found this appropriate???
well i found this appropriate since i went to the show the other day and it pissed me off that people we being dicks and shit, most where cool but there were those few that had their gfs there and were malling them throughout the entire show, ya dumb, anyways, here it is...
PUNK ROCK ETIQUETTE
It’s a simple matter of etiquette….
Your guide to the unspoken etiquette of punk rock shows.
Preface
For us older kids, this will (hopefully) be a real refreshing read. Remember when we used to go to shows and kids got along, kids didn’t get hurt and kids knew how to act at shows? Well this guide is here to remind us about that.
But this guide serves another purpose. I’m not writing this so us twenty-somethings can wax nostalgic about “the good ole days.” I’m doing this to educate. I want the younger kids that are going to shows now to learn about how and why punk rock and other indie shows have gone on for so long and how to make sure they stay going on.
We’ve all been to shows with kids who don’t know how to act (with the blow-up of punk rock in the mainstream this seems a lot more common). This is often a good reason that fights break out, independent venues get closed down and kids get hurt. Punk rock shows have always had a measure of unspoken etiquette that is learned over time. Hopefully this guide will work to speed up that education and make going to shows more fun for everyone.
This guide has been a collaboration from many sources. I’ve spoken with many people about it and am not sure it will ever be completed. I have a feeling it will always be a work in progress. Feel free to email me at XeverystepX@hotmail.com with your suggestions. Some of these suggestions have come from friends of mine. Some have been slightly altered from buddyhead. Most are my own.
Please help the spread of this website. Submit it for links to other sites. Paste the link in your AIM profile or away message, put it in your livejournal, copy this list into your zine (please put the URL there as well). Spread it around. If you run a website and you post a link for me, let me know and I'll put a link on here for your site. We're rebuilding the scene from the ground up.
Oh, one last note, this isn’t meant to be elitist. Don’t email me complaining that I’m a jerk or anything. Take this with a grain of salt, but learn where you can.
Table of contents
Dress Code
The Dancefloor
Crowdsurfing & Stagediving
Sing along
Keeping venues open
Interactions with people
Interactions with bands
Links
Thank Yous
Dress Code
We’ve all seen “that guy” at shows. You don’t want to be him. As shallow as it is, the way you dress tells a lot about you. If you already look like a doofus there’s a good chance people are going to treat you like one. Read on.
- Look down at your chest. Is there a band on there? If so, is that band playing the show you’re going to tonight? If they are, please take it off right now. Seriously. If you need further explanation, see the movie PCU.
- Going along with that, no shirts of old bands at the new band’s show. Don’t wear a Jawbreaker shirt to a Jets To Brazil show, no Refused shirts to an International Noise Conspiracy show, no Minor Threat shirts at Fugazi shows. You’re still “that guy.”
- If you buy a shirt at the show, don’t put it on until after the show.
- Next, look at your feet. Can you see your toes? If so, it means you have flip flops (or even worse, high heels) on. If the show you’re going doesn’t involve seats and may involve any form of standing in close proximity, put on sneakers or boots. There’s a damn good chance your feet are going to get stepped on. There’s nothing funnier than a girl running out of a crowd with a pained face and flip flops in her hands. Common sense people.
- Seriously, what’s the deal with the two belt trend? If you feel the need to wear two belts (for some dumbass reason), make sure at least one of them is going through the loops on your pants.
- Unless you really are a squatter, leave your white t shirt with marker writing on it at home. It’s not funny or cool looking.
- Wear your hat straight forward; not backwards, not sideways. Forward.
- If your hair reaches your shoulders, wear it in a pony tail. No one wants your gross sweaty hair sticking to their already sweaty sticky face.
- If you have a Mohawk, wear it up (weather permitting).
- Look at rule number 1 again.
- If you feel the need to wear big spikes or studs on your clothes, be careful about cutting/scratching/stabbing people with them. I don’t want to leave bloody just because you wanted to make a fashion statement.
- Leave your bookbag at home or in the coat check (if the club has one).
- Skirts are generally a bad idea for girls. I don’t care if you want to hook up with the singer of Saves The Day, there’s a damn good chance you’ll be uncomfortable all night.
- Keep your shirt on, no matter how sweaty you are.
The Dancefloor
Ok, here it is, your first chance to show your stuff on the floor. Good dancing can get you at least a little respect. Bad dancing makes you look like a chump. As a general note, you are at a punk rock/hardcore show. Be prepared to get hit/shoved/kicked/bumped into etc. DO NOT RETALIATE WITH FORCE (unless someone is intentionally hurting kid, and ONLY then).
- General tips.
- Know what kind of show you’re at. Dancing isn’t universal. You don’t dance to the Slackers the same way you would to Madball. Get a clue.
- Watch the kids in the pit. It’s pretty obvious who knows what they’re doing and who doesn’t. Learn from them.
- If it’s your first show, don’t get in the pit. Make sure you know your shit before you step out there.
- Don’t spastically flail around in a small space slamming into people like an epileptic. That’s not what a “pit” is and you aren’t “dancing.” You’re being a jackass.
- If a circle opens up, leave it to kids that know how to dance. Don’t charge in there and do jumping jacks or something equally stupid. Don’t slam into your friends like charging rams. Unless you plan on causing brain damage.
- Also, if a pit opens up, leave it open. Don't just fill it back up right away. Let kids use it to dance.
- If you accidentally hit someone, apologize. It happens to the best of us, so be understanding (see tip h).
- If you’re in a pit and someone falls down, help them up.
- If you’re on the edge of the pit and someone accidentally hits you, don’t retaliate with force. Standing there opens you up to accidental physical contact with others. Take it like a man or move to the back.
- If you find keys, wallets, watches, dentures etc, step to the edge of the pit and hold ‘em up. Someone should claim them fairly quick. Make sure your shoes are tied tightly
- For God sakes, no air guitars!! The closest thing to this can be when an incredibly metal solo occurs you can wiggle your fingers (as if on a fretboard) and stare in amazement. If you keep this up for more than 5 seconds you deserve to have said fingers broken.
- Look at the band on stage. Find their genre below.
- Hardcore* - I’m not much of an expert on this yet. A few things I do know though. Learn where the breakdowns are. Learn where the two-step parts are. Don’t just slam into people, even if they are your friends. When you see kids kicking and punching etc, they aren’t trying to hurt people. You shouldn’t be either. Violence disguised as dancing isn’t “tough,” it’s retarded.
- Punk - See what they do in the circle pit. Hop in and follow em for the ride. Learn when and how to finger point. Don’t just fingerpoint at anytime; learn when sing-a-longs, anthem parts and stops are. Throw that fist in the air. Punk rock is probably the easiest music to dance to.
- Ska - Don’t “mosh” at ska shows. Learn to skank and have a good time. Keep it to the rhythm; don’t just kick your legs randomly. Follow the upbeats.
*3. Since hardcore dancing is often breeding grounds for many conflicts, I have
elaborated on it further here. Much of this information comes from Nate or Cochran.
a. If the pit is WIDE open, never, under any circumstances should you be kicking people on the side of the crowd. It doesn't matter if your trying to rep' how tough your scene is [or act like you are from a scene]. A wide open pit generally calls for going nuts and covering the whole open space, not border of the crowd violence.
b. If you’re not familiar with a scene, or its dancing, it's generally proper to observe first and make sure there aren't any factions that you should avoid hitting/dancing near.
c. Style helps, a lot, but if you are new to dancing, or just no good at it, do it anyway, but be nice about it and don't go bowling people over.
d. That lame ass jump up, back swing at the crowd thing. If this ever gets done to me, it's grounds for a fight. If you aren't part of a very large/terrible crew, you can't get away with it. If you are a part of one of these badass crews, and can get away with it, you don't belong in my scene. Go back to the Hatebreed/Slayer tour.
e. Variety. It's the spice of life. If you are dancing, and dancing frequently during one particular show, try to vary it up a bit. The exact same move, same pattern is lame after the first seven or eight times through. Throw in something different, or dance to a different part. This holds double if very few people are dancing, and everyone has to suffer through you doing punch/wind/punch/wind/kick for an entire set.
f. Flipping/cartwheeling...these are badass manuevers. They get props if tried, and respect if done well. Just don't do them in super small spaces where you're gonna kick someone in the teeth because you can't control your roundoff. Don't try cartwheels on sweatsoaked floors [ala the Church during a Kid Dynamite reunion set]
g. Two-stepping. There are about a billion different ways to do it. Who cares how you do it? no one, just as long as you have fun and stay on the beat
h. It's not mandatory, but you come off like you’re in the know you can two step/kickbox/stand with your arms folded during the right parts. This mainly applies to well known bands. There shouldn't be kids windmilling during a two-step part.
Crowdsurfing & Stagediving
If you feel the need to crowdsurf, know a few things: you could get seriously hurt and you could really piss people off. You better be ready to handle it.
- If you weigh over 200 pounds, keep your chubby ass on the ground.
- If you’re shirtless and sweaty (which you shouldn’t be if you read the first section), don’t crowd surf.
- If you keep getting pushed to the front of the crowd and getting on stage, you aren’t cool. You look like a tool. Stay away from the front of the crowd. Quit surfing over and over and over. It’s not cool.
- If you’re a girl, don’t wear a shirt that may pop off at any time. Unless you wanna expose yourself to hundreds of people and open up the risk of being groped (which definitely isn’t cool).
- Make sure your shoes are tied.
- No matter how much crowdsurfers are getting on your nerves, please do not try to take their shoes off. This is just as obnoxious as what they are doing to you.
- Make sure there is music being played while crowdsurfing (or stagediving).
It’s hard to talk about crowd surfing without talking about stagediving. Many of the rules from that category can be placed down here too, so transfer them as you see fit.
- If you can’t make it over the front row of people, don’t dive. Those kids don’t need your knee in their face. Get some air. Go off a monitor or another person (ie Big Bob at a Bane show) if you can’t get the extra air yourself.
- Don’t dive feet first.
- Stagediving is only valid when music is playing.
- If you keep diving and keep getting pushed back to the stage, give up. Seriously.
- If you get on stage you better be fully prepared to dive off.
- Try and have some style. Flips and rolls are great.
- Headwalks are cool but are usually not appreciated by the people upon whom you headwalk.
Singing along
If you really like a band, you’re most likely going to be inclined to sing along. This is understandable, we’ve all done it. But before doing it, consult this list.
- Can you sing? You don’t have to be Tom fucking Jones, but you should be able to carry somewhat of a tune.
- Do you have rhythm? Nothing is more annoying than the wiener screaming the words to some song in your ear to the beat that only he seems to hear.
- Do you know the actual words? It’s better to not sing than to fake it and spend half the show mumbling. You don’t look like a jackass if you can’t (or don’t) sing. You do look like a jackass if you fake it. Marriages have ended for less than this.
- When you fingerpoint, don’t slam the person in front of you with your elbow. I’ve done it and I usually feel like a jerk afterwards.
- Rocking out/finger pointing looks stupid if you’re in the balcony or in the back of the room. If you really like the band get your dumb ass up front.
- If the singer of the band has a very unique voice (ala Coheed and Cambria), think twice before singing along. You probably can’t sing that high, so if you can’t find the note an octave or two lower, just give up. I didn’t pay to hear your lame ass.
- Going along with this, singers that perpetually give mic props to kids that can’t sing should be strung up by their mic cords.
Keeping venues open
We all know about venues that stopped having or allowing shows because too many kids were being jackasses. Follow some of these words of wisdom before you do dumb things at shows.
- The following things are not “punk” nor are they “tough” :
- fighting at shows
- drinking outside of shows
- generally causing a problem outside venues
- pissing off the residents/businesses near venues
- defacing venue walls (unless it’s a squat/punk house/warehouse/collective where this is encouraged)
- destroying club/venue bathrooms
- prejudice and bigotry. fuck off if that’s your thing.
- don't steal from venues or businesses around the venues.
Interactions with people
Just because I’m standing next to you in line doesn’t mean I want to talk to you.
- Don't give me:
a. a demo that sounds like you recorded it in a dumpster
b. a flier for a show with 7 bands I have never, ever heard anything at all about
c. almost anything that your “street team” sent you
d. a zine without at least 10 pages of solid content. - Don’t ask me for:
a. a demo of my band
b. a cigarette
c. a lighter
d. an extra ticket (anyone scalping tickets at a punk/hardcore show is typically an asshole - although this is not always true, sometimes people just get stuck with extra tickets) - Making out is completely inappropriate. Holding hands is questionable.
- Just because you don't like a band doesn't mean other people don't. Shut up or take your conversation elsewhere.
- Look at the last tip. Is that conversation being held on a cellphone? If so then leave and don't come back.
- Hardcore/punk rock isn't a boys club. Treat girls with respect at shows or go the hell home.
- Just because you’re shorter than the person behind you does not give you the right to poke, prob, claw, stab the person in front of you.
- Don’t mess with security guards at shows. Not only could they probably kill you with one hand, but most (of course, not all) of the time they’re just trying to help out. Of course, over aggressive security guards are lame, I agree.
- Don't tell me about how you saw some band six months ago before they were big. You're not impressing anyone.
Interactions with the bands
Just because a band is hanging around doesn't mean you have to talk to them.
- Don't buy six copies of a limited press vinyl.
- Autographs? At a punk show? Put your tits away and buy an Aerosmith ticket. Seriously.
- Under no circumstances, ever, should you be waiting in line to buy merch for a band that is onstage. If you care that much about the band, you should be singing along. If you’re in line you’re just a fanboy at a punk show because there aren't any cons that weekend.
- Bands, you shouldn't even be selling merch while you’re playing. Your merch guy [if you have one] should be at the stage, or behind it, or dancing and singing along.
- Don't jock one band on the entire lineup. If you’re there to see the 4th band of 5, stay for the 5th band. Stand in the back if you want, but don't clear out and leave the 'headliner' playing to their merch guy, the other bands and girlfriends.
- The band does not want to hear about your shitty band that has played 3 shows.
- Just because a band says to “come up and say hi,” doesn’t mean you have to follow them around all night talking to them.
- The band has the right to not want you on stage. Don’t slam into their gear and stuff. It’s obnoxious, trust me.
- If a band member is talking to someone, don't go over and interrupt. Wait a minute or two until they're done and then say something. I'm willing to be what you have to say can wait 2 minutes.
- Don’t give the merch guy a copy of your demo to pass along to the band. He has better shit to do.
- If you aren’t an extremely hot girl your chance of talking to that lead singer for an extended period of time is very limited.
- Don't follow roadies around asking for picks, drum sticks, set lists, water etc.
- Don’t follow the band around asking for:
- free merch
- guest list access
- backstage passes