On Wednesday, I had the marvelous pleasure of attending a concert with lowkey punk band The Front Bottoms. Being surprisingly successful for a band whose name means vagina, The Front Bottoms brought so much positive energy, and I think it is the most fun I’ve had at a show so far. The opening bands, Diet Cig and Brick + Mortar, brought just as much or even more positivity into the crowd. Diet Cig is a female-fronted edgy punk duo while Brick + Mortar are an unusual electronic/punk/alternative trio, and I really appreciated the inclusivity and positivity the both of them encouraged in between the songs they played.
Because it was a punk show, an obligatory mosh pit was present throughout its entirety. It’s funny when I tell people about the atmosphere at punk shows or any show that has to do with a lot of thrashing around and pushing people into each other. There’s just something about punk shows that gives off a really inclusive and accepting vibe. There is an etiquette which everyone in the scene understands and adopts, and it makes me feel good inside because of how helpful and considerate people are compared to the rough-sounding music we all listen to. The juxtaposition between our behavior at shows and the music we listen to is the best part, I think, because we’re all just angry kids who want to relieve stress and have fun while also lifting each other up, both literally and figuratively.
Although we get rough and push each other around and look really aggressive out on the floor, if someone gets hurt, people stop the action around them and lend their hands to make sure they’re OK. If someone needs to tie their shoe, showgoers make sure no one steps on them out on the floor. If someone loses a shoe, other people try to help them find it amid the chaos, and this isn’t a new thing either. Punk, regardless of whichever subgenre it extends out to, has always been a really inclusive and helpful community. The entire atmosphere and the type of people who attend shows are overall good people.
It got a little too rough for me once The Front Bottoms started to play, and I was a bit stuck between the massive crowd. Luckily, a man helped and pulled my tiny body loose from the plethora of sweaty ones. The imagery is indeed quite disgusting, but regardless of the physical conditions inside this show, or any punk show for that matter, everyone is just out there having a good time and are more than willing to share their good time with you, too. They talk to you when you’re alone, they help you out when you need a hand, they say please, they say thank you, and they are some of the most polite and kindest people I have ever met.
As mentioned previously, whenever people ask about my experiences at punk shows, they are always so surprised at what I tell them about the kindness of those around me. The stereotype associated with punk kids is incredibly hilarious to me, because yes, they look tough and intimidating sometimes, but they are some of the sweetest human beings. I guess the idea of being punk to people who don’t really understand the dynamic is be rough and tough all the time while simultaneously trying to take down the government. I mean, for me at least, it’s kind of true.Yes, I try to maintain this tough exterior while also advocating for freedom from democracy, but that’s an entirely different story. The punk dynamic has always been inclusive and trying to make a safe space for everyone. People turn to music for solace and comfort, regardless of its sound.
Punk just reinforces that with the etiquette established at shows. It creates a community for young people to turn to when no one else really understands how they’re feeling. The emotion of being both angry and sad at the same time for no reason, or for completely valid reasons is a pretty prominent theme that most punk bands sing and write songs about, but their whiny vocals are just what they’re known for. That’s basically it, though. Punk is a somewhat socially acceptable way for young people to complain about shitty things that happened in their life and sharing those experiences with other people who feel the same way.
