The Strange History of Moshing and the Moshpit: Death & Karate

We’ve all seen a Moshpit or two, but did you ever wonder about the history behind this fine form of social interaction? For example, when did moshing start? Is it considered a good or a bad thing? And what on earth does karate have to do with it?

As you will see, there is much more to a Moshpit than a few people pushing each other for fun. Let’s go on a journey through moshing history, starting in the 80’s punk/metal scene all the way up to current views on ‘the pit’.

What is a Moshpit?

For all the uncultured monkeys out there, let’s take a moment to explain the meaning of the word ‘Moshpit’ (also referred to as ‘the pit’). A Moshpit can emerge in front of a stage during a metal, punk, or hardrock concert. This area, often circular in form, fills with people who then start slamming into other people (‘moshing’). So basically, it describes the situation when concert-goers are aggressively bumping into each other, but all in good fun.

The Origins of the Moshpit

The first Moshpits were formed in the early 80’s hardcore punk scene, quickly followed by hardrock and metal. It is widely believed that the term is derived from ‘mashing’, which people started to pronounce as ‘moshing’ instead. At the end of the 1980’s, fans of other music genres got a taste for moshing too, most notably at grunge and rock concerts. In recent years, moshing has become a common occurrence at hiphop and rap concerts as well.

The Wall of Death and the Circle Pit

There are two well-known variations of the Moshpit: the Wall of Death and the Circle Pit. The Wall of Death is basically two groups of people lining up face to face, and then slamming into each other. It is unclear when this practice started, but it seems to date back to the 80’s punk scene.

The Circle Pit is similar in shape to the Moshpit, but instead of moshing, participants run along the edge, leaving the middle part open. The Wall of Death is usually considered a more brutal form of the Moshpit, while the Circle Pit is often seen as a lighter version.

Moshpit Deaths

Unfortunately, after their birth in the 80’s its became more and more clear that Moshpits can be very dangerous places. One gruesome example is that of the seventeen year old girl who was gravely wounded by the moshing crowd during a Smashing Pumpkins concert in 1996. She later died in hospital. As if that’s not enough for just one band, another Smashing Pumpkins fan died in the Moshpit in 2007.

There were approximately 7 other deadly Moshpit accidents between 1994 and 2006, according to this research by Crowd Management Strategies. This study also emphasizes the high number of injuries sustained in the Moshpit. It’s all fun and games… until it isn’t.

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Anti-Moshpit Sentiments

After reading all that, it may not surprise you that many bands (the Smashing Pumpkins among them) no longer want their audience to engage in moshing. From the 90’s onwards, it became quite common for bands to pause their concerts out of fear for the crowd’s safety. The overall sentiment seemed to change from ‘Moshpits are fun’ to ‘Moshpits are for jerks’.

However, while some wanted the days of the Moshpit to end, many moshing-fanatics from the hardrock, punk, or metal scene looked for a different solution. Although a Moshpit can never be 100% safe, fans started to realize that their behavior can make it a lot safer than before.

No Karate in the Pit: Moshpit Rules

And so, since the dark days of Moshpit casualties, there has been a strong call for Moshpit ethics in the metal and punk scene. Having rules sounds a bit ironic, but it has made the Moshpit fun again. These are 5 of the most important Moshpit rules:

• Don’t try to hurt anyone. Pushing is okay, but throwing things, kicking, scratching, biting (you name it) is not. Ever heard of the phrase “no karate in the pit”? It’s not a martial arts fight!
• Offer your help if necessary. See someone falling? Stop moshing and help them up!
• Don’t wear clothes or accessories that might hurt others. No spikes in the Moshpit please!
• Don’t bring loose items into the pit. See a phone on the ground? Pick it up (notify others around you for your safety) and hold it in the air so the owner can come get it.
• Respect the borders. Don’t bump into people standing next to the Moshpit. If they’re not in, they’re not participating.

On top of that, most concert- and festival organizers now take special measures to ensure the safety of the moshing crowd, often urged to do so by the government. All in all, current Moshpit conditions are far more regulated than in the 80’s and 90’s, but also a lot safer.

Thanks to these rules, people seem to have a much more positive attitude towards Moshpits these days. You can go to almost any concert with the expectation that the above rules will be applied. Again, this does not make the Moshpit completely safe, so always be careful if you want to mosh yourself!