This scares the crap out of me and I'll tell you why.Lindsay was at End Fest in Seattle this weekend and saw the Pumpkins two nights before this tragedy, along with a bunch of other bands. She went with her Dad, who expressed his concern to me afterward over her moshing and crowd surfing. This was not new info for me....I know that she does it and I hate it. I don't mean that she stands on the outskirts and gets pushed around a bit - I mean she goes headfirst into the biggest, baddest pits and comes out covered in bruises (and sometimes even other people's blood). I don't know why. When I express my concern to her she says "I'm o.k." and "I can handle it". But I don't know that she can - it's something that can quickly go terribly wrong, like the story above. Her friends don't do this stuff...she goes it alone. They avoid the pit area like the plague and I wish that she would too but, for some reason, she just won't, despite my pleading with her.
Keath told me that she was in the pit during most of the concert and that during "The Used" it got really intense and violent. That people were coming out spitting out teeth and blood and that he couldn't tell where she was at one point. He said he was actually relieved when he saw the crowd throw her up and surf her out. He felt helpless he said.
I'm glad that she's seen this story...I think (hope) it had an impact - it seems like it might've. I mean, I tell her all the time that she's not "allowed" to mosh, but she's 16 and she goes to concerts when I'm not there. And she moshes. Her friends are horrified when they see what she does, yet she's fearless (and I don't know why that is). She's all of 100 pounds and, for some reason, enjoys this aggressive style of "celebrating" the music. She tells me that when she's knocked down that people "help her back up". She's been lucky enough to get back up and it terrifies me. I'm seriously concerned.
I think this will be the end of concerts of this nature unless she solemnly swears that she will not enter another pit or crowd surf again. I don't have many rules, but this is gonna damn well be one of them. And I mean it, it's a done deal.
posted by Deb at 11:35 PM
15 Comments:
Yes, scary. Kids... it just doesn't register sometimes, does it?
Hang on are you saying she stands up on the corner of the stage and falls back into the sea of hands? Or gets passed along atop people's heads... They say people naturally will catch someone in such a situation (well psychologists seem to say that)... but as your report states it obviously doesn't happen 100% of the time!
w/n...I think it finally has registered...FINALLY. This one hit close to home because a) the kid was from Richmond and around her age b) it happened at a show just two days after she'd seen the same band. I think it got her thinking.
gled...she doesn't do the stage part. But she "slam dances" and then gets thrown up into the air, where people pass her along overhead. Which is how the guy died (it sounds like he was dropped and hit his head).
Oh shit, that's bad. How terrible about the fellow who was killed; and I sure hope this hits home for Lynds. I'm really grateful that mine has never gotten into the moshing.
Where have I been? They are a local band and I didn't hear a thing about that.
Tell her (again) to be careful - that's about all you can do.
Personally, I really dig the energy of a good rock show, although it really has changed a lot since I was a teen when the worst you had to worry about was Ted Nugent blowing your ear drums out.
For instance, I love being in the thick of it for a White Zombie/Rob Zombie show or even Pantara when they were still available, they are bouncy friendly crowds. But when I'm at Slayer or Korn, I try to stay either close to the stage or watch from the side.
Different bands incite different attitudes and you really have to be aware of the people around you. Some bands and crowds actually do stop to help you up, (the Circle Jerks and most punk bands)and are there to share the intended fun.
But to deliberately go into a mad pit of violent slam dancers who aren't even aware of the band on stage is senseless. It's a territorial pissing contest with nothing to gain.
There, I sound like an old person now. But I survived Nirvana, and several Slayer and Nine Inch Nails concerts, and they weren't around in the seventies when I started going to shows!
And, what's with all these kids today with their short hair? haha
Sometimes all you can do is hope that some of the common sense you try and drill into their heads actually finds a pathway in there!
The news tonight said they were doing a toxicology test to determine the cause of death.
Woah, scary.
Goodluck with setting your limits,
Raymi tryed everything like this too, I think I aged a decade.
barb...after I started reading comments I thought of how I didn't even really mention how awful it must be for the family or send my heartfelt condolences...I was so wrapped up in MY situation. So let this serve as what I was too remiss to do. I just can't imagine that your 20 year old doesn't return from a concert. Tragic.
busterp...it happened here on Monday night (I think). Just terrible. It's been on the news, but has been kind of low key (I guess until family's all been notified and they find out more).
jim dandy...there is definitely some common sense involved and you have to pick and choose what concerts you get "involved" in. The ex says The Used were really bad - encouraged the fans to retreat and then charge the stage like bulls. Not too smart.
tc...yeah, apparently he was unconscious but didn't have any blood or a bump on his head. Witnesses said he was crowd surfing and fell, but you'd think there'd be a sign of that?
tk...I imagine raymi put you through some pretty worrisome moments too, huh? Parents have it rough, don't we?
How horrible. So young.
I hope Lynds takes this to heart. I was almost trampled in a most pit once. Seriously the most terrifying experience of my life.
I'm a big guy so I never worry about being trampled or crushed. And you are correct that some bands themselves incite rowdy activity from the audience. Shame on them and their sensationalism taking advantage of our new youth with their Hitler methods.
I fully support your fears and opinions.
The high point of my childhood rebellion was going to a KISS concert at a local roller rink against my mothers orders back in 1975.
She still hates them!
(Kids In Satans Service)
muahahaha
Little girls are the most dangerous!
Hey, are you stoked about the Canucks tomorrow night? I think it will be interesting to see what kind of crowd and reception they get in London. Hockey in London? What's that about?
Really not making light here because this is indeed a tragedy.
We stopped one show because we thought the situation was too violent.
Most of what is described would be considered bad pit form in my day and get you ejected from the pit, if they fall pick them up, there should never be blood, let alone teeth. Sounds like a bunch of these ass puppets need to do a little research, proper pit etiquette is all over the net.....shame.....
Al...well thank God you didn't. Who the hell would be Queen of the Handclap if THAT had happened. In all seriousness, thank God.
I was at the front at an outdoor Hip concert once when the crowd started to surge forward and I was being squished and couldn't breathe. The security guy hauled me over to the front of the stage so I could escape. Whew.
jim dandy...if my daughter was a big guy then I wouldn't be so worried...she's a teeny little thing (who's fearless - which is not a good thing). I never did get to see KISS live (not sure why).
rop...that made me laugh...so true.
tc...I'm totally hyped for the Canucks. And for the Lions game this weekend...I love this time of year when I have the best of both worlds. I might go to the Lion's game...I'll see how Linds is doing (she's sick today).
junky...I believe there is some mosh etiquette but you always get one or two idiots who don't play by the rules. Linds insists though that people do look out for each other (as they're slamming each other at full force).
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