You may have seen videos of hardcore shows circulating on social media. Adult men beating each other senselessly in a circle pit of some sort, while a vocalist on stage is screaming his lungs out.

It looks like a power trip fantasy for any disgruntled, violent man to come to life.

But hardcore and its messaging runs much deeper than that.

Hardcore is rebellious, optimistic and community-driven. The scene shares a sense of belonging within a niche that many other spaces don’t fill.

What’s the point?

A side of hardcore that is often overlooked are the moral philosophies baked into the music. For example, one subculture of New York Hardcore, “Youth crew”, preaches about the values of being “straight edge,” or sober. The value in being straight edge for this subculture is a matter of agency.

Straight edge participants see being sober as a form of rebellion against a society that pressures them towards substance use.

Many youth crew participants, such as Ray Cappo of Youth of Today or the band Cro-Mags also participated in Krishnacore or believed in the Hare Krishna faith.

This led to many youth crew bands, like Invocation and Cro-Mags, to be vegetarians as part of their pantheistic faith. This faith in hardcore is often lost on broader mainstream discourse as a whole.

In addition, much of the hardcore scene is also built on empowerment of oneself.

Jabril Ward of Long Beach Hardcore band 92 spread only messages of positivity during his set at the Hollywood Underground on April 15.

“There is so much hate in this world,” Ward said during the set. “People trying to tear you down. But in this room, there’s love and freedom. So enjoy it.”

The hardcore scene fosters many positive notions about the ability of oneself, and the ability to overcome within a perceived broken system. Yet, these messages that would benefit many are overlooked.

These positive messages are overshadowed in the eyes of the general public by viral social media videos, which distort their view of what hardcore can be.

Brotherhood and Community

Hardcore shows are also a breeding ground for community interaction and positive outreach. The scene thrives off of people knowing each other, bands in contact with one another and a shared set of values between people.

One local band, Get Your Gun, shared how the hardcore scene has helped them find a sense of belonging.

“Doesn’t matter who you are, where you come from or not even how much money you have,” vocalist Ivan Hernandez said. “Being able to feel a part of something that you know is for the better is something you can always look forward to in hardcore.”

Hernandez also shared how the scene gives an avenue for people to have a great experience in one space.

“It honestly is just beautiful seeing so many different kinds of people in one area at the same time all being able to share the same experience together,” Hernandez continued.

Feelings of belonging are not only reserved for up and coming bands.

Many audience members at hardcore shows express themselves freely, many with extreme body modifications or outfit choices. It’s special to have a space that allows for freedom of expression.

Furthermore, hardcore differentiates itself from other aggressive genres like metal or rock in the fact that hardcore tackles real issues within the community and gives people an outlet for them.

“The difference between hardcore and different genres is that hardcore is rooted in reality,” Get Your Gun drummer Gavin Gamez said. “It is real. Metal bands and others are rooted in fantasy.”

Gamez also touched on the good hardcore shows do for the community, which is different from other artistic avenues.

“The things I have learned from going to shows and meeting different people is something I never found before at other concerts or spaces. Hardcore spreads the most positivity,” Gamez said.

Moshpits, beatdowns, crowdstomps, etc.

With all this talk of positivity, why is it that so much media that comes out of the hardcore space highlights the more aggressive side of the subculture?

Simply put, videos of people karate dancing and decking others is eye-catching and makes for an interesting watch.

A side effect of these types of videos becoming popular is that people will start only thinking of the hardcore scene as violent.

While yes, many hardcore dances, such as windmills, two-stepping and floor punching are inherently aggressive moves, these actions are steeped into the hardcore scene, in a similar manner to push moshing or rave dancing at other genres of shows.

In any case, large crowds of people moving will always be a safety hazard. In any concert venue, spatial awareness and common sense are necessary to avoid being injured.

This isn’t defending crowdkilling or intentionally harming other people. Hardcore shows are not avenues to commit acts of violence, and were never intended to be that.

Crowdkilling is antithetical to the purposes of hardcore. While hardcore is all about physical expression, crowdkilling alienates would-be supporters of hardcore messaging. It also, quite frankly, commits acts of violence on unwilling participants, which is never right.

On the contrary, hardcore shows are kinder than you may perceive, as Hernandez points out as well.

“It may look like we’re crazy guys, animals in a cage, but I promise you everyone in a pit will know and respect each other,” Hernandez said. “If someone falls, the people around will never fail to make sure you are ok. If someone loses a phone or wallet, people will stop and look for the owner.”

Not all hardcore shows are “beatdown” shows either. Beatdown shows are slower, heavier and lean in toward the violent side of hardcore.

Many shows with more melodic or punk influences focus more on grooving toward the rhythm presented in a song, granted with windmills and kicks. This side of hardcore, the musical enjoyment aspect, is lost on the general public.

Hardcore is a genre built on physical expression and passion. If you don’t think you can handle it, hardcore audiences generally have a crowd in the back where you can simply enjoy the music and its messaging, without having to experience the physicality.

False narrative

On social media, the view of hardcore is skewed.

A viral video will show a beatdown crowd where multiple people are crowdkilling and clearly injuring someone. Much of the audience will take away that that is what hardcore is about: mindless violence.

But hardcore harbors greater lessons revolving around individuality, expression, community uplifting and uncompromising will.

“Pave Paradise” by Have Heart. “Start Today” by Gorilla Biscuits. “Defy” by Magnitude.

These bands and their messaging are simply ignored by wider audiences, even though these attitudes are positive and could uplift people that could use that message.

If wider audiences truly understood hardcore beyond surface level interpretations, they could see the value and community these artists and the scene provides.