I was by the sound-desk for the majority of the gig but I've been told by moshpit veterans that the pit was particularly hardcore this year? In fact, I saw a couple of security guys being asked to wade into the pit and manhandling a bare chested fella out who was rather streaked with blood that I don't think was his and he was complaining about it..? Anyone else found it a bit intense in there?
I didn't think it was particularly "hardcore". I just thought it was typical of a relatively large busy venue, in that there's a proportionately larger number of people that want to get involved. The shape can also be a factor (the shape of the venue that is, not the shape of the dancers
). It can feel harder work when it's more tightly packed, because more time is spent adjusting your ground, trying to hold off sways and surges etc and it's not as easy to get space to dance or jump about for any length of time without being "moved on". There also tends to be a lot more pile ups that need untangling when it's like that and particularly with Saturday gigs (more drinking?). Saturday was an interesting contrast to the Forum the night before (which I enjoyed in terms of dancing), or Manchester last week (which was perhaps too loose).
One bloke got quite a nasty cut above his eye early into the main set. There was lot of blood. He seemed quite keen to carry on but others equally keen to persuade him to at least go and get cleaned up, which to be fair he did as far as I know. He seemed fine at the end but it looked like it needed stitching.
My pet hate is scratchy watches and jewellery but for the first time ever at a gig I actually got properly skewered by something deep into my upper arm rather than just grazed and so I had to go and get cleaned up myself towards the end. I couldn't be bothered forcing my way back in after that but I went up onto the balcony and had a great view of the encores - an interesting and different perspective to normal.
H
