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| Sok Monkee at the Fat Frogg prior to the show being shut down. |
I recently went to an all-day event that featured several local Death Metal bands, none of whom I can recall the name of. Save for a cool heavy-metal trio called Jews and Catholics and a female cover band fronted by Staci McBeth the event held very little that I could relate to. In fact it was abhorrent to me that children as young as six years old were running around and even taking part in some of the band acts where the vilest of vulgarities were slung at the audience faster than Rambo could empty an M-16. In fact with these bands it was only the vulgarities that were understandable as the lyrics are sung (and I use the word sung very loosely) as a constant guttural roar. It is generally within this genre of music that you will find the mosh pits or body slamming that occurs in the audience.
This event was a few weeks ago and I only bring it up now in order to give insight on a sad incident that occurred this past Friday night at the Sok Monkee show in Elon. Sok Monkee is one of the area's premier rock bands and has been for several years now. Their music covers several decades but primarily the harder rock of the past ten years or so. At any given show you are likely to see many of the same faces, a core group of fans known as the Monkee Junkees and they are zealous supporters of the band and their music.
Friday nights show at the Fat Frogg though showed the potential early on for a disruptive evening when a couple of juvenile college kids began dancing wildly in the crowd with no concern that they were imposing on the enjoyment of others. They were the same type of kids who would be right at home at a Death Metal concert. By the time the second set began the couple of asses had been joined by several more asses - all heavily inebriated. At about 1:30 am the disruption became too much and lead singer Dylan Setzer stopped the set to address the situation but as the band launched into "Bodies," one of their signature covers the body slamming began again in earnest compounded by shattering their glasses on the dance floor creating a wet dangerous mess. Several of the Monkee Junkees retreated to the outside deck but a few who were caught up in the maelstrom were not so lucky and at least two MJ's suffered in-direct hits by the asses trying to body slam. Club security began ejecting the offensive parties who took their actions to the parking lot. Within minutes the Elon police department had dispatched up to six cars to the Fat Frogg.
Wisely, Dylan once again stopped the show, this time for good. What had begun as another wonderful evening of good times with great music and friends had dissolved into a shortened evening. As the band began packing up their gear the expression on Dylan's face was heartbreaking. Here was a man who thrives on the energy of the music he sings and a band whose passion and professionalism has catapulted them to the top of their craft, to say they were disappointed to not finish the show would be an understatement.
Saturday night the band took to the stage once again, this time at Stumblin' Pig in Mebane. While I didn't attend that show, I have heard many good comments about it this morning. It was a return to good times and good friends enjoying the music and band they love.
As a footnote I would encourage anyone at a show by any band where mosh pits and body slamming are not the norm to make management or security aware of the disruptive behavior of others early on so an eye can be kept on them and security can intervene before it gets out of hand.
I'll re-iterate what I wrote on the Sok Monkee Facebook page Saturday morning when I got home - Kudo's to Dylan for stopping the show and trying to be preemptive and avoid violence of any kind. Dylan and his band mates are all class acts who only want to provide the best music they can for their fans.
