CIRCLE PIT
Circle pits are basically collective cardio – and the closest thing that metal comes to line dancing. So how do you know when one is brewing? They often start spontaneously when the music hits “Run, you fool!” speed, one person takes the first stumbling steps without fully considering the consequences and 15-20 others think, “This seems like a responsible decision!”
At other times, the vocalist might also shout “CIRCLE PIT! CIRCLE PIT!” (they do that a lot these days) while spinning their finger like a demonic drill sergeant until the crowd turns into a human washing machine.
Circle pits are not about being the first across the finish line, so please don’t sprint like a gazelle on meth. Keep some distance – unless it has turned into a congaline with everyone’s hands places on the shoulders of the person in front of them – avoid slamming into people and let the centrifugal force do its thing.
Want to exit? Easy – just peel off outward like you re taking a highway exit, let go of the speeder and let the nice Vikings outside catch you if you trip.
Circle pits are about feeling the music in your entire body and getting a lot of good laughts together with all the others. They are the metal crowd’s love language, where the person behind you thinks ”I love this so much, and I love that you are doing it together with me!”. It doesn’t really get more beautiful than that!
Please note that you will sometimes encounter double circle pits moving in opposite directions – a sight so chaotic that gods somewhere up high will surely look down and say, “That… was not part of the plan.” Our best advice is: Make a snap decision about which direction you want to follow and don’t try to change lanes until it is over.
If you are standing next to a circle pit, please remember that this locomotive runs entirely by itself, without you having to push the participants in order to make them run faster – in fact, they would be happy about not being ”helped” this way, regardless of your good intentions.
Pro tip: Never mistake a circle pit for the beer line. That never ends well.
