Mosh Pit Etiquette: What to Know Before Jumping in the Pit

Moshing is confusing.

From the outside looking in, a mosh pit full of maniacs can only be described as pure chaos — a barrage of bodies bumping into each other, flailing limbs and carnage. Bloody noses and broken bones aren’t uncommon during such public displays of aggression, especially at concerts showcasing heavier music.

But there is an unwritten code and social structure that dictate these tribal rituals, including the size and vibe of the crowd.

For metalheads and hardcore kids, getting caught in a mosh is a rite of passage that has long been synonymous with the subgenres. But not all mosh pits are created equally.

First, there are different types of moshing. There are push pits and circle pits, which are exactly what their names imply; once established, they are generally more tame and less aggressive than the uncoordinated slamming and shouldering that typically initiate them.

That’s when a human barrier naturally forms. The area for moshing activities is defined, and it’s up to the participants inside and out to recognize and respect the boundaries. But standing at the edge of the pit comes with its own responsibility. Keeping an eye on the mosh is imperative. Usually, sticking an arm out as a touchpoint for wayward moshers is enough to let them know they’ve run awry from the epicenter. A friendly push to get them back on course may be helpful, too. But don’t target and attack someone who has spun out of the pit; that’s just douchey. And if someone falls — it happens frequently — pick them up. That’s Moshing 101.
As Jerry Nedrow, the vocalist of local metallic hardcore group Lucked Out, sees it, everyone must be aware of the audience’s actions and act appropriately. There is always enough space for both the people who want to blow off some steam and those who’d rather watch the show from a safer distance.

“I think that understanding your surroundings is the most important part of attending a hardcore show,” he says. “Moshing is more violent than ever, and it’s not going anywhere. It’s also a place of respect: If someone falls down, we pick them up. If you don’t want to get hit, pushed or shoved, don’t stand near the edge of the pit.”

Sounds like common sense, but if it’s your first mosh pit experience, that may not be so obvious. So if you’re attending a concert that includes moshing, it’s good information to know before you find yourself alone in a circle of juiced-up enthusiasts. Don’t panic — simply move to the outskirts of the crowd. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to avoid unwanted contact with your fellow concert-goers. Generally, people will leave you alone.

But beware of the crowd-killers.

Crowd-killers are unhinged goobers who lack spatial awareness and indiscriminately spin kick and fight dance throughout the venue, wreaking unnecessary havoc and hitting people who clearly want nothing to do with moshing. This is more common at hardcore shows and has given rise to the rallying cry, “No karate in the pit!” Social-media Stans still defend this Neanderthal behavior with stupid rationalizations, such as, “If you don’t want to get hit, don’t go to the show."

Like most level-headed metalheads, the lead singer and guitarist of Denver speed demons Cobranoid, Kyle Gaso, has a simple reply to the crowd-killers: “If you're the only guy in the crowd spin-kicking, air-punching and generally making people avoid the stage and show, you're the asshole. If there's two of you doing that, you're both the assholes."
Of course, as stated above, there’s no problem with rowdy moshing if that’s the general consensus of the pit. Just know it’s going to get physical.

“If you're ‘pit curious,’ it's cool, but don't get upset when you get a sweaty armpit to the face,” Gaso adds. “Being my height, I've unfortunately taken several. It comes with the territory.”

As above, so below. Stage diving is often a byproduct of mosh pits, especially if bands allow or encourage it. So keep your head up. Gaso learned that the hard way during a Municipal Waste show at Cervantes' back in 2008.

“Trying to keep an eye on the pit, I turned back around to face the stage and realized very quickly that no one was surrounding me,” he explains. “I looked up to see a rather large, studded-jacket individual dive from the stage. Everyone around me apparently saw this coming and decided ‘Nope,’ which left me to utter the words "Ah, fu..." as the entire gravitational force of this person came crashing down on top of me.”

“I went to the floor hard, and we slid about five feet back due to the impact,” Gaso adds with a chuckle. “He was very polite and apologetic, helping me up while giving me a sturdy ‘Atta boy!’ pat on the back as he ran back into the pit. Good fucking times.”

That’s how it should be. If you’re new to moshing, it's a lot to take in at first. But Matt Deis, the former bassist of CKY who currently holds down the same position with All That Remains, puts it all into perspective nicely.

“Just realize everyone paid money to go to a concert and have a good time and get home safe, so look out for each other,” he says.

“Don’t start fights and get out of control. Heavy music is a release. We know people are going to do it. Don’t be a goof,” Deis concludes. “There’s no excuse to be crowd-killing or throwing punches or kicking people or taking cheap shots. That’s whack.”