Koln gig: silly people and security

[Simon73]

Dear all, for family reasons I did not make it to Koln this year. But I want to point out something after having spoken with a British friend of mine who also like me live in Berlin and who travelled hours by bus to go o Koln. He was in the front rows and as soon as he started dancing (not pushing not provoking or anything) just moving a bit someone in the back of him started pushing him just to say stand still do not move. These kind of people should stay at home or go in the very back. Even worse: when the bloody security assholes pulled a guy from the front who was a bit drunk but again he was just dancing and enjoying no one beside my friend John tried to pull his arms to prevent this bullshit to happen. He was astonished by the indifference of the people and this should not happen in a NMA gig. I know we are not in the 80s anymore but still. This sucks. Later the same security shit tried to pull out John from the front lines just because he was enjoying and dancing and believe me I know this guy well and he even  stopped drinking since one year at least. He was just enjoying and dancing and this was forbidden….in the front rows of a NMA gig? This is completely fucked up. I am simon long term Italian fan and I know a bit a few of the old school fans and family members for meeting at the gigs and or at pre or post drinks and I told John that basically you had to change place and go somewhere where people dance and enjoy and no one can piss this group off. Not the people and above all not the security. I will write to Justin about this as we know each other since many years (like a bunch of other people for sure) just to see if he has any thoughts about this. But in general people complaining because someone dance and enjoy and security acting like shit it is something I personally stand against and this shit should not happen. People behaving like assholes I ve seen a lot of these but security where I was never not even in smaller venues like Dublin, Jena, Leipzig. And Koln which is also bloody expensive one ends up spoiling the gig because of all this? **** that.

[cthulhu]

hey simon,

i somehow can relate to your point here and somehow not.
for me it was last year, that i really got pissed off by the crowd. it was not one incident but several, where i thought: "what the hell are you doing here"?
there is always this dynamic when the band starts and mostly some people who are not used to it get blown away.
i wanted to go a bit further in the direction of the pit and because its crowded i had to use a little, but pleasant pushing, to achieve this. i was excusing myself and mentioned, that in several seconds, all people standing here, will anyway be "pogoed" in another direction.

i did this so many times at concerts, the first gig being in 1989, and never had problems. but last year (2016), me and my friend were shouted at aggressivly and there was a tention in the air, so that we stopped and just waited for the mass energy do do the job.
i witnessed several other almost fights in the crowd, because of that and all of that affected my mood and remenbering of the concert in whole. there was also this stupid pushing from behind of the people who stand there and just push you with full force, better said hit you in the back again in the moshpit...

but this year i found it better, i snaked my way to the middle, danced furiously and witnessed nothing of that you wrote about. there was this guy though who suddenly grabbed me by my throat and pushed me, i grabbed his hand and for a second there was a fight about to start(i never was in a fight my whole life though. just got beaten up;-), but i gestured that his move was totally inappropriate, i don't know why he did it maybe i bounced into him, and then we embraced each other...

that what you wrote about is really annoying but maybe just an impression of some actions occuring and hopefully just a misunderstanding...

[Simon73]

Thanks for your message man. As I said my mate John was up front where people were not dancing or moving to much. the pit was a bit in the back so that is why I told him you had to change your position anyway. silly people and fucked up security guys. I appreciate your comment anyway. dancing pushing it depends how onw does it. I listen to lots of music and buy iy and go to gigs and I have been in Berlin for ex to lots of punk gigs on squats and pogo and all and everyone had fun and there was solidarity that kind of feeling. sure one does not have to dance to inflict pain to others that does not make sense and if someone does that should be sent away. But that is my point. My mate John was not even pushing and pogoing or whatever I can say that he was just enjoying and dancing and moving a bit. and THIS dies not make sense. even less when security tried to pull him too out,................and no one doing ******* nothing about it. John wrote me.....it that was happening ina gig in northern England the security would have been slaughetered...........at least some time ago I guess. Anyway I find this truly injust and people not doing anything to a NMA gig when security acts like machos superheros .........no. I would have never stood there and look.,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[purplehaze]

I totally agree with you Simon ,I enjoy going to nma about three times a year only in uk,I always get there early to be right at the front and always have a good dance ,it just wouldn't be the same without a good dance and sing , sorry you had a crap time

[Amandistan]

I am not sure where you were standing but i was in the front for second set until summer moors. I feel forwards on people with the crowd. Maybe your friend made a mistake and was not pushed but someone fell. All i know is a German man i never met shielded me when he saw i was in the front without anyone larger to protect me. When i fell forwards the german guys would make sure i was okay. They stood their ground because God Forbid a short woman stand on the metal near the front barrier. They were there first so I get it. I left too but saw no violence, I was just tired as it was a lot of work. German guys can be big.. The two times I have been in front in that venue, i was shielded. Maybe your friend was standing in the wrong place. Sorry he has such a bad experience though. 

[Amandistan]

Thanks for your message man. As I said my mate John was up front where people were not dancing or moving to much. the pit was a bit in the back so that is why I told him you had to change your position anyway. silly people and fucked up security guys. I appreciate your comment anyway. dancing pushing it depends how onw does it. I listen to lots of music and buy iy and go to gigs and I have been in Berlin for ex to lots of punk gigs on squats and pogo and all and everyone had fun and there was solidarity that kind of feeling. sure one does not have to dance to inflict pain to others that does not make sense and if someone does that should be sent away. But that is my point. My mate John was not even pushing and pogoing or whatever I can say that he was just enjoying and dancing and moving a bit. and THIS dies not make sense. even less when security tried to pull him too out,................and no one doing ******* nothing about it. John wrote me.....it that was happening ina gig in northern England the security would have been slaughetered...........at least some time ago I guess. Anyway I find this truly injust and people not doing anything to a NMA gig when security acts like machos superheros .........no. I would have never stood there and look.,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

You are right the very front was not moving due to everyone being so close. It was hard to dance in that area.

[Simon73]

thanks to those who read and replied. my point is: bigger venue often suck (too much stress too much security bullshit). best places the smaller ones too such as jena, dublin, Leipzig, etc. simon