Let me give a usual account on how its effecting music up here.

We would usually head to a bar at lunchtime, watch the football and get excited for whatever band we were going to see, meet loads of people, get into the atmosphere, ask around about the support act and go see them too.

Now if its in the middle of winter a group of mostly smokers would drink at home all day, find out what time the headliner is on and book a taxi and head down then, at that point, yes the place is buzzing and packed, then when the band finishes they go back home to party simply because of the cold and they can smoke at home in the warmth and thus many support acts are playing to no one. Myself and a few other local bands have noticed this becoming more common in winter and less so in summer so it's definitely having some effect if support acts have little to no exposure for half the year simply because smokers can't bear the cold.

Many a good bar has closed too. What I'm sayin boss is that pubs used to be full ALL DAY, now it's just at night.

I like your idea scmintan about separate ares but that wont cut it with health and safety.

CC

[edit]: spelling

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Fender Stratocaster (parts build)
Fender Telecaster 72 Custom RI
Fender Telecoustic Deluxe
Gretsch Electromatic Pro-Jet
Gibson Les Paul Standard Plus
Gibson ES-135
Zenith Type-17
Marshall 70's JMP Superbass 100w
Blackstar HT-5

SMOKE MACHINES.... Oh the horror!! Plus, this may sound perverse, I used to get this really simple joy the day after playing out in a smoky bar taking the strings off my guitar and cleaning it from head to toe and then putting on new strings....It made me appreciate my guitars and what the brought to me. Simple times.

So true ABS, simple times indeed! I actually LOVE cleaning my guitars. Something about it when its done and its back in the case or on the stand. The small things are the greatest.

CC

_________________
Fender Stratocaster (parts build)
Fender Telecaster 72 Custom RI
Fender Telecoustic Deluxe
Gretsch Electromatic Pro-Jet
Gibson Les Paul Standard Plus
Gibson ES-135
Zenith Type-17
Marshall 70's JMP Superbass 100w
Blackstar HT-5

in ohio we have a smoking ban. for years i stayed away from bars because of the smoke. during my band-playing days, we played mostly for weddings and private parties. the smoking wasn't that bad. during my few bar gigs, i couldn't breathe after we left the gig my clothes and my equipment smelled horrible. i gave it up .

now my wife and i go out almost every friday to hear live music. we have a few drinks with friends, tip the servers a little extra, and go home not smelling like a chimney. if it wasn't for the ban, i wouldn't go out

Thats cool. I can see how it works both ways. I really think it should be up to the bar owners though.

CC

_________________
Fender Stratocaster (parts build)
Fender Telecaster 72 Custom RI
Fender Telecoustic Deluxe
Gretsch Electromatic Pro-Jet
Gibson Les Paul Standard Plus
Gibson ES-135
Zenith Type-17
Marshall 70's JMP Superbass 100w
Blackstar HT-5

I have to agree with Twelvebar 100%.

Thank you

I personally don't think car owners have a leg to stand on when complaining about passive smoking.

That's just my point of view though guys, don't want any arguments. EVERYONE has made great, valid points in this thread. They're just everyone's point of view that's all.

CC

_________________
Fender Stratocaster (parts build)
Fender Telecaster 72 Custom RI
Fender Telecoustic Deluxe
Gretsch Electromatic Pro-Jet
Gibson Les Paul Standard Plus
Gibson ES-135
Zenith Type-17
Marshall 70's JMP Superbass 100w
Blackstar HT-5

It's amazing to think how differently guitars made now will age, without smokey bars. Will the whites go that smokey yellow over decades? Will the blues get that grey kinda fade on them... probably not. Definitely the plastic parts will show less coloration.

Luckily everyone is now an expert in relic-ing guitars with coffee, cigarettes and sandpaper, to get the same effect instantly!

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"...Compared to the flowers and the birds and the trees, I am an Apeman."

I'm a big fan of choice! Although It's been almost a year since I've smoked habitualy, I still believe that people should be able to make that choice for themselves! Whats that you say? non smokers dont get the benifit of a choice? Perhaps thats true! But; bar/club owners have the option of installing ventilators to ease the smoke filled invironment.

Where I live, smoking bans are becoming more common. However; we put a twist on it. When an establishment can document that the majority of its sales are from alcohol, they have the "choice" of going smokeless or not. Some do, others do not. Some have even gone so far as to close off sections of their clubs/bars for either non smokers or smokers. Others have added ventilators and others still have added outdoor smoking areas.

It probably helps that out current governor is a former tobacco company lobbyist. but it just goes to show. There are compromises, for both sides, to be had if the powers that be are willing to get creative.

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"I started out with nothing, and still have most of it"

Hi All
Yes smoking is banned everywhere these days even Down Under (Australia),
the clubs and pubs are feeling it real hard over here.

Waiting for the environmentalists, tree huggers, quasi-communists and anti-American know-it-all's to levy a fine against Iceland for allowing their volcano to erupt.

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you can save the world with your guitar one love song at a time it's just better, more fun, easier with a fender solid body electric guitar or electric bass guitar.

Iceland's broke anyway! Are environmentalists anti-American now? I can't keep up with your strange foreign politics...

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"...Compared to the flowers and the birds and the trees, I am an Apeman."

Smoking bans are great for people who work in the bars--at least after people get used to it.

they're not breathing in a ton of smoke all night--this includes bands as well.

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It wasn't Willy-Nilly, it was at crows.

sorry to hear that Iceland is broke although that hasn't stopped any kind of collectors that I know of, the environmentalist movement may not have started in America but it seems like we have more than our share of them here and it appears that the more anti-American you are the greater your popularity among that particular group of people. perfect example would be if you gathered all of the pollution man has created in history it wouldn't add up to the first belch from Iceland's volcano an environmentalist would never admit that Mother Nature has a greater influence on the planet than man has or ever will.

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you can save the world with your guitar one love song at a time it's just better, more fun, easier with a fender solid body electric guitar or electric bass guitar.

hmm, I'd like to see the science on that one. Let's stick to what we know - guitars, smokey bars, bands. I can't see either of us adding up all the pollution of human history with any kinda accuracy!

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"...Compared to the flowers and the birds and the trees, I am an Apeman."