Mosh Madness: Slam dancing banned in Boston

By: Barry Leibowitz
Topics: Daily Blotter

A mosh pit "outbreak" at the House of Blues nightclub has Boston police vowing a crackdown on violent dancing

(CBS/AP) BOSTON - Mosh Madness has arrived.

Mosh pits and the slam dancing that defines them are the latest activities banned in "Beantown" after police cited a city club for allowing violent mosh pit dancing. Cops vow a crackdown on what they called "dangerous behavior" and a "public safety hazard."

The Boston Herald reports that police cited the House of Blues for a license violation because of a mosh pit that broke out during a Feb. 21 show by Flogging Molly.

Police say 60 concert-goers engaged in slam dancing.

Police say the dance violated safety rules and the club was cited because security did not intervene. The club has agreed to put up signs that say mosh pits are banned.

Brian Fair, vocalist for Boston band Shadows Fall, called the clampdown "ridiculous." Musicians say slam dancing is part of the metal and hardcore culture.

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by Lifeworthmonagos May 14, 2012 2:01 PM EDT: When you enter a venue you actually agree that you can get hurt and won't sue the venue for it. So it is actually legal, why don't they ban boxing and MMA fighting? because there is a contract signed by the fighters that they know they will get hurt. So, the policemen are abusing power by telling a private company what they can or cannot do. Why don't they tell club owners to not allow sexual dancing too? This is actually a kind of discrimination.; Reply to this comment


by ordinarywm March 15, 2012 10:11 AM EDT: police need to find something better to do with their time like going and catching real criminals not people who are engaging in good fun for them. This country is becoming a police state real fast and if we dont get a handle on it we will be banned from all activities that involve any kind of fun.; Reply to this comment


by Freepress1111 March 13, 2012 10:33 PM EDT: What ever happened to the pursuit of happiness? If you can outlaw people dancing however they freely choose because someone might get hurt, what about skateboards, ATVs, skydiving, boxing, skiing and all the other dangerous things that people enjoy doing? Trying to use the law to protect people from themselves is folly.; Reply to this comment

by checkthepast March 13, 2012 10:15 PM EDT

The only thing "ridiculous" here is that a group of idiots are trying to say "slam dancing and metal and hardcore music" has ay thing to do with culture. Wake up.

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by ordinarywm March 15, 2012 10:14 AM EDT: This is supposed to be a free country. worry about what your doing not what everyone else is doing


by train99 March 13, 2012 6:13 PM EDT: Thanks for telling me what the ef it is.
Stupid reporter.; Reply to this comment


by DarkMatterMan March 13, 2012 4:38 PM EDT: I guess Boston must be pretty lucky...the police must have solved all their other problems if they have time for this.

Good luck guys, people have been trying to stop this for a decade.; Reply to this comment


by Uncle__John March 13, 2012 4:35 PM EDT: If they have time to worry about and enforce this law, they have WAAAY too many police in Boston.; Reply to this comment