MOSH PIT

I'm so old, I remember the pogo pit, people jumping up and down all smiling and happy. If you mis stepped and fell there was a smiling face helping you up and sending you on your way.
Somewhere along the line this all changed and the pogo pit became the mosh pit. A dangerous place where shirtless sweaty big guys were trying to hurt each other, and frequently did.
I tried to avoid the pit, but when it was a favorite band and you wanted to get close you had to take the risk of injury...or enjoy your hero's from the back of the hall.
The recent CLUTCH show was an exception for me...I took the risk and it paid off. I guess I'm a kinder, gentler no, fuck that, I'm better at getting out of the way and not losing my temper.
Soulfly is playing the Backroom tomorrow and we aren't going. Not because of the pit but because of some unexpected expenses, but it got me to thinking about shows I've attended at this venue and one stands out .
It was Tool and The Rollin's Band (You know, Henry from Black Flag).Henry was touring "The end of silence" CD...some really angry stuff.
Tool got everyone going, but Henry and co. sent it over the top. I was staying way in the back to avoid the mosh-craziness to no avail, the whole venue was transformed into a pit, throbbing, undulating slamming sweaty violence was filling every square foot of the place...within feet of the bar.
Suddenly, in the middle of a song, the sea parted. It was like a black hole opening up, and in the center of the now empty floor were 2 sweaty,shirtless guys, beating the fuck out of each other. One broke and ran, the other chasing after, right by me...they were both bleeding from the face.
As soon as they cleared the floor, the hole closed...Henry and company never missed a beat. It was one of the most amazing things I'd ever witnessed.
Soulfly is likely to generate this kind of "energy", and thinking about it, I'm glad we can't go...kind of.