Shoegazing

"Shoegazing is described as a subgenre of alternative rock, where the singer stands in a completely non-confrontational, passive state, while singing. In other words, the exact opposite of what a good front man for any other band would do."

A bit of History:

Shoegazing  is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged from the UK in the late 1980s, pioneered by bands such as My Bloody Valentine, Lush, and Slowdive. It lasted until the mid-1990s, with a critical hight reached from 1990–91. The British music press named this style "shoegazing" because the musicians in these bands stood still during live performances in a detached and non-confrontational state, hence the idea that they were gazing at their shoes. The heavy use of effects pedals also contributed to performers looking down at their feet during concerts.The shoegazing sound is expressed by a significant use of guitar effects, and indistinguishable vocal melodies that blend into the creative noise of the guitars. In the early 1990s, shoegazing groups were pushed aside by the American grunge movement and early Britpop acts, forcing the relatively unknown bands to break up or reinvent their style altogether.

Common musical elements of shoegazing consist of distorted, droning riffs and a "wall of sound" from noisy guitars. Typically, two distorted rhythm guitars are played together to give a formless quality to the sound. Although lead guitar riffs were often present, they were not the central focus of most shoegazing songs. Vocals are typically subdued in volume and tone, but a strong sense of melody generally exists underneath the layers of guitars. However, lyrics are not emphasized, nor are the vocals. While the genres that influenced shoegazing often used drum machines, shoegazing more often featured live drumming.The name was created when the singer of the newly formed band, " Moose" read lyrics taped to the floor throughout the concert. The term was picked up by the NME, who used it as a reference to the tendency of the bands' guitarists to stare at their feet—or their effects pedals—while playing, seemingly deep in concentration.

Opinion :D
I find it interesting that people would pay to go and watch someone stare at their shoes for a few hours. I think concerts are the band's chance to put on a show, interact with their fans and have fun. What's the fun in watching awkwardly as some guy mumbles into a microphone whilst looking downward at the floor as though in mourning? Though I understand there's a somewhat symbolical meaning behind all of it, I personally would not pay to go to a shoegazing concert.

Biblyography: http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-most-unusual-music-genres.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoegazing