Alternative Media Group

THE NAKED CITY – with Miss Death, Jay Katz and Coffin Ed

Author:

Staff Writer

Posted:

Monday, 8 March 2010

There’s probably a PhD in there somewhere, and maybe it’s already been written but here at The Naked City we have always been fascinated with the kind of social interaction  you can observe at your local pub or club music gig. 

Forget about the flamboyant testosterone charged displays of all male jousting witnessed at huge stadium events such as the Big Day Out – we’re talking about the more intimate gatherings of three to four hundred. The music is genre specific be it indie rock, funk, reggae or post modernist angst and the crowd that’s there is essentially tribal.

And regardless of the band that is headlining or the style of music being played, there is stereotypical behaviour that you will encounter at just about every gig. Whilst you may not have taken the time to observe it with the academic discipline that we have, its omnipresence is unmistakable. Here then is a glossary of the most distinctive, and pathological stereotypes you are likely to encounter within the dynamics of the gig experience:

The Ear Groper: Whether they have just dropped a load of speed or are naturally loquacious, “ear gropers” can ruin any gig with their incessant chatter, shouting and at times screaming into your ear hole as they desperately compete with the onstage music for your attention. Other than glassing them with a plastic cup there is generally no escape!

The Music Bore: A fellow traveller with the Ear Groper, the Music Bore is more likely to accost you before the show hitting you with lines like “I didn’t think you were into in

Emo dub flavoured freaky folk and “you wouldn’t believe what I found in the spoken word section at Red Eye yesterday”.

Aimless Crowd Wanderers:  Maybe it’s ADD but there are definitely some people who can’t stand still at a gig and spend the entire night manoeuvring their way around the room, sometimes solo but often in groups of three or four. Almost invariably young males, clad in t-shirts perhaps this is in fact a more passive expression of the more rambunctious moshpit behaviour.

The Lonely Guy Who Leaves After The Second Song: He usually arrives just after the doors have opened, often wearing an appropriate fan t-shirt or carrying an ancient LP (supposedly looking for a post gig autograph). He has all the appearance of a diehard fan but mysteriously he leaves after the second song. We can only assume he lives in Katoomba and needs to be home before midnight.

The Girl That Embraces The Fold Back Wedge: Unless the stage is unusually high there is generally one at every gig – the girl with her arms wrapped around one of the fold back wedges, employing it as a conduit between herself and the band. Whilst it’s probably a mild form of sexually discreet groupie behaviour it definitely beats sticking your head in one of those old fashioned PA bass  bins.

THE HIT LIST:

Miss Death Does Pulp Friction Art Exhibition – Container Gallery @ Reverse Garbage – 8/142 Addison Rd Marrickville -  For the past three months The Naked City’s Miss Death has been painting on a daily basis to recreate 30 (yes count them) provocative pulp paperback covers of 60s. Traversing the seamy side of the dim novel she has dipped her paint brush into the worlds of the Lesbians (her heritage), the gay male, the occult, lost science fiction worlds, a bit of fetish and of course the side show freaks.

 

Like this article? Register as a subscriber here. It's free! We'll keep you up to date with new stories on the site.