Bar Review: The Spitfire Saloon

Friday night I went to see some of my coworkers perform with their band, Flanked by Red Flags at the Spitfire Saloon.  First off, the band was great to watch.  I really liked how fast paced their music was and that I could actually understand the majority of the lyrics!  It's always fun seeing people you know perform.  I tried to take some pictures of the band, but was trying to refrain from using a flash so they've got this blurry look to them.  Here's one of my favorites.

The venue was a different story.  Located on W.117th, I have passed this bar more times than I can imagine but had never gone in.  When I got there I liked the vibe, it was dark, a little dingy, very punk-rock inspired.  The stage was surrounded by a chain link fence, and there was a beer bottle "cannon" that shattered the glass bottles against a spiked wall.  Unfortunately all of this was overridden by the fact that the bar was filled with smoke!  We've had a smoking ban in Ohio for around four years now and yet there were enough people smoking that my eyes were burning.  Thank goodness I didn't wear a jacket into the place, because my clothes and hair reeked after just 2 hours. 

I will not be going to this establishment again if they continue to allow smoking.