March 13th, 2012 
Tyler Osborne 
I wanted to write a really snippy headline to this post, but I think this needs to be taken very seriously. According to an AP newswire, moshing, or what they call ‘slam dancing,’ was recently banned at clubs around the city of Boston. The newswire can be seen on most major news publications such as The Washington Post. Quotes from the article can be found after the break, as well as some more coverage.
“Police recently cited a city club for allowing violent mosh pit dancing and vowed a crackdown on what they called “dangerous behavior” and a “public safety hazard.”
“Police say the dance violated safety rules and the club was cited because security did not intervene. The club has agreed to put up signs that say mosh pits are banned.”
According to The Boston Herald, the citation was the result of a 60 person mosh pit at the House of Blues during the Flogging Molly concert on February 21. You can read the full Boston Herald coverage here where they speak to some bands who weigh in on this issue.
Here at UTG we support all styles of music, as well the entirety of the live experience. Moshing is an integral part of the punk and hardcore culture, so for Boston (who has a notoriously huge hardcore scene) to crack down on this is honestly similar to silencing the freedom of those who attend these types of shows. Now that may sound extreme, but as a website that has a lot of writers who are a part of this scene this simply is not acceptable.
What do you think of this whole situation? Let UTG know in the comments.
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There’s no way a flogging molly mosh pit could have been that violent. I would love to see their reaction if a band like Fit For an Autopsy or Whitechapel played there
I mean to be fair to Flogging Molly, those shows do get pretty rowdy (drunk irishmen moshing doesn’t sound as safe as you’d think), but I totally get what you’re saying. The suppression of a culture is honestly mindblowing to me.
I literally wouldn’t attend a gig if you couldn’t go in a pit, standing there watching is the equivalent to watching live videos on YouTube except you probably have a worse view.
fuck menino. i would understand them being hesitant over the visuals of a pit at a real Hardcore show, like Have heart or back in the day when it was S.S.D. and Gang green throwing rippers, but the fact that its over a minimalistic 60 person push pit at a flogging molly show, im appalled at the over reactions, and even then, i would still be against the ban, its part of the culture as you said, and its totally in the wrong to attempt to alter that.
I’d love to see
100% agree. There really is no point in my opinion. The entire experience of punk/hardcore shows is, in my personal opinion, completely contingent on the chaos. Thanks for reading!
Agreed Tyler, but this is just in reference to the bigger clubs I’m sure. There’s no way to regulate the heart of our scene at VFWs, the Elks or American Legion show. That’s where the fun pits are anyway.
Worst case, you drive 45 minutes west and come party with us assholes in Worcester.
I hate mosh pits…it is smarter to have a separate areas for such “dancing” and keep innocent people out of harms way…..it’s a win win solution …your happy , I’m happy
I’m never happy with bad grammar
Sent from my personal Skynet.