Moosh Pit Research Paper

Have you seen those weird music festival T-shirts that people wear and wonder what someone could possibly want to wear that for? While they’re sometimes meant to catch attention of people so they may want to look up the festival, it also serves as a reminder for many amazing memories for the two or three-day event. For a long time now music has changed people’s lives in many ways. It has brought people to fame and lifted many out of depressions. But, to those who haven’t experienced a festival, or even live music in general, you have been missing out an amazing social experience like no other. From the kings of festivals like Woodstock or Coachella to the lesser known ones like Rock on the Range (Hard rock/metal based) and Day for Night (variety) there are hundreds to pick from. One of my favorites is Carolina Rebellion which takes place right in this state.

It is Saturday, November 14, 2015 at Mesa, Arizona. A large crowd occupies large spaces all over downtown attending different stages of the first Mesa Musical Festival. Facing the Automotive Callahan Stage at Il Vinaio Restaurant, and only moments after a Rock 'n Roll band finish its performance, the place begins to fill with a public made up of many familiar faces. Voices in Spanish are confused with the English. Suddenly, some musicians begin to take the stage. Six, eight, ten, twelve, fourteen people in total with a lot of musical instruments: keyboards, drums, congas, trumpet, bass, guitars, maracas, cuatro. The music starts, and immediately the public begin jumping, singing,

While concerts continue to be a prominent experience in the music scene every function needs a soundtrack. Music’s use to set a tone or emotion has always been an integral part of society. Venues everywhere constantly host concerts and festivals to raise money for causes they want to aid. After the bombing at her Manchester Concert, Ariana Grande hosted “One Love Manchester” a benefit concert to support those who were affected by the suicide bombing two weeks prior. In cases such as these the music isn’t specifically tied to a certain movement but, they are bringing audiences together based off of a mutual love for the musician and a desire to aid a

Neon lights flash through the club amidst the sea of bodies. From hips, limbs, and horns the neon bounces wildly while the lights shining onto the dance floor flicker in rhythm with the rapid beat. The heat from the many sweating bodies lost in the moment combats the conditioned atmosphere making the air thin and intoxicating. Dozens dance together, others freely and more exchanging partners left and right.

Borchard’s approach at the opening of the Hard Rock was a participant observation approach. Borchard wanted to get into the Hard Rock Café the opening night is Las Vegas because he wanted to part of the concert, and the “once-in-a-lifetime experience” like everyone else in line. The line expanded around the 75ft spectacle of the Gibson guitar. Like everyone else, Borchard wanted to be a part of the grand opening to the most iconic and well known Rock and Roll hot spot now known. Borchard was looking to

“Whoop-Whoop” The Juggalo family is made up of Faygo drinking, face paint wearing, hatchet throwing ninjas who are misunderstood die-hard fanaticals of the Insane Clown Posse. This subculture is uncommon because it was established from a devoted fan base. From the growth and popularity a largely formed culture of their own has been created.

However, this conception of traditional mas does not represent the reality and range of the festival. Therefore it is unfair to classify specific characters as the hallmark of traditional mas when independent Mas bands, like Vulgar Fraction, who stray from performing these characters are arguably more “traditional” in their methods of creation than any other contemporary mas band as they place emphasis on forgotten skills such as wire-bending and costume-making. Yet, this begs the question: Is there a desire from the public for independent mas bands in contemporary Carnival?

In order to understand the topic that is to be discussed in this essay, one must first understand two seemingly unrelated topics. Those topics are feminism and punk rock. These two social movements spawned the love child that has come to be known as the riot grrrl movement. The history of the riot grrrl movement is deep and intensely intertwined with themes of monumental social change, musical evolution, and the previously unseen all-encompassing nature that is unique to third wave feminism.

When the band starts, the pit starts up. For the first couple of songs, Ed and the boys observe the pit from the outer ring of it for the first four or so songs. Then after about twenty or so minutes into the set, Luke and Ed jump into the pit and skank along to the beat of the song. After Joe and Alex looked at each other a couple of times, they decided it was time to try and mosh themselves. So they try it and they have succeeded at moshing around the circle: because that’s the way they wanted to dance.

In high school, a group of friends introduced me to Jacob Garrett: he would soon introduce me to the DIY music scene. I remember, in fact, the day I first saw his band, Clearviews, perform: in a twenty-feet-by-twenty-feet room, about twenty people packed together in order to listen to punk music. Let me clarity, these people, by societal standards, may be labeled “misfits.” For this reason: I felt at home. After coming home and researching, however, it turned out that many DIY artists were social outcasts-- as were their listeners. From the rapper “Milo,” a self-proclaimed “nerd” who studied Philosophy of Language, to “Nouns,” a punk band with representation from those on the autism spectrum, the DIY scene was full of “misfits!” And I connected

We are a family of children: 5 boys and I'm the only girl in the family. My mother doesn't work but my father does.

“Heavy Metal music's influence on society is really profound. Most people don't realize this, but Heavy Metal has spawned an entire subculture, with millions worldwide who can call themselves Heavy Metal fans. It is more than just aggressive music; it is an obsession and a way of life for a staggering amount of people” (Dunn 2008).

Throughout the year, ravers attend events either indoors or outdoors, having the time of their life, whether at a small venue with a tight-knit crowd of familiar people, or large venue with thousands of new faces. While raves might seem like the place where people go to listen to fast-paced music and dance all night, “the love is everywhere” says Patrick Welch, a raver from Portland, Oregon. Several people go to raves, not only for the music, but also for the community raves provides. After attending raves for the past couple years, I have learned that several ravers attend raves because they feel accepted. Several ravers have a tough home life and at raves they feel free to act like themselves and feel free from judgement. With a lack of a reliable family in their lives, these ravers tend to make their own “rave families”. Individuals in these families tend to look out and support one

Die Antwoord is a rap-rave band in South Africa that managed to get the attention of the whole world as a result of its controversial lyrics, sounds, and general attitude. While most individuals listening to their lyrics and watching their videos are probable to express mixed feelings concerning them, the masses need to look at matters from the perspective of someone who expects people to perform daring acts at certain times on account of their interest in getting the general public's attention from matters that are relatively boring. Die Antwoord is generally meant to trigger intense feelings in people and these individuals are unhesitant to use divisive tools with the purpose of achieving their goals.

This paper offers an introductory glimpse into the rave subculture for members of mainstream culture. The exploration includes rave artifacts, lexicons, and mysterious rituals. Based on two years of ethnography in the rave scene combined with published documentation, a survival guide for attending raves is offered for the naive, but curious. To survive in the rave subculture, possessing both the artifacts (nonverbal communication) and lexicon (verbal communication) are imperative. Artifacts include appropriate clothing, essential supplies, and psychedelic toys. Examples of interesting and unusual artifacts will be used throughout the paper to give the reader a vicarious rave experience. Insider lexicon phrases include codes for illegal substances, group rituals, and dance music. The reader will be taught some of the unique rave jargon, so that he or she can speak "rave."