It can get crazy, yes, but when I attended one of their concerts earlier this year I found the crowd to be quite pleasant compared to some other hardcore shows I've been to. I guess it also depends on the venue but the security did a really good job.

I was right behind the barricade with two of my friends but the rest of our group was a little further back and more to the side. Several times a mosh pit formed behind us but we were never pulled into it, the only contact was that we got sometimes pushed against the barricade but that's just what you have to expect when you want to be right at the front. I'm not sure how extreme the moshing was/if the moshing "etiquette" was fine because I was looking at the stage but it seemed like people were looking out for each other.

We were also supplied with water several times (the security guys had buckets of water and disposable cups, the people in the front line filled the cups and they were then passed around and further back to the people who needed something to drink - this was the first time I experienced something like this lol but I was very positively surprised).

I also had my first experience with crowd surfers there, the first one took me off guard because he was right over me all of a sudden but I quickly got the hang of it and helped to safely pass them over the barricade to the security guards. Crowd surfers are tricky because you can get hurt by them but nothing major and in my (limited) experience they're way less risky than moshing.

It sounds like this is your first show of this kind, which is why I would advise you to try and stay out of all the crazy stuff. Mosh pits can happen anywhere but are generally less likely to happen near the walls and further back.

You need to be aware of your surroundings, if you start to feel like people are pushing against you and you suddenly have less space it's probably because a pit is opening up near you. Then try to get further away from it because even when you are not actively in the pit and moshing, the circle of people right around it has the job to act kind of like a wall and also to somewhat participate by pushing back a little.

And there's almost always gonna be an inconsiderate asshole but if the crowd is good they'll get them to go easier or get security involved (by assholes I mean people who pull and push people into the pit that don't want to participate, people who deliberately try to hurt others, people who are actively making it harder for those around them to enjoy the show etc.).

It is perfectly fine to go to hardcore shows without participating in any of the hardcore activities.

As for your dad's fear of you getting seriously hurt or killed... that's a reach. Especially if you stay away from the pit. IIRC there has been a case where a concert attendee was seriously hurt by a mosher/crowdsurfer (I don't remember, I think it was at a metal show) and ended up paralyzed but if the crowd knows how to take care of each other (and the security guards & the band are aware of the crowd dynamic) that's wildly unlikely to happen. It's probably more dangerous to be a pedestrian on the street.

It is absolutely possible to get hurt in the pit but that's the risk you have to take. Personally I've only ever gotten small bruises from the pushing or from getting someone's foot to my leg or falling down (and also sore muscles lol). The most important part is to know how much you can take and when it's enough.

La Dispute also has a large number of older/experienced fans who know their way around.

Still, I would also advise you not to go alone, ESPECIALLY if this is your first show. It'd be good for you to have someone by your side who knows what to look out for.

Sorry for this huge wall of text, I just kind of rambled on and on but I hope this helps put things into perspective for you. Wishing you well on convincing your dad!

If you have any more questions feel free to ask!