Headbangers have a gas, gas, gas in mosh pits “Dancers” in mosh pits at heavy metal gigs form patterns that resemble the behaviour of gas particles, according to a study in Physical Review Letters titled “Collective Motion of Humans in Mosh and Circle Pits at Heavy Metal Concerts” (PDF). Penned by four boffins from Cornell University's Department of Physics and Laboratory …
The classic random walk is exemplified by a person (typically male) who is so drunk that at each step he cannot remember which direction the last one was going.
By saturating the senses with loud noise, combined with the usual quantities of alcohol involved, I would expect that those involved in mosh pits have a similar level of randomness in their motion, especially when adding collisions with other "particles."
I will submit the paper to Annals of Improbable Research for their Scientists now know corner.
Wot? I'm not a metal fan but that sounds more techno's domain. May well be wrong but that seems quite a bit on the high side.
>...no micromanagement of individual actions is generally involved
I just love the image of micromanaging a mosh in full swing: "you there, elbows up a bit and in the ribs! and put your body behind it! oh fergodsake not that hard it's a mosh not a punchup, you're not trying to take him down, from the beginning and do it properly this time, useless buggers the lot of you..."
<---- jesus built mine (not metal but nice and fast)
" I'm not a metal fan but that sounds more techno's domain. May well be wrong but that seems quite a bit on the high side."
Depends a lot on what someone calls "beats per minute". Base it on crotchets/8th notes, then a blastbeat on a fast song could hit over 300bpm, but it would only be for a very brief interval. And I don't think that 10^5 people ever managed to form a mosh pit either. That either deserves a Guinness World Record or a Darwin Award - not really sure which....
"And I don't think that 10^5 people ever managed to form a mosh pit either. That either deserves a Guinness World Record or a Darwin Award - not really sure which...."
I think the reference to numbers is for the crowd itself, not the numbers in any mosh pits that form.
Well, I am a metal fan (sort off; I still like listening to some of the old stuff, but occasionally) and I think you're overlooking something. Usually it's not an ongoing 300bpm tempo but a lot of "beat bursts" (to give this a name).
In my opinion a very nice example of this would be "South of Heaven" by Slayer. The song as a whole sits at a very slow tempo (probably also the reason why many people kind of liked it, including non-metal or non-Slayer fans), but if you listen closely you'll hear several bursts which easily count up to 10 beats or so. Added up to the overall percussion (which maybe slow but still extensive) and I think you can easily reach these amounts.
Even though you're not listening to something "techno like" where there is a constant beat present.
And now all of a sudden I feel like digging up some of my old Slayer CD's :-)
The jolly roger, because metal fans like skulls :-)
You'll not find any Techno at 300BPM!
The genrenerds would have that techno can't exist at anything over 160bpm (not proper techno anyway).
Gabber would be closer, up into the two hundereds but I really can't think of anything that goes at 300 BPM*. Certainly not any metal I know of.
*There was a band** that did a song that was 1,000,000 bpm. But they were just taking the piss.
**a quick google gives no results so I can't confirm who this was
Yeah, you can easily get 300bpm with some thrash / speed metal bands. You can't really headband to that without getting..... well... I think this sums it up :
from the appropriately named, "Whiplash"
Bang your head against the stage
Like you never did before
Make it ring Make it bleed
Make it really sore
“Further studies in this unique environment may enhance our understanding of collective motion in riots, protests, and panicked crowds"
Sure sounds like some clever researchers noticed that funding for traditional research is drying up and decided to find some applications for their modeling expertise that might have some application to the war against terror. Crowd control? Riot control? Stopping protests? I can see the thin line of drool emerging from the side of the DHS pay masters' mouths already.
Sad use of an education and fine minds, but it was ever thus. Just a change in emphasis from conventional to unconventional warfare.
The thermodynamics/mosh angle may be new, but crowd modelling isn't; particularly with regard to building evacuations and (e.g.) the crowds of pilgrims at Mecca.
And would you want your demo an/or riot to be managed by the police using the traditional teargas/ watercannon/ kettling/ batoncharges, or something a little less brutal? Whatever your opinions of the police, the advent of less violent management techniques are most likely to be an improvement.
And would you want your demo an/or riot to be managed by the police using the traditional teargas/ watercannon/ kettling/ batoncharges, or something a little less brutal?
No. I now expect the police to shout, "let's do the show right here! Sarge, give me a one, give me a two..."
Maybe by opening a window or something? It is bleeding annoying going to a gig to SEE and hear a band only to have these idiots barge into you every 30 seconds so they can show how "hardcore" they are. Why even pay for a ticket when they could have the exact same experience bouncing off their bedroom walls. Meanwhile the rest of us end up getting banged about which is not fun when you have a partner with back problems.
Mind you i have found a few well placed elbows to the ribs sends a signal that you do not want to play their childish games.
no that would be more akin to having it playing at home, at full volume whilst throwing things through my neighbors window so they can enjoy it as well. Its not like i should be able to support bands i like or see them perform songs that are not on video. Shocking i know but a lot of bands do not even get played on TV!
Should my partner and i not go to gigs as she has a bad back and i have a messed up knewe that does not take to well to being kicked? or the poor sods on crutches who get barrelled over and maybe get a "sorry mate" if they are lucky?
There is nothing wrong with dancing/headbanging/whatever. If there is room do a waltz for all i care. Why though should people have to leave a concert with bruises because 5- 10 people act like idiots in the middle of the crowd? if they were off to one side or at the back then hey no problem but it is normally in the middle and at standing room only concerts you can't exactly move away easily either.
I doubt there would be much sympathy for people flailing around and bashing into each other in the cinema etc. Everyone enjoys things in different ways when it comes to physical violence(barging people, kicks) against people who do not want to participate, disguised as "moshing" then that is a dick move.
Nope, i tend to stand where i can get a good view. I only "maliciously inflict pain on kids having fun" after being kicked/barged repeatedly when obviously not playing . Given that most of the people moshing have their heads down and are flailing round in circles would not the back/sides be a better place then for people that would like to see what is going on?
I guess this must be standard now judging by the down votes, i look forward to randomly knocking down strangers next time i am at the supermarket! chill man, its the muzak, you are just lame and old! pushing people into the frozen goods section is how kids enjoy music today!
Could be worse though, i could be the type of person that levels insults from behind an AC nick....
Many of you are forgetting the differences between the pits now and then, through the 70-90s they were riotous sections but in the main they kept it in the circle. These days its over-privileged morons who don't mosh, they simply launch their pals into the sections of the crowd that are not participating.
The difference between the pit at a Bodycount gig in the 90s and the pit at Foo Fighters a couple of years ago was comical, I was in the middle for the BC and not a scratch, yet at Foo's I was being barged during ballads.
Simple rule, go wild but don't be a dick.
Actually in all my experience of mosh pits, the general feeling one should get is not one of fear. They are indeed violent, but they also embody a strong sense of camaraderie.
If you go down, when you lift your eyes there will be four hands offering to help you. If you bust your nose or are hurt somehow, people will support you or guide you to safety.
The system is chaos, but the individual elements are still human.
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