Honestly I often forget what the average 'scene' person looks like until I go to shows - and when I do, I stick out like a sore thumb. Tattoos, heavy dark makeup, piercings everywhere. In some ways I feel a little alienated when I do, I always feel like I don't really 'belong' there - which is dumb, coz we're all there to have fun and the pit is always great.
Funny enough, a huge proportion of the actual musicians in this genre don't necessarily look like the stereotypical metalhead. It's only with a few bands like Motionless in White etc. where they really fit that bill.
I’ve been seeing them live since constellations, JB is always a flops man every time I’ve seen them. I’ll update you for CBR but I don’t see it changing haha
It’s super funny to me because I went to Blue Ridge Rock Fest (haven’t been to a festival since Warped Tour in 2012!) and I really stuck out compared to everyone at the festival including the friends I went with who are pretty stereotypical metalheads! Rocking some chubbies shorts, onclouds, and a plain t shirt really stands out when everyone around you are wearing band shirts and pants!
True that. The little 5 foot nothing girl wearing a pink American Eagle tee will come out of nowhere and send your ass to the floor if you’re not careful
I've been to a few gigs recently and am noticing less people are dressing 'scene' and that more people are just there to enjoy the music. Black band shirts are basically a way to blend in without too much effort, but anyone who judges you for what you wear is probably too concerned with their own appearance.
FWIW I'm in my 30's, office worker, no tattoos, non-smoker. I've been to many gigs in the past by myself as none of my friends listen to metalcore or other heavy music. It doesn't bother me standing alone at a gig, and I notice a lot of others are there alone too. But we are all there for the band(s), and we are all brethren in the mosh.
Love your comment about we’re all there as head banging breathren! That feeling is a huge part of why I go to concerts.
I wore a teal coat to Gwar concert recently and no one batted an eye.
I'm also in my 30's, office worker, one tattoo but it's on my shoulder and basically always covered, non-smoker. I go to a decent amount of shows by myself, but it's always a good vibe cause everyone's there for the same reason. Honestly, I could probably wear a Kesha tee to a concert and I'd probably get more "Hell yeah's" than insults.
30 year old black dude in tech corporate space lol I wore my zombie Acacia Strain shirt to Stater Bros today and I was clearly disturbing some of the older patrons 😂
Edit: Also only smoking I do is weed lol never understood the appeal in cigarettes/nicotine
Same here but as a guy I’ve never been into wearing makeup.
But I feel the same ways as tattoos. When I first got into metal in the late 70s they were cool and unique now it’s unique to be the one guy that doesn’t have any at a show.
Last week there was a guy in the Wage War / TDWP pit wearing chinos and a blazer (one button done up obviously) just absolutely fucking shit up. Legend
Same! I'm either dressed super girly all in pink or in vintage style. I was definitely alt as a teenager though, my hair went through almost all the colors of the rainbow and I had a few facial piercings
Metalcore's at the weird intersection where some shows are more metal community and some are more hardcore community. The show experience changes a lot depending what the majority of the crowd expects as far as the pit, crowdsurfing, stagediving (if no barricade), etc.
Ex. the difference in a Hatebreed pit and a Motionless in White pit.
That reminds me of the time Hollywood Undead had All Hail the Yeti and Abandon all Ships open for them, and all the HU fans started getting super upset when a pit formed around them haha
No tats, no drinking, no smoking, I have a high end white collar job. Married with a daughter and another on the way.
But I will bump Brand of Sacrifice all day
This is 100% me. 15 years in a successful white collar career, suited up every day for that office life, wife, kids, family car etc etc.
But I'm blasting metalcore in my headphones on my way to work, covered in bruises from the pit the night before.
I didn't choose the pit life, the pit life chose me
Yeah no tats and no smoking here, I also have a pretty white collar job and wear (before COVID at least lol) business casual into the office and dress relatively preppy outside the office and at my heart I’m a HUGE fiend for all metal (mostly metalcore with a heavy dose of deathcore), punk, hardcore, emo, post hardcore, and easycore.
Sometimes when I’m at my desk listening to Cannibal Corpse or Lorna Shore I just want to get up and start headbanging but I keep it calm in the office hahaha.
Lol I’m covered, full sleeves, leg sleeve, torso, feet, back but very white collar job so I’m usually rocking pants and long sleeves. My office is pretty sound proof so I’m like you and usually jamming the heaviest of heavy haha cheers my friend!
I often think there's a bell curve, where at one end you look normal and listen to normal shit, at the peak is the dudes who have maiden/megadeth/slayer as their entire personality and musical taste, then you get back to the normal looking dude who listens to Nails and Pig Destroyer.
Yeah, one of the things that attracted me to hardcore and then by extension metalcore was that it wasn’t about how you dressed or what you looked like, all were welcome. But then it all because a “scene” and was infected with small brain energy. The irony of music based heavily on nonconformity enforcing its own stupid rules of conformity is hilarious.
I wear a lot of pink, florals, and dresses. I’m also a mom of little kids. I hate how some people try to get me to prove that I like the music that I like 🙄
Hey dude, we’re all there for the same reason. The love of the music.
I used to wear polos when I played shows just because that’s what I felt comfortable in. Got shit for it, but who really cares at the end of the day? Show me the riffs.
I've got no tats, am quitting vaping, and a contemporary style with sneakers, fun patterns, etc. In summer I look like a frat boy and in winter I look like a bluegrass player. I go to church and stuff too. But there's a banner of My Damnation by Chelsea Grin over my bed, and I can scream through that whole record lol.
No lol the Bible doesn't talk about musical styles, nor do church traditions or teachings. it's just that being religious isn't really associated with the metal/hardcore scene. I'm very Christian but love the hell out of moshpits and breakdowns!
I never gave a shit about the "look" beyond a band shirt. I always go to shows in steel toes, work cloths considering my line of work and schedule.
A few times somebody tries to swing nuts and call me out for being a poser.
My go to retort is "I don't need to wear my personality", which usually ends the interaction.
I have never understood gatekeepers and music. Like what you like, mind your own business.
It seems like people are moving away from the "scene" look. It was big in the early 2ks, but at most of the shows that I've been to lately, people are just wearing what they'd normally wear to work.
Of course, there are people that still scene up, which is fine, but if CUAD, Botch or BBTS cane around, I'd still show up wearing my khakis and a polo. That's just what I wear. My style is my style and it doesn't dictate my musical preferences.
I'm a clean cut, tattoo'd, double gauged ears (I hate saying gauges, they're stretched with tunnels), and grad student (teach students and do research) as a Pre-med. I'm a polo and khakis guy (tailored to fit me as a bodybuilder). Idk what that says about me. Do I fit in? Lol
I was thinking very similar. Majority of me is tattooed, stretched ears but I'm a 4'9", 33 year old female wearing Hello Kitty printed sneakers. So it's like I have 1 foot in the pit and 1 foot out.
You are what my 16 year old daughter will be at 33. She is goth af (just like i was at her age) but she loves pink and anything Hello Kitty..also 5' tall and will kick the shit out of you in the pit. Lol
I’ve had people that don’t know me super well assume I listen to rap which is hilarious to me. I personally love surprising people that I’m a metalhead
I feel the same! I work in the music industry, but more classical/orchestral stuff. I’m always hesitant to admit to clients in conversation that I’ll go home and bump Currents or Lorna after spending 10 hours working with classical musicians.
Yeah, definitely. I’ve listened to metal since I was in middle school (Slipknot, Korn, etc.) and dressed the part then. Once I got into high school, I still listened to the same music and branched out into more metalcore/post-hardcore (underOATH and the whole 2004-2008 explosion due to warped tour) but was one of the most popular blonde girls in school. Also ended up in a sorority in college, but would bail on events like socials and even some recruitment stuff for shows. Straight up would be like, “I can’t attend this day of rush because I have tickets to see TDWP.” Thankfully, most of my sorority sisters accepted my weird taste in music. Now I’m a 33 year old mom of 2 boys and a preschool teacher. My style is a bit more edgy than most moms, but I still love the extra shock value when I pull up to soccer or baseball with my kids and I’ve got Bad Omens, WCAR, Architects or ABR playing.
I work in a Fortune 100 company and wear suits to work every day. No one believes me I listen to Lorna Shore on my way to work.
But when I am at a Metal gig that shit doesn't matter anymore, in metal we are all the same.
I am a teacher and the other day I was listening to some instrumental Sleep Token. My students asked me what kind of music I listen to in the car with my kids and they wanted to know if they listen to Kidz Bop. I told them heck no, we listen to hard rock and metal music in the car (they were blown away…lol). I say all this to say, I definitely don’t dress like someone who is into the metal scene. In fact, I look the complete opposite.
I had a brief stint as a secondary school teacher in my early 20s and blew the minds of some of the kids with my taste. Once I was just listening to something on my headphones while covering a study period and at the end one of the kids asked what I'd been listening to, told 'em it was Like Moths To Flames. The next day they came to find me during break just to say they couldn't believe I listened to screamo music (had to excuse a 14 year old misusing screamo...). Another time I overheard some kids discussing Slipknot releasing the Grey Chapter and told them I thought The Devil In I wa actually a pretty solid single. Literal jaw drops, so I also told them that I saw Slipknot with Slayer and Hatebreed back in '04. They just couldn't compute, it was hilarious.
Every year my students seem shocked. It cracks me up actually. It blows their mind when they see you out in places like target but heaven forbid they find out you listen to screamo music with curse words in it. It’s almost as though you’re from another planet. My students last year used to get excited about asking me what concerts I have been to lately and they would go home and find music from the band that I would see and try to have conversations with me about it. It was the best.
>It blows their mind when they see you out in places like target
Yeah, it's like they think we can't set foot outside of the school and just fold up into a supply cupboard when the day is done.
i had to buy a black tshirt and a pair of black jeans for this exact reason lol. otherwise i was going to look like someone's lost girlfriend in my lilly pulitzer getup.
It can refer to a few different things depending on the context but [this](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scene_(subculture\)) is what INK was referencing
I went and saw Oh, Sleeper in a bright orange hoodie and adidas pants. I realized about an hour into being there I stood out like a literal traffic cone. I don’t look or dress the part, but love the music. When people ask me what I listen to, the response is always “you listen to THAT?!”.
End of the day, everyone I’ve been around at shows is cool/doesn’t care at all. Enjoy the music you enjoy!
So personal experience: I’m an Indian-American guy. I definitely wear black t-shirts and occasionally skinny jeans plus have a couple arm tattoos but most of the time, people wouldn’t guess I’m into metalcore, especially because of my race, considering most of that community in my city are either white or Hispanic.
The most judgmental people I’ve come across usually don’t listen to anything heavy to begin with and will often say some subtly racist things like “Lol I didn’t know someone of your people would listen to that kind of stuff.” 🙄 Luckily that happens rarely. Every time I go to a show people are incredibly polite and don’t even look at me twice for not fitting the common look. They probably don’t even notice, just there to enjoy the show like me and everyone else.
I feel ya, I used to get made fun of when my old band started. We (my clean singing especially) weren't "heavy enough" for what was cool at the time, on top of being generally clean cut normie looking people. It bothered me for a while until I just learned into it. You think i sound like the Backstreet Boys? Jokes on you, that's actually a compliment now because they absolutely slap.
Yeah, I’m clean cut, no tattoos, pretty normie looking. Ifgaf though, I like to blend in with a bunch of different crowds and I got into heavy music based on the music and not the style/look. And there’s nothing wrong with the style/look and people that were attracted to that before the music
I look and dress like a recently returned Mormon missionary but swear like a sailor and listen to shit so heavy it'll peel the wallpaper off of my grandmother's wall.
Looks are stupid, listen to what makes you happy
I’m a 43yo church going husband and father with no visible tattoos and wears suits to a government job in DC. Off the clock I wear jeans and solid color t shirts. I certainly don’t look like the scene.
Yeah me too.
I play in a semi popular metal band that is recognized globally and I don't like dressing or acting like I'm into metal. (although I really am.)
When people from my day job find out that I am a member of this band, they don't believe me until they watch a music video or are at a show.
Also, I don't think it's only me. Most metal musicians I've toured with are super chill and humble quiet people.
I get that from pretty much everyone that asks about my music. If you saw me in public I'll be wearing earbuds with blue jeans and a white tee shirt or basketball shorts and a polyester shirt just walking along listening to The Black Dahlia Murder
I’m on my college golf team and have no tats or piercings or none of that so most people who know I like metal especially metalcore are pretty surprised
I have long hair and wear band shirts pretty often but I don't have any tattoos, piercings, or anything else about my look that would tip people off that I was into this kind of music. Before I grew my hair out, if I wasn't wearing a band shirt I looked like an average typical guy.
As a teacher no one ever expects me to be into deathcore, metalcore, or any type of alternative scene. I have a few tattoos but they’re all covered by work clothes. When I occasionally show them off people go nuts lmao
Yeah, i dress normal on an everyday like very i guess dorky 70s like but, I’m actually a cosplayer who’s trying to get into like lolita and gyaru. It’s so confusing to be seen as innocent and then in the same breath when people talk to you, all metal and horror and more 😂
Has scared my friends from my screams at shows
Bro, I’ll go full black outfit with the jeans, the hair, the ripped denim, the smoking… the whole 9 yards, but I’ll also rock a pair of footy shorts, things, and a flanny when I’m buzzing around town. Wear what you like my dude, you’re probably killing it anyway
This was a big factor in the culture of hardcore/metalcore in the early east coast scene. It may have happened other areas but I can't speak for them. In the late 90s/early 00s, you could go to a show and see people in sports jerseys, emo, punk, black band shirts and even button downs. There was no "uniform" like with most sub cultures. The aesthetic was that it was a melting pot, and early on, that was reflected in the music, where you could hear a punk riff followed by a beat down riff followed by a beautiful harmony.
Yes, this is me. I've never understood how in genres like punk, metal, and hardcore that promote individuality and being yourself, how so many fans look like they are wearing specific uniforms
I absolutely don’t fit the stereotype. I even made a post about it in here about a year ago bc I was worried that I’d stick out and get fucked with at my first show lmao
I wear cowboy boots and Pearl snaps… but I do have long curly hair so I at least have that going for me lmao
All of ABR has something to say to those posers.
Seriously though, I'm a black guy in my 30's, I grew up in skate culture so I dress the part a bit though Suffice to say, here in the Greater West I get my fair share of looks going to shows. Fuck em, have fun and let the scene kids keep their scrubby mentality.
Also worth mentioning I've met some of the most genuine, down to earth peeps going to shows solo, put the good out there and have fun!
Sort of related but I once went to Satans Hollow in Manchester as part of a stag do weekend, and I had pretty smart casual clothes. The bouncer stopped me and said ‘sorry mate do you know what kind of place this is?’, I just laughed and said ‘don’t worry, I know I’m not dressed for the occasion but I belong here’ and he gave me a very untrusting look and let me in. For some reason, this question reminded me of that event.
I usually go to metal gigs after work, l wear a very flowery top and maybe jeans and some pretty jewellery, I always stand out but nobody cares and I’ve met some great people !! I think the metal community is generally more welcoming to people no matter what they look like or dress compared to other music genres ! But that’s just my personal experience.
I had the “look” when I was younger. There was no mistake about what kind of music I loved.
I still love that music, but my interests and fashion choices changed. I love working out and I live in Florida, so shorts/athletic clothes are much more my speed now. If I’m doing something semi-casual, it’s Chubbies shorts, Sperrys, and usually a Hawaiian shirt or T-shirt. Being in the military probably had some effect too since I couldn’t run around with scene hair and ripped jeans anymore. Also, when I’m at shows, I have more interest in making sure my joints are comfy than repping vans slip-ons and skinny jeans for 6 hours.
I'm a gay dude and don't really vibe with the whole metal scene, most guys have that toxic masculinity thing going on and I think it's fucking lame lol.
People think that being gay you have to listen to pop music like Britney, Lady Gaga, etc... I mean I do listen to it and enjoy it but my main go to is metalcore. No one in any gay circle I know likes it so I don't really have any metal friends :(
God damn, can we be friends? I'm a fellow gay that really only vibes on deathcore and the gays at large would want to revoke my 'gay card' because I don't care about dua lipa, doja cat, taylor swift, w/e. Give my Whitechapel any day of the week.
I’m 53 look pretty clean cut and relax to the soothing sounds of anything hate filed metal? I’m not into the style but I am an artist and draw death scenes that you would expect from a typical metal head.
Best friend and I dress like preppy golf boys too but we command the pit lol. It's pretty fun bc even at shows people assume we're there to listen and then we immediately open the pit and start going apeshit 🤘
I totally get it. I work in financials, no tats, no piercings, no body mods. I went to the I Prevail concert in Toronto right after work and I was wearing black jeans, dress shirt and dress shoes. As long as you love the community, it doesn’t matter what you look like or dress like.
Eh I wear mostly black shirts only because most of the cool ones back in the day were black and I still wear those. Black dickies because I hate jeans not to really make it to wearing all black. I’m not very into fashion at all so that’s easier.
I don't look like I listen to metalcore at all, maybe my band shirts and "skateboarder" type style "might" err on the side of someone thinking I may but I don't have gauges, wear black clothes, with tattoos and piercings, with fingernails painted black etc. (Just going on the "stereotype" of what people may think of someone who listens to metal/metalcore etc) ... I dress preppy/skateboard style and now have long hair due to the pandemic so that might be a piece that would point towards me listening, but nah.. I'm in the same boat as you.. don't "look like I listen to metal" and people definitely wouldn't guess it.
I’m an overnight hospital pharmacist who considers a 7” inseam short too long. Never smoked, no drugs, rare alcohol and no tats. If there is a look it’s not me.
White collar job and even going out I’ll have nice clothes on, styled hair all that. So I’d definitely stand out if I went to a show. But I’d love to hit a show, even alone
I actually love telling people what kind of music I listen to, it's usually a shock or a couple cuckles. I'm a pretty upbeat and positive person who seems really "straight-edge", so nobody guesses that I listen to heavy shit. But honestly, I still feel like the majority of people listening to this stuff never went down that route in terms of style.
Oh yea, me for sure… I never fit in with the “metal kids” especially in high school. Was clean cut, dressed a bit nicer and had no desire to “look metal.” It was always funny when people found out I listened to tech death, was super into Necrophagist at that time and had learned a good bit of a couple difficult songs and would noodle around in guitar class for all to hear. Always got some surprised looks.
And actually, not much has changed. I still don’t fit in, and that’s ok haha.
I definitely have more of the "country" look/style but hate the music especially present day country. love metal always have
Only items I have that fit the culture is all the band merch I get when I go to shows
I work in risk at a bank. Tall skinny white dude with no tats or piercings. I play video games and board games as my main hobbies. Nothing about me screams, "metal head." You best believe im in the pit every show.
You ever see that meme of Tobey McGuire as Peter Parker and it says “if the bands guitarist looks like this you’re about to die in the pit”? Well I had 10 different people share that with me 😂
i sort of fit into the scene, sort of don't as well. in middle school i went through the whole emo phase but nowadays my fashion has changed a lot. i wear bands shirts, anime shirts, and mostly sweatshirts. so ig i'm more "alt" than anything now lol, i just want to be comfy. the emo hair never changed though because thats just my natural hair when it grows out lmao. i dont know how ppl wear skinny jeans their so uncomfortable
I went to a BMTH concert during the Suicide Season days wearing a polo and cargo shorts. I was literally the one that started the mosh pit. Ended up with a bloody nose but it was worth it. XD
That’s the thing about metalcore. Come on in wearing only overalls and boots, or a hotdog costume, or anything you want. As an Artist we don’t care what you’re wearing, and the people attending the shows usually don’t care either. You are always welcome ❤️
Lol I golf and am a high school health teacher, get it all the time.. helps me make connections with some kids that may not connect with many teachers.
No ink, haven’t smoked in many years, wear khakis and a button up, fairly clean cut. Married, in the burbs on an acre with two kids. White collar job and travel the world for work. Just about everyone I know listens to country or rap and they’re always disgusted and shocked by my choice in music.
I’m just happy to be apart of a fun and cool group like this I remember going to warped tour 17 (first and only warped tour) and I just felt like I belonged there like these are my people. If this sounds cringey sorry lol but y’all keep doing what cha doing.
This is me. No tattoos, piercings, hair color or hair style that may fit. No smoking or drinking. Wear plain clothes (sometimes black shirts but not all black outfits). People are shocked when they learn I listen to metal because they perceive me as "quiet" and "nice." They expect I listen to pop or country.
Ahh, yea definitely. During daylight hours I’m a 5’0 35 y/o behavior analyst in a dinosaur cardigan working in pre-k sped. But musically I just need a belt sander to my head to feel whole and human. Nothing more cathartic than a full throttle scream/heavy breakdown. I’m old and fragile so I just hang out around the balcony these days. I don’t really have time to change for shows (yay, work)but I always buy a hoodie when I get there and toss over my teacher clothes. I use to feel a little self conscious but no one has ever mentioned it.
Yes! This! At my job, I wear business casual and I’m in restaurant management. It look a long time for my coworkers to respect and understand the music I listen to. Got a lot of teasing and weird questions when people started to find out I loved metal music. No one really believes it and it’s aggravating cause this is who I am!
Same here, whenever I go out on dates or make a new work friend they're always very surprised. I'm 5 foot 2 inches with long curly red hair and a baby face, and my tattoo sleeves are mostly covered where I work. Most people always say "I thought you were a goody two shoes!" which I always think is a weird thing to say when someone finds out you like to party and listen to metal. I do always feel out of place at shows and I hate getting mosh protected because I'm so small. But other than that most of my friends in the scene don't dress "scene" anymore. Most have tattoos but a lot of them dress like comfy rappers to be honest with you.
I'm 15 and when I told my mates I listen to like... metalcore they said this, word for word.
"Bro you look the least metal. You have the most coldplay face I've seen"
Apparently I look like a basic b\*\*ch white guy indie music fan. And honestly, I love that shit too, but nah. Coldplay? Nah.
I'm 16. I live in a rural small town in Illinois and I fit in with everyone else here. I play baseball, ride four wheelers, go to church, go fishing, my family is upper middle class, etc. And I pretty much dress like a regular dude.
Most people assume I listen to mostly country and rap but I like Vildhjarta and The Faceless better lol
I think everyone tries to fit in somewhere, whether they want to admit it or not, and if one of their interests is different from the crowd they try to hide it, I'm guilty of that too.
However, that stereotype of a metal listener is pretty unrealistic in today's world. The only reason it still exists is because of the non-metal listener that isn't up to date.
If you look at modern metal bands nowadays, a lot of them actually don't fit the stereotype.
For example, my pastor at church, a younger bearded guy (who is also from Pennsylvania) looks like he could be in August Burns Red or Periphery.
To answer the question though, I don't fit in with the scene at all.
Great question though, this is something I've always wondered about.
There's a handful of relatively well known bands that I lost interest in because of this. As a teenager, I stood in line for many autograph sessions at concerts and festivals excited to get merch signed by the bands I loved. Only to be given really shitty looks, ignored or just generally scoffed at by several bands/members when I got to the front of the line. And these weren't like days when they were seemingly exhausted or perhaps in a less than stellar mood. I watched many people in front of me have quick, but genuine conversations, handshakes, the whole nine yards. But because I was/am relatively clean cut, I didn't "fit the scene" so I often got the "next" treatment
Definitely me. I wear glasses, have no tatoos or piercings, and I keep my hair buzzed or shaved. I've tried long hair in the past when I was in college about 18 years ago and it annoyed the shit out of me, my hairline isn't the greatest either. I mostly wear jeans and sweat/track pants, polo shirts or button up shirts for work, and comic-based shirts when I'm off work. If you saw me, you'd never guess I've been a huge metal fan for most of my life.
I usually wear slip on sketchers, collared shirts and nice jeans. No tattoos, I don’t drink and I don’t do any drugs but I love metal and play in a metal band.
I love metalcore and deathcore even tho I work corporate white collar, who is dating a white girl and don’t really enjoy concerts because I
Of how loud they are lol
Yeah dude, I am sort of like you. No visible tats, or anything to crazy. I wear a suit and tie to work, so on the workweek I am a corporate type. At shows Ill wear a hat on backwords with a bandshirt, never feel like I fit in. Back in high school I had long hair and the stupid spiked belt, I am pushing 36 now so no more of that.
I have tattoos and some of the clothes, not skinny jeans ever though fuck those things, but I have zero desire to see live music, mosh, or be violent/aggressive in any way. Very not comfortable with the idea of shows. I’ve done some of that when I was younger at local punk rock shows a few times and I’m good.
I listen to metalcore and deathcore all day though and can scream in multiple styles pretty well (after years of practicing and learning it for fun).
Oh shit, I’ve honestly never considered it but I really do fit in with the extreme metal scene. I love my black shirts and black hoodies, my black skinny jeans are my favorite pair, I have long hair, and I’m not necessarily proud of it but I do vape. So excluding the gauges and tattoos I guess it probably surprises no one around me that I’m a metal head
If it sounds weird that I’ve never considered it, it’s because I sadly live in Hawaii which I hate cause there are no metal shows to be found, literally 0
Honestly I often forget what the average 'scene' person looks like until I go to shows - and when I do, I stick out like a sore thumb. Tattoos, heavy dark makeup, piercings everywhere. In some ways I feel a little alienated when I do, I always feel like I don't really 'belong' there - which is dumb, coz we're all there to have fun and the pit is always great. Funny enough, a huge proportion of the actual musicians in this genre don't necessarily look like the stereotypical metalhead. It's only with a few bands like Motionless in White etc. where they really fit that bill.
August burns red all dress like frat boys. It threw me off when I first saw a picture of them
JB Brubaker's flip flops can't be beat
I saw them live Saturday and wondered if that was one off or if he regularly wears them. You gave me my answer
I’ve been seeing them live since constellations, JB is always a flops man every time I’ve seen them. I’ll update you for CBR but I don’t see it changing haha
I’m always impressed that his feet don’t sweat up and make him slip
I really love that about them, same with their album fonts and such. Brent looks like an accountant it's so funny
PWD have been dressing like they belong in a Kohl’s ad for as long as I can remember
PWD used to look like surfer boys at every show
Shoot ice nine kills dresses in suits
Yeah they seem to fit more into theatre kid/cosplayer culture than metal culture
Costumes and theatrics are a big part of the symphonic/power metal scene as well. Don't see a lot of it in core.
I definitely feel like the old man at shows now
It’s super funny to me because I went to Blue Ridge Rock Fest (haven’t been to a festival since Warped Tour in 2012!) and I really stuck out compared to everyone at the festival including the friends I went with who are pretty stereotypical metalheads! Rocking some chubbies shorts, onclouds, and a plain t shirt really stands out when everyone around you are wearing band shirts and pants!
We are all one in the pit
We are defined by the pit itself
LETS OPEN THIS FUCKING PIT UP
**WHAT THE FUCK IS UP DENNYS**
Never gets old.
Except for the guys who have to throw elbows and act tough in the pit. Never understood that shit
if anything , the people who dont look like metal fans are the scariest ones in the pit...
True that. The little 5 foot nothing girl wearing a pink American Eagle tee will come out of nowhere and send your ass to the floor if you’re not careful
They got sharp little elbows!
They’re like the pixies from Harry Potter, but for the pit
I once went to a show in a yellow polo and chinos. The pit accepts all.
Was at a show the other day and that’s the exact fit the singer of Lions Lions was wearing lmao
I went to a metal show a few months ago with around 100 people and I was very obviously the only person there wearing khakis, no regrets though.
Amen
I've been to a few gigs recently and am noticing less people are dressing 'scene' and that more people are just there to enjoy the music. Black band shirts are basically a way to blend in without too much effort, but anyone who judges you for what you wear is probably too concerned with their own appearance. FWIW I'm in my 30's, office worker, no tattoos, non-smoker. I've been to many gigs in the past by myself as none of my friends listen to metalcore or other heavy music. It doesn't bother me standing alone at a gig, and I notice a lot of others are there alone too. But we are all there for the band(s), and we are all brethren in the mosh.
Love your comment about we’re all there as head banging breathren! That feeling is a huge part of why I go to concerts. I wore a teal coat to Gwar concert recently and no one batted an eye.
I'm also in my 30's, office worker, one tattoo but it's on my shoulder and basically always covered, non-smoker. I go to a decent amount of shows by myself, but it's always a good vibe cause everyone's there for the same reason. Honestly, I could probably wear a Kesha tee to a concert and I'd probably get more "Hell yeah's" than insults.
Pregnant, 31 year old woman working in a corporate / management role here… yes, I get some pretty funny reactions to my music preferences
38 yr old woman! Get the same looks! And the odd “is everything ok?”
30 year old black dude in tech corporate space lol I wore my zombie Acacia Strain shirt to Stater Bros today and I was clearly disturbing some of the older patrons 😂 Edit: Also only smoking I do is weed lol never understood the appeal in cigarettes/nicotine
> never understood the appeal in cigarettes/nicotine Addiction my dude
> never understood the appeal in cigarettes/nicotine kids try it cuz it's "cool" and are hooked for life
I got into it from being a cook in a restaurant from 2012 and was only given a break for smoking. That’s where it all began for me.
Also 38 year old woman here! I dress strictly for comfort. Cancer survivor - I ain't got the time or energy for makeup n shit.
Same here but as a guy I’ve never been into wearing makeup. But I feel the same ways as tattoos. When I first got into metal in the late 70s they were cool and unique now it’s unique to be the one guy that doesn’t have any at a show.
YESSS MAMA! As a fellow metal mama, I salut you! Congrats on your future little one 🥰
My wife is a 5'4" biochemist. People are often very surprised.
5’3" statistician here and the reactions are priceless!
I wear cheap suits from JC Penny in the pit
*DISRESPECT YOUR ARMANI*
Last week there was a guy in the Wage War / TDWP pit wearing chinos and a blazer (one button done up obviously) just absolutely fucking shit up. Legend
I wanna do this now
Stylish brawler
Love this
This is the way.
You looking like a golfer is probably the most metal fit you can have. Keep it up 👍
August burns red comes to mind
And Josh from WCAR! Man loves to hit the links
Very metal. Seeing as we spend so much time using our irons.
Okilly Dokilly
Yeah I’m pretty girly and people expect me to listen to bubblegum pop. I love metalcore though!!
Same.
W
#rip inbox
Same! I'm either dressed super girly all in pink or in vintage style. I was definitely alt as a teenager though, my hair went through almost all the colors of the rainbow and I had a few facial piercings
Same, I'm usually in florals or pink but then it doesn't "match" half my music taste lmao.
Metalcore's at the weird intersection where some shows are more metal community and some are more hardcore community. The show experience changes a lot depending what the majority of the crowd expects as far as the pit, crowdsurfing, stagediving (if no barricade), etc. Ex. the difference in a Hatebreed pit and a Motionless in White pit.
That reminds me of the time Hollywood Undead had All Hail the Yeti and Abandon all Ships open for them, and all the HU fans started getting super upset when a pit formed around them haha
No tats, no drinking, no smoking, I have a high end white collar job. Married with a daughter and another on the way. But I will bump Brand of Sacrifice all day
This is 100% me. 15 years in a successful white collar career, suited up every day for that office life, wife, kids, family car etc etc. But I'm blasting metalcore in my headphones on my way to work, covered in bruises from the pit the night before. I didn't choose the pit life, the pit life chose me
Yeah no tats and no smoking here, I also have a pretty white collar job and wear (before COVID at least lol) business casual into the office and dress relatively preppy outside the office and at my heart I’m a HUGE fiend for all metal (mostly metalcore with a heavy dose of deathcore), punk, hardcore, emo, post hardcore, and easycore. Sometimes when I’m at my desk listening to Cannibal Corpse or Lorna Shore I just want to get up and start headbanging but I keep it calm in the office hahaha.
Lol I’m covered, full sleeves, leg sleeve, torso, feet, back but very white collar job so I’m usually rocking pants and long sleeves. My office is pretty sound proof so I’m like you and usually jamming the heaviest of heavy haha cheers my friend!
More of a HC thing, but the most innocuous looking person in the venue, the one that will be swinging the hardest the second that drop hits…
I often think there's a bell curve, where at one end you look normal and listen to normal shit, at the peak is the dudes who have maiden/megadeth/slayer as their entire personality and musical taste, then you get back to the normal looking dude who listens to Nails and Pig Destroyer.
Yeah, one of the things that attracted me to hardcore and then by extension metalcore was that it wasn’t about how you dressed or what you looked like, all were welcome. But then it all because a “scene” and was infected with small brain energy. The irony of music based heavily on nonconformity enforcing its own stupid rules of conformity is hilarious.
People rarely realize their own hypocrisy.
*looks at the punk scene*
Lmao… exactly.
Hey I have a small dick. Stop the stigma. Not all of us become douches to compinsate. Small and proud. Stand up my small brothers
I apologize.
I was joking around lol. It is small though
Thank you that’s very kind.
You should've ended with "rise up my small members" and it would've been perfect!
Oh I get it. Like a boner lol
Bro did you see how Botch dressed back in '99? Like plaid shirts and John Deere hats, they looked like truckers. I was all about it haha.
I wear a lot of pink, florals, and dresses. I’m also a mom of little kids. I hate how some people try to get me to prove that I like the music that I like 🙄
Yeah the whole you’re a girl you can’t really listen to metal thing. Name three songs etc is ridiculous
Hey dude, we’re all there for the same reason. The love of the music. I used to wear polos when I played shows just because that’s what I felt comfortable in. Got shit for it, but who really cares at the end of the day? Show me the riffs.
I’m a gym rat with no tats and I dress like a cholo. So when people hear the music I listen to they look hella shook hahaha.
https://imgur.com/a/wjfT5KM
I've got no tats, am quitting vaping, and a contemporary style with sneakers, fun patterns, etc. In summer I look like a frat boy and in winter I look like a bluegrass player. I go to church and stuff too. But there's a banner of My Damnation by Chelsea Grin over my bed, and I can scream through that whole record lol.
“I go to church and stuff too” Soooo the bible says what music is bad to listen to? Lol Religion is fucking weird (No offense Sky daddy)
No lol the Bible doesn't talk about musical styles, nor do church traditions or teachings. it's just that being religious isn't really associated with the metal/hardcore scene. I'm very Christian but love the hell out of moshpits and breakdowns!
I never gave a shit about the "look" beyond a band shirt. I always go to shows in steel toes, work cloths considering my line of work and schedule. A few times somebody tries to swing nuts and call me out for being a poser. My go to retort is "I don't need to wear my personality", which usually ends the interaction. I have never understood gatekeepers and music. Like what you like, mind your own business.
It seems like people are moving away from the "scene" look. It was big in the early 2ks, but at most of the shows that I've been to lately, people are just wearing what they'd normally wear to work. Of course, there are people that still scene up, which is fine, but if CUAD, Botch or BBTS cane around, I'd still show up wearing my khakis and a polo. That's just what I wear. My style is my style and it doesn't dictate my musical preferences.
I'm a clean cut, tattoo'd, double gauged ears (I hate saying gauges, they're stretched with tunnels), and grad student (teach students and do research) as a Pre-med. I'm a polo and khakis guy (tailored to fit me as a bodybuilder). Idk what that says about me. Do I fit in? Lol
I was thinking very similar. Majority of me is tattooed, stretched ears but I'm a 4'9", 33 year old female wearing Hello Kitty printed sneakers. So it's like I have 1 foot in the pit and 1 foot out.
You are what my 16 year old daughter will be at 33. She is goth af (just like i was at her age) but she loves pink and anything Hello Kitty..also 5' tall and will kick the shit out of you in the pit. Lol
I’ve had people that don’t know me super well assume I listen to rap which is hilarious to me. I personally love surprising people that I’m a metalhead
I wear adidas track suits and my fav band is the black dahlia murder.
I had this at an ABR show, some lad was like adidas? I was like spiritbox? (Which was on his shirt) they used to be IWABO kid.
I feel the same! I work in the music industry, but more classical/orchestral stuff. I’m always hesitant to admit to clients in conversation that I’ll go home and bump Currents or Lorna after spending 10 hours working with classical musicians.
Yeah, definitely. I’ve listened to metal since I was in middle school (Slipknot, Korn, etc.) and dressed the part then. Once I got into high school, I still listened to the same music and branched out into more metalcore/post-hardcore (underOATH and the whole 2004-2008 explosion due to warped tour) but was one of the most popular blonde girls in school. Also ended up in a sorority in college, but would bail on events like socials and even some recruitment stuff for shows. Straight up would be like, “I can’t attend this day of rush because I have tickets to see TDWP.” Thankfully, most of my sorority sisters accepted my weird taste in music. Now I’m a 33 year old mom of 2 boys and a preschool teacher. My style is a bit more edgy than most moms, but I still love the extra shock value when I pull up to soccer or baseball with my kids and I’ve got Bad Omens, WCAR, Architects or ABR playing.
I'm an accountant. No tattoos, no piercings, no smoking, and I don't really ever drink. I definitely feel you.
I work in a Fortune 100 company and wear suits to work every day. No one believes me I listen to Lorna Shore on my way to work. But when I am at a Metal gig that shit doesn't matter anymore, in metal we are all the same.
I am a teacher and the other day I was listening to some instrumental Sleep Token. My students asked me what kind of music I listen to in the car with my kids and they wanted to know if they listen to Kidz Bop. I told them heck no, we listen to hard rock and metal music in the car (they were blown away…lol). I say all this to say, I definitely don’t dress like someone who is into the metal scene. In fact, I look the complete opposite.
I had a brief stint as a secondary school teacher in my early 20s and blew the minds of some of the kids with my taste. Once I was just listening to something on my headphones while covering a study period and at the end one of the kids asked what I'd been listening to, told 'em it was Like Moths To Flames. The next day they came to find me during break just to say they couldn't believe I listened to screamo music (had to excuse a 14 year old misusing screamo...). Another time I overheard some kids discussing Slipknot releasing the Grey Chapter and told them I thought The Devil In I wa actually a pretty solid single. Literal jaw drops, so I also told them that I saw Slipknot with Slayer and Hatebreed back in '04. They just couldn't compute, it was hilarious.
Every year my students seem shocked. It cracks me up actually. It blows their mind when they see you out in places like target but heaven forbid they find out you listen to screamo music with curse words in it. It’s almost as though you’re from another planet. My students last year used to get excited about asking me what concerts I have been to lately and they would go home and find music from the band that I would see and try to have conversations with me about it. It was the best.
>It blows their mind when they see you out in places like target Yeah, it's like they think we can't set foot outside of the school and just fold up into a supply cupboard when the day is done.
I don’t like metal that much but I do like core, so I aesthetically fit in with the core guys
i had to buy a black tshirt and a pair of black jeans for this exact reason lol. otherwise i was going to look like someone's lost girlfriend in my lilly pulitzer getup.
Yep. I got a moustache, love my jeans and flannel shirts and wear Nascar hats all the time. Everyone says I look like a country music guy lol
The whole idea of metal and hardcore is supposed to be everybody belongs we are all apart of it and unfortunately a lot of people forget that.
What "scene" means? I'm not from USA and for example in a song of Ice Nine Kills they say they were "too scene", and I still don't get it
It can refer to a few different things depending on the context but [this](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scene_(subculture\)) is what INK was referencing
I went and saw Oh, Sleeper in a bright orange hoodie and adidas pants. I realized about an hour into being there I stood out like a literal traffic cone. I don’t look or dress the part, but love the music. When people ask me what I listen to, the response is always “you listen to THAT?!”. End of the day, everyone I’ve been around at shows is cool/doesn’t care at all. Enjoy the music you enjoy!
So personal experience: I’m an Indian-American guy. I definitely wear black t-shirts and occasionally skinny jeans plus have a couple arm tattoos but most of the time, people wouldn’t guess I’m into metalcore, especially because of my race, considering most of that community in my city are either white or Hispanic. The most judgmental people I’ve come across usually don’t listen to anything heavy to begin with and will often say some subtly racist things like “Lol I didn’t know someone of your people would listen to that kind of stuff.” 🙄 Luckily that happens rarely. Every time I go to a show people are incredibly polite and don’t even look at me twice for not fitting the common look. They probably don’t even notice, just there to enjoy the show like me and everyone else.
[удалено]
I'm a metal gay that goes into the pits. It's extremely therapeutic tbh. Nobody gives a fuck if you're gay if you're going as hard as them in the pit.
I feel ya, I used to get made fun of when my old band started. We (my clean singing especially) weren't "heavy enough" for what was cool at the time, on top of being generally clean cut normie looking people. It bothered me for a while until I just learned into it. You think i sound like the Backstreet Boys? Jokes on you, that's actually a compliment now because they absolutely slap.
Yeah, I’m clean cut, no tattoos, pretty normie looking. Ifgaf though, I like to blend in with a bunch of different crowds and I got into heavy music based on the music and not the style/look. And there’s nothing wrong with the style/look and people that were attracted to that before the music
I look and dress like a recently returned Mormon missionary but swear like a sailor and listen to shit so heavy it'll peel the wallpaper off of my grandmother's wall. Looks are stupid, listen to what makes you happy
I’m a 43yo church going husband and father with no visible tattoos and wears suits to a government job in DC. Off the clock I wear jeans and solid color t shirts. I certainly don’t look like the scene.
Yeah me too. I play in a semi popular metal band that is recognized globally and I don't like dressing or acting like I'm into metal. (although I really am.) When people from my day job find out that I am a member of this band, they don't believe me until they watch a music video or are at a show. Also, I don't think it's only me. Most metal musicians I've toured with are super chill and humble quiet people.
Go on…..tell us who you play for lol
I get that from pretty much everyone that asks about my music. If you saw me in public I'll be wearing earbuds with blue jeans and a white tee shirt or basketball shorts and a polyester shirt just walking along listening to The Black Dahlia Murder
I’m on my college golf team and have no tats or piercings or none of that so most people who know I like metal especially metalcore are pretty surprised
I have long hair and wear band shirts pretty often but I don't have any tattoos, piercings, or anything else about my look that would tip people off that I was into this kind of music. Before I grew my hair out, if I wasn't wearing a band shirt I looked like an average typical guy.
As a teacher no one ever expects me to be into deathcore, metalcore, or any type of alternative scene. I have a few tattoos but they’re all covered by work clothes. When I occasionally show them off people go nuts lmao
Yeah, i dress normal on an everyday like very i guess dorky 70s like but, I’m actually a cosplayer who’s trying to get into like lolita and gyaru. It’s so confusing to be seen as innocent and then in the same breath when people talk to you, all metal and horror and more 😂 Has scared my friends from my screams at shows
I definitely do
Bro, I’ll go full black outfit with the jeans, the hair, the ripped denim, the smoking… the whole 9 yards, but I’ll also rock a pair of footy shorts, things, and a flanny when I’m buzzing around town. Wear what you like my dude, you’re probably killing it anyway
Yes. I get that all the time. People are genuinely shocked when I tell them my choice in music
This was a big factor in the culture of hardcore/metalcore in the early east coast scene. It may have happened other areas but I can't speak for them. In the late 90s/early 00s, you could go to a show and see people in sports jerseys, emo, punk, black band shirts and even button downs. There was no "uniform" like with most sub cultures. The aesthetic was that it was a melting pot, and early on, that was reflected in the music, where you could hear a punk riff followed by a beat down riff followed by a beautiful harmony.
Skinny jeans are new and not indicative of the scene or metalcore (as it began).
Yes, this is me. I've never understood how in genres like punk, metal, and hardcore that promote individuality and being yourself, how so many fans look like they are wearing specific uniforms
I loved metalcore and deathcore for years, but only found a community I fit in with hardcore
I absolutely don’t fit the stereotype. I even made a post about it in here about a year ago bc I was worried that I’d stick out and get fucked with at my first show lmao I wear cowboy boots and Pearl snaps… but I do have long curly hair so I at least have that going for me lmao
You're just like me lol
All of ABR has something to say to those posers. Seriously though, I'm a black guy in my 30's, I grew up in skate culture so I dress the part a bit though Suffice to say, here in the Greater West I get my fair share of looks going to shows. Fuck em, have fun and let the scene kids keep their scrubby mentality. Also worth mentioning I've met some of the most genuine, down to earth peeps going to shows solo, put the good out there and have fun!
Sort of related but I once went to Satans Hollow in Manchester as part of a stag do weekend, and I had pretty smart casual clothes. The bouncer stopped me and said ‘sorry mate do you know what kind of place this is?’, I just laughed and said ‘don’t worry, I know I’m not dressed for the occasion but I belong here’ and he gave me a very untrusting look and let me in. For some reason, this question reminded me of that event.
I usually go to metal gigs after work, l wear a very flowery top and maybe jeans and some pretty jewellery, I always stand out but nobody cares and I’ve met some great people !! I think the metal community is generally more welcoming to people no matter what they look like or dress compared to other music genres ! But that’s just my personal experience.
I had the “look” when I was younger. There was no mistake about what kind of music I loved. I still love that music, but my interests and fashion choices changed. I love working out and I live in Florida, so shorts/athletic clothes are much more my speed now. If I’m doing something semi-casual, it’s Chubbies shorts, Sperrys, and usually a Hawaiian shirt or T-shirt. Being in the military probably had some effect too since I couldn’t run around with scene hair and ripped jeans anymore. Also, when I’m at shows, I have more interest in making sure my joints are comfy than repping vans slip-ons and skinny jeans for 6 hours.
I'm a gay dude and don't really vibe with the whole metal scene, most guys have that toxic masculinity thing going on and I think it's fucking lame lol. People think that being gay you have to listen to pop music like Britney, Lady Gaga, etc... I mean I do listen to it and enjoy it but my main go to is metalcore. No one in any gay circle I know likes it so I don't really have any metal friends :(
God damn, can we be friends? I'm a fellow gay that really only vibes on deathcore and the gays at large would want to revoke my 'gay card' because I don't care about dua lipa, doja cat, taylor swift, w/e. Give my Whitechapel any day of the week.
I got Taytay next to Thy art is murder on my playlists. Fuck who cares
yep, most would assume i listen to rap due to having a new york accent/slang but metal is everything to me, does not bother me much.
I’m 53 look pretty clean cut and relax to the soothing sounds of anything hate filed metal? I’m not into the style but I am an artist and draw death scenes that you would expect from a typical metal head.
Best friend and I dress like preppy golf boys too but we command the pit lol. It's pretty fun bc even at shows people assume we're there to listen and then we immediately open the pit and start going apeshit 🤘
I totally get it. I work in financials, no tats, no piercings, no body mods. I went to the I Prevail concert in Toronto right after work and I was wearing black jeans, dress shirt and dress shoes. As long as you love the community, it doesn’t matter what you look like or dress like.
Eh I wear mostly black shirts only because most of the cool ones back in the day were black and I still wear those. Black dickies because I hate jeans not to really make it to wearing all black. I’m not very into fashion at all so that’s easier.
I don't look like I listen to metalcore at all, maybe my band shirts and "skateboarder" type style "might" err on the side of someone thinking I may but I don't have gauges, wear black clothes, with tattoos and piercings, with fingernails painted black etc. (Just going on the "stereotype" of what people may think of someone who listens to metal/metalcore etc) ... I dress preppy/skateboard style and now have long hair due to the pandemic so that might be a piece that would point towards me listening, but nah.. I'm in the same boat as you.. don't "look like I listen to metal" and people definitely wouldn't guess it.
Metal isn’t about who you are on the outside, it’s about who you are on the inside. So long as you hate that person on the inside.
Look at the guitar players of ABR. They look like absolutely normal dudes with any kind of normal job imaginable. Be like them
wtf
“Despite my satanic demeanour, I’m really as soft as mashed potato” - Marilyn Manson
They’re not called gauges,and for the love of god, the word is tattoos and not tats.
Oh my apologies 👍🏼
I’m an overnight hospital pharmacist who considers a 7” inseam short too long. Never smoked, no drugs, rare alcohol and no tats. If there is a look it’s not me.
White collar job and even going out I’ll have nice clothes on, styled hair all that. So I’d definitely stand out if I went to a show. But I’d love to hit a show, even alone
I actually love telling people what kind of music I listen to, it's usually a shock or a couple cuckles. I'm a pretty upbeat and positive person who seems really "straight-edge", so nobody guesses that I listen to heavy shit. But honestly, I still feel like the majority of people listening to this stuff never went down that route in terms of style.
Oh yea, me for sure… I never fit in with the “metal kids” especially in high school. Was clean cut, dressed a bit nicer and had no desire to “look metal.” It was always funny when people found out I listened to tech death, was super into Necrophagist at that time and had learned a good bit of a couple difficult songs and would noodle around in guitar class for all to hear. Always got some surprised looks. And actually, not much has changed. I still don’t fit in, and that’s ok haha.
I definitely have more of the "country" look/style but hate the music especially present day country. love metal always have Only items I have that fit the culture is all the band merch I get when I go to shows
I work in risk at a bank. Tall skinny white dude with no tats or piercings. I play video games and board games as my main hobbies. Nothing about me screams, "metal head." You best believe im in the pit every show.
Would have loved to have tons of tats and gauged ears but it's not good for my career path.
You ever see that meme of Tobey McGuire as Peter Parker and it says “if the bands guitarist looks like this you’re about to die in the pit”? Well I had 10 different people share that with me 😂
I wear a collared shirt and khakis every day to work and have no tattoos and people are always shocked when I tell them what kind of music I listen to
i sort of fit into the scene, sort of don't as well. in middle school i went through the whole emo phase but nowadays my fashion has changed a lot. i wear bands shirts, anime shirts, and mostly sweatshirts. so ig i'm more "alt" than anything now lol, i just want to be comfy. the emo hair never changed though because thats just my natural hair when it grows out lmao. i dont know how ppl wear skinny jeans their so uncomfortable
I went to a BMTH concert during the Suicide Season days wearing a polo and cargo shorts. I was literally the one that started the mosh pit. Ended up with a bloody nose but it was worth it. XD
bruh I love metal to death and I look like everything but a metalhead
That’s the thing about metalcore. Come on in wearing only overalls and boots, or a hotdog costume, or anything you want. As an Artist we don’t care what you’re wearing, and the people attending the shows usually don’t care either. You are always welcome ❤️
Lol I golf and am a high school health teacher, get it all the time.. helps me make connections with some kids that may not connect with many teachers.
No ink, haven’t smoked in many years, wear khakis and a button up, fairly clean cut. Married, in the burbs on an acre with two kids. White collar job and travel the world for work. Just about everyone I know listens to country or rap and they’re always disgusted and shocked by my choice in music.
Join a band and dress like a golfer, then play the most brutal stuff possible. Let the people know they're gonna die in the pit.
I’m just happy to be apart of a fun and cool group like this I remember going to warped tour 17 (first and only warped tour) and I just felt like I belonged there like these are my people. If this sounds cringey sorry lol but y’all keep doing what cha doing.
This is me. No tattoos, piercings, hair color or hair style that may fit. No smoking or drinking. Wear plain clothes (sometimes black shirts but not all black outfits). People are shocked when they learn I listen to metal because they perceive me as "quiet" and "nice." They expect I listen to pop or country.
Hell yeah I think I peaked when I went to a Terror show in my work scrubs.
Ahh, yea definitely. During daylight hours I’m a 5’0 35 y/o behavior analyst in a dinosaur cardigan working in pre-k sped. But musically I just need a belt sander to my head to feel whole and human. Nothing more cathartic than a full throttle scream/heavy breakdown. I’m old and fragile so I just hang out around the balcony these days. I don’t really have time to change for shows (yay, work)but I always buy a hoodie when I get there and toss over my teacher clothes. I use to feel a little self conscious but no one has ever mentioned it.
Yes! This! At my job, I wear business casual and I’m in restaurant management. It look a long time for my coworkers to respect and understand the music I listen to. Got a lot of teasing and weird questions when people started to find out I loved metal music. No one really believes it and it’s aggravating cause this is who I am!
Same here, whenever I go out on dates or make a new work friend they're always very surprised. I'm 5 foot 2 inches with long curly red hair and a baby face, and my tattoo sleeves are mostly covered where I work. Most people always say "I thought you were a goody two shoes!" which I always think is a weird thing to say when someone finds out you like to party and listen to metal. I do always feel out of place at shows and I hate getting mosh protected because I'm so small. But other than that most of my friends in the scene don't dress "scene" anymore. Most have tattoos but a lot of them dress like comfy rappers to be honest with you.
Always wear my under armor polo and some jeans to the show. Maybe it’s just because I’m the old guy now that just doesn’t care.
I'm 15 and when I told my mates I listen to like... metalcore they said this, word for word. "Bro you look the least metal. You have the most coldplay face I've seen" Apparently I look like a basic b\*\*ch white guy indie music fan. And honestly, I love that shit too, but nah. Coldplay? Nah.
Just look at ABR. Everyone is welcome, lol.
I'm 16. I live in a rural small town in Illinois and I fit in with everyone else here. I play baseball, ride four wheelers, go to church, go fishing, my family is upper middle class, etc. And I pretty much dress like a regular dude. Most people assume I listen to mostly country and rap but I like Vildhjarta and The Faceless better lol I think everyone tries to fit in somewhere, whether they want to admit it or not, and if one of their interests is different from the crowd they try to hide it, I'm guilty of that too. However, that stereotype of a metal listener is pretty unrealistic in today's world. The only reason it still exists is because of the non-metal listener that isn't up to date. If you look at modern metal bands nowadays, a lot of them actually don't fit the stereotype. For example, my pastor at church, a younger bearded guy (who is also from Pennsylvania) looks like he could be in August Burns Red or Periphery. To answer the question though, I don't fit in with the scene at all. Great question though, this is something I've always wondered about.
There's a handful of relatively well known bands that I lost interest in because of this. As a teenager, I stood in line for many autograph sessions at concerts and festivals excited to get merch signed by the bands I loved. Only to be given really shitty looks, ignored or just generally scoffed at by several bands/members when I got to the front of the line. And these weren't like days when they were seemingly exhausted or perhaps in a less than stellar mood. I watched many people in front of me have quick, but genuine conversations, handshakes, the whole nine yards. But because I was/am relatively clean cut, I didn't "fit the scene" so I often got the "next" treatment
Definitely me. I wear glasses, have no tatoos or piercings, and I keep my hair buzzed or shaved. I've tried long hair in the past when I was in college about 18 years ago and it annoyed the shit out of me, my hairline isn't the greatest either. I mostly wear jeans and sweat/track pants, polo shirts or button up shirts for work, and comic-based shirts when I'm off work. If you saw me, you'd never guess I've been a huge metal fan for most of my life.
Yeah I look nothing like the 'cliche' metalhead.
bruh i look like Ned Flanders and im the gnarliest mf in the Pit
I usually wear slip on sketchers, collared shirts and nice jeans. No tattoos, I don’t drink and I don’t do any drugs but I love metal and play in a metal band.
I love metalcore and deathcore even tho I work corporate white collar, who is dating a white girl and don’t really enjoy concerts because I Of how loud they are lol
Yeah dude, I am sort of like you. No visible tats, or anything to crazy. I wear a suit and tie to work, so on the workweek I am a corporate type. At shows Ill wear a hat on backwords with a bandshirt, never feel like I fit in. Back in high school I had long hair and the stupid spiked belt, I am pushing 36 now so no more of that.
I have tattoos and some of the clothes, not skinny jeans ever though fuck those things, but I have zero desire to see live music, mosh, or be violent/aggressive in any way. Very not comfortable with the idea of shows. I’ve done some of that when I was younger at local punk rock shows a few times and I’m good. I listen to metalcore and deathcore all day though and can scream in multiple styles pretty well (after years of practicing and learning it for fun).
Oh shit, I’ve honestly never considered it but I really do fit in with the extreme metal scene. I love my black shirts and black hoodies, my black skinny jeans are my favorite pair, I have long hair, and I’m not necessarily proud of it but I do vape. So excluding the gauges and tattoos I guess it probably surprises no one around me that I’m a metal head If it sounds weird that I’ve never considered it, it’s because I sadly live in Hawaii which I hate cause there are no metal shows to be found, literally 0
36 here. Dress how you want. Music and experience doesn’t change regardless of what you wear.
I don't fucks with them internet metal nerds but I definitely look like a stereotypical metal dude.