After a weekend in Vegas, I was reminded of a smell that I had totally forgotten about: The wave of nastiness that hits you when you get in the shower after a night at the bar, the stale smoke steaming out of your hair and skin. I hadn't smelled that in years, due to the welcome proliferation of smoking bans. Definitely brought back some memories, as only smells can.
I used to play shows at a place called the Elbow Room in Ypsilanti. It was my favorite stage to play on for a number of reasons, but damn if it wasn't the smokiest place on earth. There were times that I couldn't get a sound out of my throat because of it. It was actually the second smokiest place. The first smokiest is the "smoking car" on an Amtrack train. Damn dude, that shit is disgusting.