Halloween marks a new era, so to speak.

[xiane]

In case you haven't caught on to what I've been hinting about over the past few months, my Halloween gig at cville_umlaut is marking the end of one era and the beginning of another.

I'd been a bit burned out on DJing at clubs for a while before I moved up to B'more - it was getting increasingly harder for me to get excited about what was going on with The Dawning, and I felt like it showed. Not that The Dawning and the people who make it up aren't awesome, but I wasn't happy with where it was being held, and I felt very hemmed in by the restrictions given to us by Outback Lodge. They have to protect their bottom line, but getting pre-empted by frat parties and not being able to book bands at will was really difficult for me, and I felt like it hurt attendance a lot, too. There were other factors, too - the wind was taken out of my sails when we lost the building bid for Transmission, definitely. And I was feeling sicker and sicker from the smoke I had to inhale every week, to the point that it was taking two to three days to recover from every Saturday.

Cryptkicker was a breath of fresh air for me - a venue where we could spin what we wanted, with no pressure... it was ratty and rough and a lot of fun. I don't think it was destined to last much longer than it did, despite how much I wanted it to continue. It has a special place in my heart, though. The Dawning fulfilled some huge dreams I'd had; Cryptie was another version of that dream.
After years of being a club DJ, though - the ride's over. I LOVE it, you have to know - I love the feeling of hitting the mix just right, of watching people light up as they hear the songs grab hold of them and drag them to the floor. I get high from hearing people cheer when I get the song they all wanted to hear, or when people come up to the booth to thank me for making them dance, or to ask me what that artist was... but I can't breathe afterward, guys. I feel like crap for days after. I can feel the toll that the club takes on me, and it tells me that it's time to retire from regular gigs and let younger people step up to bat.

So what does this mean? Unless you're booking for a smoke-free club, I can tell you with a sad face that I won't be DJing there. I'm pretty much done, it seems. I might do an occasional Dawning gig, because that's my heart home... but honestly, that's it. I can't even GO to clubs much anymore, it kills me to be there. Just catching someone's secondary smoke makes me feel sick these days.

So. If you want to hear me spin one last big hurrah... please come to Umlaut in Charlottesville on Halloween. If you have another non-smoking function where you'd like a DJ [like Witches' Brew], I'm your girl. Other than that... I love you all. Dance for me a couple of times, would you?

Expect some promised events with Radio Xiane that have sat on the back burner to come to pass. I need an outlet somehow.

Comments

[elizablessing.livejournal.com]

I'm in the same spot...smoke wise.

Its so hard to go out and enjoy a club or show now for me. My smoke allergies have gotten worse in the past year. I had to go to the emergency DR like 4 times last year for severe sinus infections from smoke.

Its sad to feel like I cant go to clubs or shows because of it. I tried wearing a face mask once...but it didnt even work at all.

I love the Satellite Ballroom b/c of the no smoking but unfortunately there are RARELY shows there I want to go to. It seems like now, the only shows I will go to with smoke tend to be BM shows, of course.

It also sucks that me and another girl at work have bad smoke issues...we need inhalers, etc. But, does that stop my boss from smoking inside before we get there? OF COURSE NOT! So every day at work for a few hours is bad for me...even just the smell of someone's house where they smoke outside but sit on the couch after...gets to me. Also, sitting at traffic lights with my windows down and someone smoking near me...gets to me. LAME

Its sad we have to sacrifice...

IF people want to smoke, I'm TOTALLY fine with it...but its not fair that some people CANNOT eat out, go to shows, etc b/c of it. It doesnt hurt them to go outside...it hurts us for them to stay inside...one of my friends had cystic fibrosis...she couldnt even go to a restaurant b/c there MIGHT be someone near her smoking..she would die...

[xiane.livejournal.com]

That's totally how I am these days, absolutely. Just smelling it on someone after the fact makes me sick to my stomach, and the residual smoke in a place can *still* lay me out.
I'm all about smokers having some rights, but when it infringes on my right to just walk down the street and breathe, it really starts to bother me.

I think the last show I went to was In Tenebris at Dracula's Daughter. And that was not too crowded, so it was bearable inside... but I still felt "hungover" the next day. How crappy is that? I just want to go support the bands I love. :(

That's okay, we'll look young and healthy when all those smokers are lookin' like beef jerky. :D [sorry, smokers on my Flist! I love you, but it makes your skin age!]

[elizablessing.livejournal.com]

(I'm all about smokers having some rights, but when it infringes on my right to just walk down the street and breathe, it really starts to bother me)

YES! EXACTLY!

[xiane.livejournal.com]

Some of them just don't get that, though. "I can't smoke anywhere now!" Dude, I've been forced to breathe in your smoke for AGES. Smoking indoors is unfair to everyone who depends on air. Outside, I can at least manuver around you... hopefully... but damn, even then it makes me sick if I get a whiff. They never understand that it isn't about "Oh I just don't like that" but actually it's "Hi, your habit makes me feel like I'm going to DIE, thx."

O_O

Infuriating. I try to be cheerful about it, though.

[eure-maum.livejournal.com]

*cheers you on* I hate the smell smokers leave behind. Hence why I banned my brother from smoking in my car which lead me to the mess I'm currently in.

[eure-maum.livejournal.com]

I am in the same boat as you. Thankfully my family respects me and smokes outside. I have bad smoke allergies and when I was little and didn't take care of the first sysmptoms (bad cough) it could lead to bronchitis and then pneumonia. Hence why I rarely go out to the clubs anymore except for concerts I want to see....and why you see me usually head the other way from smokers so I don't get a direct breath of the smoke.

Wish there would be more non-smoking venues. It be nice.