Spasticity And Stage-Diving: How I Tackled The Mosh Pit With Cerebral Palsy

 

Mosh pits are one of the most crucial aspects of heavy music, but having Cerebral Palsy makes it a whole different ball game… 

Mosh pits are like roller coasters: an element of danger that is overrun by the sheer thrill of the experience. It is this element of danger that has kept mosh pits active since the early 1980s. It is a very high sensory experience: you smell the beer and sweat spilling onto the dance floor. You hear the deafening music on stage in front of you. You feel the heat of the other bodies leaping around you. All these elements make for a truly thrilling experience.

Even if you have Cerebral Palsy.

For those who don’t know, Cerebral Palsy (CP) is a condition marked by impaired muscle coordination (spastic paralysis) and/or other disabilities, typically caused by damage to the brain before or at birth. I was born with CP and it affects my balance, speech, and fine motor skills. I was also born, however, with a fiery passion for music. This of course means that I love going to live gigs, and, due to my liking of heavy music, I often encounter the mosh pit. I’ve been to dozens of underground shows in dingy little clubs and basements around Auckland, New Zealand, and seen the loudest, fastest and heaviest local bands that Tāmaki Makaurau has to offer. I was in my first mosh pit at the age of 15, which was at an Alien Weaponry show at The Studio, a club in Auckland. I went with my dad, who was often my ticket into gigs as I was underage at the time (thanks dad!). I was overwhelmed by the sheer energy and power of the experience. To the untrained eye, a mosh pit can look like a violent, brutal experience, when in reality, it is anything but.  What I experienced that night was a brotherhood, perhaps unlike any other music genre in the world. So, with a good few years of disabled moshing experience under my belt, I am pleased to present to you three of my top tips for the disabled (and non-disabled) mosher to (hopefully) ensure a good time. Let’s check it!

Before we continue, I feel it’s important to state that the NUMBER ONE RULE of any mosh pit is: if you see someone fall down, PICK THEM BACK UP and make sure they’re OK. Mosh pits can cause serious injuries, and everyone is there for a good time, so it is imperative to honour this rule so that good times are had by all. 

Use The Front Barrier

Most gigs in the larger venues around town will have a sturdy barrier at the front, dividing the crowd and the stage, to allow for a security pit to keep the gig under control. This barrier also doubles as the perfect spot for us disabled folk to make sure we stay upright once the mosh kicks into action. The best advice I can give for getting a spot on the barrier is to show up to the gig early. Depending on the size of the venue, you could be looking at half an hour early, or 8 hours early. An example of a time where I have done this was at a White Noise Mafia gig. White Noise Mafia are an Auckland rock band that I am very good friends with. The gig was at The Tuning Fork, one of the bigger clubs in Auckland. It was a surprise to see the barrier had been put up, as I had seen the same band there just a few weeks before, where there had been no barrier at the front. I guess the venue was slightly alarmed by the stage divers launching themselves off the stage that night and put the barrier up this time for extra safety. Anyway, after deciding I fancied enjoying that night’s gig, rather than fighting for my life, I made a dash for the front, and, boom! I had a spot on the barrier. The anticipation slowly built as the crowd filed in. the place roared as the band took the stage, and as they kicked into the first number, that little room went bonkers. I was occasionally slammed into by a passing mosher, but hell, I couldn’t care less. I gripped the barrier tight and went absolutely fucking crazy like it was my last night on earth.  

It is at gigs where there is no barrier that things get interesting. A notable example of this is Auckland’s old UFO club in New Lynn. During its time, UFO hosted dozens of underage gigs in its dingy little room behind the local record store, Powertool Records. There was no barrier at the front, and the stage was a mere one foot tall. At these kinds of gigs, it is simply a matter of having a look around the room and seeing what’s on offer. In my experience, this is usually the singer’s microphone stand, a monitor speaker on stage, or a trustworthy mate that you brought to the gig (more on this later).

Bring A Mate

This should almost be a given in my opinion. As I mentioned earlier, mosh pits can be dangerous, and any good mate will offer to hold you up in the pit and make sure you don't get hurt. I am lucky to have a very supportive group of mates that all help each other out in the pit. If you’re at the gig on your own, it’s just a matter of trying to meet a group of supportive, like-minded people to help you out. In this situation, it’s always worth trying to convince a sibling or a cousin to go with you as well. 

Stage Dive, As Much As Possible 

Yes, you read that right. This is less of a survival tip, and more of a having fun tip. People were constantly stage-diving at the local shows I went to, and it was one of my favourite things to do at gigs. There are a couple of things to keep in mind when planning a good stage dive. The first is to make sure that the crowd is dense enough so that there are enough people to catch you. This is where the majority of stage dives go pear-shaped. The second thing to consider is when you stage dive. If you choose to stage dive when the mosh pit is going crazy, no one will catch you. It is best to wait for a pause, like a breakdown. Also, don’t fuck around on stage before you jump. This will only piss everyone off, the band included. 

While everything I have mentioned above is super important, the most important thing of all in the mosh pit, and at a gig in general, is to have fun. Live music is one of the most incredible experiences we can have as humans, and it gives us memories to treasure for the rest of our lives. Let’s just hope that, for your sake, you’re not watching your memories through a cell phone…