Conference napalm::guitar

    
    
    Its the smoke!!  I have the same problem, and I don't have to
    be on stage to suffer from it.  Not only does it dry out my
    eyes, but it kills my throat too.  If I have to sing any
    more than one set, it usually means my voice'll be blown
    out for a day or two afterwards.  Back to back gigs can
    be a KILLER!!  I once saw a unit advertised that clipped
    on to the side of your mic, and was supposed to provide a
    'humid area' right around the mic.  The ads didn't seem to
    last long though....probably didn't really work.
    
    Ralph
    
    

    JC,
    
      I get the same thing. By the second set, my eyes are ready for 
    fire hoses. I am shure that it is the ciga-butt smoke (95% anyway),
    because I have had the same thing happen even without the PARs; 
    and it has always been smokey.
      I don't have any suggestions...Tell your friends that there is pure
    Oxygen being pumped into the room, and the next person that lights
    anything up; their brains will burst! 8^)
    
    John
        

    Personally, I like the smoke/whiskey filled room type atmosphere.
    
    Maybe you sterilites should do nursing home gigs!
    
    :^}
    
    cheers/mike

    Hey John,
    
    I like the idea of a Zamboni for the eyes...  If it works for ice
    rinks, then it out to work for the eyes right ?  I only wonder if
    my head can stand the pressure of a 5000 lb vehicle driving over
    it !  :)
    
    Yeah, one night is bad, but 3 nghts in a row is the PITS !  Especially
    three nights in a row, two weekends in a row...  I guess bring lots
    of saline solution eh ?
    
    jc (Who is glad he doesn't wear contacts ! That'd really stink!)

    RE: .3
    
    This from a guy with a personal_name like that ?!  Sheesh, you sound
    like the other guys in RnR "Don't you know anything besides Metallica?"
    
    jc (Who plays the Eagles and Beatles now)

    Try putting up a few oscilating fans to each side of your setup.  It
    wont elimate the smoke, but it will disperse it to the point
    where it's not in your face.  The problem with the fans
    is they too can dry your eyes out...  I just live with it.
    
    a lot clubs do have smoke eaters, and if they're taken care of,
    those babies do a decent job of cutting alot out.  If they don't
    take care of them, all they usually are is a few boxes on the
    walls that don't work.
    
    What kills me is when you wake up the next morning, and the smell
    is in your hair, and all the closthes you wore...  Actually I find
    it a pretty disgusting habit, BUT it could be worse.  We worked
    a club a few years back where a few of the regulars smoked
    cigars the size of telephone poles.  After that episonde I'll
    take regular ciagarette smoke any time.
    

    Yessir, our drummer doesn't seem as effect basically because:
                                                                
    A) He sits behind us (i.e. he's lower)
    B) Cuz he's got a fan right behind him
    C) He closes his eyes a lot ??  ;^)

    Want a solution?

    Start smoking yourself!



    ...hey, I didn't say it was a *good* solution.

    
    Seriously, I have the same problem whenever I go to clubs.  My eyes
    kill me the next day, sometimes even that night.  I guess the only
    thing you can do is try and keep them moist and disperse the smoke as
    much as you can.

    Greg
           

    Coop,
    
    I DO wear contacts (as you know) and I've been using saline to keep 'em
    wet.  Let me know, and I'll spot ya a few drops when yer burnin'.
    
    Blind Dog Dandrea

    RE: .8
    
    But I  DO SMOKE !
    
    RE: .9
    
    Okay BLind-Pup Dandrea, your on !
    
    jc

    
    	Yeah I smoke too but second hand stuff seems to be worse for some
    reason!!!
    
    	Cheers
    		Pete.

    Agreed.  I feel like someone p*ssed in my eyes last night...
    (Hmmm, maybe someone did ?)  ;)

 >I feel like someone p*ssed in my eyes last night...
 >(Hmmm, maybe someone did ?)
    
    Coop,
    I can't believe you don't remember....she was gorgeous, too!
    
    heh, heh, heh
    
    Bulldawg...|)

    As a matter of interest, on his last UK tour, Mr Ryland Cooder
    requested his audience not to smoke and the programme had a note
    in it from him as well, saying how much discomfort it causes.
    
    Despite this - some people still ignored the request. 
    
    What can I say?
    
    andy
    

>< Note 1663.14 by CHEFS::IMMSA "adrift on the sea of heartbreak" >
>                        -< I'm a fool for a cigarette >-
>
>    As a matter of interest, on his last UK tour, Mr Ryland Cooder
>    requested his audience not to smoke and the programme had a note
>    in it from him as well, saying how much discomfort it causes.
>    
>    Despite this - some people still ignored the request. 
>    
>    What can I say?
    
>    andy
    

Smoking obviously affects the mind.  Many smokers think they're being "bashed"
if you ask them to please stop polluting the air you breathe with stinking
noxious smoke.  Addiction is a terrible thing.

Bob

    While we're bashing smokers, people might be interested to know that an
    article in last week's sunday Globe reported that the cost to the
    average citizen of the US that results directly from the effects of
    smoking is about $250 a year. Which is about the cost of a decent Strat
    copy. So if you smokers want to take up a collection to pay me back for
    last year, I've already chosen my present :-)
    
    - Ram

    
    	Is this the NO_SMOKING notesfile?
    
    	Guy
    

I think that this is a perfectly valid topic.  The smoker-bashing may be 
inappropriate, but some of the points are valid.  Were I Ry Cooder's road 
manager, I would have given the smokers back their money and asked them to 
leave.  At best, its very discourteous to ignore a performer's request.

Personally (and, no, I don't play guitar), I try to avoid smokey environments,
try to stake out the ventilated spots when I'm an audience-person.  I try to 
avoid smokey places when playing.  In fact, this means I've stopped doing 
open-mike nights for just that reason.  The little time I miss seeing 
performers or getting stage time is worth the comfort and cleaning bills.

BobW

   Without going on and on with pro/con arguments (this is not the place
   for that) I agree that smoke filled rooms are not a particularly pleasant
   enviroment, but if your going to play "out" you've got to realize it's
   an environment you're going to have to learn to live with.  I haven't
   smoked for over 10 years, and while many people today don't, MANY still
   do - especially (it seems) patrons of bars and clubs where music is
   played.  Smokey rooms are part of the territory, like callouses on your
   fingers, and you either get used to it or you don't.

   I do agree, however, that in the Ry Cooder example, the audience was in
   the wrong.

   -- Sam

    
    	I only sqwaked about the smoker-bashing. I agree about smoke-filled
    	clubs. It doesn't bother, but has bothered other band mates.
    
    	But wait! There's more.... The next Chain Reaction gig is in a
    	non-smoking environment. I invite everyone to come down,
    	breathe freely, and try and help me quit smoking :-).
    
    	Guy
    

Well...