General Admission

Seano over at Circle Fits awhile back did a pretty comprehensive list that covered just about every type of person that could ruin a concert. It was one of the most accurate and all encompassing lists I’ve seen describing the kind of people who can take an amazing experience and turn it into something you would rather forget. While at a Metallica concert a around a week ago I ran into not one, but a group of people who can certainly be added to that list. The please don’t invade my personal space despite having general admission tickets to a metal concert person. Yes, it’s this same person who freaks out when a mosh pit opens up right in front of them, and instead of just going with the flow, or just simply trying to move out of the way, they have a hissy fit and throw punches at every person who flails their body nearby. It’s also this same person who is holding a big cup of beer and is distraught and fuming after their seven dollar Budweiser is knocked to the floor when the lights go down and the band takes the stage.

I’m not quite sure what goes through these peoples mind when they submit their purchase for general admission tickets to a metal concert. Sure, I can understand people being upset if a mosh pits break out during a Barry Manilow concert, but this is a metal show. Either these people have never been to a concert or they’ve never been to a legitimate rock concert.

When I first arrived at the show I could immediately see that it was a diverse crowd, with a healthy mix of young and old, but not even Metallica could bridge the gap on the floor. When the lights went down there was-- as to be expected-- a surge to the stage. Standing right to my side was a short and stocky Italian guy holding his cup of beer that was filled to the brim. During the surge to the stage half the beer hit the floor and the short stocky Italian had eyes of venom. He wasted no time screaming at the person behind him for pushing him, and in a scene that could have come out of the Sopranos, was declaring, "I’m gonna get my f’n brudda and kick your ass!" He then looked at his wife and shouted, "I’m gonna put a f’n cigarette down this guys shirt!" As the case with most people like him, he never got physical and just let his empty threats ramble on.

Once Metallica kicked into their opening song the pits opened up and bodies were flying. Many of the older crowd looked baffled and were just as angry as the stocky Italian. Big old guys ran in and started throwing people to the ground -- pissed that they were interrupting their experience. One shorter lady would end up taking an elbow to the nose leaving her crying for half the show and sent her husband into a temper tantrum screaming at the guy who had ran into her despite him apologizing to her immediately after she had her face buried in her hands.
Sure, a metal concert can get physical, but it comes with the territory. In fact, I expected this concert to be a lot more aggressive than it actually was. If you’re going to a metal concert you should expect mosh pits and the constant pushing and shoving. It’s a concert! If you’re looking to maintain some personal space then buy seats. Don’t expect the floor to be some spread out area where you can lay on the floor and expect not to be trampled.