TCB
By Christopher Gray, Fri., May 6, 2005
Eleventh Hour
Since the smoking-ban ballot initiative is all he (and every other bar owner in Austin) has been thinking about, Beerland's Randall Stockton is amazed to discover some people haven't even heard of it. "You don't understand how many people live under a rock here," he sighs while canvassing UT's West Mall. "Even people in the hospitality industry don't know about it." So, once and for all: There's an election Saturday. It's very important. If you didn't vote early, locate the voter-verification part of the Travis County Tax Office Web site (www.traviscountytax.org/goVoters.do), find out where your precinct votes, and go. Don't plead a hangover, either: Polls stay open until 7pm.
Curious for an outside perspective, and already on the phone with Rilo Kiley drummer Jason Boesel (see "Music Listings"), TCB asked him how California's 1998 indoor smoking ban has affected the L.A. scene. His answer reflected what many in Austin already suspect: Certain clubs would be in immediate danger, but the scene itself would live.
"I would say the only effect it's had is all the clubs that have survived have set up outdoor smoking areas," says Boesel. "There's one called Spaceland that's converted this glassed-in room to a smoking room. They've all evolved and adapted."
