Moshing and local venues

[Thousand Made-Up Loves]

With the North American portion of the Wolf Parade tour beginning, conversation at the band's bbs has started to revolve around the startling phenomenon of moshing at Wolf Parade shows. I mean, this isn't Slayer or Sepultura we're talking about here, it's a freaking indie band. But, at the Philly show in 08 I attended, there was certainly too much moshing and I heard that the NYC shows that year also had moshing.

I, for one, think this is fucking bullshit and venues should be ejecting moshers by the busload. I understand that 9:30 and the Black Cat have signs up saying ABSOLUTELY NO MOSHING, but are they actually enforced?

Venues that allow people to mosh at indie shows are doing their loyal customers an incredible disservice by letting a bunch of fucking assholes ruin the experience for others. Moshing is easily one of the most selfish phenomenons in music. I'm going to the show on Tuesday and I hope I don't end up punching someone in the fucking face. Rikers would be a bad place to end up.

[vansmack]

Getting old?

[James Ford]

You should be punched in the face for liking such a lame band.

[thatguy]

the club has no signs that say "absolutely no moshing." 

if the band does not make any requests regarding moshing, our policy is on a sliding scale.  if a pit breaks out at a show, we will monitor the area.  there are some behaviors that are always unacceptable, but the crowd determines the acceptability of others.  what is ok at a metal or hardcore show would not be ok at a pop punk show.  it's a subjective decision, but the staph has many years of experience and we do our best to determine the appropriateness of any moshing activity at any show.  if the participants aren't out to hurt anyone and the crowd is ok with it, moshing will be allowed at some shows.

there are plenty of spots in the club that patrons can watch the show from if they do not want to be in the vicinity of a mosh pit.
     

[Thousand Made-Up Loves]

Thank you for your input, thatguy.

[azaghal1981]

Been a little while since a TMUL bitch thread.


I was kind of surprised (and disappointed) at the lack of a significant pit at the Melvins a couple weeks ago.

[sweetcell]

moshing at a WP show?  seriously?  is their live show a lot more aggro than their recorded stuff?

I was kind of surprised (and disappointed) at the lack of a significant pit at the Melvins a couple weeks ago.

good point - this is DC.  moshing = form of dancing.  TMUL, i think you'll be safe

[wml7]

I think moshing at the She & Him show would have been super 

[betao]

people were moshing at Animal Collective last year. The pushing and whatnot was comparable to that of Prodigy's show at some point, which stunned me.

I think moshing is ok when the music style calls for it, and as long as people are respectful of those around them.

We don't allow any moshing/crowd surfing whatsoever at The National. (I say "we" because I work part time customer service/security during shows there.)

[wml7]

people were moshing at Animal Collective last year. The pushing and whatnot was comparable to that of Prodigy's show at some point, which stunned me.

I think moshing is ok when the music style calls for it, and as long as people are respectful of those around them.

We don't allow any moshing/crowd surfing whatsoever at The National. (I say "we" because I work part time customer service/security during shows there.)

The Prodigy show was amazing.  I can't say it was a mosh pit per se, but people were going nuts.  I also saw a few crowd surfers too, which I thought was a no no in the club but it was quickly dispersed (either that or the dude fell on his noggin) 


oh, you work at the National??  cool, the security there are always awesome.  No dickheads in all the times I have been there 

[azaghal1981]

Some idiot crowd surfer landed on my head during BRMC. One of the last shows where I thought that would happen.

[sweetcell]

Some idiot crowd surfer landed on my head during BRMC.

crowd surfing annoys me way more than moshing, for the most part.  moshers make it clear where the pit is, and you can move away if you don't like it.  a crowd surfer's boot or elbow can come flying in from any direction.  also, if there is crowd surfing happening, it means that people are packed in tight.  little option of moving out of the way of an incoming surfer.

[Unsanity]

The Melvins/Isis gig had plenty of moshing I thought. Moshing at shows was a right of passage back in my teenage years (the nu/alt/rap metal days lol) I really do think indie rock is the new Nu Metal. So the crowds it draws will reflect this.

[fatskippy]

The 9:30 Club combats moshing by packing in so many people no one can move anyway

[betao]

people were moshing at Animal Collective last year. The pushing and whatnot was comparable to that of Prodigy's show at some point, which stunned me.

I think moshing is ok when the music style calls for it, and as long as people are respectful of those around them.

We don't allow any moshing/crowd surfing whatsoever at The National. (I say "we" because I work part time customer service/security during shows there.)

The Prodigy show was amazing.  I can't say it was a mosh pit per se, but people were going nuts.  I also saw a few crowd surfers too, which I thought was a no no in the club but it was quickly dispersed (either that or the dude fell on his noggin) 


oh, you work at the National??  cool, the security there are always awesome.  No dickheads in all the times I have been there 

Ah thanks man, words like that are much appreciated.

Both Prodigy shows (06 and 09) had crowd surfers and moshers. I don't mind moshing as long as its controlled (somewhat), but I hate crowd surfers. It's pretty annoying to be enjoying a show and then out of nowhere a foot kicks you in the back of the head.