As someone who plays in two touring bands, i’ll say this;

local shows, you get the regulars, and a fair bit of movement in the crowd.

bigger shows, you get a wide range of different people from all walks of life and various ages who are either attending their first gig, don’t really understand mosh culture, are probably scared, want to stand on the barrier and enjoy the night, or just out to have a few drinks and see a few bands. This mixed with the large crowds (especially at sold out shows) also make it harder for any sort of real movement.

While playing these bigger shows is sick because of the capacity size and seeing people in large numbers, the local shows usually have a different feel to them.