In Defense of Ozzfest

Strictly speaking, this is not directly related to a political issue, but its social significance does, in my eyes, reflect certain problems with the way our country approaches its problems. It is especially a critique on the way we overreact to certain perceived threats, such as the dangers of the much demonized heavy metal music scene. I think it is a necessity that a voice from our culture, especially someone such as I who had the opportunity to attend the event in Holmdel, is heard, if only to shed some light on how we view the incident.

On August 16th at the PNC Bank & Arts Center, a music venue in Holmdel, NJ, Ozzfest went down in full force. Unfortunately, it did not go on without incident. Two men died of drug and/or alcohol related incidents in the parking lot during the show, and eighty three people were arrested for a variety of criminal offenses. In response, drinking was banned in the parking lot of PNC, and it seems that alcohol has been banned in entirety at the venue, except for beer sold in small concession stands. One might, in naivety and ignorance, blame the "overzealous" and "nihilistic" culture which is brought into fruition with each concert and urge draconian regulations to control crowds, but can we really say that the audience is completely to blame, that nothing could have been done, or that PNC is acting rationally right now?

Short answer: No. First off, the two people who died did so because of themselves. They were the ones who got wasted. They were the ones who did cocaine. They were the ones who filled their bodies with all of these dangerous chemicals. I do not think that they deserved to die, and my heart goes out to their families, friends, and loved ones, but their demise was most certainly self-inflicted. Getting drunk and high is where illegality (drunk and disorderly conduct & possession/sale/use of controlled substances) comes into the picture. Those laws are what are meant to be enforced, not complete prohibition of alcohol in the lot as the center is now undertaking. In that way, individuals can be punished for violating the law, rather than everyone being penalized for the indiscretions of a minority.

We must point the finger at PNC as well, at least to some degree. PNC charges outrageously high prices for alcohol, so it is expected for people to bring their own. When they do this, it is much more difficult to regulate. The reason that there is drinking in the parking lot is that PNC allows no drinks except for sealed water inside of the venue, and no food can be taken in whatsoever. I've seen this before. They do this so that people will have no food or water and, if they are hungry, will be forced to pay the almost extortionist prices PNC has. If PNC wants to regulate drinking better, I'd advise them to first and foremost stop acting like profit motive is their top priority and come up with solutions that might cut into their profits a bit, if it means protecting their patrons. Bring drinking into the auditorium, where security is presumably in larger force and can better regulate the activity, and perhaps then ban it in the parking lot. I guarantee that if there is a watch for passed out persons and there are regular patrols, it will be far easier to find and treat victims of alcohol poisoning and drug overdose. We must, after all, wonder exactly WHY these two poor souls were not found in time, considering the lot should have been much easier to regulate with a considerably smaller crowd, yet over eighty audience members were arrested and presumably far more were thrown out for disorderly conduct. Were the lives of those two people less important than making a few petty busts? Was it just easier to arrest people en masse and say that PNC takes a hard line stance against drugs and violence, rather than put in the effort to seek out genuine threats to life and limb? I'm tempted to say those eighty three were the product of security theatre, and those two were the victims.

I'd also like to address moshing, which has been demonized by some people as excessively violent and dangerous. People go into mosh pits with the knowledge that they might be hurt. It's a risk people are willing to take. Nobody wants to see a body, though. It is inconceivable to think of such a thing as a positive. Serious harm is the thing we LEAST want. Nobody aims to seriously beat anybody into submission, and if they did then that would be assault. In the pit, people observe common courtesy, and it's expected that when someone falls, those around him or her will rush to pick that person up and make sure that he or she is okay. Despite horror stories you might hear of trampling or people's piercings getting ripped out, it is not accurate to say serious harm is a certainty.

Regulations and restrictions can only go so far, though. There is no doubt that there is drinking, smoking, pot, and more serious drugs at Ozzfest, and at concerts in general. It's not likely to be eliminated anytime soon, no matter how many people might complain and look down upon it. I'm not saying drinking and drugging are good, because they are not, but like the cartels targeted in the broader Drug Wars the United States has taken part in, they is not likely to be quelled. Rather, vices need to be controlled to ensure that nobody is harmed as a consequence of these behaviors. That, I would imagine, is one of the points I am trying to make. Do not regulate based on the actions of the minority in a move triggered by a moral panic, and do not assume that we can eliminate the problem, because there WILL be a problem, and some level of control, like the control of drinking laws and liquor licenses, is necessary to keep it from getting out of hand. And all of this comes from somebody who REFUSES to drink or take dugs at shows. What is my motive? It takes away from the experience. Why would I travel two hours and waste free tickets to be passed out on the lawn while my favorite bands play right in front of me? It doesn't make sense. I want to see people safe and entertained, not just duped into thinking they're safe by irresponsible concert organizers, but not unrestrained and hurting themselves, either.