Advice for Headbanging?

[Blossoming Bird]

Any other metalheads on here have any advice for me? I like to headbang (obviously) but having tailbone length hair makes that a bit hard to do.

[blackgothicdoll]

High ponytail? But you don't wanna hit people, unless you're moshing, then I'd go with a high braided ponytail and just go to town.

[RavennaNight]

You need a wide radius that’s all! :rockerdud: either that or go all the way up front or stay towards the middle back where there’s more space. It’s one of the main reasons I keep long hair. Have fun!

[Elizabeth E]

I agree with the wide radius - that is, if you're headbanging with other people around. You can also just shake your head up and down to take up less space.
Personally, I've found that the longer my hair gets, the easier it becomes to do circular headbanging (aka windmills). Keep growing!

[LadyCelestina]

I don't have much advice re: length, but I have a tip for minimising tangles I learned from this forum: arrive with hair as detangled as possible and then when you are done, put it in a bun or a braid and don't touch it until you have time to wash. Then jump in the shower, wet your hair really well and SLATHER a ton of conditioner. Let it sit for a while and then detangle and rinse.

I remember one time I had to go to school right after a concert and made the mistake of leaving my hair down. I had to cut some of the tangles out :lol:

[pixelchu]

Funnily enough I mostly had longer hair as a child so no gigs for me back then. :P I'll say one thing is to be aware of the people around you - I've been hit in the eyes by straying headbangers long locks and it's not nice. If it's a really busy / packed gig I would stay out of the barrier area and pit as that will be where the least space between people will be. I've been to gigs where I'm literally being held up by the force of the people around me being pushed into each other, so definitely not a good time to have long hair down where it could get pulled and caught on other people's zips etc! Although, shows like that are usually for really famous bands, so depending on the type of concerts you go to it might not be an issue. :)

I'm afraid I don't have any advice for hairstyles but perhaps double braids would be practical to reduce hair damage. :)

[Blossoming Bird]

High ponytail? But you don't wanna hit people, unless you're moshing, then I'd go with a high braided ponytail and just go to town.
When you're an introvert and a metalhead at the same time so you gotta clear out that personal space bubble😂

[spidermom]

Twin dutch braids don't fly around too much.

[Blossoming Bird]

I find swinging it side to side easiest to reduce headaches, but the feeling of windmilling? Unbeatable :)

[Blossoming Bird]

I don't have much advice re: length, but I have a tip for minimising tangles I learned from this forum: arrive with hair as detangled as possible and then when you are done, put it in a bun or a braid and don't touch it until you have time to wash. Then jump in the shower, wet your hair really well and SLATHER a ton of conditioner. Let it sit for a while and then detangle and rinse.

I remember one time I had to go to school right after a concert and made the mistake of leaving my hair down. I had to cut some of the tangles out :lol:
Oh gosh! Didn't do that twice huh? 😅

[Afanen]

I'm a fan of the chill bobbing foot stomping head bang personally. Or the ever popular black metal arms crossed scowling pose. They're not as rough on your head and neck. As for moshing, braiding your hair and tucking it down your back and into your bra strap keeps it from getting pulled. But worrying about tangles isn't very metal anyway

[JennGalt]

Apply some detangler beforehand. Not so much that it won’t absorb and then will come off on everything it touches. Just enough to make any tangles that form loosen a bit more easily.

[TreesOfEternity]

Apply some detangler beforehand. Not so much that it won’t absorb and then will come off on everything it touches. Just enough to make any tangles that form loosen a bit more easily.


I find swinging it side to side easiest to reduce headaches, but the feeling of windmilling? Unbeatable :)

Side to side is my favorite, more blacker and less hard on the neck

[littlestarface]

You need a wide radius that’s all! :rockerdud: either that or go all the way up front or stay towards the middle back where there’s more space. It’s one of the main reasons I keep long hair. Have fun!

Hell ya brother! I love to swing my hair around its so fun.

[erebus]

Last time I did it I spent hours detangling my hair the next day, it was horrible, so my advice would be to not do it :P

[Ligeia Noire]

I do not headbang much anymore, last time it was, I think. two years ago at Epica and I was up in the balcony section, fairly enough space and I let my hair down and flipped it over the balcony and it was interesting, lets just say even the band stopped to watch..... I leave it in a braid now, less worries, less tangles but I was never much of a headbanger anyway, I prefer to dance, good luck with it!

[blackgothicdoll]

I do not headbang much anymore, last time it was, I think. two years ago at Epica and I was up in the balcony section, fairly enough space and I let my hair down and flipped it over the balcony and it was interesting, lets just say even the band stopped to watch..... I leave it in a braid now, less worries, less tangles but I was never much of a headbanger anyway, I prefer to dance, good luck with it!

Ah that's so awesome!!! Those are goals right there :o

[Ligeia Noire]

Ah ah ah they did not stop as in stopped the music but stopped to stare. It was fun!

[ReptilianFeline]

I usually just bob my head up and down and a bit side to side with all my hair in front of me. I'm not very good at headbanging. I would love to try a windmill though.

Last year at Wacken I kept my hair braided in a parandi at the nape of my neck because I always wear my top hat. The hat was really useful in that scorching heat. Turned out that sleeping in a parandi made of a bit too fluffy yarn is hell to unbraid and detangle. I kept it all through Wacken and didn't take it out until we were home again. Big mistake! The fluff from the yarn got stuck in my hair and that was really hard to get out. But... it was an improvement from ending up with one humungous dread lock :D