Going to my first (metal) concert ever. What am i supposed to do?

So at the ripe old age of 29 i have decided to buy a ticket to my first concert ever. All my friends have gone to concerts and i never really have except for when i worked as a bouncer at a venue in my early 20s. The whole concept seems sort of strange to me because i never really cared about any artist enough to stand around to see them live and they all sort of seem boring to me EXCEPT metal concerts. Even as a bouncer i would have a blast because they would make me work the mosh pits to make sure no one got into a scrap and if they did i would have to break it up and my god it was so much fun but i still never knew or cared about the artists. Metal concerts seemed so much more appealing for that reason and also i don't have to dress up for the occasion either.

So i decided to buy a ticket to Slayers show when they stop off in Toronto with Behemoth and Lamb of god because it's the last chance i will ever get them perform.

Anyways.....what the hell am i supposed to do at a concert? Do i sort of just stand around and bob my head or should i jump into the mosh pit?

I have been to many, many concerts and entered many, many mosh pits. Going to see metal, punk, and hardcore bands play live was my passion as a young adult. The mosh pit days have passed me by, but I still see bands play from time to time.

One thing I noticed throughout all the shows/concerts I have been to is that people at punk or old school hardcore shows were much more likely to help someone up who falls down in the pit than someone at a metal show. Moshing almost seemed like an art form at punk and hardcore shows. People would swirl around inside the pit and knock each other around, but their end goal wasn't to put someone down and trample them. Falling down in a punk/hardcore pit was just a byproduct of being in the pit but not someone's end goal. At metal shows, it seemed like their goal was to put people on their asses rather than just some casual back and forth. Metal heads didn't really seem to know how to mosh back in the day.

There is no reason why you shouldn't jump in the pit, but I would say set a good example and help people up that fall over and hit the ground. It's karma.

Have fun!
 
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I have gotten into so many fights. But in the end it’s a brotherhood.
You're definitely right about it being a brotherhood. I've been to so many metal gigs and people are so respectful, even in the mosh pit. If someone who doesn't look like strong or big falls in the mosh pit a lot of people make an effort to get them safe. Metal fans are some of the nicest people I've ever met.
 
Expect alot of nice cool people, also expect to not hear very well for a few days. I remember a biker gang in our row buying drinks and shit for everyone each time any of them got up for one, the dudes looked like straight up killers but had a ton of respect.
 
If you see a big open space where there should be a mosh pit and a song intro is starting, get out.
 
What you do is head bang and when behemoth plays you scream hail satan while holding up the doom fist! Then when slayer comes on you make your way to the back of the arena and after a few songs you leave...
 
If you do get in the pit I hope you bust out some sweet moves like this guy
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So at the ripe old age of 29 i have decided to buy a ticket to my first concert ever. All my friends have gone to concerts and i never really have except for when i worked as a bouncer at a venue in my early 20s. The whole concept seems sort of strange to me because i never really cared about any artist enough to stand around to see them live and they all sort of seem boring to me EXCEPT metal concerts. Even as a bouncer i would have a blast because they would make me work the mosh pits to make sure no one got into a scrap and if they did i would have to break it up and my god it was so much fun but i still never knew or cared about the artists. Metal concerts seemed so much more appealing for that reason and also i don't have to dress up for the occasion either.

So i decided to buy a ticket to Slayers show when they stop off in Toronto with Behemoth and Lamb of god because it's the last chance i will ever get them perform.

Anyways.....what the hell am i supposed to do at a concert? Do i sort of just stand around and bob my head or should i jump into the mosh pit?

I am the same as you. I guess people go to concerts for the social aspect. But I never cared enough for other people to hang around them for that long while listening to some other people play music for me.

I always wonder what do people wear.
 
I used to mosh when I was a teenager.

I still go to shows from time to time where a pit opens up but I wouldn't bother with it.

It's funny because I'm in great shape now compared to my teenage years and could probably do some serious damage since I didn't start training until I got older. But the idea seems pointless to me now.
 
What a strange question., but as a metal concert veteran, i do have some advice:

1. Have a good time.

2. if youre not sitting, limit your usage of a phone camera. Youre never going to watch the **cking video, and youre blocking the view for dozens of people behind you.

3. If youre in the crowd near the stage, keep tabs of the biggest guys around you, they are your concert bros, and you will want their help with crowd surfers. Look back periodically and warn everyone around you if crowd surfers are incoming, especially the biggest guys.

5. If youre on the edge of the pit, help people up who fall near you, and dont do anything more than push people back to the middle... EXCEPT if you see some guy being a real douche in the pit. Treat him with the same respect he is showing to others (none).

6. Crowd surfing is cancerous, dont do it. Having to hold 200lb guys with boots over you is is really annoying... ive been to shows were ive spent more time watching for crowd surfers than the band on the stage.

Cant wait to see Slayer again, seen em like 8 times but they have always delivered, lamb of god is good live as well, looking forward to behemoth, too.
 

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