I found myself at a Metallica concert some time back (payback to a friend who went to a Ministry concert with me) and, while the band was actually very good, I was amazed at how many young aggressive guys were there, just beating the living sh*t out of each other throughout the entire show.
I've been in my fair share of mosh pits back in the Black Flag days and things could get a little rough, but there was always a spirit of fun and mischief about it too. It was very cathartic and I think it actually served as a release so that we didn't beat the snot out of each other.
The Metallica show was a much heavier, meaner vibe. These guys were there to really put the hurt on each other and some people were getting seriously messed up. This was going on everywhere too, not just in a few isolated spots. My friends, who were huge fans, were down in the crowd and got smashed in the face, got their glasses broken, etc. It was pretty intense.
I don't mean to slag Metallica or Metal fans - I think this could have happened anywhere. Maybe I am just an old fogey now and this is the way things go at live shows, but it certainly wasn't my idea of fun. Really, when I hear stories like this, I don't think it really matters what band you like or whatever. These young guys are wound tighter than a tick and are just looking to put the hurt on someone.
In retrospect, the Ministry crowd was much more civilized...^_^
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