Show Etiquette: Crowd Surfing

For those of you thinking about attending a show sometime in the future and doing some crowd surfing, here's a tip: Don't do it. As someone who's been to numerous shows, I can tell you there is nothing worse than having some jerk kick you in the back of the head or fall on top of you because they think it would be cool to float to the front of the venue just to run to the back and do it all over again. If you don't want to take my word for it, here is a quote from Davey Havok of AFI fame:

"I've actually been meaning to point something out for a while now but it keeps slipping my mind. Just in case someone has misled you to believe otherwise, crowd surfing sucks. I would leave it plain and simple like that but, for fear of someone confusing the statement to be only a commentary against aggressive behavior at shows, I shall further clarify. Not to be confused with crowd crawling to sing along, the dying art of stylistic stage diving or the evermore rare head walking, crowd surfing is a passive, non emotive, 'Hey mom look at me and how wild I think I am.' behavior. While kick boxing, slamming, singing along and the like are all visceral and emotional responses to music, crowd surfing is, simply, weak. Always has been. There is really no better way to cheapen a live performance than to float like a happy little cloud atop the hands of discomforted showgoers. For all those aghast, having been misinformed and tricked into thinking it was cool, or far out, or what ever you crazy kids might call it today, FEAR NOT for you are not too far gone! We at the church of HolyChristCrowdSurfingSucks welcome you with loving arms. Now you know...and you know what GI Joe says about knowing. That is my public service announcement for today."

Ah, a man after my own heart. But in all seriousness, Mr. Havok is 100% correct on this. Even if you don't necessarily enjoy moshing, slam dancing, and the likes, you can agree that it is done while feeling some sort of connection to the music and projecting that energy outward. Crowd surfing just can't compare to anything previously stated or just singing/screaming along to all your favorite tunes. Not only do you ruin everyone else's time by crowd surfing, but you may also ruin your own when someone who doesn't take too kindly to crowd surfers takes action. I've seen everything from people being pulled down so they fall, shoes being taken off and tossed in a random direction, and even someone getting punched in the face. So before you decide to crowd surf, just ask yourself: Do I really wanna be THAT PERSON?