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Rock/Metal fans take better care of the physical structure of their homes, have more respect for women, are responsible for a significantly lower number of drug-related incidents, seek medical attention less often, and generate very few violent incidents

by Juninho

The behavior of Rock n' Roll fans is a recurring theme in this space created by Wikimetal listeners. From my own experience over the years attending all sorts of shows, I've noticed that Rock/Heavy Metal fans generally tend to cause less commotion than audiences of other musical styles. Furthermore, the more extreme the type of music on stage, the lower the chances of problems in the audience. I've often approached security personnel at concert venues and heard that "Rock/Metal audiences are the most peaceful of all! "

Obviously, you, the reader, will claim that this is a personal opinion and does not reflect reality. It was precisely to avoid this type of questioning that, at the beginning of 2013, I had the idea of ​​conducting a survey of the largest concert venues and event producers in the country. The intention was to objectively quantify the number of medical and non-medical incidents in the main spaces dedicated to musical events in each Brazilian state.

The more extreme the type of sound on stage, the lower the chances of problems for the audience

I started in São Paulo, where I was kindly received by a large number of relevant venues and producers. The opinion was unanimous, considering the Rock audience as the best to work with, and noting that its most extreme genre, Heavy Metal, has a distinctly more polite audience than any other. The statements were repeated: Rock/Metal fans take better care of the physical structure of the venues, have more respect for women, generate a significantly lower number of incidents involving legal and illegal drugs, seek medical attention less often, and cause very few violent incidents.

The information definitely confirmed my personal impressions, but unfortunately the research didn't work out and couldn't be published. The main reason was the inability to generate objective data. The statements obtained also reflected the personal opinions of the producers/establishments, who hadn't quantified the reported occurrences. Adding to this the difficulty of contacting other locations outside of São Paulo, the research idea seemed to have fallen through.

However, a few months after that failure, another very interesting opportunity arose. I was invited to work at Rock In Rio. My responsibilities would include being part of the general medical coordination/regulation of the event and being the doctor responsible for the direct assistance of all the bands performing there. After some adjustments to my schedule, I accepted the invitation and realized that it was also a great opportunity to resume writing and, through objective data from the event, prove to everyone that the Rock/Metal audience is positively different.

During the days of September 13, 14, 15, 19, 20, 21, and 22, 2013, the City of Rock received approximately 700,000 people, an average of 100,000 per event day, the maximum capacity allowed by the Rio de Janeiro fire department and the festival management. Such a number is certainly unquestionable for data analysis.

Drug and violence-related problems were much worse when there was Pop and Axé music playing on stage.”

Let's start by talking about the medical side. There were 7 posts spread throughout Rock City, all fully capable of handling emergencies, urgent cases, and outpatient complaints. We recorded in our statistics all consultations that required prescriptions and/or medical and nursing procedures. Following this reasoning, we had an average of 1100 medical consultations per day and, thankfully, no deaths.

Guess, dear reader, which days had the highest number of medical incidents? Well, those were precisely the days with Pop and Axé music lineups. On these occasions, the number of medical calls nearly doubled, reaching close to 2000. Cases of alcohol and illicit drug abuse, violence, and robberies were also more frequent, and those affected could seek immediate assistance, if they wished, at the police station specially set up in front of the City of Rock.

The days dedicated exclusively to Rock were the quietest. September 21st (Bruce Springsteen) was by far the most peaceful. We had around 700 patients treated. September 22nd ( Iron Maiden ) and September 19th ( Metallica ) were also quiet, with an average of 800 to 1000 patients treated. The work was facilitated not only by the lower demand for medical services, but above all by the lower number of cases involving drug abuse, violence, and robberies.

I had some rare and wonderful moments of rest during the Destruction and Slayer shows!

I also worked closely with the security team for much of the event. Their professionalism was top-notch, with cutting-edge technology. The work they performed within the security control area (the brains of Rock in Rio), using thermal and high-resolution cameras, resembled Hollywood action movies. After the event, I asked the security chiefs which were the worst and best days of work. Once again, the days dedicated to rock music overwhelmingly won. Following the same pattern seen at the medical aid stations, problems related to drugs and violence were much greater when there was pop and axé music playing on stage.

I also went to the police station and spoke personally with the officer in charge. Inside and outside (surrounding) the City of Rock, police incidents were fewer on the Rock/Metal days. I informally and formally requested official data from the Rio de Janeiro police regarding the absolute number of police reports filed, but I received no response. The numbers are undeniable, and I witnessed tense moments that occurred with the Pop and Axé music audiences. Working with the Rock/Metal audience is incomparably easier. Not to mention the fact that the extreme Metal audience is truly one of the best-behaved (I had rare and excellent moments of relaxation during the Destruction and Slayer !).

I returned from Rock in Rio physically exhausted, with a ton of stories to tell, some childhood dreams fulfilled, unique professional experiences, and one less cell phone. I was mugged inside the City of Rock while working during the Iron Maiden show (ironic, isn't it?!). Despite this last unfortunate event, I maintain my opinion about the positive behavior of the Rock/Metal audience. An isolated incident involving a thief (and the event unfortunately had many of those!) does not reflect the reality I witnessed.

Finally, I would like to highlight the absolute professionalism of the Rock In Rio management, the medical coordination team from Humanitar, the security team led by the competent Camilo Dornellas, and the Rio de Janeiro fire department. I want to make it clear that organizing a festival of this size, enduring the harassment that occurs in a corrupt country like ours and overcoming it honestly, is a task that few people are capable of accomplishing. I publicly congratulate those involved mentioned in this paragraph.

Hugs to all!

Juninho

\,,/

José Donizeti Costa Junior (Juninho) is a medical doctor graduated from the USP Faculty of Medicine, specializing in Nuclear Medicine and pursuing a postgraduate degree in Radiology at the USP Hospital das Clínicas. He has followed Wikimetal since its inception and regularly contributes texts to the “Scream For Me Wikibrothers” section. Born in Avaré-SP, he began studying music at the age of 10. He is currently the vocalist for the band UNDERPATH. He enjoys listening to various musical styles, as long as the sound quality is good: “There are two types of music, good and bad!”

*This text was written by a Wikimate and does not necessarily represent the opinions of the site's authors.

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