Mosh pits and lack of pit etiquette make concert-going dangerous

Few things in this world can be as electrifying and awe-inspiring as a truly amazing concert. Sometimes the anticipation of finally being able to see your favorite band in person is enough to throw you into a severe state of shock.

From the minute you find out about the event, you know deep down in your heart that there is nothing in the world that could possibly prevent your experience from being anything less than life altering.

Unfortunately, in this day and age, a plethora of perils await the eager concertgoer. From the outset, you surely will encounter the monopolizing entity that is Ticketmaster, and its greedy, outstretched fingers undoubtedly will alleviate you of a hefty sum of cash for purchasing your tickets pretty much the only way they are available - through their corporation, of course. And then, you have to worry about appropriate clothing: not too much (you don't want to roast among the masses) and not too little (you don't want the guy behind you who is three sheets to the wind getting any cute ideas), and don't forget about suitable footwear. But the biggest nuisance, and certainly the most hazardous of the bunch, comes as a direct result of an untamed and aggressive crowd.

More than two decades ago, an annoying and dangerous concert tradition made its appearance on the punk rock music scene and eventually became popularized by Nirvana's historic video "Smells Like Teen Spirit" in the early 90s. Moshing, also called slam dancing or thrashing, originated with a population of old school punk and heavy metal rockers who would form a circle, or mosh pit, near the front of the stage and basically go at each other with all they have. The pioneers of this outlandish ritual were the hardest of the hardcore, and we're talking burly, angst-filled, black-on-black-with-countless-piercings, adorned teens occupying the front rows of Ozzfest.

In contrast, it is not uncommon today to find numerous mosh pit breakouts throughout an audience and splatterings of crowd surfers mixed into the bunch. Moreover, these acts are no longer being perpetrated solely by the hardest rockers or even at the historically predictable scenes but by young high schoolers at pop rock and emo concerts. Who moshes to Hot Hot Heat and Death Cab for Cutie, honestly?

All joking aside, moshing poses notable risks because it is not uncommon for moshers and the innocent bystanders they use as walls to sustain minor or even serious injuries, and many concert venues nowadays post disclaimers about mosh pits in visible places to avoid liability. The unfortunate truth is that it is no longer possible for a true fan of music falling anywhere near the punk genre to see a live concert from the floor and hope to enjoy the band free of the fear of getting kicked in the head by a crowd surfer or having their toes stomped on by a mosher.

According to the rules of moshing (yes, there are rules), respect is key, and "pit etiquette," such as helping up those who have fallen down and forming an actual circle to protect those both in and outside of the mosh pit, are espoused but not necessarily followed. New-age moshers show a blatant disregard for the safety of others around them and an utter disrespect for the basic right everyone has to an enjoyable concertgoing experience. As far as I'm concerned, the only way to deal with people like that is to declare martial law.

So the next time you go to a concert and see a "Mosh pits: Enter at your own risk" sign, remember it well because you were warned. And if you decide that it sounds like fun to ram into people and stomp on their toes, keep in mind that there might be someone around you who thinks it's equally fun to punch people in the kidneys, and that yours are looking pretty good. Kelly Reed is a senior psychology major from Kansas City, Mo.