Moshing new interpretation of slamming

Audiences at a punk show joined in a big circle, or pit, and beat the hell out of each other. That is what happened. Everyone in attendance understood that. If they did not want to slam, they either stood out of the way, or stayed home.

The connection? People who go into pits have held back in their attempts to knock each other out. When a guy strolls in there and tries to slam old school, he is berated by the constant moaning and groaning of those sensitive weenies who can't take a fist to the face. Therefore, even in the pit the weakest set the rules for the rest of us.

There are still bands that keep the spirit of punk alive. However most people don't know about them because their music is not being played on the radio.  Punk aficionados stay loyal to their rage and when they attend a show, they don't mosh ó they slam. 

In the backyards of homes, punk bands still play as their friends climb on each other and have chicken-fights and pull clothesline poles out of the ground as a symbol of chaotic unity.  

Burley men in 18-hole Dock Martens stomp on the cement floor, kicking with every step. Bloody noses, black eyes and sprained limbs don't faze them.  

The women in this pit take a beating like a man and come back for more. More ferocious than men, they use their long nails to scratch until they see blood.

As disturbing as this may sound to some, it is tradition that has lasted for a quarter of a century. For people who see this scenario as too much to handle, a punk show is not where you belong.

My advice, if you are about to attend a punk show, don't get dolled up or put on your Sunday best because more than likely, you will be caught up in the spirit of punk. If you don't want to, stay at home.

Christina L. Esparza is a staff writer for the Daily Forty-Niner.