Some Nights, The Pit Is Not For You

The headline up above? It's a lie. The pit is always for you. It's for everyone. One of the cool things about a hardcore show is that there is absolutely no barrier to participation. (I mean that both metaphorically and, usually, literally. If you see a stage barrier, you might not be at a hardcore show.) Anyone sufficiently motivated by music and/or bloodlust can get in there and fuck something up, as long as they are willing to get fucked up in turn. That's the beauty of it — friends and strangers crashing into each other and/or spinkicking in each other's general direction. You're a part of it just by virtue of your presence in the room.If you're the reckless type of human being who charges headlong into every pit you see, I can only salute you. You are putting yourself at risk to contribute to a crazy environment. Thank you. If you never go in pits and you only watch from the back of the room, fair enough! You're still part of it! I am too old and infirm and ungainly to swing limbs around except on those rare occasions when something activates my inner berskerker. Mostly, I like to be near the pit. Moving around a little. Catching some stagedivers. Having people wheel into me e...