"Crowd Killing"

[cheddatom]

[quote name='tonyquipment' timestamp='1458221307' post='3005734']
I remember once I was in a mosh

And some kid was headbanging.. I headbanged too and some how we got synchronised.. I basically head butted him and he dropped to the ground

I tried to pick him back up but the section was far too hot

Lost him in the depths of the mosh

I don't think I killed him... Maybe someone else picked him up or he got up somewhere else in the mosh

Good gig though.
[/quote]

That was a forgiveable accident, but the guy I'm on about just randomly grabbed me by the arm and threw me to the ground

I'm a bit freaked out as to why he picked me out as he didn't grab anyone else. I really should have spoken to him afterwards but I was a bit angry and thought it might have ended badly

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

Where's Billy Milano ?

[timmo]

Sounds to me like it was assault. If you are a willing mosher, and you fall over from being bounced around, then that is life. Being pulled over like that is just thuggery

[Japhet]

No H&S Officer? Did you do a risk assessment? Can you sue?

Message to self; Stop it !

[ahpook]

[quote name='cheddatom' timestamp='1458222481' post='3005752']
I'm a bit freaked out as to why he picked me out as he didn't grab anyone else. I really should have spoken to him afterwards but I was a bit angry and thought it might have ended badly
[/quote]

That was very wise, good for you.

It's incredible behaviour. I know it happens, but.....well....it's beyond me.

Edited March 17, 2016 by ahpook

[gjones]

[quote name='Hutton' timestamp='1458209049' post='3005532']
If you see that lad again please advise him not to try it if he's ever up in Glasgow!
[/quote]

Or Edinburgh.

I have witnessed the consequences of a spilt pint, due to an over exuberant mosher at an Edinburgh rock night.

[skychaserhigh]

I would have just kicked the sh*t out of him.

[cheddatom]

[quote name='skychaserhigh' timestamp='1458233178' post='3005868']
I would have just kicked the sh*t out of him.
[/quote]

Fair enough! I'm not sure that would have guaranteed a positive outcome. Anyway, it's pretty disorientating. One minute you're standing watching a band, ear plugs in, head nodding. The next minute there's a pain in your arm and your head and then some people are pulling you to your feet and then you're back where you started except your girlfriend is glaring at some small dude running around over the other side of the room.

[Billy Apple]

I would've walked away and dialed 999. As I said, it's assault plain and simple. I'd be happier a f***-nut like this is properly dealt with than any short term satisfaction of retaliation.

Can I ask why you did not consider calling the Police?

[wateroftyne]

[quote name='Billy Apple' timestamp='1458234515' post='3005883']
I would've walked away and dialed 999. As I said, it's assault plain and simple. I'd be happier a f***-nut like this is properly dealt with than any short term satisfaction of retaliation.

Can I ask why you did not consider calling the Police?
[/quote]

This would have been my approach, too, just as if I'd seen it happen in the street.

[probablypike]

The worst experience of this I've seen was when I went to see Mastodon at a festival. Great set, everyone was having fun, but there were a couple of *ahem* people in the pit actively trying to start fights with people. Most people ignored them, until the end when one guy just took them to the floor.

Nonetheless, this kind of behavior isn't welcome. No one wants to see it, it's dangerous and it can ruin a good set. It stops people having fun-and isn't that why we're there in the first place?

Wonder if you can guess which festival? (It's this kind of thing, as to why I haven't been for a few years.)

Edited March 17, 2016 by probablypike

[skankdelvar]

[quote name='cheddatom' timestamp='1458233946' post='3005876']
.... a positive outcome.
[/quote]

I once observed a grown man at a 'kids' gig (one for children of primary school age) behaving drunkenly in precisely the fashion you describe at about three in the afternoon.

Thankfully we managed to restrain and eject the idiot in question with no serious or unlawful consequences apart from a lingering infection on the knuckles of my right hand. It appears that human teeth carry all sorts of nasty bacteria.

[lefrash]

X

Edited March 18, 2016 by lefrash

[cheddatom]

[quote name='Billy Apple' timestamp='1458234515' post='3005883']
I would've walked away and dialed 999. As I said, it's assault plain and simple. I'd be happier a f***-nut like this is properly dealt with than any short term satisfaction of retaliation.

Can I ask why you did not consider calling the Police?
[/quote]

Never even crossed my mind! Not sure why

[LewisK1975]

[quote name='cheddatom' timestamp='1458293235' post='3006267']
Never even crossed my mind! Not sure why
[/quote]

I think there's a certain amount of expectance at a metal gig that you might get bumped and shoved a bit, or maybe get an accidental boot in the face from a crowd surfer coming over your head etc. Doesn't excuse the intentional violence that the OP describes, just I mean that maybe there's a sort of 'what happens in vegas' atmosphere which heavy gig goers subscribe to.

For the record though - I think the guy was being a total asshole.

YMMV.

Edited March 18, 2016 by LewisK1975

[Mr Arkadin]

Since doing Krav Maga I have to say I might find it hard not to lamp the guy. At 48 tend to avoid mosh areas because of this (although I did get caught a couple of years ago with Sabbath, but I couldn't move so I just went with it and it was quite enjoyable).

As I have a recurring shoulder injury if someone pulled me by the arm it might cause me some pain so I think a decking would not be out of order.

Edited March 18, 2016 by Mr Arkadin

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

These days ( because I'm old/ older), I tend to be near the bar while watching bands.
What did annoy me though at Venues like Astoria , where the security used to be over zealous , is when the moshing crowd reverses into us . Then a 14 year old girl can't handle her drink and makes things worse . Then there's the baldy guy ... It's always the baldy guy;)
Happened only on 2 occasions .

Now where is billy Milano ?

[cheddatom]

It's not as though I was in the throws of the mosh, I was on the edge, and clearly not participating. I was happily fending off the odd bounce, and was nearly knocked over a few times, but that's all fine and to be expected. For someone to grab me from behind and throw me to the floor is nothing like I've seen before, but I have seen other examples of "crowd killing" at local venues. There's a couple of guys I often see swinging their arms around way too close to the people on the edge, and they inevitably hit someone, usually an unsuspecting girl, and then her boyfriend usually kicks off and a large fight ensues etc etc. I'm sick of it!

[PlungerModerno]

As I see it - wether the chap was 17 or as old as 97 - it's pig ignorant and in fact assault.
Jumping up and down and gently shoving fellow revelers is a grey area . . . when it's done to those who are doing it themselves it's far more fair and reasonable than doing it to those not engadging with the moshing. If they want to participate they would do so themselves... and if one wants them to participate a few beckoning gestures or a playful shove is widely accepted way to request them to join in - while some would consider jerkish behaviour - at least it's not brutally assaulting a bystander.

If security staff are doing their job and this assault took place within their view the dragger should be at least out on his backside with a sore arm where it was pinned firmly against their back.

[LayDownThaFunk]

Who is gonna phone the police during the middle of a gig in a mosh pit?!

[BottomE]

He probably didn't get enough cuddles when he was little

[MacDaddy]

[quote name='ras52' timestamp='1458211577' post='3005570']
Punks pogo, metallers mosh.
[/quote]
Punks mosh, only its called slamming or slam dancing.

[Dandelion]

I went to a Dying Fetus / Cannibal Corpse gig a couple of years ago with lots of high spirited moshing involved. Then out of the blue, appeared a young female crowd killer... She punched herself right through me and several other guys, and this was during a break between the bands! Nobody had a clue how to respond, and the conflicting urges caused us all to just "lock up" and do nothing apart from take a few deep breaths and slowly unbunch our fists. I try to convince myself that hostile B`stards are usually their own worst enemy, and end up taking spice in a cell somewhere having payed for it with sexual favours.

[Earbrass]

This is why I prefer to attend only seated concerts, preferably with pre-allocated seats. I could pretend it's because I'm old, but the truth is I was just the same as a teenager. I went to a prom once (as in Henry Wood, not the American high-school dance). Didn't care for it. I was 15.