For some, going to a concert is less about having fun, as it is surviving. Some love the continuous pain of repeatedly being bashed in the face and body steel-toed boots and the fists of angry, enthused fans.
I have had my fair share of senseless beatings in these pits. But the intensity of a mosh, depends on the genre of music in question.
For a pop-punk band, the mosh might just be a pit of people squished uncomfortably in a small space, making moving hard and dangerous (you don’t want to fall, because you’re never getting back up)
Then there is the SKA show, were the mosh is a little bit more intense. The fans wear steel-toed and bash their feet into your legs, in a dance called “skanking”. Skanking consists of a “running man” motion of the legs to the beat while alternating bent-elbow fist-punches, left and right. When you leave, your shins will be barely recognizable.
Alas, there is the screamo/thrash metal show. These mosh pits are sometimes lethal. The audience members take part in an activity called “hardcore dancing”, where they wave punches to beat people to the ground and then bash them when they’re on the floor.
These concerts are when the surviving aspect comes into play. Some fans leave with broken bones and black-eyes.
The appeal of moshing has never been clear to me, yet every concert I find myself being bashed and bashing others.
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i absolutely loved that you mentioned skanking, no one ever does!!! <3 and it is obviously the best way to mosh =]
No way, classic circle pits are the only way to go.
I totally agree with malcom, though skanking is mad fun.
totally spelled your name wrong malcolm, sorry 🙂
well, yeah, don’t get me wrong, i have major respect for classic circle pits, but there’s something to be said for skank pits. they’re so much less violent, and you almost always dont die at ska shows. so…yeah. that’s a tad of a plus.
But the danger of dying is the best part! Circle pits involve trusting total strangers to enjoyably beat on you, without killing you, which is awesome. You’re outnumbered Julia!
I think it is very foolish to mosh.
getting “enjoyably beat on?” does that even make sense? why would you enjoy getting the crap beaten out of you by a random stranger? skank pits are better because you walk out of them with friends, and you know that if you fall over and get trampled, you’re getting picked up by a nice stranger who loves the music as much as you do. END. OF. STORY. =P
Moshing does not sound like it would be a good time!!!
well there is mosh etiquette when you do to shows where circle pits take place. If someone falls you help them, if you really hurt someone, you help them and you never intend to hurt anyone.. the point isnt to destroy people or punch them or trample them.
thanks guys 🙂
Yes, that does make sense. And the smae thing happens at a metal show, except you feel way more awesome walking out, because you and your new friends are survivors.
And EXACTLY Lauren. Listen to her, she knows what she’s talking about.
Yea i made so many new friends at all the skank circles, it was a blast 😀
i went to a jonas brothers concert, lots of moshing took place, the crowd was intense, i didnt participate in the huge mosh, but i will next time!
i bet none of you have ever been in a real mosh circle like me, in my opinion skanking is just plain silly, moshing is the real way to go.
Did you seriously just say that “Lots of moshing” took place at a Jonas brothers concert?
That’s funny, go to a metal concert then you can talk about moshing and calling the crowd. “Intense.”
Ive never heard of people getting hit by hardcore dancers then once they hit the floor, being filled in out of rage. Once when i was at a SYR show, Ian Bures pushed me into a group of hardcore dancers and after taking a few head and body hits I fell down, rather than getting beat, 3 strangers fought over me to keep me from getting stepped on while a 4th helped me to my feet. The people i have met at these concerts are among the nicest Ive known and I have also returned the favor, by helping people up when they fall doen.
Whats the point of moshing, like why do you do it, just to show you love the music? many different opnions. so no side.
There are only a couple of people here that know wat they are talking about and those people are lauren, malcolm and dillion everyone else has no idea wat moshing is and wat it consists of. So u need to not comment on something that u have no idea of wat it is