So Metalhammer magazine poses the question of whether this is the best pit ever. That question at first makes me snort because I wonder if you can actually make a judgment on such a thing strictly from the perspective of spectatorship. Consider the pits you’ve been in. What made a specific one good? I don’t think you were viewing the pit in terms of size or venue. I think you probably pose your comparison to other aspects–your own sets of criteria–and thus judge one over another in terms of your own enjoyment of the pit experience itself, and I think there are a number of elements on which a person may judge his or her enjoyment.

One might be personal affiliation or favor for the band playing, and this can be made further specific by identifying a particular song your favorite artist is playing. “Hey man, they’re playing ‘Reign in Blood.’ Let’s get in the pit, NOW!” You get what I mean. Or, “hey Gwar’s got out the dildo guns–get in there man.” In that situation I would not have a positive pit experience because I do not want to be sprayed with unidentified liquids.

Once we define the band we like to get into the pit for, we may have to also assess the type of pit, especially considering each pit is a manifestation of the sum of the crowd, and not just a reflection of the band itself. I have been to see the same band play at different shows in which the pit has been solemn and lugubrious, and others where the crowd has been vocal, and full of energy. Included with this oddity is the nature of the pit-goers themselves and how they act in the pit. Some pits I have been in are filled with arm swinging-douche bags who don’t care if they hit you in the face or knock you down, and in others I have witnessed a general helpful demeanor to those who fall or are getting crushed. What’s the best for me? Depends on the situation and my mood. Both are good.

So in the video below you see a pretty gnarly pit, and the operative word is see. There’s no experience, even if you turn your computer speakers up super loud to attempt at getting the music’s full effect. I don’t know. I think the people in it are the only ones who can decide and comment on its greatness. We watchers, on the other hand, can only marvel at the sheer size and intensity of DevilDriver’s wild ass pit, wonder, and possibly wish we were there to actually experience it.