I once lost my glasses in a mosh pit (rookie mistake of course, keeping them on), and 3 guys suddenly stopped and created a little barrier for me to have the space to pick them up. It was a surreal moment, so much care in such a violent space. Of course, right after I put them back on, they slammed into me. 10/10 experience.
And if you went in without your glasses, you’re even more fucked so maybe just stay at the back line or wear contacts if you’re referring to prescribed glasses 😂😂😂😂
OMG exact same situation. Guys nearby understood instantly what happened and protected me and one of them while we were looking for the glasses in the dark through the grass with our hands. Epic respect !!!
I survived Slayer twice back in the 90's. Dislocated my jaw the second time. Had my jaw put back in place with a swift punch in opposite direction!!! SLAYER!!!!!
The first mosh pit I was ever in several people lifted a guy in a wheelchair (at his request) above their heads and took him to the centre as people moshed around them. That was the first of many things I will never forget from mosh pits and metal shows in general, for both the good and bad
Lost my wallet and phone in an Avatar pit. After the show, two giant Samoan dudes approach me, and I start wondering what I did to piss them off. Turns out they had my phone! They saw me drop it in the pit, used their large frames to block people, retrieved it, and waited until after the show to find me. As for the wallet, someone else returned it to lost and found, and only $10 was missing, which is exactly what I would have spent buying that person a beer! Love this community.
Avatar and Orbit Culture was the craziest pit I’ve experienced went from noobie thrasher to standing on the side line pushing 3 giant wrecking balls (drunk linebackers) back in the pit when they got tossed
This 64 year old granny still loves a good mosh! The kindness and respect in a good pit is soul satisfying. The guys will make an opening for me and also keep a protective eye on me. I tend to hang around the outer perimeter these days as I'm more fragile than I was in my 40s 😜🤘 Looking forward to Clutch in a few weeks...
I lost my wedding ring in a Sepultura mosh pit - in seconds dozens of people were searching for it and eventually found it! I was so glad - I mean explain this to your wife... But absolut respect to the wonderful people metal heads actually are
I saw a thing that said metal heads are good people disguised as bad people, and hippies are bad people disguised as good people. Life has never been the same, it was the most truth ever spoken😂
Yup. I witnessed a few times when someone has lost the wallet or the phone, every time it was found and returned. Everyone near the place where you lost it instantly just scatter around and start to search and look around the floor for the thing lol. I also tend to leave my jacket and stuff on some random place so I can go in the front, nobody ever touched them. It seems all metalheads around the world are always like this, this is really nice
The moshpit is just quite simply one of the only situations where you can GENUINELY lose your shit and go completely primate feral without getting in trouble, it's straight up addictive
@@chriscoo8367 Let me guess, you're only 15 and were born in the wrong generation because you listen to music from the 70's!? My god how utterly unique you are
@@chriscoo8367 Well then adjust to the times old timer, what makes you think that history isnt being made today just because people are moshing at concerts? Do you not remember when rock n roll was perceived as devil's music that would only corrupt the youth? I'm sure people generations before you were all saying "we didnt need no distortion or screaming at our concerts, we were just there watching history being made!"
honestly, the best part about being in the pit is you feel like you're surrounded by your best friends, who are really just total strangers for the duration of the show. I've met/interacted with people in moshpits who were some of the nicest people ever.
I feel like you'll nearly always make friends out of total strangers at metal shows/festivals, especially if you are going alone. I've interacted with so many people from all ages and from all over the world, some of which I still try to meet up with about once a year (would love it to be more often but flights are expensive).
Theyre all super friendly. It's very easy to start a conversation too "hey are you that lady that decked me in a face?" Then it all starts from there 😂
I was at a local Halloween show in my town one year and there was this guy dressed as a car. He had made the car out of boxes and his head and hands were inside as the driver. Fairly elaborate yet still very homemade looking, it was definitely one of the best costumes. This guy stood near the back of the room most of the show. It was a small venue, but I suppose there were a couple hundred there. Anyway, the pit formed and was pretty energetic. There were people standing around it and others were walking around getting their drinks and such. Suddenly with no warning or buildup, car guy suddenly ran forward from the back of the room at full blast. He somehow made a fully clear path, no obstructions whatsoever, and slammed into the dead center of the pit! There he became the absolute center of attention until his car costume was absolutely obliterated to shreds. That was seriously one of the coolest things I've ever seen.
I had my first mosh pit experience last month while seeing Metallica. I didn't plan on moshing, but after doing some shoving from the perimeter for the first few songs one guy noticed I was right on the edge of diving in so he grabbed my arm and next thing I knew I was thrashing around with all these different people. I had never felt so much like I could just be myself around other people and after dealing with some low points in the months prior, I unexpectedly found the most positive way imaginable to let all that anger and negative emotion just flow out of me. Moshing really is therapeutic in the wildest way and I'll never forget all those shoulder-to-shoulder collisions with the rest of the Metallica Family to the sound of Fuel, Battery and Hardwired. Best nights of my life.
As a 5’3” female there are some pits I’ve been too intimidated to mosh in but man every time I run in one it’s the best time of my life. Not everyone is aware of their strengths, so sometimes you fall, but it takes SECONDS before people are picking you up and you’re running free again. Also, if you get stuck in the middle where everyone is pushing each other and can’t shove your way out, there’s people on the outside of the pit who will pull you out. Trust the pit 🤘🏻
Same😂small female club 🙋🏼♀️. We are probably in the category " to afraid to shove because they could break "🤣. In my experience, the size difference is just a problem when there is to much room around me. One time I was flying 2 meters because a guy bodycecked me🤣. And we have to look out for the elbows because our heads are right there . Most of the time I will just run around like I am in a boxing match. I have to ceep the guard up 👀🙉😅. But most of the time I have to analyze the energy of the pit. If it's too rugth I need to get out (/don'tgo in), otherwise I won't survive.
Not as little as you, but same camp! I hate when my assessment is that it's too dangerous of one for me to participate in, because I feel like I missed out. But sometimes the guys are just too big... and throwing windmill arms and ninja kicks like a dick.
I was at a show at First Avenue when a cute little Punk girl about your size got absolutely clocked by someone much bigger, flat on her back. Somebody picked her up by the jacket and shooed her away. Rough out there.
hell yeah, audience participation is the best thing about live music. i wish they'd turn the cameras around and show the crowd on those giant screens, instead of the band singing into a microphone
...and the even better ones are when the band conducts the fucking pit. (I know, not metal, but...) First time I saw Three Days Grace, the singer was eating up how active and fucking mental the pit was. He called for it and planted his mic stand right in front of us as a show of approval.
I’ve only ever been in one and it was a real small one. And i was really happy that there was basically no punching just really hyped up dancing. Basically just shoving and so. Really cool experience
I saw a guy at Ozzfest get his leg broken in the pit and on my next circle round I saw 6 dudes picking him up and took him to the medical tent. Fuckin respect. I am also a two time Slayer pit survivor. 🤘🏻
I was front row to a slayer show once. That was the most intense pit I’ve been in. Trying to avoid crowd surfers and feeling the weight of the mosh. I nearly called it quits. But I endured. One of the best experiences I’ve had. Specially cos it was their final tour.
Craziest pits ive been in was at a small show for Deicide,Skinless and Immolation. Seemed like every guy in the pit was 6 foot + and 200 + i was 5'10 190 in most pits i do well that one was basically trying to survive.
I worked at a punk club in ny in 81'. Then they called it slam dancing and alot of the etiquette started then. Don't be a dick,help those that have fallen, have a good time.
Wild thing for me to experience, and it was totally unexpected, but the mosh pit that formed while the Beasties Boys played Sabotage at Lollapalooza was insane. It was so unexpected for me to see a huge pit break out during the Beastie Boys set. Sabotage was a brand new song, and man, that was fun!
BEAUTIFUL MOSH PIT STORY: My first metal fest was tresspass america back in 13, Young me wanted to mosh so i jumped in that shit. I got banged around (obviously) but 4 songs into Killswitch Engage, i got my legged snapped at the knee. Went down and couldnt get back up. Something like 20 dudes made a wall around me and literally carried my ass to the medics, through the pit, everything. It was such a beautiful moment seeing so many dudes, young and old, saying you cant get back up, so we got you brother. Man i love metal. Been to 150+ shows since that day! metal heads are truly a family in one wild form.
Got knocked out at a Dying Fetus show (needed seven stitches). A Navy medic helped me and carried me outside, bandaged my head up, called the paramedics, then went right back in to mosh. He got my number before he left to tell me the story. Mad respect for him. Also a Slayer pit survivor!
Can I say I just love this strimg of words... 'got knocked out at a dying fetus show'. Never heard of this band, but it sounds on brand. Love your spirit, though. No victim, no complaints, just got right back into it. Mad respect!
Knocked out at a Dying fetus show? Yea that definitely checks out, along with the 7 stitches. Glad you are safe now but fuck thats kinda badass, wonder what type of gnarly conversation starter scar thats gonna leave
I’ve been in almost 40 mosh pits throughout the last 5 years of going to different shows. I first started going into punk shows, then local house party shows with larger crowds, and then massive crowds. Etiquette is everything. Every person that I’ve seen fall in the pit, I picked them up right away. And you’ll be picked up by not just one person but 3 or more simultaneously. That takes dedication, looking out for someone and shit. EDIT and Update: I have now officially been in 50 mosh pits after attending this year’s Aftershock festival in Sacramento, CA.
What separates US from those other look away or be ignorant motherfucks is that WE"RE crazy enough to give a fuck about others and theirs (and our) safety. I'm elated to hear that other people like you and I give a fuck in the pits. ...Back in '96 I missed Adam Jones' solo during the Aenima tour in Vancouver, cos my girlfriend at the time was having a seizure because of all the smoke, etc.....NOBODY stopped to help me out until EMS arrived (and we were at an accessible spot too....I had to send a GM Place employee to call 911.... fuckin disgrace.
My favorite mosh memory was when a buddy and me started a pit at the Judas Priest show after the drum fill in Painkiller. The crowd was pretty tame up until that point, a much older group for sure. About 20 people joined us, Rob and Ritchie came over to our side of the stage and just smiled big at us. Love that seal of approval from the metal god himself.
One of the coolest moshpits experiences I had was on an Amon Amarth show in Rio. It was a medium sized venue, the mosh was really cool but the highlight was during a song the whole mosh started sitting down and "rowing the boat". Johan Hegg, the vocal, said that was one of the coolest things he ever seen.
@@henriquerodrigues7795I can absolutely confirm that! Been to a couple Amon Amarth shows and those always have amazing pits. And the rowing is so fucking fun
7:11 is a perfect example of good etiquette. Everyone could see he was on his way out, yeah he got bumped, but nobody tried to guide him back into the pit.
the first pit i was in was accidental, it was a tiny outdoor stage at a festival for electric callboy, and little 16 year old me was swept up into it, as a young girl, with my friend, she was also 16, we had the time of our lives, and everyone around us was so nice! they looked out for us, but kept us involved, it was amazing
The bottom line of the mosh pit is this: enter at your own risk. From my personal experience watching mosh pits (never personally been in one before, but very close to one), the majority of moshers are pretty cool people who do it for fun. Injuries are just part of moshing. Some people take pride in their mosh injuries..🤕😎
i went to my first punk show today and jumped in the pit after some hesitation but boy was it FUN!!! and i fell twice and both times i was picked up literally immediately by smiling people and we just continued moshing and it was so fun and i only have a couple bruises and i enjoyed every second of it
Man I miss those days as a kid in middle and high school. Take advantage when you’re young, go to as many shows as you can cuz one day you may grow out of it and you’ll have a family and not have time. I did it from 2001 to about 2005 and saw hundreds of bands and shows I can’t remember, but I’ll always remember the moshing the craziness. Was lucky I got it out of my system though so 20 years later I don’t feel like I missed out.
Man, I’m going to Megadeth soon and I wanted floor tickets _so_ bad, but I’m taking my friend who is very new to metal and I didn’t want her to get squashed in the pit since she tends to follow me around, so I got seats. Ive also been to this venue before and the floor layout is super weird. 100% doing it at the next concert I go to though, which is in November.
Back in May, I was at a Bloodywood show, and was in the pit. I fell, and about .5 seconds later, I felt 5-6 hands grabbing me to pull me back up. It always ring true to help people up.
Bloodywood crowds are so fucking wholesome man. Saw mostly female crowdsurfers during Dana Dan, didn't spot a single groper on any of the women I've seen moving forward. Haven't seen that with any other band I know of where females started surfing.
@@DennisVlaanderenConsidering the message of that song, any gropers would probably end up leaving the show brutally mauled, if they'd leave at all. Bloodywood are absolutely amazing and wholesome, and it reflects on their fanbase too 🫶🤘
Last night at the Mudvayne show I helped two teenagers surf for the first time after explaining pit etiquette. They came back around and thanked me. So satisfying to help the next generation join the community.
My first pit took me by surprise. I was watching Black Label Society open up for Anthrax on a tour run. The first song they played, nobody moshed and there was no pit, so i assumed i was safe while standing in the designated area. I decided to record the band as they started their second song (i believe it was Funeral Bell). The second they started the pit quite literally erupted behind me and i was dragged in. It caught me by surprise but i quickly got the hang of it, although i ran out of breath like 30 seconds in. It was a good time.
I was always afraid of the pit until a few weeks ago I ended up at the edge of one and really enjoyed the bumping into each other. Later that night I experienced my first wall of death, circle pit, getting picked up after falling and catching some fists with my face. I fell in love with the whole experience. I've been to 3 more concerts since and always went for the pit right away. What a fantastic experience. One more "rule" you didn't mention is that when somebody needs to tie their shoelaces everybody forms a barrier around them so they don't get hurt. I love moshing!
Largest circle pit I've been in was Lamb of god at Hellfest 2019. It was basically like running around a baseball diamond and I definitely didn't make it around that many times before needing oxygen. Wildest pit I'd say was the Exodus golf cart pit at Full Terror Assault in 2021.
I was at that Lamb of God concert too, I was in the front row and the crowd pressure was a bit too much so I jumped in that big ass circle pit and used it like a freeway to get to the back where I had a little more room to breathe. T’was fun!
Craziest I was in was Exodus on their The Beatings Continue... tour with Anthrax. Toxic Waltz was a come to Jesus moment for me and I almost pissed myself when I heard the riff for Raining Blood
my best pit story is from the first time I saw Slayer. Testament was opening, and I was fairly close up when Chuck called for the crowd to split up, and having never seen a wall of death before, I thought "hey! I can get close to the stage!" That was pain.
I saw slayer in 2019 at Rock im Park. Unofrtunately couldnt join the pit since I had stepped on a cole before and barely could move. I bet it is one of the most intense moshpits
I always feel the pit out from a distance at first, after being in a contortionist pit, I made a new rule that I won’t go in pits where people are throwing hands or legs! I was just in a few this weekend for inkcarceration, and it’s amazing to see how different every one is, even if there’s multiple pits for 1 song! Something new I saw this weekend were people carrying crowd surfers across the pit so they don’t fall in, and the people in the pit slowing down to let them through! One of the biggest things is to know your limits though! I have terrible cardio and I was in a pit for lamb of god during redneck, and after 2 or so minutes, I felt my heart rate double to over 200, I immediately got out, stumbled through the insane crowd, got back to my friends and was able to chill out! Also, if you have friends who aren’t moshing, give them all your stuff before you enter a pit! You don’t want to be the guy trying to bend over to grab your phone or keys that fell out of your pocket!
If Solo.. front pocket.. wallet etc.. I've been in many,, also never try to Block.. Simply grab the back of your Head, it's faster.. and works.. stay fun. Also more bro at Metal shows.. then Hardcore shows.. cheers from Huntington Beach CA 🇺🇸
Man i feel the cardio part. Saw LoG too and was EXHAUSTED sooo quick. Just get out of the pit, catch your breath and go back if you want. It was such a dope concert, crazy energy and i didnt knew you could jump so much on log.
Them dudes who throw fists and kicks suck. The best pits in my experience were in the early to mid 90s, just after the grunge era. They weren't too hard or weren't too light, they were just right...
My best pi memory happened at SummerBreeze 2023. During the Killswitch Engage show I ran in three different circle pits during a single song. It was WILD yet beautiful.
Liberating, addictive, mesmerizing, unifying... A lot of beautiful adjectives come to mind when I think about mosh pits. I love to do it and I do it with respect and courtesy. For me, three rules of thumbs are: 1. Keep moving, 2. Keep your elbows pressed to your body so that you don't hurt anybody/dislocate your arm, and 3. If you're exhausted - rest. 🤘🏽
As a hardcore/powerviolence guy I was unsure if you would touch on the clear distinction between that and more traditional metal. But you did so perfectly and completely covered all the etiquette for every type of pit. Very well done.
As a fellow hardcore fella I appreciate any metalhead that doesn’t simply discredit hardcore pits. It’s just it’s own kind of pit and it’s a great time if you’re into that kind of thing
@@NobodyCares6996 yeah, I preferred when it was all like 2 stepping and circle pits and stuff. I'm not into the fist swinging and kicking. TBH those moves were seriously frowned upon in the scene in the early 00's, and you would be labelled as a "false". The kicking especially was not good to do in the shows around that time. Wind milling was accepted if you wind milled during a two step, but stationary wind milling was seen as false as well. I think this was mainly due to the fake hardcore scene at the time (bands like bring me the horizon) where the scene kids started to play death metal, but called it hardcore. you had both scenes at war with each other, and the scene kids did windmilling and kicking, and it was seen as super-g@y by the posi kids. The proper hardcore shows were all 2 stepping and circle pits and stuff. The moshing was way cooler and actually required some skill and practice to be good.
@@NobodyCares6996 yeah i love push pits cuz its not really dangerous while feeling so much more immersive than crowdkilling pits where you gotta worry about some guy roundhousing you the whole time
@@hannahkozlovic1715are you talking about a normal moshpit or a karate class? Cause “hardcore” started with bands like black flags, minor threat in the late 70’s early 80’s and is also when moshing started. People in the 90’s-2000’s took the term “hardcore” for a completely different genre.
Had a bit of anxiety about the pit for a while, but I realize that this was because my first one basically was an unholy string of breaches of all unwritten rules :P I was 14 at a Slayer concert, relatively tiny, and did not enter the pit willingly. I was quickly pushed over and fell to the ground, and whenever I tried to get up, I was merely pushed back down. After a kick in the head, instead of trying to get back up, I made the decision to simply shield myself from more kicks. There was fortunately one guy that noticed me and yanked me outta there, but damn. A bit too dramatic for me back then, especially because it was only my second metal gig.
You survived,, also you know what you can take,, getting hit, sucks.. douche bags happen, also you told the story, when the crowd is close, I would just sort of slide with the sea of human, trying to move your feet, doesn't work.. I'm old kid .. stay cool.. and fear nothing
That happens sometimes. you survived and that is what makes you stronger. Also dont forget you were 14, at that weight you are getting tossed no matter what. Every show is a different crowd. if you liked it a bit, give it a chance. Cheers! live life!
Everything in this video is completely true. Very accurate about how pits can be a great way to deal with bad times. Craziest pit I've ever been in was for the BTBAM Parallax tour in 2023. It was just constant energy the entire night and it was downright exhausting. At one point, I was falling over like a tree that was just sawed at the base, but this big dude noticed and stopped me before I hit the ground. Then I went nuts the rest of the night, somehow. Thanks, pit friend, if you ever read this.
My girlfriend doesn’t listen to my music. She doesn’t understand the energy and emotion and beauty that comes from metal/punk/hardcore/etc. I grew up playing in several bands and my life was playing shows and going to shows. Now I’m getting pretty old and I was trying to describe how amazing hardcore pits were. I found this brilliant and amazing video. It gave her a glimpse into the lifestyle that got me here. Thank you so much for this video. So well done.
My first mosh pit was when i was 14 and the guys kept picking me up with RESPECT. Then the singer of the band playing said he was happy to see girls in the pit, then i knew i found my people.
@@DrEAmflEshmetal concerts are so fun, the vibes, the people, everything abt it is fire. i've never been near the pit or anything but of course women can mosh !!
Heyyy a fellow female metalhead lol. I’m going to my first Korn concert in abt two weeks. I get anxiety, so I’m a bit nervous. Should I be, or is it all just drowned out by the music once you’re in there concert?
@@D-a-n-c-i-n-g_R-a-c-c-o-o-n i was nervous when i recently went to my first concert (slipknot) and it was actually so fun! the music and (most) people just drown out your worries. it was very enjoyable and i've been wanting to go back ever since lmao. i didn't go into the pit since id probably get absolutely destroyed BUT i've heard it's awesome. i hope you have fun and stay safe !
@@D-a-n-c-i-n-g_R-a-c-c-o-o-n it get's drowned pretty fast. most of the time even in the moment you get near the venue. hope you will have a good time. korn are putting a hell of a show still
The first time I went into a pit I was on the edge of it and I think someone noticed that I looked like I was enjoying what I was seeing. I chickened out a few times before I felt someone push me in and now if there is a pit I will always be in or around it as that is where I have the most fun. I would love to say slayer is the most brutal pit I was involved in but I went and saw trivium and two guys turned the pit into some sort of fight where everyone around them were used as weapons to get the other one and there was a lot of flying elbows for no reason what so ever. You also forgot the first rule which is TIE YOUR SHOES PROPERLY!
Lost my shoe in a BFMV pit when I was about 16 hahaha, everyone stopped to help me find it :) I'm 29 now and still, the etiquette has always been on point!
I'm an old punk from the late 70's, and moshing was my jam. A broken ankle at a Testament show signaled it was time to stop, but I regret nothing! SO fun, miss those days.
Just was in a mosh pit last night at a Korn show in Atlanta. It was freaking awesome!!! I jumped in for like 7-8 of their songs, completely exhausted by the end of it. They ended the show with freak on a leash and I absolutely lost my shit in the pit on the break down. The people were really cool and stuck to the etiquette quite well. It was an amazing show. I freaking love that feeling of getting slammed around so damn much you cant even tell which direction the stage is. I'm not typically the aggressor, I just go with the flow and let it all happen with a huge smile on my face and laughing like the joker. Whoever I saw in front of me got shoved or elbowed as hard as I could too though. Add to that the super distorting strobing of the lights and the incredible music... its a life changing experience. Yesterday at that show was 2 years to the day since I lost my dad and I let that all out in fucking METAL!!!
Was at slayers farewell gig in Madrid back in 2018. That was the most insane mosh I’ve ever experienced. There were times when my feet didn’t touch the ground for like 20 second periods. Just being swept away by the madness. Fuck it was awesome.
Not only moshing but just in general what you said about metal shows helping you feel alive again is so accurate. Just days after my first relationship came to an end I saw Machine Head and it was cathartic head banging and feeling the music. Rob Flynn even gave a speech about how music helps in those hard times and damn it brought me to tears. There is nothing like a metal show!
At my school of rock where i take guitar lessons last April all the school of rock house bands in Colorado got together at one place and we all played a few songs of ours. One of the house bands played ride the lightning and if you were in that pit it was like a damn slayer pit. I'm 13 right now and at the time I was 12 and that was one of the coolest moments of my life. I got tossed around a bit because most the other people were about 16 and I proudly showed off my bruises to my friends at school the next day.
Moshing or slam dancing started in huntington beach CA as the "The HB strut" . Punks used to pogo. In the late 70s when punks im HB( a suburb in orange county) started what was known as slam dancing - skanking , flailing . More chaotic and ending up a circle ..yhe term "mosh" came from HR from bad brain's ( telling the crowd to " MASH IT UP " in a jamaican accent saying" MOSH" instesd . Keep in mind . That dance stared in punk rock with hardcore punk way before mwtal heads got into it . The Crossover thing broight that into metal.
my favorite pit was one of my first at a smaller venue where the band stopped playing to make sure that the one dude who was knocked out completely unconscious got the help they needed. Moshing especially in a smaller audience is incredibly respectful and will make sure you actually get out alive.
I took my non-Metalhead group of friends to see Bodysnatcher a few months ago. First concert and first pit for them. One of them sprained their wrist and another one got a bloody nose. But I’m glad to say they all had a blast and most of them were actually the ones to start the moshing sometimes 😂
My first mosh pit experience was in Vienna at Slipknot concert where I was just exploring what it actually takes and feels like. Circling started and somehow I was not ready for that and I fell as I started running. The only thing I did is I pushed my arms up towards the ceiling.... I fell a few touches and was standing again in less than a second :D The rule no. 1 applies and if you sometimes helped someone in the pit this thanks goes to you as well. Keep rockin'
I've fallen a few times and have never been let down (no pun intended). Whoever swoops in to help always acts like you are the most important thing in the world at that moment.
My greatest experience thus far was during a relatively unfamiliar psychedelic-rock band gig (Mother's Cake) where there were mostly older rockers. Near the end, a couple of guys entered into a moshpit leaving the band's lead astonished that this crowd would start a pit. Then all of a sudden, one guy starts doing the crabcore dance, something that I never heard of, and it was immediately epic. Afterwards, the moshers all shook hands. Great stuff.
had my first mosh pit experience actually about 2 weeks ago. I fell and sprained my ankle really bad but thankfully these two men picked me up and lifted me over the fence and showed me where the First Aid is. It wasn’t the best experience as a really small and short woman especially since it was mostly tall men in the pit. Maybe in the future I’ll try again and know what to expect and be better prepared :))
here’s my best pit: it was in my high school gym. not a very big or particularly crazy pit… it was my friends who got the school to let their band play in the gym during lunch for halloween. we were told NO MOSHING under any circumstances. well we weren’t going to let that stand. so my friends got me and a couple others to promise to teach all the freshmen there (we were seniors at the time) how to do a wall of death… of course we maybe didn’t tell them what a wall of death was until we were starting one… imagine about thirty teenagers all ramming into each other in the middle of a brightly lit gym at noon as your principal watches on in horror and your biology teacher (who totally figured this would happen) laughs her ass off. it was awesome, and the freshmen were very happy to show off a few bruises…! it’s been a year since then and those same freshmen are now frequenting a ton of local shows. really cool stuff, good memories.
I'm quite a shy and quiet guy, metal shows are a perfect place for me to enjoy the music, and just to be loud and alive without caring what others think. Moshing is usually what gets me on the mood to give it all, and it breaks this barrier that makes me hold back. My best five live experiences so far are Children of Bodom, Amorphis, Sodom, Megadeth, and Frank Carter & the Rattlesnakes.
Etiquette, Tom Cruise, Titanic, Walls of Death, and cool breezes and islands! This is hilarious and educational. Having had mosh pits break out next to me, my only advice is jump in or flee while saving your drink as the pit overtakes your area. Great video 🤘🏻
The care and teamwork in a pit is my favorite thing ever. The amount of times I've been knocked off balance and mid-fall heading towards the ground only to fall right into several sweaty angry metalheads hands as they push me back up to my feet before I even hit the ground and send me back off with the signature "you're good, keep moshing" little pat on the back is wild. One time one of my slipon vans flew off in an Amity Affliction pit so I had to keep moshing half-barefoot for a few seconds before I saw it on the ground and was somehow able to snatch it quickly and jam my foot back into it quick enough to keep moshing and somehow not getting my foot crushed. Good times.
i went to my first punk concert earlier this week. i was intimidated, but decided to go into the mosh pit. im pretty clumsy, but the moment i jumped in i was having an amazing time. i was blown away by how nice and caring concert people are- i fell down a couple times but immediately felt people pulling me up and checking on me. it was euphoric.
Smaller, completely chaotic punk moshes are by far the best in my experience! Never seen people swinging or kicking at others in them, only thing that can be a bit more hazardous with them are the jackets with 3 inch spikes sticking out where you least expect them lol
My favorite pit had to be municipal waste at a small bar last december. It was so nuts there were 200 people crammed in this small venue with beer flying, stage (grave) diving, and an ongoing pit 40+ min without anyone letting up. It was so wild!
I just went to a German festival with around 20k people there and at one point a big cirle pit wound up went inside and after a while got to the eye where a random guy in a wheelchair was passing blunts. It's crazy how many cool and friendly people you can meet there, despite the violent first look of it, it's like a whole adventure in there...
2 weeks ago when I was at Tuska open air, on the last day first Lorna Shore played and immediately after was Electric Callboy. I was TRENCHED, probably close to 15 wall of deaths, continuous MASSIVE pit all throughout the shows and just overall a god damn amazing time. Best 2 hours of my life.
I think my best mosh pit memory is when I was at the Reading festival attending the American punk band the Descendents in 1996. The energy from the band was so high and electrifying I couldn’t stop moshing at full blast from start to finish, so much so that at the end of a song, I suddenly had a serious cramp in my leg, started to massage it and after 10 seconds or so… the next killer song started which made me go back instantly in for the rest of the gig (cramp was gone). You really feel super powers in the pit!
That was a really good breakdown! I need to add - mosh pit derived from circle pit in punk. Going the opposite direction was awesome. You are not the aggressor but the receiver of hits and blows. Very hard to do and huge respect was granted !!!
Most memorable pit was in ‘88 seeing DRI, Kreator, and Holy Terror in a small venue. The venue cut power to DRI halfway through their set and kicked everyone out. That pit was insane 😁
Nobody outside of the rock/metal community and honestly some people in it just can’t wrap their minds around it. Personally I absolutely love it! I just find the show much more memorable memorable and fun. Unfortunately I haven’t had the opportunity to be in very many but I’ve loved it every time! I won’t forget my first hardcore pit. I went and saw Carnifex at a music festival and a pit broke out on the first song and a guy was swinging his arms and hit me right in the nose. I got a deviated septum and a concussion. Plus that pit was so insane I got knocked over a couple of times but the ground at that stage was small rocks so my hands and arms got cut up. After that show I was battered and bloody but goddamn did I have a good time!
Just last month I was at the Graspop festival and I moshed around to Hatebreed and Gojira. The most impressive thing was during Gojira, a big wave formed in the mosh pit next to me and crashed in to the rim of the circle. As a result, around 30 people got pushed to the ground a few meter from me, and as I saw this, I immediatly planted my feet into the ground and spread my elbows out to block any incoming wave. As people started to get back up, I noticed a huge ring of metalheads doing the same as me all around the area where people fell. Telepathy in the mosh pit in quite impressive ! X)
I’m glad you addressed the fact that there’s some people that do break the unspoken mosh rules and single people out. I’m a brown nu metal/rock fan and people LOVE to act like there aren’t racist assholes that do go after people on purpose (literally heard slurs being thrown in the pit), much less ppl going after those just generally smaller than them (esp women) and tell me “oh just get over it it happens to everyone” even though it’s clearly not the same as being accidentally hit or something.
Been in sooo many hard pits ...always a stress reliever with my moshing brothers and sisters....gets us through the years of all the bullshit we go through ... awesome video
I think the pit that stands out most to me currently was the one at Parkway Drive's show at Graspop this year. At the end of a song, I momentarily stopped focusing on the band, only to look back at the screen next to the stage and see the vocalist suddenly suspended in the crowd, about 20 metres to my right and a few metres back. The band started "Idols and Anchors" which starts with a sing-along vocalizing part, but then kicks in hard and fast. Realising what was happening, I pushed in that direction, and when the fast part started, the vocalist started a circle pit AROUND him, with him suspended in the eye of the pit. That was so sick, the closest I managed to get to him was about two meters at some point, everyone was going nuts. He surfed all the way back to the stage at the end of the song too. The crowd at that show was just so insane, never seen anything like it. That was my first time crowdsurfing too, so I'll remember that performance for the rest of my life.
Great video.. my first time in moshpit was in metalfest in czech republic when i was 15, i thought i would die, but i was so fucking amazed by other ppl, how they cared for each other and what kind of energy was there. Even now, when i am leaving a concert or festival where i was moshing, i always feel exhausted, bruised and tired, but it's when i feel alive.
my first pit was at a slaughter to prevail show. It was truly an amazing experience. When I "fell", I was only tipped backwards for like a half a second before I had hands on all sides of me and I was literally launched back up to my feet. I lifted completely off the ground for a moment. It was the coolest show experience I've ever had. Bruises and all
I attended a metal festival for the first time this year and to my surprise I had never felt so safe in any other music event. Loved all the dudes blowing their energy out and I made many "friends" during those couple days. Thank you metalheads for being the best.
Man, my wifes been watching your channel for a while now and i watch with her. Always gives me happy chills. This one is one we've been talking about for a bit (shes commenting now lol) but younger generations need to pitt more...its so cathartic. You cant be angry at the world after a night of slamming...I got excited when we started the vid and told her "man i hope he talks about pit etiquette!" And there it was. Most dont understand how real it is. No ones trying to hurt you (except those frat boys with backward ball caps). Craziest pitt...hmm... probably Deicide, not that it was terrible but the spikes the fans all were wearing were intense lol.
I’m 15 broskis. I’ve been moshing for less then a year but I’ve been to 7 shows this year. My one year anniversary of moshing is coming up soon. Can’t wait to celebrate it at the festival it all started at. Blue Ridge Rock Fest.
Back in the 80's, we called it slam dancing. I have fond memories slam dancing at hardcore punk shows. Biggest pit was seeing GBH in Atlanta 1986. I don't think I heard the term "mosh" until the S.O.D. record came out. I'm pretty sure MTV played a part in spreading the term "mosh pit".
My moms boyfriend took her to a smaller show here in Detroit about a decade ago, they were in their early 40s and he was a 6’5 about 280 pound beast and my mom is 5’2 maybe 120ish and she got pulled into the pit and knocked out by the same guy (the same guy who pulled her in) and her boyfriend shut that pit down and beat this dude within inches of his life and they had to bring a stretcher inside the place to get him. My mom just had one of those pop knots on her forehead for a week or so after and was fine but that dude had a bad year. Don’t pull people (especially females who look like they might be a little older, AND standing next to someone who is a foot taller than you) into the pit just so you have someone to hit. R.I.P Rick! We had our issues but you were a real one!
One of my favorite pit moments was at a festival in Houston, TX in 2015. Death Grips were playing and their set was so mesmerizing that the atmosphere amongst the crowd was unforgettable! If you weren’t in the pit then you were pogoing on the outside with everyone else. Thousands of them.
If I'm ever in a burning building I hope the people there love metal. Everyone will get out safely, no people trampled.. we have been practicing for years :)
My first pit was Fit For a King at BRRF. I was pushed in by some dude about a song or two into their set. When I was pushed in the song was about to start. It was none other then BackBreaker. One of their heaviest songs. When their set ended I was forever changed by that experience. I will mosh until I can mosh no more!
Oh, don't forget to use proper form: elbows out, fingers in, you need to use the arm to push against the others, always look to all sides and push to the direction you're going. Don't use any sharp objects on you, don't take your phone with you if you can avoid it, don't punch people, don't kick people (lest you lose your balance), put your hair down and don't pull anyone's hair. If you are at the edge of a mosh pit but not in, hold your position and gently conduct the people bouncing onto you to the safest direction of travel. If you need to keep your eyes on the band, block yourself with one arm, hands facing out. If you don't like mosh pits and find yourself in one, go out in a skipping fashion.
I was at my first concert this year and saw a Mosh Pit for the first time. It was so cool! There was some granny, running in a circle, having the time of her life with other punks, and that was the best thing I’ve ever seen. Love it. (sorry for the bad english)
My crowning concert-going achievement was opening the pit myself for Carcass at Chicago Open Air in 2016. I was baffled that such a heavy band didn’t have a pit and took it upon myself to get it going!
i remember my first pit experience quite vividly. it was at a concert at the Melkweg in Amsterdam, i managed to get to the front of the stage with a huge smile on my face, which quite quickly became less large as i fell down and it was like i was in a dark forest of sweaty legs, and i thought to myself "is this how i die?" and then a hand reached down from above akin to a god reaching down to one of her subjects, grabbed my forearm and pulled me up. after that i took a break from moshing, though later i went back in, i had no desire to go to the front again though.
one of my favorite mosh pits so far was a GWAR pit. if you're at an indoor venue with concrete floors, it gets so slippery but that just makes it 10x more fun. and people usually go ham for gwar shows. can't wait to see them again.
ive definitely had my mosh pit nightmares (being 5'3 makes you perfect height for a stray elbow/fist to the face) including having my glasses smashed on my face at lorna shore and thrown to the floor by drunk sweaty guys but people saw me disorientated on the floor, got me up, and got me out, and had people sprint across a mosh pit because it looked like id been injured. its just one of those things that happens, but its so much fun and (on the most part) everyone is so nice and looks out for each other, and if i ever don't feel up to moshing im always happy to stand on the outside wall of people and take a shove
2:04 you’d be surprised. I did not expect a fucking Alestorm pit of all things to be one of the most intense things I’ve ever seen at a show (note I’ve unfortunately never got to see slayer and have only been to a few shows where big pits actually opened up)
Yeah true, one of my first metal gigs was Gloryhammer and Alestorm, which broke the record for most crowd surfers in that venue, was like in the high hundreds lmao
I'd say, easiest moshpits to become accustomed to are at ska/ska-punk gigs, one of the most complex are folk-core concerts like Korpiklaani and Alestorm. But hardcore moshpits are A mess, there's always a wannabe Bruce Lee that will fuck the pit up
My first moshpit was Bad Omens at Blue Ridge 22 last year. Mfer's came out playing Artificial Suicide and I didn't know they had heavy ass songs like that. Kinda got swept into the pit but ended up moshing the whole set. HAD A BLAST!
When I get in one, if I need to get out immediately, I can feel it. Went into a pennywise and dropkick murphys mosh pit (yes, you heard it), and all I got was a strained thumb
Just to warn newbies that are thinking of moshing that there are people out there that go into a pit looking for a fight. Enough people will eventually see it and join forces to pull the guy out of the pit. If the asshole keeps trying to comeback in people will get securitys attention and theyll be usually literally, thrown outta the venue. Dont worry, these people are not a common occurrence. My best tip for the mosh pit is to not jump in right away. Give it a couple minutes, assess the situation, wait for it to grow so you have an idea of what youre going in to. While youre in there just set your body free. Let the music and energy of the place take over and do whatever feels good. Push, head bang, do some dance moves in between getting pushed, just do whatever feels natural in the moment. I do advise you to take breaks, dont over due it. You could be going for a few songs straight feeling good but then out of nowhere you get lightheaded and dizzy. Exerting that much energy in a hot and stuffy place while getting pushed every which way will take alot out of you. Take regular breaks and keep hydrated. But most of all have fun. Believe me, no ones judging you for the way you choose to mosh. No ones looking at you, everyones busy being in their own headspace to care about what people around them are doing, and at the end of the day we all know how rediculous we look. Good luck, and have fun!
There was a mosh pit for KMFDM and it had the exact cast of characters you described. It was also the most fun I've ever had in one because it felt safe and everyone was having a great time. I slept like a baby due to how tired I was after the show but damn I'd do it again...just less sweaty.
i’m 13 and only 5ft and there’s been several bands (mainly metal ones) i’ve wanted to see live, but i’ve been deadass pretty scared cuz i feel like i’d get dragged into a mosh pit or get stomped, but honestly this vid n these comments cured my fear of mosh pits 😭
dunno if you're still feeling that way but i'm 18 and like 5'1, was at a death metal show with the crowd consisting 95% of 6', 200lbs middle aged guys, and even though i got rammed in the pit a few times i got pulled out there immediately when i tried to get out 🫶 you can always watch from the sidelines before jumping into a pit, and always keep your arms in front of your face to avoid elbows hahahaha
Last year at the Death To All tour I walked out with bruised legs and arms, a terrible back pain, and limping to my van. Totally worth it. I also remember last year at Overkill's tour when Rotten to the Core was playing, and we were all running in circles. I felt like a demon racing through the pit of hell, like a Doom imp ready to wreak havoc, or a Mordor orc prepared to destroy everything. Such a liberating experience...
Proud to say I’m the older metal head with lots of energy still. I always tell myself I’m going to chill and just watch the band but it’s inevitable that I end up in the pit. Long live Metal!!!!!
I recently had the pleasure to be in one of the best mosh pits ever. Slaughter to Prevail was in town in Montreal. I had been wanting to see them for over a year now and this was my chance. Their first ever appearance in Canada! So, to say the least, people were absolute pumping with adrenalin even before the show started. When the show started it was carnage. Every man for himself, bodies flying around, people crowd surfing. Sweaty neckbeards windmilling. Then when Bratva came on everybody knew this was gonna be insane. I was 2-stepping hard as fuck, I look up. I see freaking Alex the terrible the freaking huge russian bear jump in the crowd. He starts CROWD KILLING HITS ME WITH AN ELBOW ON MY RIBS. Almost knocks the air out of me 😂😂. And we just start all moshing with him. What a night. Next day big ass bruise and bruisers all over. Ill never forgot it. If anyone gets the chance to see Slaughter to Prevail DONT MISS OUT. Alex also posted later on his Instagram that it was the best show in his life hahaha
My first ever gig at 11 was Trivium, straight away I learnt two rules of the most pit as my friend pushed me unconsenting into the pit (we’d discussed earlier it but I’d not actually made the decision yet) so instantly I got smashed to the floor and as quick as I had I was pulled back to my feet and thrown back out of the pit.
I will never forget my favourite pit experience of all time. Two guys came in banana costumes and stood on either ends of the crowd and the band noticed them and had them crowd surf to the middle of the crowd and start a wall of death. 10/10
Great video explaining the concept most pit to quote on quote normal people, I find it hard to quantify it to non metal heads and people who have no concept of metal, I've been in my fair share of pits but I'm now retired from the mosh pit as I don't want any injuries or end up with broken glasses or lose them and having to fork out money on repairing them or buying a new pair, but I'm happy to say been there and done it
Normal guy here. Been to a small moshpit and wall of death 1-3 times. It was a while back. But it is quite obvious how respectful everyone is to one another. An outsider might think, like in said in the video, just crazy people, but these metal festivals have some respect that isn’t always seen elsewhere. Thank you for the video! I enjoyed it
The craziest pit I've witnessed was too scary for me. It was The Acacia Strain playing in their peak of popularity and there was a certain vibe. I knew people would get hurt. I witnessed a guy get his face walked on which pried a tooth out of his mouth. A friend of a friend got his eye gouged pretty good. Just the white part of the eye but still he was bleeding from his freaking eyeball and I'm still traumatized. He was freaking out so bad and I don't blame him. He left in an ambulance and needed surgery.
I once lost my glasses in a mosh pit (rookie mistake of course, keeping them on), and 3 guys suddenly stopped and created a little barrier for me to have the space to pick them up. It was a surreal moment, so much care in such a violent space. Of course, right after I put them back on, they slammed into me. 10/10 experience.
And if you went in without your glasses, you’re even more fucked so maybe just stay at the back line or wear contacts if you’re referring to prescribed glasses 😂😂😂😂
OMG exact same situation. Guys nearby understood instantly what happened and protected me and one of them while we were looking for the glasses in the dark through the grass with our hands. Epic respect !!!
THAT’S METAL AF
Wedry v moshpitu, tak to zní jako bizár lull
I can’t imagine how you could ever keep from dropping your glasses constantly in a mosh pit
I survived Slayer twice back in the 90's. Dislocated my jaw the second time. Had my jaw put back in place with a swift punch in opposite direction!!! SLAYER!!!!!
Slayer fans really are something
I just saw Slayer once and didn't get hurt but it was wild, a guy fall over me and never knew where he comes. 😂
god damn...
Hahah…lost part of tooth during Rain in Blood!
FUCKIN' SLAYER!!!
The first mosh pit I was ever in several people lifted a guy in a wheelchair (at his request) above their heads and took him to the centre as people moshed around them. That was the first of many things I will never forget from mosh pits and metal shows in general, for both the good and bad
@LukeBiggs-ny5te
i seen that happen before.
was it in Ozzfest in NJ??? forget the year...
It'd be a different vibe if they did it against his will lol
We helped a guy in a wheelchair crowd surf this past weekend! People don’t realize the love, care, and respect metal heads share!
That's so awesome. I've seen some pics of stuff like that.
This year at nova rock a guy in a wheelchair started a pit by gradually driving in a bigger circle! Absolute legend!
Lost my wallet and phone in an Avatar pit. After the show, two giant Samoan dudes approach me, and I start wondering what I did to piss them off. Turns out they had my phone! They saw me drop it in the pit, used their large frames to block people, retrieved it, and waited until after the show to find me.
As for the wallet, someone else returned it to lost and found, and only $10 was missing, which is exactly what I would have spent buying that person a beer!
Love this community.
Awesome
Avatar and Orbit Culture was the craziest pit I’ve experienced went from noobie thrasher to standing on the side line pushing 3 giant wrecking balls (drunk linebackers) back in the pit when they got tossed
Avatar was the most insane pit I've seen...that was just a few days ago.
I LOVE AVATAR!! 🤘
I remember the time I lost both my shoes at an Ozzie Osbourne concert. It was when Jake E Lee was playing guitar.
This 64 year old granny still loves a good mosh! The kindness and respect in a good pit is soul satisfying. The guys will make an opening for me and also keep a protective eye on me. I tend to hang around the outer perimeter these days as I'm more fragile than I was in my 40s 😜🤘 Looking forward to Clutch in a few weeks...
You're awesome!!
Is it your grandpa or grandma?
This is the best comment I've come across in a good while!
Damn respect granny❤🤘
You goddamn savage, you.
I lost my wedding ring in a Sepultura mosh pit - in seconds dozens of people were searching for it and eventually found it! I was so glad - I mean explain this to your wife... But absolut respect to the wonderful people metal heads actually are
That's what's up
I have witnessed numerous people fall on the floor and the pit stopped to let a guy or gal up.... I don't doubt the story at all. 👍
there was a little person in the mosh at sepultura and started a mosh cult
I saw a thing that said metal heads are good people disguised as bad people, and hippies are bad people disguised as good people. Life has never been the same, it was the most truth ever spoken😂
Yup. I witnessed a few times when someone has lost the wallet or the phone, every time it was found and returned. Everyone near the place where you lost it instantly just scatter around and start to search and look around the floor for the thing lol. I also tend to leave my jacket and stuff on some random place so I can go in the front, nobody ever touched them. It seems all metalheads around the world are always like this, this is really nice
The moshpit is just quite simply one of the only situations where you can GENUINELY lose your shit and go completely primate feral without getting in trouble, it's straight up addictive
You go apeshit and walk out in arms with people you didn't know you were brothers with. It's fucking amazing. Just fucking soul purifying amazing.
Didn't need this shit at a Led Zeppelin concert wayyy too busy listening to history being Made!!!❤🥰
@@chriscoo8367 Let me guess, you're only 15 and were born in the wrong generation because you listen to music from the 70's!? My god how utterly unique you are
@@coolcoconuts4453 No I'm nowhere near 15 try 64! And grew up Loving and listening to The Zeppelin
@@chriscoo8367 Well then adjust to the times old timer, what makes you think that history isnt being made today just because people are moshing at concerts? Do you not remember when rock n roll was perceived as devil's music that would only corrupt the youth? I'm sure people generations before you were all saying "we didnt need no distortion or screaming at our concerts, we were just there watching history being made!"
honestly, the best part about being in the pit is you feel like you're surrounded by your best friends, who are really just total strangers for the duration of the show. I've met/interacted with people in moshpits who were some of the nicest people ever.
This! Still have people on social media I've met at metal shows/festivals :)
I feel like you'll nearly always make friends out of total strangers at metal shows/festivals, especially if you are going alone. I've interacted with so many people from all ages and from all over the world, some of which I still try to meet up with about once a year (would love it to be more often but flights are expensive).
Theyre all super friendly. It's very easy to start a conversation too "hey are you that lady that decked me in a face?" Then it all starts from there 😂
Hell yeah dude the post mosh pit arm wraps or hugs from your newfound friends are brilliant love it.
I was at a local Halloween show in my town one year and there was this guy dressed as a car. He had made the car out of boxes and his head and hands were inside as the driver. Fairly elaborate yet still very homemade looking, it was definitely one of the best costumes. This guy stood near the back of the room most of the show. It was a small venue, but I suppose there were a couple hundred there. Anyway, the pit formed and was pretty energetic. There were people standing around it and others were walking around getting their drinks and such. Suddenly with no warning or buildup, car guy suddenly ran forward from the back of the room at full blast. He somehow made a fully clear path, no obstructions whatsoever, and slammed into the dead center of the pit! There he became the absolute center of attention until his car costume was absolutely obliterated to shreds.
That was seriously one of the coolest things I've ever seen.
😂
I had my first mosh pit experience last month while seeing Metallica. I didn't plan on moshing, but after doing some shoving from the perimeter for the first few songs one guy noticed I was right on the edge of diving in so he grabbed my arm and next thing I knew I was thrashing around with all these different people. I had never felt so much like I could just be myself around other people and after dealing with some low points in the months prior, I unexpectedly found the most positive way imaginable to let all that anger and negative emotion just flow out of me. Moshing really is therapeutic in the wildest way and I'll never forget all those shoulder-to-shoulder collisions with the rest of the Metallica Family to the sound of Fuel, Battery and Hardwired. Best nights of my life.
Funny that my first moshpit was in a metallica concert too, it went similarly too, and it was a year ago almost the same time you commented 😂
As a 5’3” female there are some pits I’ve been too intimidated to mosh in but man every time I run in one it’s the best time of my life. Not everyone is aware of their strengths, so sometimes you fall, but it takes SECONDS before people are picking you up and you’re running free again. Also, if you get stuck in the middle where everyone is pushing each other and can’t shove your way out, there’s people on the outside of the pit who will pull you out. Trust the pit 🤘🏻
Same😂small female club 🙋🏼♀️. We are probably in the category " to afraid to shove because they could break "🤣.
In my experience, the size difference is just a problem when there is to much room around me. One time I was flying 2 meters because a guy bodycecked me🤣. And we have to look out for the elbows because our heads are right there . Most of the time I will just run around like I am in a boxing match. I have to ceep the guard up 👀🙉😅.
But most of the time I have to analyze the energy of the pit. If it's too rugth I need to get out (/don'tgo in), otherwise I won't survive.
It really takes seconds. I've even had times when people caught me preventing me from hitting the ground. We all look out for each other.
Not as little as you, but same camp! I hate when my assessment is that it's too dangerous of one for me to participate in, because I feel like I missed out. But sometimes the guys are just too big... and throwing windmill arms and ninja kicks like a dick.
I was at a show at First Avenue when a cute little Punk girl about your size got absolutely clocked by someone much bigger, flat on her back. Somebody picked her up by the jacket and shooed her away. Rough out there.
I simply don't run into anyone that looks like they're half my weight.
I think the best thing about Mosh pits is when the bands see you so involved, you give the band energy to put on a great performance!!
Yeah spot on, being in a band and seeing how hard the crowd is going pumps you up even more, it's the best feeling in the world
hell yeah, audience participation is the best thing about live music.
i wish they'd turn the cameras around and show the crowd on those giant screens, instead of the band singing into a microphone
@@kevinbenedetto5281 they do at inkcarceration some times
...and the even better ones are when the band conducts the fucking pit. (I know, not metal, but...) First time I saw Three Days Grace, the singer was eating up how active and fucking mental the pit was. He called for it and planted his mic stand right in front of us as a show of approval.
I’ve only ever been in one and it was a real small one. And i was really happy that there was basically no punching just really hyped up dancing. Basically just shoving and so. Really cool experience
I saw a guy at Ozzfest get his leg broken in the pit and on my next circle round I saw 6 dudes picking him up and took him to the medical tent. Fuckin respect. I am also a two time Slayer pit survivor. 🤘🏻
I was front row to a slayer show once. That was the most intense pit I’ve been in. Trying to avoid crowd surfers and feeling the weight of the mosh. I nearly called it quits. But I endured. One of the best experiences I’ve had. Specially cos it was their final tour.
@@yourbiggestfan746 Haha - ..."what doesn't KILL US, makes us STRANGER..." *Aeon Flux
Craziest pits ive been in was at a small show for Deicide,Skinless and Immolation. Seemed like every guy in the pit was 6 foot + and 200 + i was 5'10 190 in most pits i do well that one was basically trying to survive.
I worked at a punk club in ny in 81'. Then they called it slam dancing and alot of the etiquette started then. Don't be a dick,help those that have fallen, have a good time.
Dang, a broken leg is a big deal.
Wild thing for me to experience, and it was totally unexpected, but the mosh pit that formed while the Beasties Boys played Sabotage at Lollapalooza was insane. It was so unexpected for me to see a huge pit break out during the Beastie Boys set. Sabotage was a brand new song, and man, that was fun!
That sounds amazing
Huh...Futurama ACTUALLY got it right.
BEAUTIFUL MOSH PIT STORY: My first metal fest was tresspass america back in 13, Young me wanted to mosh so i jumped in that shit. I got banged around (obviously) but 4 songs into Killswitch Engage, i got my legged snapped at the knee. Went down and couldnt get back up. Something like 20 dudes made a wall around me and literally carried my ass to the medics, through the pit, everything. It was such a beautiful moment seeing so many dudes, young and old, saying you cant get back up, so we got you brother. Man i love metal. Been to 150+ shows since that day!
metal heads are truly a family in one wild form.
Got knocked out at a Dying Fetus show (needed seven stitches). A Navy medic helped me and carried me outside, bandaged my head up, called the paramedics, then went right back in to mosh. He got my number before he left to tell me the story. Mad respect for him. Also a Slayer pit survivor!
Can I say I just love this strimg of words... 'got knocked out at a dying fetus show'. Never heard of this band, but it sounds on brand. Love your spirit, though. No victim, no complaints, just got right back into it. Mad respect!
I got my front teeth busted out at morbid angel in the late 90’s
Then got my replacements busted a couple years later at System of a Down.
Good times
I saw dying fetus with all shall perish years ago, my knock out was Whitechapel
Knocked out at a Dying fetus show? Yea that definitely checks out, along with the 7 stitches. Glad you are safe now but fuck thats kinda badass, wonder what type of gnarly conversation starter scar thats gonna leave
I’ve been in almost 40 mosh pits throughout the last 5 years of going to different shows. I first started going into punk shows, then local house party shows with larger crowds, and then massive crowds. Etiquette is everything. Every person that I’ve seen fall in the pit, I picked them up right away. And you’ll be picked up by not just one person but 3 or more simultaneously. That takes dedication, looking out for someone and shit.
EDIT and Update: I have now officially been in 50 mosh pits after attending this year’s Aftershock festival in Sacramento, CA.
Plus you will have people blocking your body so no one steps on you while they get you up.
What separates US from those other look away or be ignorant motherfucks is that WE"RE crazy enough to give a fuck about others and theirs (and our) safety. I'm elated to hear that other people like you and I give a fuck in the pits.
...Back in '96 I missed Adam Jones' solo during the Aenima tour in Vancouver, cos my girlfriend at the time was having a seizure because of all the smoke, etc.....NOBODY stopped to help me out until EMS arrived (and we were at an accessible spot too....I had to send a GM Place employee to call 911.... fuckin disgrace.
Who counts there Mosh pits
@@MrHamtitsI've lost count, lol
It's been 21 years since my first Pit and every one was incredible ⛪
My favorite mosh memory was when a buddy and me started a pit at the Judas Priest show after the drum fill in Painkiller. The crowd was pretty tame up until that point, a much older group for sure. About 20 people joined us, Rob and Ritchie came over to our side of the stage and just smiled big at us. Love that seal of approval from the metal god himself.
Those types of pits are often my favourite. Especially in very small venues, just going in with a friend and opening the fucking pit together.
One of the coolest moshpits experiences I had was on an Amon Amarth show in Rio. It was a medium sized venue, the mosh was really cool but the highlight was during a song the whole mosh started sitting down and "rowing the boat". Johan Hegg, the vocal, said that was one of the coolest things he ever seen.
@@henriquerodrigues7795I can absolutely confirm that! Been to a couple Amon Amarth shows and those always have amazing pits. And the rowing is so fucking fun
7:11 is a perfect example of good etiquette. Everyone could see he was on his way out, yeah he got bumped, but nobody tried to guide him back into the pit.
the first pit i was in was accidental, it was a tiny outdoor stage at a festival for electric callboy, and little 16 year old me was swept up into it, as a young girl, with my friend, she was also 16, we had the time of our lives, and everyone around us was so nice! they looked out for us, but kept us involved, it was amazing
The bottom line of the mosh pit is this: enter at your own risk. From my personal experience watching mosh pits (never personally been in one before, but very close to one), the majority of moshers are pretty cool people who do it for fun. Injuries are just part of moshing. Some people take pride in their mosh injuries..🤕😎
i went to my first punk show today and jumped in the pit after some hesitation but boy was it FUN!!! and i fell twice and both times i was picked up literally immediately by smiling people and we just continued moshing and it was so fun and i only have a couple bruises and i enjoyed every second of it
Man I miss those days as a kid in middle and high school. Take advantage when you’re young, go to as many shows as you can cuz one day you may grow out of it and you’ll have a family and not have time.
I did it from 2001 to about 2005 and saw hundreds of bands and shows I can’t remember, but I’ll always remember the moshing the craziness. Was lucky I got it out of my system though so 20 years later I don’t feel like I missed out.
Man, I’m going to Megadeth soon and I wanted floor tickets _so_ bad, but I’m taking my friend who is very new to metal and I didn’t want her to get squashed in the pit since she tends to follow me around, so I got seats. Ive also been to this venue before and the floor layout is super weird. 100% doing it at the next concert I go to though, which is in November.
Back in May, I was at a Bloodywood show, and was in the pit. I fell, and about .5 seconds later, I felt 5-6 hands grabbing me to pull me back up. It always ring true to help people up.
Pitt etiquette is real
Yep bloodywood is still my most insane pit as well dude lol
Bloodywood crowds are so fucking wholesome man. Saw mostly female crowdsurfers during Dana Dan, didn't spot a single groper on any of the women I've seen moving forward. Haven't seen that with any other band I know of where females started surfing.
@@DennisVlaanderenConsidering the message of that song, any gropers would probably end up leaving the show brutally mauled, if they'd leave at all. Bloodywood are absolutely amazing and wholesome, and it reflects on their fanbase too 🫶🤘
Was in one the other day and a fella had to tie his shoelace up so they formed a circle around him til he was good
Last night at the Mudvayne show I helped two teenagers surf for the first time after explaining pit etiquette. They came back around and thanked me. So satisfying to help the next generation join the community.
See comment above lol
My first pit took me by surprise. I was watching Black Label Society open up for Anthrax on a tour run. The first song they played, nobody moshed and there was no pit, so i assumed i was safe while standing in the designated area. I decided to record the band as they started their second song (i believe it was Funeral Bell). The second they started the pit quite literally erupted behind me and i was dragged in. It caught me by surprise but i quickly got the hang of it, although i ran out of breath like 30 seconds in. It was a good time.
I was always afraid of the pit until a few weeks ago I ended up at the edge of one and really enjoyed the bumping into each other. Later that night I experienced my first wall of death, circle pit, getting picked up after falling and catching some fists with my face. I fell in love with the whole experience. I've been to 3 more concerts since and always went for the pit right away. What a fantastic experience. One more "rule" you didn't mention is that when somebody needs to tie their shoelaces everybody forms a barrier around them so they don't get hurt. I love moshing!
Largest circle pit I've been in was Lamb of god at Hellfest 2019. It was basically like running around a baseball diamond and I definitely didn't make it around that many times before needing oxygen. Wildest pit I'd say was the Exodus golf cart pit at Full Terror Assault in 2021.
I was in that LOG Hellfest pit that was insane
I was at that Lamb of God concert too, I was in the front row and the crowd pressure was a bit too much so I jumped in that big ass circle pit and used it like a freeway to get to the back where I had a little more room to breathe. T’was fun!
Craziest I was in was Exodus on their The Beatings Continue... tour with Anthrax. Toxic Waltz was a come to Jesus moment for me and I almost pissed myself when I heard the riff for Raining Blood
Try running the opposite direction in a circle pit. Good times...just make it sure it's at a smaller show.
I was in that golf cart pit. It was definitely unique. I did not expect it gain as much attention as it did.
my best pit story is from the first time I saw Slayer. Testament was opening, and I was fairly close up when Chuck called for the crowd to split up, and having never seen a wall of death before, I thought "hey! I can get close to the stage!" That was pain.
Omg wow that's amazing, what an introduction haha!
I saw slayer in 2019 at Rock im Park. Unofrtunately couldnt join the pit since I had stepped on a cole before and barely could move. I bet it is one of the most intense moshpits
I always feel the pit out from a distance at first, after being in a contortionist pit, I made a new rule that I won’t go in pits where people are throwing hands or legs! I was just in a few this weekend for inkcarceration, and it’s amazing to see how different every one is, even if there’s multiple pits for 1 song! Something new I saw this weekend were people carrying crowd surfers across the pit so they don’t fall in, and the people in the pit slowing down to let them through! One of the biggest things is to know your limits though! I have terrible cardio and I was in a pit for lamb of god during redneck, and after 2 or so minutes, I felt my heart rate double to over 200, I immediately got out, stumbled through the insane crowd, got back to my friends and was able to chill out! Also, if you have friends who aren’t moshing, give them all your stuff before you enter a pit! You don’t want to be the guy trying to bend over to grab your phone or keys that fell out of your pocket!
If Solo.. front pocket.. wallet etc.. I've been in many,, also never try to Block.. Simply grab the back of your Head, it's faster.. and works.. stay fun. Also more bro at Metal shows.. then Hardcore shows.. cheers from Huntington Beach CA 🇺🇸
Man i feel the cardio part. Saw LoG too and was EXHAUSTED sooo quick. Just get out of the pit, catch your breath and go back if you want. It was such a dope concert, crazy energy and i didnt knew you could jump so much on log.
@@tarmak354 redneck was the first song I ever moshed to! It’s a personal rule to make sure I mosh to it whenever I see them!
@@GuitarAlex Hell yeah ! first time crowd surfing for me !
Them dudes who throw fists and kicks suck. The best pits in my experience were in the early to mid 90s, just after the grunge era. They weren't too hard or weren't too light, they were just right...
My best pi memory happened at SummerBreeze 2023. During the Killswitch Engage show I ran in three different circle pits during a single song. It was WILD yet beautiful.
Liberating, addictive, mesmerizing, unifying... A lot of beautiful adjectives come to mind when I think about mosh pits. I love to do it and I do it with respect and courtesy. For me, three rules of thumbs are: 1. Keep moving, 2. Keep your elbows pressed to your body so that you don't hurt anybody/dislocate your arm, and 3. If you're exhausted - rest. 🤘🏽
As a hardcore/powerviolence guy I was unsure if you would touch on the clear distinction between that and more traditional metal. But you did so perfectly and completely covered all the etiquette for every type of pit. Very well done.
As a fellow hardcore fella I appreciate any metalhead that doesn’t simply discredit hardcore pits. It’s just it’s own kind of pit and it’s a great time if you’re into that kind of thing
So, the power violence pits are now Kung Fu pits? Ugh. The 90s were so much better than that with REAL power violence.
@@NobodyCares6996 yeah, I preferred when it was all like 2 stepping and circle pits and stuff. I'm not into the fist swinging and kicking. TBH those moves were seriously frowned upon in the scene in the early 00's, and you would be labelled as a "false". The kicking especially was not good to do in the shows around that time. Wind milling was accepted if you wind milled during a two step, but stationary wind milling was seen as false as well.
I think this was mainly due to the fake hardcore scene at the time (bands like bring me the horizon) where the scene kids started to play death metal, but called it hardcore. you had both scenes at war with each other, and the scene kids did windmilling and kicking, and it was seen as super-g@y by the posi kids. The proper hardcore shows were all 2 stepping and circle pits and stuff. The moshing was way cooler and actually required some skill and practice to be good.
@@NobodyCares6996 yeah i love push pits cuz its not really dangerous while feeling so much more immersive than crowdkilling pits where you gotta worry about some guy roundhousing you the whole time
@@hannahkozlovic1715are you talking about a normal moshpit or a karate class? Cause “hardcore” started with bands like black flags, minor threat in the late 70’s early 80’s and is also when moshing started. People in the 90’s-2000’s took the term “hardcore” for a completely different genre.
9:01 This statement hit hard. I was going through super shitty times recently and being in a wild ass crowd at a show helped me feel so much better.
Totally agree there. (And hope you're feeling better now!)
Having an area to redirect the excess energy does help. The mosh pit is a great area to let it go. Glad you enjoyed it!
Had a bit of anxiety about the pit for a while, but I realize that this was because my first one basically was an unholy string of breaches of all unwritten rules :P I was 14 at a Slayer concert, relatively tiny, and did not enter the pit willingly. I was quickly pushed over and fell to the ground, and whenever I tried to get up, I was merely pushed back down. After a kick in the head, instead of trying to get back up, I made the decision to simply shield myself from more kicks. There was fortunately one guy that noticed me and yanked me outta there, but damn. A bit too dramatic for me back then, especially because it was only my second metal gig.
Sorry that happened, that would turn anyone off. I hope you get to enjoy moshing with more considerate people.
You survived,, also you know what you can take,, getting hit, sucks.. douche bags happen, also you told the story, when the crowd is close, I would just sort of slide with the sea of human, trying to move your feet, doesn't work.. I'm old kid .. stay cool.. and fear nothing
That happens sometimes. you survived and that is what makes you stronger. Also dont forget you were 14, at that weight you are getting tossed no matter what. Every show is a different crowd. if you liked it a bit, give it a chance. Cheers! live life!
Slayer shows seems wild.. especially when you were a kid-
Everything in this video is completely true. Very accurate about how pits can be a great way to deal with bad times. Craziest pit I've ever been in was for the BTBAM Parallax tour in 2023. It was just constant energy the entire night and it was downright exhausting. At one point, I was falling over like a tree that was just sawed at the base, but this big dude noticed and stopped me before I hit the ground. Then I went nuts the rest of the night, somehow. Thanks, pit friend, if you ever read this.
My girlfriend doesn’t listen to my music. She doesn’t understand the energy and emotion and beauty that comes from metal/punk/hardcore/etc. I grew up playing in several bands and my life was playing shows and going to shows. Now I’m getting pretty old and I was trying to describe how amazing hardcore pits were. I found this brilliant and amazing video. It gave her a glimpse into the lifestyle that got me here. Thank you so much for this video. So well done.
My first mosh pit was when i was 14 and the guys kept picking me up with RESPECT. Then the singer of the band playing said he was happy to see girls in the pit, then i knew i found my people.
That’s good because I know I’m never going to a metal concert any time soon but I was about to comment asking if women are allowed in em or not 😭👍
@@DrEAmflEshmetal concerts are so fun, the vibes, the people, everything abt it is fire. i've never been near the pit or anything but of course women can mosh !!
Heyyy a fellow female metalhead lol. I’m going to my first Korn concert in abt two weeks. I get anxiety, so I’m a bit nervous. Should I be, or is it all just drowned out by the music once you’re in there concert?
@@D-a-n-c-i-n-g_R-a-c-c-o-o-n i was nervous when i recently went to my first concert (slipknot) and it was actually so fun! the music and (most) people just drown out your worries. it was very enjoyable and i've been wanting to go back ever since lmao. i didn't go into the pit since id probably get absolutely destroyed BUT i've heard it's awesome. i hope you have fun and stay safe !
@@D-a-n-c-i-n-g_R-a-c-c-o-o-n it get's drowned pretty fast. most of the time even in the moment you get near the venue. hope you will have a good time. korn are putting a hell of a show still
The first time I went into a pit I was on the edge of it and I think someone noticed that I looked like I was enjoying what I was seeing. I chickened out a few times before I felt someone push me in and now if there is a pit I will always be in or around it as that is where I have the most fun. I would love to say slayer is the most brutal pit I was involved in but I went and saw trivium and two guys turned the pit into some sort of fight where everyone around them were used as weapons to get the other one and there was a lot of flying elbows for no reason what so ever.
You also forgot the first rule which is TIE YOUR SHOES PROPERLY!
#HundyP on laces
Haha, I lost my shoes in a trivium pit a few months back, got them a few minutes later from friendly metalheads
I learned that lesson very quickly in my first mosh pit
And don’t wear sandals (I learned the hard way)
Lost my shoe in a BFMV pit when I was about 16 hahaha, everyone stopped to help me find it :) I'm 29 now and still, the etiquette has always been on point!
Makes me proud to have been in a pit that was used more than 10years late for educational footage :D
I'm an old punk from the late 70's, and moshing was my jam. A broken ankle at a Testament show signaled it was time to stop, but I regret nothing! SO fun, miss those days.
Just was in a mosh pit last night at a Korn show in Atlanta. It was freaking awesome!!! I jumped in for like 7-8 of their songs, completely exhausted by the end of it. They ended the show with freak on a leash and I absolutely lost my shit in the pit on the break down. The people were really cool and stuck to the etiquette quite well. It was an amazing show. I freaking love that feeling of getting slammed around so damn much you cant even tell which direction the stage is. I'm not typically the aggressor, I just go with the flow and let it all happen with a huge smile on my face and laughing like the joker. Whoever I saw in front of me got shoved or elbowed as hard as I could too though. Add to that the super distorting strobing of the lights and the incredible music... its a life changing experience. Yesterday at that show was 2 years to the day since I lost my dad and I let that all out in fucking METAL!!!
Was at slayers farewell gig in Madrid back in 2018. That was the most insane mosh I’ve ever experienced. There were times when my feet didn’t touch the ground for like 20 second periods. Just being swept away by the madness. Fuck it was awesome.
As a 5'2 female, I really hope I get to experience this!
Not only moshing but just in general what you said about metal shows helping you feel alive again is so accurate. Just days after my first relationship came to an end I saw Machine Head and it was cathartic head banging and feeling the music. Rob Flynn even gave a speech about how music helps in those hard times and damn it brought me to tears. There is nothing like a metal show!
I was trying to explain to a friend that moshing makes me feel alive again and he scoffed. I guess if you don't get it, you don't get it.
At my school of rock where i take guitar lessons last April all the school of rock house bands in Colorado got together at one place and we all played a few songs of ours. One of the house bands played ride the lightning and if you were in that pit it was like a damn slayer pit. I'm 13 right now and at the time I was 12 and that was one of the coolest moments of my life. I got tossed around a bit because most the other people were about 16 and I proudly showed off my bruises to my friends at school the next day.
Moshing or slam dancing started in huntington beach CA as the "The HB strut" . Punks used to pogo. In the late 70s when punks im HB( a suburb in orange county) started what was known as slam dancing - skanking , flailing . More chaotic and ending up a circle ..yhe term "mosh" came from HR from bad brain's ( telling the crowd to " MASH IT UP " in a jamaican accent saying" MOSH" instesd . Keep in mind . That dance stared in punk rock with hardcore punk way before mwtal heads got into it . The Crossover thing broight that into metal.
my favorite pit was one of my first at a smaller venue where the band stopped playing to make sure that the one dude who was knocked out completely unconscious got the help they needed. Moshing especially in a smaller audience is incredibly respectful and will make sure you actually get out alive.
I took my non-Metalhead group of friends to see Bodysnatcher a few months ago. First concert and first pit for them. One of them sprained their wrist and another one got a bloody nose. But I’m glad to say they all had a blast and most of them were actually the ones to start the moshing sometimes 😂
Bodysnatcher for your first is WILD 😂 you threw them right in the fire 👏🏻
You do realize that mosh pits are exclusive for metalheads right? They are extremely popular at edm and hip hop shows too
Body snatchers in the Seattle venue by any chance?
Cringe
My first mosh pit experience was in Vienna at Slipknot concert where I was just exploring what it actually takes and feels like. Circling started and somehow I was not ready for that and I fell as I started running. The only thing I did is I pushed my arms up towards the ceiling.... I fell a few touches and was standing again in less than a second :D The rule no. 1 applies and if you sometimes helped someone in the pit this thanks goes to you as well. Keep rockin'
I've fallen a few times and have never been let down (no pun intended). Whoever swoops in to help always acts like you are the most important thing in the world at that moment.
My greatest experience thus far was during a relatively unfamiliar psychedelic-rock band gig (Mother's Cake) where there were mostly older rockers. Near the end, a couple of guys entered into a moshpit leaving the band's lead astonished that this crowd would start a pit. Then all of a sudden, one guy starts doing the crabcore dance, something that I never heard of, and it was immediately epic. Afterwards, the moshers all shook hands. Great stuff.
had my first mosh pit experience actually about 2 weeks ago. I fell and sprained my ankle really bad but thankfully these two men picked me up and lifted me over the fence and showed me where the First Aid is. It wasn’t the best experience as a really small and short woman especially since it was mostly tall men in the pit. Maybe in the future I’ll try again and know what to expect and be better prepared :))
here’s my best pit: it was in my high school gym. not a very big or particularly crazy pit… it was my friends who got the school to let their band play in the gym during lunch for halloween. we were told NO MOSHING under any circumstances. well we weren’t going to let that stand. so my friends got me and a couple others to promise to teach all the freshmen there (we were seniors at the time) how to do a wall of death… of course we maybe didn’t tell them what a wall of death was until we were starting one… imagine about thirty teenagers all ramming into each other in the middle of a brightly lit gym at noon as your principal watches on in horror and your biology teacher (who totally figured this would happen) laughs her ass off. it was awesome, and the freshmen were very happy to show off a few bruises…! it’s been a year since then and those same freshmen are now frequenting a ton of local shows. really cool stuff, good memories.
LUCILLE i can attest these guys knew what was up- haven't stopped moshing ever since
@@leemyssyk5999 WHERE DID UOU COME FROM
I'm quite a shy and quiet guy, metal shows are a perfect place for me to enjoy the music, and just to be loud and alive without caring what others think. Moshing is usually what gets me on the mood to give it all, and it breaks this barrier that makes me hold back. My best five live experiences so far are Children of Bodom, Amorphis, Sodom, Megadeth, and Frank Carter & the Rattlesnakes.
Etiquette, Tom Cruise, Titanic, Walls of Death, and cool breezes and islands! This is hilarious and educational. Having had mosh pits break out next to me, my only advice is jump in or flee while saving your drink as the pit overtakes your area. Great video 🤘🏻
The care and teamwork in a pit is my favorite thing ever. The amount of times I've been knocked off balance and mid-fall heading towards the ground only to fall right into several sweaty angry metalheads hands as they push me back up to my feet before I even hit the ground and send me back off with the signature "you're good, keep moshing" little pat on the back is wild. One time one of my slipon vans flew off in an Amity Affliction pit so I had to keep moshing half-barefoot for a few seconds before I saw it on the ground and was somehow able to snatch it quickly and jam my foot back into it quick enough to keep moshing and somehow not getting my foot crushed. Good times.
i went to my first punk concert earlier this week. i was intimidated, but decided to go into the mosh pit. im pretty clumsy, but the moment i jumped in i was having an amazing time. i was blown away by how nice and caring concert people are- i fell down a couple times but immediately felt people pulling me up and checking on me. it was euphoric.
Smaller, completely chaotic punk moshes are by far the best in my experience! Never seen people swinging or kicking at others in them, only thing that can be a bit more hazardous with them are the jackets with 3 inch spikes sticking out where you least expect them lol
My favorite pit had to be municipal waste at a small bar last december. It was so nuts there were 200 people crammed in this small venue with beer flying, stage (grave) diving, and an ongoing pit 40+ min without anyone letting up. It was so wild!
Dont forget about the trash barrel they throw into the pit and the people who use it as a battering ram, such fun
Municipal Waste pits are the most fun!
I just went to a German festival with around 20k people there and at one point a big cirle pit wound up went inside and after a while got to the eye where a random guy in a wheelchair was passing blunts. It's crazy how many cool and friendly people you can meet there, despite the violent first look of it, it's like a whole adventure in there...
Full Force bei While She Sleeps?
2 weeks ago when I was at Tuska open air, on the last day first Lorna Shore played and immediately after was Electric Callboy. I was TRENCHED, probably close to 15 wall of deaths, continuous MASSIVE pit all throughout the shows and just overall a god damn amazing time. Best 2 hours of my life.
My goodness you can‘t just make me that jealous 😂
I think my best mosh pit memory is when I was at the Reading festival attending the American punk band the Descendents in 1996. The energy from the band was so high and electrifying I couldn’t stop moshing at full blast from start to finish, so much so that at the end of a song, I suddenly had a serious cramp in my leg, started to massage it and after 10 seconds or so… the next killer song started which made me go back instantly in for the rest of the gig (cramp was gone). You really feel super powers in the pit!
That was a really good breakdown!
I need to add - mosh pit derived from circle pit in punk.
Going the opposite direction was awesome. You are not the aggressor but the receiver of hits and blows. Very hard to do and huge respect was granted !!!
Most memorable pit was in ‘88 seeing DRI, Kreator, and Holy Terror in a small venue. The venue cut power to DRI halfway through their set and kicked everyone out. That pit was insane 😁
Nobody outside of the rock/metal community and honestly some people in it just can’t wrap their minds around it. Personally I absolutely love it! I just find the show much more memorable memorable and fun. Unfortunately I haven’t had the opportunity to be in very many but I’ve loved it every time! I won’t forget my first hardcore pit. I went and saw Carnifex at a music festival and a pit broke out on the first song and a guy was swinging his arms and hit me right in the nose. I got a deviated septum and a concussion. Plus that pit was so insane I got knocked over a couple of times but the ground at that stage was small rocks so my hands and arms got cut up. After that show I was battered and bloody but goddamn did I have a good time!
Just last month I was at the Graspop festival and I moshed around to Hatebreed and Gojira. The most impressive thing was during Gojira, a big wave formed in the mosh pit next to me and crashed in to the rim of the circle. As a result, around 30 people got pushed to the ground a few meter from me, and as I saw this, I immediatly planted my feet into the ground and spread my elbows out to block any incoming wave. As people started to get back up, I noticed a huge ring of metalheads doing the same as me all around the area where people fell. Telepathy in the mosh pit in quite impressive ! X)
You like gojira?? I am obsessed with them!
every french metalhead likes gojira ^^@@samithedog8983
I’m glad you addressed the fact that there’s some people that do break the unspoken mosh rules and single people out. I’m a brown nu metal/rock fan and people LOVE to act like there aren’t racist assholes that do go after people on purpose (literally heard slurs being thrown in the pit), much less ppl going after those just generally smaller than them (esp women) and tell me “oh just get over it it happens to everyone” even though it’s clearly not the same as being accidentally hit or something.
Been in sooo many hard pits ...always a stress reliever with my moshing brothers and sisters....gets us through the years of all the bullshit we go through ... awesome video
I think the pit that stands out most to me currently was the one at Parkway Drive's show at Graspop this year. At the end of a song, I momentarily stopped focusing on the band, only to look back at the screen next to the stage and see the vocalist suddenly suspended in the crowd, about 20 metres to my right and a few metres back. The band started "Idols and Anchors" which starts with a sing-along vocalizing part, but then kicks in hard and fast. Realising what was happening, I pushed in that direction, and when the fast part started, the vocalist started a circle pit AROUND him, with him suspended in the eye of the pit. That was so sick, the closest I managed to get to him was about two meters at some point, everyone was going nuts. He surfed all the way back to the stage at the end of the song too. The crowd at that show was just so insane, never seen anything like it. That was my first time crowdsurfing too, so I'll remember that performance for the rest of my life.
Great video.. my first time in moshpit was in metalfest in czech republic when i was 15, i thought i would die, but i was so fucking amazed by other ppl, how they cared for each other and what kind of energy was there. Even now, when i am leaving a concert or festival where i was moshing, i always feel exhausted, bruised and tired, but it's when i feel alive.
my first pit was at a slaughter to prevail show. It was truly an amazing experience. When I "fell", I was only tipped backwards for like a half a second before I had hands on all sides of me and I was literally launched back up to my feet. I lifted completely off the ground for a moment. It was the coolest show experience I've ever had. Bruises and all
6:06 Ahhhh the Metalhead breeze! Truly a refreshing feeling in those freaking sweaty shows! 🤘🏼
I went to a korn concert and the pit was awesome when they played blind. I survived slayer
I attended a metal festival for the first time this year and to my surprise I had never felt so safe in any other music event. Loved all the dudes blowing their energy out and I made many "friends" during those couple days. Thank you metalheads for being the best.
As a 25 year metal and hardcore dude, this video brings a tear to my eye. Such pride! Great video!!!
remember, no karate in the pit!
@@zeldamage001 lol, dance police.
@@zeldamage001nah remember to protect yourself at all times
Man, my wifes been watching your channel for a while now and i watch with her. Always gives me happy chills. This one is one we've been talking about for a bit (shes commenting now lol) but younger generations need to pitt more...its so cathartic. You cant be angry at the world after a night of slamming...I got excited when we started the vid and told her "man i hope he talks about pit etiquette!" And there it was. Most dont understand how real it is. No ones trying to hurt you (except those frat boys with backward ball caps).
Craziest pitt...hmm... probably Deicide, not that it was terrible but the spikes the fans all were wearing were intense lol.
I’m 15 broskis. I’ve been moshing for less then a year but I’ve been to 7 shows this year. My one year anniversary of moshing is coming up soon. Can’t wait to celebrate it at the festival it all started at. Blue Ridge Rock Fest.
Back in the 80's, we called it slam dancing. I have fond memories slam dancing at hardcore punk shows. Biggest pit was seeing GBH in Atlanta 1986. I don't think I heard the term "mosh" until the S.O.D. record came out. I'm pretty sure MTV played a part in spreading the term "mosh pit".
My moms boyfriend took her to a smaller show here in Detroit about a decade ago, they were in their early 40s and he was a 6’5 about 280 pound beast and my mom is 5’2 maybe 120ish and she got pulled into the pit and knocked out by the same guy (the same guy who pulled her in) and her boyfriend shut that pit down and beat this dude within inches of his life and they had to bring a stretcher inside the place to get him. My mom just had one of those pop knots on her forehead for a week or so after and was fine but that dude had a bad year. Don’t pull people (especially females who look like they might be a little older, AND standing next to someone who is a foot taller than you) into the pit just so you have someone to hit. R.I.P Rick! We had our issues but you were a real one!
One of my favorite pit moments was at a festival in Houston, TX in 2015. Death Grips were playing and their set was so mesmerizing that the atmosphere amongst the crowd was unforgettable! If you weren’t in the pit then you were pogoing on the outside with everyone else. Thousands of them.
If I'm ever in a burning building I hope the people there love metal.
Everyone will get out safely, no people trampled.. we have been practicing for years :)
My first pit was Fit For a King at BRRF. I was pushed in by some dude about a song or two into their set. When I was pushed in the song was about to start. It was none other then BackBreaker. One of their heaviest songs. When their set ended I was forever changed by that experience. I will mosh until I can mosh no more!
Oh, don't forget to use proper form: elbows out, fingers in, you need to use the arm to push against the others, always look to all sides and push to the direction you're going. Don't use any sharp objects on you, don't take your phone with you if you can avoid it, don't punch people, don't kick people (lest you lose your balance), put your hair down and don't pull anyone's hair. If you are at the edge of a mosh pit but not in, hold your position and gently conduct the people bouncing onto you to the safest direction of travel. If you need to keep your eyes on the band, block yourself with one arm, hands facing out. If you don't like mosh pits and find yourself in one, go out in a skipping fashion.
I was at my first concert this year and saw a Mosh Pit for the first time. It was so cool! There was some granny, running in a circle, having the time of her life with other punks, and that was the best thing I’ve ever seen. Love it. (sorry for the bad english)
Who’d u see?
@@DOROHEDOROFAN I was at a 'Die Ärzte' concert. Best first concert ever!
My crowning concert-going achievement was opening the pit myself for Carcass at Chicago Open Air in 2016. I was baffled that such a heavy band didn’t have a pit and took it upon myself to get it going!
i remember my first pit experience quite vividly. it was at a concert at the Melkweg in Amsterdam, i managed to get to the front of the stage with a huge smile on my face, which quite quickly became less large as i fell down and it was like i was in a dark forest of sweaty legs, and i thought to myself "is this how i die?" and then a hand reached down from above akin to a god reaching down to one of her subjects, grabbed my forearm and pulled me up.
after that i took a break from moshing, though later i went back in, i had no desire to go to the front again though.
There's no hate in a mosh pit, only brother and sister love ❤
one of my favorite mosh pits so far was a GWAR pit. if you're at an indoor venue with concrete floors, it gets so slippery but that just makes it 10x more fun. and people usually go ham for gwar shows. can't wait to see them again.
ive definitely had my mosh pit nightmares (being 5'3 makes you perfect height for a stray elbow/fist to the face) including having my glasses smashed on my face at lorna shore and thrown to the floor by drunk sweaty guys but people saw me disorientated on the floor, got me up, and got me out, and had people sprint across a mosh pit because it looked like id been injured. its just one of those things that happens, but its so much fun and (on the most part) everyone is so nice and looks out for each other, and if i ever don't feel up to moshing im always happy to stand on the outside wall of people and take a shove
2:04 you’d be surprised. I did not expect a fucking Alestorm pit of all things to be one of the most intense things I’ve ever seen at a show (note I’ve unfortunately never got to see slayer and have only been to a few shows where big pits actually opened up)
Yeah true, one of my first metal gigs was Gloryhammer and Alestorm, which broke the record for most crowd surfers in that venue, was like in the high hundreds lmao
@@GonzoIV yeah I crowd surfed as well lol
Pirates are a different breed.
Alestorm pits fucking SLAP!
Just cause it’s funny metal doesn’t mean it can’t be brutal
I'd say, easiest moshpits to become accustomed to are at ska/ska-punk gigs, one of the most complex are folk-core concerts like Korpiklaani and Alestorm. But hardcore moshpits are A mess, there's always a wannabe Bruce Lee that will fuck the pit up
Was looking forward to this one. Always wanted to get in a pit but haven’t mustered the courage yet.
My first moshpit was Bad Omens at Blue Ridge 22 last year. Mfer's came out playing Artificial Suicide and I didn't know they had heavy ass songs like that. Kinda got swept into the pit but ended up moshing the whole set. HAD A BLAST!
When I get in one, if I need to get out immediately, I can feel it. Went into a pennywise and dropkick murphys mosh pit (yes, you heard it), and all I got was a strained thumb
Just to warn newbies that are thinking of moshing that there are people out there that go into a pit looking for a fight. Enough people will eventually see it and join forces to pull the guy out of the pit. If the asshole keeps trying to comeback in people will get securitys attention and theyll be usually literally, thrown outta the venue. Dont worry, these people are not a common occurrence. My best tip for the mosh pit is to not jump in right away. Give it a couple minutes, assess the situation, wait for it to grow so you have an idea of what youre going in to. While youre in there just set your body free. Let the music and energy of the place take over and do whatever feels good. Push, head bang, do some dance moves in between getting pushed, just do whatever feels natural in the moment. I do advise you to take breaks, dont over due it. You could be going for a few songs straight feeling good but then out of nowhere you get lightheaded and dizzy. Exerting that much energy in a hot and stuffy place while getting pushed every which way will take alot out of you. Take regular breaks and keep hydrated. But most of all have fun. Believe me, no ones judging you for the way you choose to mosh. No ones looking at you, everyones busy being in their own headspace to care about what people around them are doing, and at the end of the day we all know how rediculous we look. Good luck, and have fun!
There was a mosh pit for KMFDM and it had the exact cast of characters you described. It was also the most fun I've ever had in one because it felt safe and everyone was having a great time. I slept like a baby due to how tired I was after the show but damn I'd do it again...just less sweaty.
i’m 13 and only 5ft and there’s been several bands (mainly metal ones) i’ve wanted to see live, but i’ve been deadass pretty scared cuz i feel like i’d get dragged into a mosh pit or get stomped, but honestly this vid n these comments cured my fear of mosh pits 😭
dunno if you're still feeling that way but i'm 18 and like 5'1, was at a death metal show with the crowd consisting 95% of 6', 200lbs middle aged guys, and even though i got rammed in the pit a few times i got pulled out there immediately when i tried to get out 🫶 you can always watch from the sidelines before jumping into a pit, and always keep your arms in front of your face to avoid elbows hahahaha
Last year at the Death To All tour I walked out with bruised legs and arms, a terrible back pain, and limping to my van. Totally worth it. I also remember last year at Overkill's tour when Rotten to the Core was playing, and we were all running in circles. I felt like a demon racing through the pit of hell, like a Doom imp ready to wreak havoc, or a Mordor orc prepared to destroy everything. Such a liberating experience...
Proud to say I’m the older metal head with lots of energy still. I always tell myself I’m going to chill and just watch the band but it’s inevitable that I end up in the pit. Long live Metal!!!!!
I recently had the pleasure to be in one of the best mosh pits ever. Slaughter to Prevail was in town in Montreal. I had been wanting to see them for over a year now and this was my chance. Their first ever appearance in Canada! So, to say the least, people were absolute pumping with adrenalin even before the show started. When the show started it was carnage. Every man for himself, bodies flying around, people crowd surfing. Sweaty neckbeards windmilling. Then when Bratva came on everybody knew this was gonna be insane. I was 2-stepping hard as fuck, I look up. I see freaking Alex the terrible the freaking huge russian bear jump in the crowd. He starts CROWD KILLING HITS ME WITH AN ELBOW ON MY RIBS. Almost knocks the air out of me 😂😂. And we just start all moshing with him. What a night. Next day big ass bruise and bruisers all over. Ill never forgot it. If anyone gets the chance to see Slaughter to Prevail DONT MISS OUT. Alex also posted later on his Instagram that it was the best show in his life hahaha
My mom and I were in a wall of death at a Septicflesh show years back 😂 so much fun
My first ever gig at 11 was Trivium, straight away I learnt two rules of the most pit as my friend pushed me unconsenting into the pit (we’d discussed earlier it but I’d not actually made the decision yet) so instantly I got smashed to the floor and as quick as I had I was pulled back to my feet and thrown back out of the pit.
I will never forget my favourite pit experience of all time. Two guys came in banana costumes and stood on either ends of the crowd and the band noticed them and had them crowd surf to the middle of the crowd and start a wall of death. 10/10
Great video explaining the concept most pit to quote on quote normal people, I find it hard to quantify it to non metal heads and people who have no concept of metal, I've been in my fair share of pits but I'm now retired from the mosh pit as I don't want any injuries or end up with broken glasses or lose them and having to fork out money on repairing them or buying a new pair, but I'm happy to say been there and done it
Normal guy here. Been to a small moshpit and wall of death 1-3 times. It was a while back. But it is quite obvious how respectful everyone is to one another. An outsider might think, like in said in the video, just crazy people, but these metal festivals have some respect that isn’t always seen elsewhere.
Thank you for the video! I enjoyed it
The craziest pit I've witnessed was too scary for me. It was The Acacia Strain playing in their peak of popularity and there was a certain vibe. I knew people would get hurt. I witnessed a guy get his face walked on which pried a tooth out of his mouth. A friend of a friend got his eye gouged pretty good. Just the white part of the eye but still he was bleeding from his freaking eyeball and I'm still traumatized. He was freaking out so bad and I don't blame him. He left in an ambulance and needed surgery.
Well, hopefully he is doing fine, probably he prefers Taylor swift now?
The coke/meth heads scare me most in the pit