Smokes and the city

Michael Case · #1 01-07-2003, 04:15 PM

So do anyother NYC musicians see this whole smoking ban in bars as a theart to thier livihood? With the prices of drinks in bars I feel most smokers will just opt to stay home and hang with friends and drink and smoke all they want. This whole thing bothers me.

thrash_jazz · #2 01-10-2003, 01:59 PM

Ottawa has had the smoking ban for about a year and a half now. While some bars claim to have lost a lot of business as a result, venues with live music don't seem to me to be as heavily affected.

In any case, people will get used to it. Things might slow down for awhile, but staying home is no substitute for live music, and people will realize that.

As a smoker myself, the law annoyed me for a while, but it never stopped me from going out - nor anyone else I know.

lermgalieu · #3 01-10-2003, 03:19 PM

If they banned smoking in bars here (Portland), I would go see *more* music not less - what I am saying is you also need to consider the perspective of the legions of people who don't feel like getting a sinus headache and smelly clothes, and subsequently will come out to a non smoking bar when they would have stayed in in the past.

anonymous0726 · #4 01-10-2003, 04:16 PM

Let the clubs and restaurants decide for themselves.

Michael Case · #5 01-10-2003, 05:00 PM

The only upside I see is that horn players wont be able to stand off on the side smoking when they aren't playing.

PollyBass · #6 01-10-2003, 05:04 PM

There is already a thread on this topic. do a search,,, it was messy.

Michael Case · #7 01-11-2003, 05:01 PM

I know, I was just hoping to get away from the "I don't smoke and don't want to breath it" talk and see if anyone felt it would be damaging to musicians who make a living in smokey bars. No intensions of causing a heated debate between those of us who smoke and those who don't. My personal opinion is this though, if I'm not smoking I really don't like second hand smoke so I respect those who don't smoke around me and try to keep it away from them. That's just me though.
We can quit while we are ahead though and not continue this topic.

anonymous0726 · #8 01-11-2003, 05:51 PM

Canadians and bass guitars. There's where we need to concentrate our efforts...

anonymous0726 · #9 01-11-2003, 06:04 PM

Just rattling your chain.

wellspal · #10 01-11-2003, 09:46 PM

10 years ago,(almost to the day) on a cold dark night, I, me, the ultimate consumer of marlboros quit the nasty habit. I got THAT going for me.

Marcus Johnson · #11 01-12-2003, 03:13 PM

I prefer plain old air when it comes to gigs, but it never stopped me from taking a gig til recently. I may have met my match in a jazz club that just opened here. Everyone smokes, and just one exit to the street, so no ventilation to speak of. I'm booked there next week, but I may bail after that. I just felt lousy the whole day after the last time I played there.
I'm not the most objective on the subject, as I just watched a favorite uncle cash it in, throat cancer, after having to suck all his meals thru a straw for the last five years.

jazzbo · #12 01-12-2003, 03:38 PM

While SF has a great jazz scene, it certainly isn't NY. Either way, the smoking situation has not had adverse affects in CA.

anonymous0726 · #13 01-12-2003, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jazzbo
While SF has a great jazz scene, it certainly isn't NY. Either way, the smoking situation has not had adverse affects in CA.

California IS an adverse affect.

lermgalieu · #14 01-12-2003, 05:18 PM

Yawn. See, ultimately, it has to come down to this personal argument. Except, every single smoker I know personally (face to face) has told me that they would also prefer to have smoke-free clubs. To say nothing of everyone that has been marginalized by ballooning clouds of smoke. Smoke outside, enjoy the friggin great outdoors. That's my $.02

mje · #15 01-12-2003, 05:28 PM

Quit ten years ago, and then quit going to clubs. I can't stand being around smoke now. My last regular gig was outdoors at a coffeehouse, so no problems here ;-)

anonymous0726 · #16 01-13-2003, 12:00 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by lermgalieu
Yawn. See, ultimately, it has to come down to this personal argument.

The humor you missed, although humor that can conjure a smile is generally laden with some truth.

It's all about personal liberties, which are degrading faster than you can name them in this country. Let those most giddy over the loss of the other guy's liberty have their favorite taken next.

lermgalieu · #17 01-13-2003, 08:08 AM

I didn't miss the humor (or attempt at it). However, it's NOT about personal liberties if you ask me. If you have the liberty to smoke in a club, you have immediately removed MY liberty to NOT smoke. Anyway, I assume what you meant is the club owner's right to make that choice. That's a good point, however, all I can say is I have experienced cities with this law and it works well. You can still smoke in most cases without truly exiting the club. And it makes it lot easier to watch a band for 3 hours if you don't happen to be a smoker.

Anyway, Ray, we have already had this argument, I don't mean to be confrontational. I am having enough troubles confronting Monday morning.

Ed Fuqua · #18 01-15-2003, 08:25 AM

I dunno, mookster. I didn't see people walking out of their jobs wholesale when they couldn't smoke at work. I did see them walk wholesale outside to cop a smoke. I imagine it'll be the same thing, you go out for a drink, you want a smoke you pop outside. My gigs aren't gonna be totally smoke free, I've got a couple that are at "cigar lounges", which will continue to operate exactly as before. There may even be more of them, if that's the only kind of joint that people can go to and smoke.

Hey, maybe joints will get so concerned at how they are going to get folks to come in that there'll be a city wide resurgence in the number of clubs and restaurants that will have live music?

Peter McFerrin · #19 01-15-2003, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ed Fuqua
Hey, maybe joints will get so concerned at how they are going to get folks to come in that there'll be a city wide resurgence in the number of clubs and restaurants that will have live music?

Heaven forbid actual, rational behavior on the part of restaurant and club owners!

oldsaw · #20 01-15-2003, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by lermgalieu
However, it's NOT about personal liberties if you ask me. If you have the liberty to smoke in a club, you have immediately removed MY liberty to NOT smoke.

This question IS about personal freedom and liberty. If a club is smokey, you have the freedom and liberty to decide not to frequent or play at that club. If a government; city county, state etc. were to pass a law that only permitted smokers in certain clubs, the outcry of descrimination would be deafening. Thus, the inverse is also true.