When I was 16 I saw AC/DC in NJ at the Meadowlands Brendan Byrne Arena. People were tossing (what I think were) lit lM80’s from the upper deck on to the crowd below. Several people had to receive medical attention and one was even taken out on a stretcher. It was quite disturbing.
I did see Slayer on their final tour and the mood in the arena seemed celebratory. I know I was happy to catch them one last time.
Fabulous reconstruction of that night, Dan! I’d been to some pretty crazy hardcore shows in Boston before that night, but that was by far the most insane show I ever attended. The evil vibe was palpable!
Hey, Brendan — lovely to hear from you! (And thanks for your subscription!)
I have a memory of you saying as we were leaving the MHCC that you'd been at a Public Enemy show that summer where people were flinging chairs around, but that this one was even crazier. Does that sound right?
I've been meaning to subscribe forever, but this post prompted me to do it finally!
Your memory is so much better than mine! YES! That Public Enemy show was at the Providence Civic Center in August and was also somewhat terrifying for a suburban white boy. When the real chaos broke out, my friends and I split pretty quickly. But the really menacing out-of-control vibe in Poughkeepsie felt like there was a greater chance of me actually getting hurt. But both Slayer and Motörhead were so powerful that night--it was worth the terror!
To my hazy memory, your recollections capture the zeitgeist of the experience. There was a different vibe than most concerts for sure, dark and menacing. And the Civic Center did feel like a prison yard when everyone knew the shiv was coming. Luckily, I didn’t witness any brutality that wasn’t on stage. I am not sure if I felt particularly unsafe but maybe at that time I was just too young and too dumb to have that much sense. I did stay clear of the mosh pit, though! The Ramones on Vassar’s campus is one thing, Slayer in downtown Poughkeepsie is quite another. ✌️
When I was 16 I saw AC/DC in NJ at the Meadowlands Brendan Byrne Arena. People were tossing (what I think were) lit lM80’s from the upper deck on to the crowd below. Several people had to receive medical attention and one was even taken out on a stretcher. It was quite disturbing.
I did see Slayer on their final tour and the mood in the arena seemed celebratory. I know I was happy to catch them one last time.
Fucking hell, M80s? That IS disturbing.
But yeah, I caught the first date of Slayer's final tour in Asheville, NC, and it was a total lovefest on every level.
That’s where I saw them.
WTF?!
Fabulous reconstruction of that night, Dan! I’d been to some pretty crazy hardcore shows in Boston before that night, but that was by far the most insane show I ever attended. The evil vibe was palpable!
Hey, Brendan — lovely to hear from you! (And thanks for your subscription!)
I have a memory of you saying as we were leaving the MHCC that you'd been at a Public Enemy show that summer where people were flinging chairs around, but that this one was even crazier. Does that sound right?
I've been meaning to subscribe forever, but this post prompted me to do it finally!
Your memory is so much better than mine! YES! That Public Enemy show was at the Providence Civic Center in August and was also somewhat terrifying for a suburban white boy. When the real chaos broke out, my friends and I split pretty quickly. But the really menacing out-of-control vibe in Poughkeepsie felt like there was a greater chance of me actually getting hurt. But both Slayer and Motörhead were so powerful that night--it was worth the terror!
To my hazy memory, your recollections capture the zeitgeist of the experience. There was a different vibe than most concerts for sure, dark and menacing. And the Civic Center did feel like a prison yard when everyone knew the shiv was coming. Luckily, I didn’t witness any brutality that wasn’t on stage. I am not sure if I felt particularly unsafe but maybe at that time I was just too young and too dumb to have that much sense. I did stay clear of the mosh pit, though! The Ramones on Vassar’s campus is one thing, Slayer in downtown Poughkeepsie is quite another. ✌️
That Ramones show was a weird one in its own way - but you’re totally right, it was like Romper Room compared to Slayer at the MHCC! 🤘🏼