WHY I DIDN'T LAST TEN MINUTES AT THE FRONT OF THE CROWD: A PSA
Last night I was able to go to one of the three sold-out shows starring Chris Lake and Fisher held at the Shrine Expo hall here in Los Angeles. I was incredibly excited because Chris Lake is one of my all-time favorite producers. I know all of his songs, and he is constantly playing on repeat around my apartment. Needless to say, I wanted to have the best time possible. My friend and I were able to get in very early and get (almost to the front), the rail itself had already filled up pretty quickly. We were fine for pretty much all of the opening act's set, but when the time came for the main event we ran into probably the most annoying issue you can have any concert or club event, which is being literally shoved out of the way by a couple of people who had apparently just gotten to the event and decided that no one else mattered at all. Now I am pretty tolerant of people moving through a crowd and maybe spending some time at the front for a show, but I have no patience for pushing and shoving people who got there on time out of the way, especially if you then proceed to stand there, looking at your phones, to help your other inconsiderate friends push to the front with you.
When we asked them why they thought it was okay to shove people out of the way, they had no real response; they just looked uncomfortable about being confronted and turned away. When their friends showed up, they proceeded to shove more people out of the way, and one girl entirely over. As someone who wears platforms to events, I am well aware of just how dangerous being shoved around can be. All it takes is one bad fall, and you can roll your ankle and seriously hurt yourseld, which absolutely no one wants. So, today I just wanted to talk a little bit more about etiquette.
It should go without saying that you shouldn't be shoving people around, but I think that it is important that we as onlookers make sure that this kind of behavior isn't tolerated. If you see people shoving, or being aggressive to get to the front, please say something. It may not make them actively move away, but it might at least make them feel some bit of shame for their shitty behavior. This goes with any other bad behavior that you see at events. It is our duty as ravers to make to sure that we keep out spaces safe for those around us. We need to make sure we are taking care of one another, and sometimes that means speaking up when you see something shitty happen. I know it can feel a little awkward or maybe even mean to call people out, but if we can't do that, then we are only going to let them know that that kind of behavior is tolerated.
As the rave scene in the US grows, I think it is going to become increasingly important that we try and make sure that it stays, PLUR, kind, and caring. The only way to do this is to make sure that we figure out what we are going to accept and what we aren't. For me, shoving people out of the way because you weren't together enough to get there on time is something that we should accept. The same goes for touching or grabbing people without their permission. I know that a large part of the crowd was made up of USC students (as the event was put on near the campus), but there is no reason that this should make a difference when it comes to being decent. I am not saying everyone needs to be the most intense PLUR positive angel you have ever seen in your life for an event to be great, but I do think we need to be kind and respect one another.
I don't want this to come off as preachy, or even as a complaint about the show, I had a great evening even though to do so I had to go the outskirts of the crowd, where I wouldn't be pushed around. I am only pointing out that there is no reason why you shouldn't be able to be at the front of a crowd and not be pushed around like an inflatable toy. Long story short, as a community it is up to us to create and maintain our standards for what is acceptable at shows and events. Personally, I don't think being shoved around should be one of those things.
