Accountability in Music • Page 330

Isn’t there literally a hardcore gang from Long Island that the POS who runs TIHC used to be in

 

There are gangs in a lotta places folks.

 

Well at least that guy deleted his posts (or a mod stepped in). Thank you.

 

I would never go to a hardcore show even if I liked that type of music, even when people are benignly encroaching in my space by like dancing I get anxious

Not victim blaming if the only way you can have fun is ruining someone's night you're a pos

 

I'm no longer going to hardcore shows that I think will attract the wrong element.

There's still a subset of bands and genres of heavy music where people are cool and there are no issues. But yeah, if that kind of stuff makes you anxious, avoid it at all costs.

 

I’ve been hurt at multiple Thursday shows despite most of their fans being pretty great. Both times were people trying to “stagedive” from inappropriate places and out of nowhere.

 

Which definitely sucks. People are always going to be idiots at concerts because it's fun, and there's alcohol, and youth. Going to heavy music will always have some inherent risks. To me the line is crossed when it's intentional, or when the violence is done in the name of the music.

But I agree, most of Thursday's fans are cool, and I've always felt safe at their shows.

 

I think doing anything that dangerous crosses a line no matter the intent.

 

yep. Same. Almost had my nose broken at their farewell tour from someone literally jumping off the stage at me with his fist aimed at my head.

I love some hardcore/post-hardcore music but I tend to stay away from the shows

 

I don’t think there should be an inherent risk to your safety when you go to a show. It’s weird how we collectively shrug off the fact that injuries at hardcore shows are a super normal thing and ignore how that can keep people from going. Not every show has a balcony option or a space where you can be safe from all that nonsense.

It’s not such a radical idea that if what you’re doing for fun can cause harm to someone else you should probably just not do it

 

People get so defensive about it too and act like if you don’t want to get hit you shouldn’t go to a show

 

The take that we should defend peoples rights to mosh or stage dive or whatever over someone’s right to attend a show safely is so dumb to me.

 

I agree it's bullshit that you can't get up front for a show without getting kicked in the head or hit, but in my experience you can attend a show and not worry about getting hurt if you just avoid the pit.

Certainly if gangs are attacking innocent people at shows in your area, avoid those shows. It's nonsense that you're being run off from going to shows, but you should avoid any place that is potentially dangerous.

 

Honestly I’d be fine if every venue banned moshing/crowd surfing/stage diving/etc. entirely. Can’t even tell you how many times I’ve seen smaller-sized and even average-sized people get seriously hurt from getting kicked in the head by a crowd surfer or shoved to the ground by a stray mosh-er. I don’t understand the desire to do that stuff at a show and it just leads to totally unnecessary injuries.

 

The times I was just talking about were specifically when I was not in the pit. I always stand at the edge of a barricade or stage, usually at an angle if I can, just to avoid any danger, and yet the goalposts still move. Because of those experiences I’m now even wary of my usual spots, and that shouldn’t be something that’s just accepted as a part of going to shows. I especially don’t like standing on an inset floor anymore.

 

I'd be fine with it too, but younger me would not. I think in youth it can be a good outlet and I have some amazing memories at shows. I just think people get too out of control with it. Also, don't stage dive if you don't know how. When a dude jumps feet first, hit him on the way down.

 

Remember when a bunch of babies whined about Joyce Manor banning stage diving?

 

That's fair. I've had a few shows where I was worried, but I managed to find a safe spot or avoid going back to those venues. I specifically bought a balcony ticket for Knocked Loose because I knew it would be out of control and I didn't want to watch from the back of the room. But you're all right, it shouldn't be accepted.

 

Even a more “proper” stage dive can still hurt someone small (and also yourself) - I get that it’s a cool way to enjoy the show and let off steam or whatever (I sure did plenty of it when I was younger) but where do we draw the line that makes someone’s enjoyment a priority over someone else’s safety? I can’t think of a single other public event of this kind that even considers that type of trade off.

 

To be clear, I completely agree. I tore ligaments in both of my knees at concerts (this was nearly 20 years ago) - I quickly learned to stop acting like a maniac, but it was fun while it lasted, though fun should not come before safety.

 

I remember seeing Coheed years ago and somebody was crowd surfing and flung their elbow directly down into my shoulder/neck area and that entire area of my body was numb for the remainder of the night, including the time it took to drive back home and while I was sleeping. I thought for sure that I had suffered nerve damage. Thank god I didn’t, but seriously fuck crowd surfers, especially the ones who will literally swim with their arms and yank at your heads/bodies to get closer to the front

 

Yeah I can’t imagine any other scenario where you could say, “A stranger jumped on my head and knocked me to the floor,” and the response would be, “Oh but that’s such a great outlet!”

Some of those experiences also involved said random guys throwing themselves on me with their crotches directly in my face, and that adds an entire other layer to how awful and unacceptable it is.

 

I never got the appeal even as a teenager. I’m there to get into the performance and watch the artist with friends, not to get into pretend fights with strangers or hurt people. I’ve never understood it and I never will.

 

whenever an artist crowd surfed I was always I was going to drop them and wind up in the news as well as the traumatic guilt

 

Andrew McMahon is the gold standard for how to crowdsurf safely. But I guess some people can’t bring inflatable animals into their vibe as naturally.