers so don't think you're so cool and extreme.
Which brings up another issue about The Pit - etiquette. As mentioned earlier, if someone goes down, help them up. Would you enjoy time off school/work because some idiot danced across your back or kicked you in the head? Also, don't throw me inside there; if I want to join in, it will be on my own terms (and one of those terms is without my camera that's worth more than your life, from what I can determine!). Thirdly, it's a mosh pit, not a boxing ring! Far too many people that I see in The Pit these days are there to hurt somebody - that's not what it's about idiot!
It doesn’t matter if it's a dance floor in a small club or a stadium floor, there are always a few bad apples. In my opinion, these aren't metal fans, they're just people who think they can get away with throwing direct punches because they're in The Pit. I've seen it far too many times. I tell you what, one day one of these idiots will grab/punch the wrong person, and when they wake up two days after the show eating their meals through a straw, they will have time to reflect and think about what could have possibly happened. Hopefully they'll figure it out.
Man, I miss the good 'ole moshing days...see you in The Pit. [FIN]
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