slam dance etiquette
March 24th 2007 20:49
growing up, there was nothing better than going to a live music venue on thursday, friday, or saturday night. at this age, i was between 15 and 22 and going through my 'angry young man' stage, hence i liked my music to be either heavy or punk. and when you danced, you danced hard. this was my introduction to slam dancing.
the point that i dropped into it was in the post new wave area, so punk had already laid the foundations for slam dancing. it consisted of people jumping and throwing themselves into each other whilst having a great time listening to music. people were rarely hurt (well not seriously anyway) and it was the best way for a room full of men to get their aggression out without picking up weapons or taking to each other for no apparent reason. my mother could never understand it and looking back now, i suppose it was a way to deal with testosterone and emotions in a growing boy, that had something to protest to the rest of the world. this was a place where he could do it amongst friends that felt the same.
slam progressed to mosh (which has it's earliest origins back to hr from bad brains of the washington punk scene in the eighties, announcing to the audience to 'mash down babylon'), which in turn progressed to hardcore. for an enlightening instruction of the 'slam dance' favourites, have a look at this sick of it all film clip:
in all of the chaos that is experienced in 'the mosh', there is still an etiquette that must be adheard to at all times. the most important rule for the mosh is if you see someone go down, pick them up. for obvious reasons, this is just common sense. there are also other unwritten rules like never slam a chick, don't slam dudes smaller than you, respect all those in there, don't interfere with the musicians, and if someone is going to stage dive on you and the rest of the crowd moves, move with them. it is one of those gambles you take when you jump off that stage.
recently, i went to heavy concert (fear factory), and felt like a bit of an old man, however i was only about 7 to 8 years older than most of the audience. whilst hanging up the back, sipping on a beer and enjoying the tunes that were coming my way, the one thing i couldn't get over was the lack of respect in the pit! about ten years ago i started to see this style of 'mosh' coming about with the likes of bands like limp bizkit and the younger generation getting into progressing metal bands like slayer. it almost appeared as though the kids were really trying to hurt each other. and it didn't seem to matter if they were male or female, it was just all in. alot of people were looking like they weren't enjoying it at all.
back in the day, if someone was the wanker that came through the crowd full of elbows, the older 'slamers' took it upon themselves to 'train' the new comer into how the mosh worked. it didn't take too long for the dancer to work out what he or she should and shouldn't do. it just seems now that it has progressed into something that isn't all that cool anymore. or maybe there just aren't any old skoolers in there to show them how to really do it. it is a kind of saddening end of a cultural stamp that celebrated music, its people, and a movement that still has alot to say.
here is some footage that i think would have to be the most insane moshing i've seen. and you can even hear the singer of 'sick of it all' still sound the rules to the crowd. check it out:
the point that i dropped into it was in the post new wave area, so punk had already laid the foundations for slam dancing. it consisted of people jumping and throwing themselves into each other whilst having a great time listening to music. people were rarely hurt (well not seriously anyway) and it was the best way for a room full of men to get their aggression out without picking up weapons or taking to each other for no apparent reason. my mother could never understand it and looking back now, i suppose it was a way to deal with testosterone and emotions in a growing boy, that had something to protest to the rest of the world. this was a place where he could do it amongst friends that felt the same.
slam progressed to mosh (which has it's earliest origins back to hr from bad brains of the washington punk scene in the eighties, announcing to the audience to 'mash down babylon'), which in turn progressed to hardcore. for an enlightening instruction of the 'slam dance' favourites, have a look at this sick of it all film clip:
in all of the chaos that is experienced in 'the mosh', there is still an etiquette that must be adheard to at all times. the most important rule for the mosh is if you see someone go down, pick them up. for obvious reasons, this is just common sense. there are also other unwritten rules like never slam a chick, don't slam dudes smaller than you, respect all those in there, don't interfere with the musicians, and if someone is going to stage dive on you and the rest of the crowd moves, move with them. it is one of those gambles you take when you jump off that stage.
recently, i went to heavy concert (fear factory), and felt like a bit of an old man, however i was only about 7 to 8 years older than most of the audience. whilst hanging up the back, sipping on a beer and enjoying the tunes that were coming my way, the one thing i couldn't get over was the lack of respect in the pit! about ten years ago i started to see this style of 'mosh' coming about with the likes of bands like limp bizkit and the younger generation getting into progressing metal bands like slayer. it almost appeared as though the kids were really trying to hurt each other. and it didn't seem to matter if they were male or female, it was just all in. alot of people were looking like they weren't enjoying it at all.
back in the day, if someone was the wanker that came through the crowd full of elbows, the older 'slamers' took it upon themselves to 'train' the new comer into how the mosh worked. it didn't take too long for the dancer to work out what he or she should and shouldn't do. it just seems now that it has progressed into something that isn't all that cool anymore. or maybe there just aren't any old skoolers in there to show them how to really do it. it is a kind of saddening end of a cultural stamp that celebrated music, its people, and a movement that still has alot to say.
here is some footage that i think would have to be the most insane moshing i've seen. and you can even hear the singer of 'sick of it all' still sound the rules to the crowd. check it out:
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Comment by The black man
Comment by Jonathon
Anthroblogogy
yeah i never had any problem in a pit either with my size. it was always kind of funny to watch the little guys come and try to slam you and not budge you even a smidge. the look on their face was like when a child has done something that their dad just wouldn't approve of. i always had to giggle at that.
Comment by Ash
Australian Traveller
Flashes of memories
Comment by Jonathon
Anthroblogogy