So what is moshing? Moshing is a form of “dancing” in which people thrash their bodies together in a non-tradition unpredictable burst of raw adrenaline and emotion. Moshing is assumed to have been created in the late 70’s at the beginning of the hardcore scene while the terms “mosh” and “moshing” were popularized in the early to mid 80’s. Moshing has grown a lot since its inception, going through many phases as it passed through a catalogue of genres and an unimaginable amount of shows. This means the pit has seen the good, the bad, the ugly, and the unthinkable because when gone unchecked it can get violent and unsafe very quickly.
The mosh pit has a set of unspoken rules that can vary show to show depending on the type of mosh pit and the type of performance with the one consistent rule I’ve seen being don’t do anything you wouldn’t want to happen to you and if you do expect it coming your way twice as hard! These unspoken rules are a way to keep everyone safe and enjoying the show to the same level, read the room and find where the pit goes from fun to bastardized assault. Rock some heads, taste some blood, but don’t be an asshole. Moshing is a great way to let out all the emotion you’ve let fester and all the energy you’ve capped so at the next show you attend make sure to step into the pit and see how much fun it truly is!