Hey there my fellow creatures of the night!
Before you read this article I have to warn you that I wrote it a long time ago. It's not new and it wasn't written for a blog. It was written for a class, and since I thought it covered an interesting subject I decided to publish it. Let's see what you think... or better yet, let's see what I think, given that no one reads my Blog.
The Secrets Behind Heavy Metal Concerts
Everyone has been to some sort of music concert. Be it tropical, jazz, classical, Celtic, Electronic or Mongolian, every self-respecting music fan has, at some point in their lives been to a concert of their choice. The reasons of going to a concert are, to a certain extent, arguable; whether people go to see their favorite artists perform their famous songs or weather they go to listen to the newest tracks and unknown tracks has been debated since the time popular music took its course in the 20th century. That however, is a whole different subject altogether, and lets face it, writing and reading about that would be a complete waste of our time, so to get back on track lets focus on the main issue here. In general, most concerts tend to be the same; that is of course if we for some reason decide to attend Ashley Simpson’s world tour stop in Idenberg, Florida and catch a glimpse of her tempo failure with the playback… but in general, most concerts, regarding the genre, tend to be quite similar. People, in one way or another, take their seats, and cheer at the sight and sound of their heroes playing their biggest hits. There is no denying however, that certain concerts tend to portray different behaviors, ideals and dress codes. A perfect example would be a Willy Nelson concert. There is no disagreement that in this sort of concert, the majority, if not all of the people will be dressed in country clothes and will be listening to the songs with cowboy boots and hat, ready to ride their horses… I mean pick up trucks after the event; that is unless you happened to catch Willie Nelson’s gig in San Juan, Puerto Rico that was… well… a little to tropical for my personal taste...but again back on track. Out of the many different genres of concerts, there is one in which, without an exception, people have to follow a very strict code of implied rules and conduct… and if they don’t, there might be hell to pay… and I’m not talking about classical ballet or hard rap from the hoods of downtown Detroit, but I’m talking about Metal... hard and heavy Metal.
And let me clarify that by Heavy Metal I do not mean 1980’s colorful, leopard skin with spandex… no, I’m sorry but the Scorpions, Def Leppard, Motley Crue, Van Halen and alike are more in the realms of Pop/Rock, and not to say anything about their music, but it’s not really Metal… I mean hard, heavy, dark, sinister; extreme metal, Black, Death, Thrash, Grindcore, Power, Doom, I mean real Metal.
Unlike any other type of concert or musical event, Heavy Metal concerts are the hosts of one of the world’s most bizarre and strangely interesting events. These are performances an entire subculture of people lives for…oh Yeah, unlike rap and other styles, Heavy Metal culture is only based on the music and nothing else… Heavy Metal fans live for the music. Every Heavy Metal fan, to a certain extent, knows how to play an instrument (or at least tries) and it is not at random that Metal heads attend gigs to feel at home... to feel they belong somewhere… the performances give the fans a feeling of individuality and vivid spiritualism. When we go to Metal concerts it’s not only about the music… of course it doesn’t hurt to listen to our favorite bands live at top volume inside a room filled with recreational marijuana, but it's also to spend a healthy Saturday night with people we like to interact with and whom we share common interests with (to those old farts and nerds out there think it as if it were a Friday night at the local chess club or public library).
There is a strong sense of individuality, belonging and independence in heavy metal concerts. People are not just cheering the band on, but their also cheering their life, themselves, their culture, their lifestyle, their convictions and their points of view. A concert is the only place, aside from the first political heavy Metal rally (Next week outside the capitol building in Washington D. C.) where a Heavy Metal fan (otherwise known to the common public as rebel, criminal and punk) can truly express his/her convictions and for the first time in their life hear agreements and not contradictions. It’s the only place in the world were you will see all these scary people at once.
Apart from the overwhelming and bombastic musical experience of loud and ear exploding high volumes, a Heavy Metal concert can also provide, to a “normal average Joe” the experience of a lifetime. No where else in the world, apart from massive strikes and riots (which honest to Satan if you want to attend go ahead and see how it works out, but I’m not responsible for any damages, be it psychological and physical), will there be a gathering of so many people conforming to the same ideals, sharing the same positions, dressing the same way, smoking the same weed, listening to their favorite songs and of course, banging their heads together… all for a very cheap price; for as we know, Metal concerts, at least most of them, are not very expensive, unless you count the concerts given by Mock Metal band Moderatto at ridiculously high prices, providing you with nothing else than mediocre poseur style music… but I don’t like to talk about that, it gets me upset... and you wouldn’t like me when I’m upset.
Heavy Metal concerts are a dangerous site to visit when one is not accustomed to them. Apart from being forced to breathe marijuana people can sometimes be crushed between hordes of angry metal fans jumping and screaming at the site of madmen singing prayers to evil, death, suffering and mayhem. Emergency exits are at times quite small and the venues themselves are old and constitute potential fire hazards; not counting the aggressiveness of the fans, which can sometimes climb out of hand.
Do not be misguided however by thinking that heavy metal shows are horrific events; apart from the musical experience they provide, for many the trip to the arena is worth making just to get a glimpse at its magnitude. A performance is a site everyone must witness at one point or another in their lives. The site of thousands of people dressed in the exact same manner, getting together to sing and yell prayers to the devil is not something common, and is definitely worth the trouble. In order to enjoy a Metal concert however, several steps must be taken or someone might get hurt… and we certainly don’t want that to happen. Up next is a detailed step by step idiot proof guide on surviving a Heavy Metal concert… and yeah, it’s something that needs planning.
Before anything, before you even think about what you’re going to wear, what you’re going to act like, you must first select the heavy metal concert of your choice, planning at least a couple of weeks in advance. To do this log on to www.ticketmaster.com, select your city or a nearby city and then click where it says hard/rock metal and browse the section until you find an adequate gig… and remember that by Heavy Metal I do not mean Def Leppard or Motley Crue, I mean real metal. Trust me, being that it is your first time at one of these things I strongly recommend a light one, don’t go to a Mayhem or Emperor performance because not only will you be risking your life but you won’t enjoy it as much… if you do insist on being a stubborn metalhead please, by all means do go to the gig, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Before you read this article I have to warn you that I wrote it a long time ago. It's not new and it wasn't written for a blog. It was written for a class, and since I thought it covered an interesting subject I decided to publish it. Let's see what you think... or better yet, let's see what I think, given that no one reads my Blog.
The Secrets Behind Heavy Metal Concerts
Everyone has been to some sort of music concert. Be it tropical, jazz, classical, Celtic, Electronic or Mongolian, every self-respecting music fan has, at some point in their lives been to a concert of their choice. The reasons of going to a concert are, to a certain extent, arguable; whether people go to see their favorite artists perform their famous songs or weather they go to listen to the newest tracks and unknown tracks has been debated since the time popular music took its course in the 20th century. That however, is a whole different subject altogether, and lets face it, writing and reading about that would be a complete waste of our time, so to get back on track lets focus on the main issue here. In general, most concerts tend to be the same; that is of course if we for some reason decide to attend Ashley Simpson’s world tour stop in Idenberg, Florida and catch a glimpse of her tempo failure with the playback… but in general, most concerts, regarding the genre, tend to be quite similar. People, in one way or another, take their seats, and cheer at the sight and sound of their heroes playing their biggest hits. There is no denying however, that certain concerts tend to portray different behaviors, ideals and dress codes. A perfect example would be a Willy Nelson concert. There is no disagreement that in this sort of concert, the majority, if not all of the people will be dressed in country clothes and will be listening to the songs with cowboy boots and hat, ready to ride their horses… I mean pick up trucks after the event; that is unless you happened to catch Willie Nelson’s gig in San Juan, Puerto Rico that was… well… a little to tropical for my personal taste...but again back on track. Out of the many different genres of concerts, there is one in which, without an exception, people have to follow a very strict code of implied rules and conduct… and if they don’t, there might be hell to pay… and I’m not talking about classical ballet or hard rap from the hoods of downtown Detroit, but I’m talking about Metal... hard and heavy Metal.
And let me clarify that by Heavy Metal I do not mean 1980’s colorful, leopard skin with spandex… no, I’m sorry but the Scorpions, Def Leppard, Motley Crue, Van Halen and alike are more in the realms of Pop/Rock, and not to say anything about their music, but it’s not really Metal… I mean hard, heavy, dark, sinister; extreme metal, Black, Death, Thrash, Grindcore, Power, Doom, I mean real Metal.
Unlike any other type of concert or musical event, Heavy Metal concerts are the hosts of one of the world’s most bizarre and strangely interesting events. These are performances an entire subculture of people lives for…oh Yeah, unlike rap and other styles, Heavy Metal culture is only based on the music and nothing else… Heavy Metal fans live for the music. Every Heavy Metal fan, to a certain extent, knows how to play an instrument (or at least tries) and it is not at random that Metal heads attend gigs to feel at home... to feel they belong somewhere… the performances give the fans a feeling of individuality and vivid spiritualism. When we go to Metal concerts it’s not only about the music… of course it doesn’t hurt to listen to our favorite bands live at top volume inside a room filled with recreational marijuana, but it's also to spend a healthy Saturday night with people we like to interact with and whom we share common interests with (to those old farts and nerds out there think it as if it were a Friday night at the local chess club or public library).
There is a strong sense of individuality, belonging and independence in heavy metal concerts. People are not just cheering the band on, but their also cheering their life, themselves, their culture, their lifestyle, their convictions and their points of view. A concert is the only place, aside from the first political heavy Metal rally (Next week outside the capitol building in Washington D. C.) where a Heavy Metal fan (otherwise known to the common public as rebel, criminal and punk) can truly express his/her convictions and for the first time in their life hear agreements and not contradictions. It’s the only place in the world were you will see all these scary people at once.
Apart from the overwhelming and bombastic musical experience of loud and ear exploding high volumes, a Heavy Metal concert can also provide, to a “normal average Joe” the experience of a lifetime. No where else in the world, apart from massive strikes and riots (which honest to Satan if you want to attend go ahead and see how it works out, but I’m not responsible for any damages, be it psychological and physical), will there be a gathering of so many people conforming to the same ideals, sharing the same positions, dressing the same way, smoking the same weed, listening to their favorite songs and of course, banging their heads together… all for a very cheap price; for as we know, Metal concerts, at least most of them, are not very expensive, unless you count the concerts given by Mock Metal band Moderatto at ridiculously high prices, providing you with nothing else than mediocre poseur style music… but I don’t like to talk about that, it gets me upset... and you wouldn’t like me when I’m upset.
Heavy Metal concerts are a dangerous site to visit when one is not accustomed to them. Apart from being forced to breathe marijuana people can sometimes be crushed between hordes of angry metal fans jumping and screaming at the site of madmen singing prayers to evil, death, suffering and mayhem. Emergency exits are at times quite small and the venues themselves are old and constitute potential fire hazards; not counting the aggressiveness of the fans, which can sometimes climb out of hand.
Do not be misguided however by thinking that heavy metal shows are horrific events; apart from the musical experience they provide, for many the trip to the arena is worth making just to get a glimpse at its magnitude. A performance is a site everyone must witness at one point or another in their lives. The site of thousands of people dressed in the exact same manner, getting together to sing and yell prayers to the devil is not something common, and is definitely worth the trouble. In order to enjoy a Metal concert however, several steps must be taken or someone might get hurt… and we certainly don’t want that to happen. Up next is a detailed step by step idiot proof guide on surviving a Heavy Metal concert… and yeah, it’s something that needs planning.
Before anything, before you even think about what you’re going to wear, what you’re going to act like, you must first select the heavy metal concert of your choice, planning at least a couple of weeks in advance. To do this log on to www.ticketmaster.com, select your city or a nearby city and then click where it says hard/rock metal and browse the section until you find an adequate gig… and remember that by Heavy Metal I do not mean Def Leppard or Motley Crue, I mean real metal. Trust me, being that it is your first time at one of these things I strongly recommend a light one, don’t go to a Mayhem or Emperor performance because not only will you be risking your life but you won’t enjoy it as much… if you do insist on being a stubborn metalhead please, by all means do go to the gig, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Your first metal gig should, preferably be a Power, Doom or Thrash. In this sort of concert you will get the meat and potatoes of a Metal concert without going into terrible extremes.
Once you have chosen the concert you must go ahead and purchase the ticket. On most performances, there’s only one option in tickets, the cheap general crowd, where you get your place on a first come first serve basis… and who knows, if you get there early enough, you might even have a chance to get to the moshpit. Then secondly, and very importantly, (and please trust me on this one), buy two tickets at least if you can. Turning up at a Metal concert solo is not a good idea, and if you don’t have a friend who wants to go with you when you’re buying the ticket you can always invite someone at the last minute… trust me, spending a few extra bucks might mean the difference between having a good or a horrendous time. Trust me; it’ll definitely be worth the trouble. Purchasing a double ticket is quite easy; you can do this online, by roll call or by directly purchasing at the booth of the Venue. I however recommend you to buy them online if you have a credit card; and even if you don’t ask a friend to borrow his and pay him back… it’s really the safest bet, you really don’t want to get to the venue 5 hours ahead of time to buy the ticket at the booth… oh and there’s something else I forgot…never, never under any circumstances, but the ticket from a reseller; there’s always a chance to buy the ticket before hand and besides, resellers might be a little deceiving… not only will it cost you a fortune but it’s also illegal, and unless your willing to spend a triple price on a ticket and spend a night in the county jail, go ahead and try it.
Once you have legally purchased your ticket there’s still some steps you must be aware of. First of all keep you ticket in a safe place so you won’t lose it. And second, unless you have been to the venue before, it is seriously recommended to go there and know how to get there, be it by bus, metro, foot or car… this is extremely important, I cannot stress this point enough… This way you’ll know exactly how to get to the concert and where to park if you have a car or where to pick up the bus on the way back. In addition you’ll be sure you know where the concert will be given so you won’t be forced to deal with directional problems on the given date.
Second, don’t make plans for the day of the event; you really want to be prepared and concentrated. Don’t rush things ‘cause you might lose your ticket… and you really wouldn’t want to miss a once in a lifetime Metallica or Helloween concert.
Now that you know where the concert will take place it’s time to get to know the band that’s going to play the music. First, read a little about them, their history, their band members and recent performances. To do this log on to their personal website via a search engine, or type in Allmusic.com and follow the instructions, or on a last note, log on to wikipedia.org and read a little about them through the erroneous facts provided on that cheap website. Next, learn the songs. If you don’t know or own some of the songs already, download or buy a greatest hits or famous album and listen to it weeks ahead of the concert. If possible, download the lyrics from the songs and learn them yourself… believe me, it’s really boring to go to a concert and not know any of the songs. Then, if you really want to enjoy the concert, log on to the band’s website and find the set list of the tour. Make sure you have every song in your collection and listen to them repeatedly until you have learned then…believe me, knowing the songs to a concert cam make the difference between having an unforgettable time or simply boring yourself to death.
After you have memorized the songs on the setlist plus any famous song not on it (probable encore), it is time for you to chose your outfit for the day of the concert. In Metal concerts, unlike general concerts, people dress in exactly the same way. Everyone will be dressed completely in black. Their outfit will consist in boots, leather pants or black jeans, a belt, black wrist bands, a black band t-shirt and depending on the weather, a jacket. I seriously suggest if you care about yourself one bit, to dress in the same way. If you don’t have black boots, borrow from a friend; if you don’t have a band t-shirt, buy one at hot topic, online, borrow one or, on the last resort, get one outside the venue the day of the concert (but this is not recommended unless you’re already dressed in black when you get there -you seriously don’t want to reveal how you change from your preppy style to metal style; if you do this I GUARANTEE you will be assaulted by all the Heavy Metal aficionados around you). T-shirts have always been the trademark of Heavy Metal and wearing one is probably the most important part of the experience…the difference between wearing one and not wearing one will be extremely substantial…to put it lightly…you really don’t want to get beaten. The t-shirt you chose will be extremely important. A band t-shirt does not mean buying a Beatles Abbey Road Album shirt or a Britney Spears Tour tee. It means wearing a heavy metal band shirt, which in turn might mean wearing symbols and signs you do not approve of, but are necessary to fit in and feel safe. For instance, many of the Metal T-shirts contain images such as inverted pentagrams or crosses, which are reputably the symbol for Satan… which I’m sure many of you will not approve of. Depending on the harshness of the concert however, these T-Shirts might be necessary. If the band giving the performance is a black metal band the more shocking the piece of clothing the better. In this case, however the lightest you can wear in terms of t-shirts are probably regular metal bands such as Iron Maiden and Judas Priest. Other bands like Van Halen and Scorpions are completely out of the question… that is if you treasure your health. For lighter concerts however, such as power metal and traditional heavy Metal; Hair Metal and 80’s rock band t-shirts could be okay, depending on the situation, but don’t risk it. My advice to you when getting the t-shirt would be to wear the t-shirt of the band giving the show. If that one is not available for any reason, I suggest you wear one from a similar band, one of the same genres. For example: If Dave Mustaine’s Megadeth (one of the big three of thrash metal) will be giving a concert, instead of wearing a Megadeth t-shirt you could wear an Anthrax, Metallica or Slayer T-shirt, which are also thrash metal kings. Clothing is extremely important, and if for some reason you are stubborn and decide to wear a pink lacoste shirt, light blue jeans and moccasins or something within those realms, you better plan a vacation and leave of absence from work… because I guarantee that you are going to spend a brief period of time in the hospital.
Now that you know how to dress for a heavy metal concert, the next step is how to behave in such a show. They key to do this is fitting in. Once you have the clothes and the music in you body, you can consider yourself a metal fan. Now all you have to do is sing along with the songs, show the devil’s horn sign with your hands (closing your fist while letting your index and pinky fingers stick out) once in a while and shake your head with the rhythm of the music. Be careful not to push anyone when you are approaching the stage and don’t try to make conversations with anyone; the people are there to enjoy the concert and don’t take pleasure in getting bothered. The most important factor however is never, under any circumstances, if you enjoy your healthy body, bruise free skin, and intact bones, ask anyone to put out their marijuana joint. Metal and pot have been together since the 60’s and nothing indicates that this is going to change. Do not try to change that; remember you are an observer, not a pioneer, and if you truly want to enjoy the experience you musn’t try to modify it.
Now, after the concert has been given, prepare yourself for the chaotic escape. In many cases the exit will take a long time, and it is not always pleasant… considering pickpockets are roaming everywhere and showering is not exactly a heavy metal fan’s primary hobby (for some reason near the end of the concert the smell of pot has dissipated and the stench of human sweat starts to fill the air). To avoid these unpleasant feelings you must follow these steps very closely: In every heavy metal concert there is an encore. When this happens be sure to walk slowly to the exit immediately after the band exits the stage for the first time… and please try to be inconspicuous and try not to push anyone. When you reach the exit do not leave until the final song ends, then immediately proceed to leave the building… slowly. This way you won’t encounter any trouble on your way out and you’ll have a chance to buy a souvenir t-shirt or poster while the stands are still not crowded.
All this being said; you now know how to go to a heavy metal concert and enjoy it. Do not see this as something to dread, take pleasure in it, have fun, live the experience and be part of it. It’s something you’ll truly like and will be able to tell you family, friends and teachers. You will finally know what a heavy metal concert is all about and will be able to respond to anyone that asks you about one of your wonderful experience in the heavy metal world.
That it all for now my fellow creatures of the night.
I'll see you in the future...
"I don't want to be a product of my environment. I want my environment to be a product of me."
Happy Hunting,
The WikiVampire
Once you have chosen the concert you must go ahead and purchase the ticket. On most performances, there’s only one option in tickets, the cheap general crowd, where you get your place on a first come first serve basis… and who knows, if you get there early enough, you might even have a chance to get to the moshpit. Then secondly, and very importantly, (and please trust me on this one), buy two tickets at least if you can. Turning up at a Metal concert solo is not a good idea, and if you don’t have a friend who wants to go with you when you’re buying the ticket you can always invite someone at the last minute… trust me, spending a few extra bucks might mean the difference between having a good or a horrendous time. Trust me; it’ll definitely be worth the trouble. Purchasing a double ticket is quite easy; you can do this online, by roll call or by directly purchasing at the booth of the Venue. I however recommend you to buy them online if you have a credit card; and even if you don’t ask a friend to borrow his and pay him back… it’s really the safest bet, you really don’t want to get to the venue 5 hours ahead of time to buy the ticket at the booth… oh and there’s something else I forgot…never, never under any circumstances, but the ticket from a reseller; there’s always a chance to buy the ticket before hand and besides, resellers might be a little deceiving… not only will it cost you a fortune but it’s also illegal, and unless your willing to spend a triple price on a ticket and spend a night in the county jail, go ahead and try it.
Once you have legally purchased your ticket there’s still some steps you must be aware of. First of all keep you ticket in a safe place so you won’t lose it. And second, unless you have been to the venue before, it is seriously recommended to go there and know how to get there, be it by bus, metro, foot or car… this is extremely important, I cannot stress this point enough… This way you’ll know exactly how to get to the concert and where to park if you have a car or where to pick up the bus on the way back. In addition you’ll be sure you know where the concert will be given so you won’t be forced to deal with directional problems on the given date.
Second, don’t make plans for the day of the event; you really want to be prepared and concentrated. Don’t rush things ‘cause you might lose your ticket… and you really wouldn’t want to miss a once in a lifetime Metallica or Helloween concert.
Now that you know where the concert will take place it’s time to get to know the band that’s going to play the music. First, read a little about them, their history, their band members and recent performances. To do this log on to their personal website via a search engine, or type in Allmusic.com and follow the instructions, or on a last note, log on to wikipedia.org and read a little about them through the erroneous facts provided on that cheap website. Next, learn the songs. If you don’t know or own some of the songs already, download or buy a greatest hits or famous album and listen to it weeks ahead of the concert. If possible, download the lyrics from the songs and learn them yourself… believe me, it’s really boring to go to a concert and not know any of the songs. Then, if you really want to enjoy the concert, log on to the band’s website and find the set list of the tour. Make sure you have every song in your collection and listen to them repeatedly until you have learned then…believe me, knowing the songs to a concert cam make the difference between having an unforgettable time or simply boring yourself to death.
After you have memorized the songs on the setlist plus any famous song not on it (probable encore), it is time for you to chose your outfit for the day of the concert. In Metal concerts, unlike general concerts, people dress in exactly the same way. Everyone will be dressed completely in black. Their outfit will consist in boots, leather pants or black jeans, a belt, black wrist bands, a black band t-shirt and depending on the weather, a jacket. I seriously suggest if you care about yourself one bit, to dress in the same way. If you don’t have black boots, borrow from a friend; if you don’t have a band t-shirt, buy one at hot topic, online, borrow one or, on the last resort, get one outside the venue the day of the concert (but this is not recommended unless you’re already dressed in black when you get there -you seriously don’t want to reveal how you change from your preppy style to metal style; if you do this I GUARANTEE you will be assaulted by all the Heavy Metal aficionados around you). T-shirts have always been the trademark of Heavy Metal and wearing one is probably the most important part of the experience…the difference between wearing one and not wearing one will be extremely substantial…to put it lightly…you really don’t want to get beaten. The t-shirt you chose will be extremely important. A band t-shirt does not mean buying a Beatles Abbey Road Album shirt or a Britney Spears Tour tee. It means wearing a heavy metal band shirt, which in turn might mean wearing symbols and signs you do not approve of, but are necessary to fit in and feel safe. For instance, many of the Metal T-shirts contain images such as inverted pentagrams or crosses, which are reputably the symbol for Satan… which I’m sure many of you will not approve of. Depending on the harshness of the concert however, these T-Shirts might be necessary. If the band giving the performance is a black metal band the more shocking the piece of clothing the better. In this case, however the lightest you can wear in terms of t-shirts are probably regular metal bands such as Iron Maiden and Judas Priest. Other bands like Van Halen and Scorpions are completely out of the question… that is if you treasure your health. For lighter concerts however, such as power metal and traditional heavy Metal; Hair Metal and 80’s rock band t-shirts could be okay, depending on the situation, but don’t risk it. My advice to you when getting the t-shirt would be to wear the t-shirt of the band giving the show. If that one is not available for any reason, I suggest you wear one from a similar band, one of the same genres. For example: If Dave Mustaine’s Megadeth (one of the big three of thrash metal) will be giving a concert, instead of wearing a Megadeth t-shirt you could wear an Anthrax, Metallica or Slayer T-shirt, which are also thrash metal kings. Clothing is extremely important, and if for some reason you are stubborn and decide to wear a pink lacoste shirt, light blue jeans and moccasins or something within those realms, you better plan a vacation and leave of absence from work… because I guarantee that you are going to spend a brief period of time in the hospital.
Now that you know how to dress for a heavy metal concert, the next step is how to behave in such a show. They key to do this is fitting in. Once you have the clothes and the music in you body, you can consider yourself a metal fan. Now all you have to do is sing along with the songs, show the devil’s horn sign with your hands (closing your fist while letting your index and pinky fingers stick out) once in a while and shake your head with the rhythm of the music. Be careful not to push anyone when you are approaching the stage and don’t try to make conversations with anyone; the people are there to enjoy the concert and don’t take pleasure in getting bothered. The most important factor however is never, under any circumstances, if you enjoy your healthy body, bruise free skin, and intact bones, ask anyone to put out their marijuana joint. Metal and pot have been together since the 60’s and nothing indicates that this is going to change. Do not try to change that; remember you are an observer, not a pioneer, and if you truly want to enjoy the experience you musn’t try to modify it.
Now, after the concert has been given, prepare yourself for the chaotic escape. In many cases the exit will take a long time, and it is not always pleasant… considering pickpockets are roaming everywhere and showering is not exactly a heavy metal fan’s primary hobby (for some reason near the end of the concert the smell of pot has dissipated and the stench of human sweat starts to fill the air). To avoid these unpleasant feelings you must follow these steps very closely: In every heavy metal concert there is an encore. When this happens be sure to walk slowly to the exit immediately after the band exits the stage for the first time… and please try to be inconspicuous and try not to push anyone. When you reach the exit do not leave until the final song ends, then immediately proceed to leave the building… slowly. This way you won’t encounter any trouble on your way out and you’ll have a chance to buy a souvenir t-shirt or poster while the stands are still not crowded.
All this being said; you now know how to go to a heavy metal concert and enjoy it. Do not see this as something to dread, take pleasure in it, have fun, live the experience and be part of it. It’s something you’ll truly like and will be able to tell you family, friends and teachers. You will finally know what a heavy metal concert is all about and will be able to respond to anyone that asks you about one of your wonderful experience in the heavy metal world.
That it all for now my fellow creatures of the night.
I'll see you in the future...
"I don't want to be a product of my environment. I want my environment to be a product of me."
Happy Hunting,
The WikiVampire
1 comment:
Hey great post indeed!
I'll be attending my first metal concert (OK I have been to maidens but that doesnt count, does it) and I think I have learnt a thing or two from your article.
At least it made me nervouse!!
Thanks a lot.
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