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On Saturday July 26th, 2003, four days after the ban on smoking in bars, I caught two live acts in smoke filled environments. The evening started in beautiful downtown Rome, New York. It was the opening day ceremonies for the city’s annual Honor America Days. Honor America Days is a three week long celebration that the city puts on each year commemorating area events of historical mention from the Revolutionary War era. On this evening the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra performed outside Fort Stanwix National Monument in front of a reported 30,000 people. I don’t actually believe there were more than about 15,000—but hey, maybe I didn’t count so good. Anyhow, the Orchestra played several selections and it really was kinda’ neat to hear the sound of classical music dancing in the air with street vendors selling their wares. I felt like I was in one of those old black and white movies at the county fair. Anyhow the concert built up to the finale of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture complete with firing cannons and a giant fireworks display. By the time the concert and fireworks show ended, the air was thick with smoke and the smell of sulphur and gunpowder. It was now 10:30 and time to go see Redrum at the Gathering Place, also in Rome. The Gathering Place is one of the seediest bars you’d find in any town—and I don’t mean that in a bad way. The only time I ever see this bar open is when Redrum plays there. It’s small, smells of stale beer and old cigarettes. The air is always filled with smoke and usually hot as hell. The perfect place to see a band like Redrum. If you’ve never heard of them, they are a loud, aggressive, hard rockin’ band. The show is quite visual, complete with choreographed follow spotlight. At the Gathering Place, they sounded tremendous. I’m not a big fan of metal, but these guys did it well, with great harmonies and musicianship. In fact, one song entitled “If you Want Me” sounded like good old fashioned “new wave” pub rock music ala Tommy Tutone , The Tom Robinson Band or Fischer Z. If you cut everyone’s hair and put them in suits with skinny ties it would be like a flashback to New Wave Theater. Oh yeah, I was talking about the smoke filled night. Well, when I walked in The Gathering Place there was a big sign hanging over the bar that said “NO SMOKING”. Directly under the sign was a guy leaning on the bar smoking a cigarette and the bartender asked him for a light. There were less than ten people smoking in the crowded bar. Most people went outside. The band’s performance smoked! |