Circle pits

By

invisibleoranges

Published: September 2, 2009Tags: clee, features

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Circle pits are some of life’s biggest mysteries to me.

1. Why do they go counterclockwise?
2. Do they go the other way in the Southern Hemisphere?
3. Who started them, and when?
4. When bands call for it, why do people actually obey?

For novices, someone has helpfully written a guide:
How to Circle Pit

See also the related guides at the bottom of the page:
How to Be “Punk”
How to Enjoy a Rock Concert
How to Dress for a Real Metal Show (not a Nu Metal Show)

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1. oldschool parallellogram pit

   Posted September 2, 2009 at 3:39 AM

   Best Wikihow article is How to prevent or survive a monkey attack.
2. Hiram

   Posted September 2, 2009 at 3:44 AM

   Athletes also run/skate/cycle counterclockwise, following the example of the ancient Greek sports. Tests have proven that most children instinctively choose to run counterclockwise too. But still, why?
3. Invisible Oranges

   Posted September 2, 2009 at 3:52 AM

   I can't wait until someone writes that "How to Fight a Bigger Man" article. Also, "How to Catch a Monkey."
4. Helm

   Posted September 2, 2009 at 4:22 AM

   At least this shit is easier to avoid.
5. The Ghost of D. Boon

   Posted September 2, 2009 at 5:12 AM

   For the record, no. They go still anti-clockwise here in Australia.
6. nickabe57

   Posted September 2, 2009 at 7:06 AM

   I was just thinking about songs that mention/attempt to deploy a circle pit. My favorite would still be Crucial Unit's 'Baby I Don't Wanna Make Out, I Just Want to Circle Pit'.
7. Brendan

   Posted September 2, 2009 at 9:50 AM

   Clockwise = moshing for fascism.

   I have no idea what that means, but I heard it yelled at one show over and over.
8. mattack

   Posted September 2, 2009 at 10:56 AM

   I like the article on how to appreciate death metal. http://www.wikihow.com/Appreciate-Death-MetalM
9. Anonymous

   Posted September 2, 2009 at 12:18 PM

   I think the Ramones started the circle pit. At least, they were the first live show in the 80s that I witnessed it happening. It was like a giant wheel of leather jackets, torn jeans, and Moe hair cuts.
10. Rob

    Posted September 2, 2009 at 12:29 PM

    Didn't Curly even do his freak outs counter-clockwise?
11. Waddiah

    Posted September 2, 2009 at 12:46 PM

    Circle pitting is still fun for those that haven't gotten old and grumpy quite yet.

    Circle pitting to Phobia's "Let's Get Pissed" live is ALWAYS a good fucking time.
12. vegan

    Posted September 3, 2009 at 4:29 AM

    lamb of god's Redneck is great for moshing
13. Averse Sefira

    Posted September 3, 2009 at 9:29 PM

    Nothing I hate more than when the lead singer devotes more time to yelling "LESSEEYOUMUTHAFUCKERSGITTAPITGOINRIGHTFUGGINNOW!"
    than on the actual words of the song. When this happens it usually says to me that the band doesn't have an awful lot to say and that soliciting the audience is their only move. I also hate it at black metal shows where the one beefy, cut-rate baphomet tattoo covered death metal dude singlehandedly tries to start pits by running into people who are headbanging and were clearly going to leave it at that. Not every show needs a pit, moron.