Originally posted by Charlie Nakatestes,Japanese Golfer:
300 shows and haven't seen one incidence of violence? You must be busy watching the bands or something. I bet thatguy could verify that there are at least occasional incidents of a physical nature requiring removal from the club.
acts of physical violence are rare at the club (if you don't count pit/moshing activity that is allowed within certain situations and with certain restrictions). depending on your musical tastes, it would be easy to go through 300 shows over several years without seeing an act of violence at the club.
based on my observations over the last decade or so, with no statistical claims whatsoever:
A. most physically violent incidents at the club can be attributed to one root cause: alcohol and/or drug use.
2. most physically violent incidents at the club involve adults.
c. most physically violent incidents involve two parties equally participating. there are very few "innocent victims" when you get down to the details.
IV. most physically violent incidents can be avoided by paying careful attention and through early intervention by the staph.
my take on the underage thing:
i went to shows when i was underage. a lot of shows. i grew up during the hair metal/arena rock era, and i went to shows at the cap centre and similar places. as i got older and my tastes changed, i started going to punk and heavier shows at the old club and similar places. i saw way more violence and trouble at those arena shows than i did at the clubs.
i went to shows on school nights occasionally, but only because my grades and performance were so good that my parents couldn't question the impact on my schooling. i went to shows with appropriate supervison, whether it was a parent, my older sister and her boyfriend, or some other responsible adult. in the proper circumstances underage concertgoing can be a harmless diversion, just like any of the hundreds of other things i did to keep myself entertained as a kid. hell, it might even have a positve impact on some people.
i wouldn't be doing what i'm doing now if i didn't have the oppportunity to experience the old club as a minor. the ability to see shows when i was young definitely had a positive effect on my life. i think it's a horrible idea to keep underage kids out of clubs across the board, even though my job would probably be a lot easier if they did.
if the clubs have their act together, provide adequate security, and use some simple common sense, there is no reason that underagers can't coexist with adults in an entertainment setting. children are allowed in many entertainment venues that serve alcohol to adults, but you don't hear anyone trying to keep them out of the theater or sporting events. i'd wager that there are more violent incidents at sporting events than at concerts.
there is no reason for a minor to be in a bar, but there is no reason for a minor not to be in a concert venue that happens to serve alcohol if that venue is responsible for the safety of all of its patrons, regardless of their age.
