March 31, 2001

5:04 AM

Just two months after the Sydney teenager Jessica Michalik was crushed to death in the mosh pit at a Limp Bizkit concert, the American rock/rap band is promoting an Internet game in which concert-goers try to avoid a violent death. More
posted by murray_kester (6 comments total)

Looks like they already pulled the "game". The message at the game page says "We are experiencing technical difficulties with the game. Please check back soon. We apologize for any inconvenience"
posted by Outlawyr at 7:03 AM on March 31, 2001

Uh huh. Technical difficulties.

Last summer, I photographed most of the major outdoor rock concerts here in Portland, OR. I had three basic jobs:

1. Push way through mosh pit to the safety of the security barrier in front of the stage, preferable before singers start.
2. Take photographs
3. Push way out after three songs. Do not drop, squish, or otherwise damage camera equipment.

While I have some awesome pictures of Three Doors Down in my portfolio, I also got to see a middle-aged, crowd surfing man get dropped directly on his head during a Lit concert, a girl get all of her clothes torn off (She wasn't wearing much to start with, but still...) during the Tattoo the World tour, pre-teen girls squished against the security barrier (they had to be rescued by the security guards and other photographers) during a teeny-bopper radio station concert, and various other injuries caused by too many people not paying attention to what they're hyperactively doing in too small of a space.

This is entertainment?

I do have to give credit to some bands. Lit actually stopped their show when they spotted that guy get dropped. Even though a lot of fans were pissed, I gave them big props for that.
posted by SpecialK at 10:06 AM on March 31, 2001

Wait a minute - the band Limp Bizkit is a bunch of jerks? That can't be right...
posted by dogwelder at 11:21 AM on March 31, 2001

Uhhh, just because the band's website -- which is updated by a third party -- and their record label endorse the game, doesn't mean jack about how the band feels. It'd be different if there was a a post called "a message from Fred Durst" which stated "try out this cool new game, Mosh Master"...
posted by Dark Messiah at 2:14 PM on March 31, 2001

I happen to enjoy the mosh pit very much. I've never been dropped on my head but I've come out bruised and bloody sometimes. Yes, it is part of the entertainment.

Having said that, I have to also say that Fred Durst is an asshole who should be held criminally liable for the way he encourages disregard for safety and common sense. No one died at the concert I saw him at, but that's only because people ignored him when he tried to get them to riot.
posted by y6y6y6 at 8:55 PM on March 31, 2001

I remember the good ol days when you could go to a show and enjoy yourself and not worry about dying.

Maybe I'm old fashioned but I don't get mosh pits. Sure I've seen them, but I don't get why you would want to get in a crowd of people that are set and ready to hurt you. I could get into a fight for free and get just as messed up and not spend 50 + dollars.

This whole thing is an activity that my generation seems to want to claim. I can give us Bevis and Butt-head, and the Simpsons, but this? and the whole thing at Woodstock? What are we doing? I mean it...what the heck are we doing??
posted by listless at 5:38 PM on April 1, 2001