mosh pits

[Alps]

Who here moshes? Do you wear spikes or just go as is? Any liquids, solids, or inhalants or do you mosh naturally? I just jump in when I see one, myself, as long as people don't look too dangerous.

[ET21]

I've seen a couple moshes at some of the concerts I've worked but haven't been in one for awhile. Who knew country bands could have a mosh going in the audience? 

[Pete from Boston]

By the time MTV grabbed all the hardcore bands in the early 90s and started calling them "grunge," the fratboys got wind of these places where you could hit strangers with impunity, and mosh pits lost a lot of their allure.

New Jersey mosh pits had been the safest until then:

[formulanone]

It's been about 20 years, but I've done it before. The unwritten rules are no punching (pushing is allowed), no hitting anyone when they're down, and help others up.

Good stupid fun, and I never got hurt. I guess it's part of the whole "the most fun that I never want to repeat" part of life.

[Duke87]

Did it a fair bit in my college days and early 20s. More recently I've decided getting violently shoved around really isn't pleasant and I no longer have any desire to take part.

Can't say I ever donned any specific gear for one, nor have I done any drugs before entering one unless alcohol counts.

I did learn the hard way, though, that you should remove any fragile items from your person and leave them with a friend before entering the pit. I lost a watch and a pair of glasses once by failing to do this.

[triplemultiplex]

Experienced a few at Summerfest not too terribly long ago.  Definitely was consuming alcohol at the time.
Next time, I wouldn't wear sandals.

There was also some crowd surfing going on that I pitched in on.  Didn't do it myself though.
Both made the concerts more fun.

[wxfree]

I've been involved in a few.  I've only gone to very small venues to see a couple of bands I had friends in.  The moshing was something I'd never heard of until I was suddenly involved and wanting out.  After a few times I figured out that it was expected at those events and I needed to stay out of the way.

I enjoy music just by listening to it and contemplating it.  I like studio recordings (no audience noise in the way of the music) and listening alone.

[signalman]

I've entered mosh pits in the past, but it's been years.  Back in my younger and dumber days, I attended plenty of hardcore and metal shows where mosh pits would form.  I'd often participate and I enjoyed it thoroughly.  Now that I'm older, I tend to not get involved if I'm at a show where a pit forms.  Granted, said pits tend to form down in general admission closer to the stage.  I don't buy tickets close to the stage anymore, instead opting to be further back in an actual seat.

[jwolfer]

Mosh pits were fun back in the day. But I can't afford replacing the dental work I have

[Pete from Boston]

J Mascis had a quote I can't put my hands on now that was something to the effect of "One day you get laid, and that's it–the end of hardcore."  Pretty much goes for mosh pits, too.

[GCrites]

Biggest pit I ever saw was for Slayer

The Pantera one was no slouch either