Positive effects of the DC smoking ban

Was at Grizzly Bear last night at the Black Cat (Frickin' great show by the way) – I arrived mid-way through the first opening act, standing near the soundboard. When they finished, about 50-75 patrons left the room to go smoke. After the second, another 25-50 people left to smoke. By the time Grizzly Bear made the stage, we were five rows from the stage, dead center.

I normally don't emphasize being near the stage at a show, but since sound/sightlines/chatty audience are such a question mark at the cat, I like being closer.

Pretty nice. I'll have to remember this for LCD Soundsystem. Except they are exceptionally loud, and I don't dance, which pisses off the dance nazis.

I think its funny how people can't go an hour or two without a cigarette, but hey, their pathetic addiction, my gain.

Definitely agree on the smoking situation.

I went to see Papercuts, who were great as expected. Best indie pop album of 2007 so far. I'd never heard Grizzly Bear before but of course had seen their name a zillion times on the blogs…

Um, basically, I didn't get it. Dead-serious operetic harmony vocals over Sufjan Stevens-like warblings? Plus autoharp? Is this indie rock circa 2007? I lasted five songs.

forget floor placement, the real positive effect of the smoking ban: coming home after a night at the club and not smelling like an ashtray. not having your pillow smell like smoke in the morning because your smokey hair was rubbing against it all night. not having to take a shower after the show so that your pillow doesn't smell dank in the morning.

this from a part-time smoker.

two thoughts on this

1) have you ever thought that some people CAN go 2 hours without a cigarette, they just dont feel like it? or they like to take a break from standing in front of the stage..maybe they wanted to have a piss or get another drink and figured while they were walking around…not everyone smokes every cigarette like a heroin fix, and not everyone's sole goal at a show is to get as close as possible to the stage.


and

2) if you smoked, you wouldn't notice that you smell like an ashtray when you get home from the bar! ;)

Has anyone noticed a larger crowd since the ban? A couple of musicians mentioned to me that they notice a 10-20% increase in crowd when a show is non-smoking. (They mentioned Pittsburgh shows were pretty smokey btw, but nothing like Europe.)

Originally posted by sweetcell:
forget floor placement, the real positive effect of the smoking ban: coming home after a night at the club and not smelling like an ashtray. not having your pillow smell like smoke in the morning because your smokey hair was rubbing against it all night. not having to take a shower after the show so that your pillow doesn't smell dank in the morning.

this from a part-time smoker.

The downside of course is that you can smell every fart, sweaty armpit and stinky unwashed hair in the bars and clubs…..your own clothes don't smell of farts the next day though, so I'll stay with supporting the smoking ban.

hell what are the negative effects?? ;)

ah yes but farts linger for less than a minute before totally disapaiting. smoke hangs in the air all night and clings to everything.

i'll take farts over cigarettes any day.

Originally posted by nonameface:
(They mentioned Pittsburgh shows were pretty smokey btw, but nothing like Europe.)

i think they have all new places since i lived there, but the old venues were pretty bad

Originally posted by le sonick:
have you ever thought that some people CAN go 2 hours without a cigarette, they just dont feel like it?

nope

I can't blow smoke at people who push and shove their way to get in the free space that's available 7 inches in front of me and then they stare at me like "…back off" when THEY got in front of me.

so i just blow smoke at them the whole show. now i cant!

lame.

Originally posted by root:
hell what are the negative effects?? ;)

you mean other than allowing the government to legislate away your rights and to force people to conduct themselves in ways the government sees fit? give the govt. an inch, and they'll take a mile.

Originally posted by Venerable Bede:

Originally posted by root:
hell what are the negative effects?? ;)

you mean other than allowing the government to legislate away your rights and to force people to conduct themselves in ways the government sees fit? give the govt. an inch, and they'll take a mile.

Its not time for you to convince the 70% that are for the ban that you have a right to make them breath your smoke.

Go!

Originally posted by Brandon Brendall, the thief:

Originally posted by Venerable Bede:

Originally posted by root:
hell what are the negative effects?? ;)

you mean other than allowing the government to legislate away your rights and to force people to conduct themselves in ways the government sees fit? give the govt. an inch, and they'll take a mile.

Its not time for you to convince the 70% that are for the ban that you have a right to make them breath your smoke.

Go!

look. . .just about everyone on here knows how i feel about this issue. it comes down to personal choices- i have absolutely no problem with a club/venue going smoke-free on their own. i would encourage it. i am against government interferring in the ability of an individual to make their own choices. knowing the risks of an establishment that allowed smoking, you could have decided not to go; if enough people make that same decision, the owner will feel that economically.

Originally posted by Brandon Brendall, the thief:

Originally posted by Venerable Bede:

Originally posted by root:
hell what are the negative effects?? ;)

you mean other than allowing the government to legislate away your rights and to force people to conduct themselves in ways the government sees fit? give the govt. an inch, and they'll take a mile.

Its not time for you to convince the 70% that are for the ban that you have a right to make them breath your smoke.

Go!

i bet you all wont be so "ban-happy" when they decide to go after alcohol, or the noise level of shows. or perhaps some completely different freedom that you happen to enjoy. but you can thank yourselves for letting the ban-ball rolling.

i'm not threatening, and i am sure you dont see it now, but i agree with the Venerable one, give the govt an inch, they'll take a mile!

this whole thing equates to: your favourite team having a horrible call go its way, to win a big game.

sure, technically the whole thing was gone about in an unfair, sour, and in a basically cheating manner, but since your team won….

I don't think the gov't will make a law that the majority of people aren't in favor of. That's why you'll never see abortion banned, no matter how much smoke conservatives blow out their ass.

Originally posted by le sonick:

Originally posted by Brandon Brendall, the thief:

Originally posted by Venerable Bede:

Originally posted by root:
hell what are the negative effects?? ;)

you mean other than allowing the government to legislate away your rights and to force people to conduct themselves in ways the government sees fit? give the govt. an inch, and they'll take a mile.

Its not time for you to convince the 70% that are for the ban that you have a right to make them breath your smoke.

Go!

i bet you all wont be so "ban-happy" when they decide to go after alcohol, or the noise level of shows. or perhaps some completely different freedom that you happen to enjoy. but you can thank yourselves for letting the ban-ball rolling.

i'm not threatening, and i am sure you dont see it now, but i agree with the Venerable one, give the govt an inch, they'll take a mile!

Originally posted by Jack Black, Caucasian American:
I don't think the gov't will make a law that the majority of people aren't in favor of. That's why you'll never see abortion banned, no matter how much smoke conservatives blow out their ass.

they better not blow that smoke at me!! i have a right to breathe clean air!!!!

the sky is falling! the sky is faaaaaaaaaaaalling!!!

all right then - let's get the ban-ball rolling already! early targets should include:

- bubblegum pop
- people who park taking up two spaces
- people who spill beer on you
- stinky people in crowded club (bonus infraction for heavy perfum/cologne wearers)
- religious funtamentalist preachers
- tasteless beer

take those "freedoms"… please!