The Aud Thread

[4_kidd_4]

@Seasons1992

 

Here’s a few pics I happened to have on my phone. Will add more from the vault later.

 

From several, ahem, “field trips” inside the shuttered Aud, ca. spring 2007;

 

 

[4_kidd_4]

[LewPort71]

Great pics.  Thanks for the memories.
 

[DD4Bills]

It looks just like I remember when I was last there in the early 70s.

[Marv's Neighbor]

Aud Lang Syne.

[Seasons1992]

@4_kidd_4

 

Thanks so much for these! Happy I have a pair of oranges for the rest of my life to remember the good times.

 

I don't advocate stealing, but I would have absolutely ransacked that place for mementos and items; as much as I could have held.

I miss the smell. 

[4_kidd_4]

8 minutes ago, Seasons1992 said:

@4_kidd_4

 

Thanks so much for these! Happy I have a pair of oranges for the rest of my life to remember the good times.

 

I don't advocate stealing, but I would have absolutely ransacked that place for mementos and items; as much as I could have held.

I miss the smell. 

 

The Aud dank. That’s  a smell ya never forget. 

 

From what I understand they literally locked the place up as-is in 1996. After that the floor was occasionally used to build large set pieces for Sheas. I think somewhere around 2001-02 they opened it up to the public for a fixture sale. Basically you could buy any equipment you could pull. I saw pics from around that time and it really looked like they could put some ice down and play hockey, it was in  pretty good shape.

 

Then from what I understand shortly thereafter they stopped powering & heating the building, which led to pipes bursting, water damage, and a swift decline of the interior. When I was in there it was freezing temps, and the upper concourses were iced over. Then I was in again about a week later, it had warmed a bit and water was literally flowing down the staircases in the seating bowl. The basement was also flooded with at least a foot or two of water. Lots of collapsed ceilings and exposed rebar.

 

I read somewhere they left a huge video library amongst other significant ‘artifacts’ that were eventually pillaged.  We found file cabinets full of event permits going back to the 40’s & 50’s. There were some floor panels from the basketball court , some visitor team nameplates from the scoreboard.

 

I wasn’t on a thievin’ mission but I did grab some papers including a pretty unintentionally funny marketing report from the early 80’s, an inter office memo initialed by Norty Knox & other execs, a stack of official Aud mailing envelopes, a program from the last Sabres game at The Aud, and a season ticket brochure for the last Sabres season there ($240 for a whole season in the oranges!!) which features some concept drawings of “Crossroads Arena”, remember that?!?

 

I can snap some pics of this stuff too.

[Seasons1992]

19 minutes ago, 4_kidd_4 said:

 

The Aud dank. That’s  a smell ya never forget. 

 

From what I understand they literally locked the place up as-is in 1996. After that the floor was occasionally used to build large set pieces for Sheas. I think somewhere around 2001-02 they opened it up to the public for a fixture sale. Basically you could buy any equipment you could pull. I saw pics from around that time and it really looked like they could put some ice down and play hockey, it was in  pretty good shape.

 

Then from what I understand shortly thereafter they stopped powering & heating the building, which led to pipes bursting, water damage, and a swift decline of the interior. When I was in there it was freezing temps, and the upper concourses were iced over. Then I was in again about a week later, it had warmed a bit and water was literally flowing down the staircases in the seating bowl. The basement was also flooded with at least a foot or two of water. Lots of collapsed ceilings and exposed rebar.

 

I read somewhere they left a huge video library amongst other significant ‘artifacts’ that were eventually pillaged.  We found file cabinets full of event permits going back to the 40’s & 50’s. There were some floor panels from the basketball court , some visitor team nameplates from the scoreboard.

 

I wasn’t on a thievin’ mission but I did grab some papers including a pretty unintentionally funny marketing report from the early 80’s, an inter office memo initialed by Norty Knox & other execs, a stack of official Aud mailing envelopes, a program from the last Sabres game at The Aud, and a season ticket brochure for the last Sabres season there ($240 for a whole season in the oranges!!) which features some concept drawings of “Crossroads Arena”, remember that?!?

 

I can snap some pics of this stuff too.

 

MORE. I want more!

 

I distinctly remember the "Crossroads" sign on the one end of the arena. 

I'll buy one envelope from you.

Edited February 16, 2021 by Seasons1992

[Beerball]

The oranges

[US Egg]

My father split seasons in '72-74, he'd get 8 pair. No playoffs, the guy whose name the seats were in kept them.

 

So I'd get to go 2-3 games. Entering the Aud seemed magical, a feeling of awe.

 

Like going to Crystal Beach, but more regal.    

 

   

[4_kidd_4]

[Augie]

50 minutes ago, I am the egg man said:

My father split seasons in '72-74, he'd get 8 pair. No playoffs, the guy whose name the seats were in kept them.

 

So I'd get to go 2-3 games. Entering the Aud seemed magical, a feeling of awe.

 

Like going to Crystal Beach, but more regal.    

 

   

 

We split seasons to the Braves. Even if money were no object, that was perfect. TOO many games and it would stop being so special, and that never happened. We were 15-20 rows up in the corner, great seats! I can still hear the squeaking of the shoes on the floor. It was intimate, and they actually tried (which you don’t always get with today’s NBA). My sister also used to babysit Bob Kauffman’s kid, so it was that much more cool. 

 

We would also spend our summers at some little cottage at Crystal Beach. It was so small I slept on the front screened porch and thought it was a special treat for me. Nope, they just didn't have room inside! As an adult living in Florida I used to spend nights on a hammock on the screened lanai. Love it to this day, and I think Crystal Beach is part of that. 

 

Those are two great memories! 

[4_kidd_4]

[US Egg]

4 minutes ago, Augie said:

I can still hear the squeaking of the shoes on the floor.

Was a member of the Buffalo Braves Jr. booster club.

 

A "perk" was getting discounted orange tickets at J.C. Penny. Slid down to lower blues and upper reds behind seats behind the basket, which were often empty in the early years.

 

Hearing sneakers squeaking was initially surprising.    

[Augie]

18 minutes ago, I am the egg man said:

Was a member of the Buffalo Braves Jr. booster club.

 

A "perk" was getting discounted orange tickets at J.C. Penny. Slid down to lower blues and upper reds behind seats behind the basket, which were often empty in the early years.

 

Hearing sneakers squeaking was initially surprising.    

 

Yeah, that didn’t happen with my friends on the blacktop by my home. Bob Kaufman used to come over and spend a lot of time playing with us. What a great guy to give so much time to a bunch of middle school kids. His wife was also tall, and they had bronze baby shoes at the house that just might have fit ME!  Haha 

[T&C]

I never went to a Braves game but did make it to 3 Sabres games and we lost every damn time lol. Last one was hosting the Blackhawks in 1977. Saw a few concerts there too, last one was Rush in either 76 or 77... still have the stub, think it was 76 come to think of it.

 

Crystal Beach was purely magical to me... we used to go once a year but we drove, never took the boat. The Peace bridge was always cool to go over and my Dad liked to drive anyways. First time I was tall enough to ride the Comet was like later on in life getting laid for the first time... one hell of a thrill. Laff in the Dark or The Carpet ride, can't remember which, introduced me to ladies in underwear... no tbacks or bikini's back then, just the "big old ugly cotton jobs" as was referenced in a song. 

 

I checked out this video quite awhile back, maybe in June... its kind of long and some of the footage isn't so good so just skip through it a bit at a time I would suggest. :57 mark is pretty funny, don't think anything like that would happen these days.

 

Thanks to the OP for the pics... some of them are shown in this vid. Enjoy.

 

 

Edited February 16, 2021 by T&C

[4_kidd_4]

@T&C

 

That video looks fantastic!! Just skimmed thru it real quick, I’ve seen parts of it before but never all compiled like that, I look forward to watching the entire thing.

[T&C]

13 minutes ago, 4_kidd_4 said:

@T&C

 

That video looks fantastic!! Just skimmed thru it real quick, I’ve seen parts of it before but never all compiled like that, I look forward to watching the entire thing.

Good deal. Its been so long since I last went I can't remember any of it lol... I just know I was there.

[Augie]

58 minutes ago, T&C said:

I never went to a Braves game but did make it to 3 Sabres games and we lost every damn time lol. Last one was hosting the Blackhawks in 1977. Saw a few concerts there too, last one was Rush in either 76 or 77... still have the stub, think it was 76 come to think of it.

 

Crystal Beach was purely magical to me... we used to go once a year but we drove, never took the boat. The Peace bridge was always cool to go over and my Dad liked to drive anyways. First time I was tall enough to ride the Comet was like later on in life getting laid for the first time... one hell of a thrill. Laff in the Dark or The Carpet ride, can't remember which, introduced me to ladies in underwear... no tbacks or bikini's back then, just the "big old ugly cotton jobs" as was referenced in a song. 

 

I checked out this video quite awhile back, maybe in June... its kind of long and some of the footage isn't so good so just skip through it a bit at a time I would suggest. :57 mark is pretty funny, don't think anything like that would happen these days.

 

Thanks to the OP for the pics... some of them are shown in this vid. Enjoy.

 

 

 

Ha! We drove over for a couple months every summer and my dad drove back for work every day. I didn’t even know there WAS a boat! 

Edited February 16, 2021 by Augie

[T&C]

5 minutes ago, Augie said:

 

Ha! We drove over for a couple months every summer and my dad drove back for work every day. I didn’t even know there WAS a boat! 

Did you bathe at the beach?

 

[Augie]

43 minutes ago, T&C said:

Did you bathe at the beach?

 

 

I guess there was no truth in advertising back then! Let’s see, the French Riviera......or Crystal Beach?   🤷‍♂️

 

 

We could walk to the beach and the park. Bakery with Cinnamon rolls about halfway. That nasty sand would burn my little feet as I strolled to my bathing location! 

[Nextmanup]

http://www.forgottenbuffalo.com/forgottenbflofeatures/insidetheaud.html

[4_kidd_4]

23 minutes ago, Nextmanup said:

http://www.forgottenbuffalo.com/forgottenbflofeatures/insidetheaud.html

 

A bunch of those are my pics, I used to have them posted on a friend’s site.

 

I ain’t even mad though, I’m glad ppl enjoy them.

the bottom pic here is mine. wow what a difference in 4 years. like i said previously, downhill quick once they cut the power.

[ExiledInIllinois]

My older sister worked @ the Aud Club... She actually got my younger sister her first job working at The Hatch (Erie Basin) during the summer. The two were affiliated I believe.   Trying to remember some of the stories they told about when the Knox' owned the Sabres. 

 

Interesting story about the catastrophic seiche that hit Buffalo in 1844.  The "Great Buffalo Flood of 1844"... It's why the breakwaters were built to prevent future devastating seiche events.  Where the Aud was going to be built was under 10 feet of water during that flood of 1844:

 

A seiche is an inland tidal wave.  Yup... The tidal wave that hit Buffalo right where the Aud would be built.  😆

 

https://www.buffalohistorygazette.net/2010/09/the-lake-erie-seiche-disaster-of-1844.html?m=1

 

This one's for:

@BringBackFergy

&

@Beerball

 

😃

Edited February 17, 2021 by ExiledInIllinois

[4_kidd_4]

 This shot reminds me that i also own one of those glass light covers, it’s safely tucked in my house, idk how or where I could mount it to the ceiling.

 

It popped up on ebay, a guy on the demo crew had several for sale. He said he asked the boss if he could salvage stuff and was given the “OK”.

[May Day 10]

I hate the pictures of the aud from the break-ins and the demo photos.  I appreciate the sharing of them, they are just sad.  Whenever you look for aud stuff, that is all that comes up.

 

The public needs to come together, collaborate and curate aud photos and stuff out of personal collections.  There really isnt all that much out there digitally.  I started to post some full-games on youtube and some others have as well which helps.

 

 

It is criminal what the team and city did with the aud post-1996.  So many artifacts lost and destroyed forever.  Rigas had zero interest in the team's past, as he wanted an Adelphia 'expansion team'.

 

As far as the aud goes.  I have a few full sized limestone bricks.  A little piece of rubble.  A set of 3 Blue/gray seats that need restoration, and a section of dasher boards with a Nynex ad on them.   

 

[4_kidd_4]

@May Day 10

 

I agree w your post, but I don’t totally blame Rigas. The city & county had plenty of time to do something besides let it sit and rot. They were too busy chasing that Bass Pro boondoggle and had no plan B.

 

I always though it should have been at least partially incorporated into the overall Canalside plan. I do understand there was no saving or repurposing the entire building, mostly due to hazmat concerns, including asbestos and lead paint.

 

However I thought they should have preserved the front facade in place, similar to what they  did at the Old Rockpile.  It would have made a great signature gateway to Canalside, and also as a memorial to the Aud itself. Not to mention the historical and architectural significance of EB Green & Wicks art deco style.

[Rico]

Awesome pics, thanks!

 

My first time in the Aud was for one of those Sabres open practices they did every year. My last time was Bowie 1983 Serious Moonlight tour. 

 

 

[ExiledInIllinois]

Can we merge this Crystal Beach... We snuck in after it closed.   I got a "souvenir" from the "Laff in the Dark" ride... 😆... 

 

Blush... One of our finest moment as a drunk 19 year old in Ontario...  😉

[Nextmanup]

15 hours ago, 4_kidd_4 said:

 

A bunch of those are my pics, I used to have them posted on a friend’s site.

 

I ain’t even mad though, I’m glad ppl enjoy them.

the bottom pic here is mine. wow what a difference in 4 years. like i said previously, downhill quick once they cut the power.

I thought that was you; that's why I posted it here.

 

You and I have "talked" somewhere else, though I'm not sure where right now.

 

Hfboards? Sabrespace? 

 

Your urban exploration of the Aud after it was shutdown is really cool; I think I have one of your photographs as my avatar at another site!

 

I find these photographs of the Aud to be really compelling.  They transform me to another time and place.  

 

I think it has to do with a few things.  First, I didn't grow up in a household with season tickets and it was always a rare and special event for me to attend a game at the Aud.  Second, a lot of this came in my childhood, so I am dealing with somewhat mirky memories, though not all mirky.

 

Third, I am struck by the interesting juxtaposition of the old, rundown nature of the Aud as balanced against the fondness I have for the building in my mind's eye.  

 

It really was an old, no-frills, kind of gross place!  And yet I have *nothing* but really fond memories of being in the building.  I think a lot of that comes from being a kid and it being an interesting adventure to be there. 

 

The ramps!  The steepness of the seats and stairs!  The utter intimacy of the building!  The crowd noise!  The way the boards and  glass shook like a tidal wave behind the nets when someone threw a big hit on the end wall!   

 

The way those "sand bag" sound damper things swung violently up at the ceiling, being moved by nothing more than sonic energy! 

 

I would replace the current building with an exact copy of the Aud (with all of its blemishes!) tomorrow if I had the power to do so.

 

I attended the very first game ever played at the new building; it was a pre-season game against the Maple Leafs.  I didn't like the building then and it never really grew on me after.

 

 

[Nextmanup]

14 hours ago, ExiledInIllinois said:

My older sister worked @ the Aud Club... She actually got my younger sister her first job working at The Hatch (Erie Basin) during the summer. The two were affiliated I believe.   Trying to remember some of the stories they told about when the Knox' owned the Sabres. 

 

Interesting story about the catastrophic seiche that hit Buffalo in 1844.  The "Great Buffalo Flood of 1844"... It's why the breakwaters were built to prevent future devastating seiche events.  Where the Aud was going to be built was under 10 feet of water during that flood of 1844:

 

A seiche is an inland tidal wave.  Yup... The tidal wave that hit Buffalo right where the Aud would be built.  😆

 

https://www.buffalohistorygazette.net/2010/09/the-lake-erie-seiche-disaster-of-1844.html?m=1

 

This one's for:

@BringBackFergy

&

@Beerball

 

😃

During what years was your younger sister working at the Hatch?

 

I am very good friends with a guy who kind of ran The Hatch for a while during high school and college.

 

I'm wondering if I know your sister; Buffalo is such a small place.

 

 

[ExiledInIllinois]

Just now, Nextmanup said:

During what years was your younger sister working at the Hatch?

 

I am very good friends with a guy who kind of ran The Hatch for a while during high school and college.

 

I'm wondering if I know your sister; Buffalo is such a small place.

 

 

Late 80s,

Early 1990s...

[May Day 10]

The new building was a terrible design.  The grade of the seats and footprint are large. Too large.  Similar to its contemporaries, but some, like Montreal and Toronto, were built with the seating overall closer to the ice.  In the current arena, if you are in the upper corners, you might as well be in another zip code.  About half of the seats in the 100 level are a complete obstruction where you need to watch much of the game on the video screen.

 

Also add in that awful bubble ceiling that sucks any atmosphere and ambiance right out of the building

[Nextmanup]

1 minute ago, May Day 10 said:

The new building was a terrible design.  The grade of the seats and footprint are large. Too large.  Similar to its contemporaries, but some, like Montreal and Toronto, were built with the seating overall closer to the ice.  In the current arena, if you are in the upper corners, you might as well be in another zip code.  About half of the seats in the 100 level are a complete obstruction where you need to watch much of the game on the video screen.

 

Also add in that awful bubble ceiling that sucks any atmosphere and ambiance right out of the building

I'm pretty sure there are now building codes that would prohibit a new Aud from being built.

The idea being that the old buildings were too steep to safely get people out of them in case of a fire. 

 

I have never really dug into that, though, and don't know the specifics.

It would make sense that TO and MON might be better, as they aren't in the USA and they have their own legal system to deal with.

 

Are any of the new generation of American buildings really steep like in the old days?  I didn't think so, but I don't really know.  I've been in the buildings for Lightning, Panthers, and Caps.  They are all the same as the new building in Buffalo...very gentle incline.

 

 

 

8 minutes ago, ExiledInIllinois said:

Late 80s,

Early 1990s...

That's the right time!

 

But I'm mis-remembering here.  My buddy didn't run the Hatch.

He ran the little convenience store in the bottom of the light house at the end of the point; they also had a gas pump for gassing up the boats.

 

I'm sure he would still have known your sister as it was a little world down there at the marina and everyone knew everyone.

 

The lighthouse:

 

[ExiledInIllinois]

5 minutes ago, Nextmanup said:

I'm pretty sure there are now building codes that would prohibit a new Aud from being built.

The idea being that the old buildings were too steep to safely get people out of them in case of a fire. 

 

I have never really dug into that, though, and don't know the specifics.

It would make sense that TO and MON might be better, as they aren't in the USA and they have their own legal system to deal with.

 

Are any of the new generation of American buildings really steep like in the old days?  I didn't think so, but I don't really know.  I've been in the buildings for Lightning, Panthers, and Caps.  They are all the same as the new building in Buffalo...very gentle incline.

 

 

 

That's the right time!

 

But I'm mis-remembering here.  My buddy didn't run the Hatch.

He ran the little convenience store in the bottom of the light house at the end of the point; they also had a gas pump for gassing up the boats.

 

I'm sure he would still have known your sister as it was a little world down there at the marina and everyone knew everyone.

 

The lighthouse:

 

Yup!  Before the Erie Basin Marina... It was a rail yard.  Coal/ore unloading.  My father worked on Delaware-Lackawanna & later Erie-Lack... Loading, he said there was a big ramp, gravity driven I believe... If you missed your spot,  one would have to ditch/jump in to the water... 

[May Day 10]

23 minutes ago, Nextmanup said:

I'm pretty sure there are now building codes that would prohibit a new Aud from being built.

The idea being that the old buildings were too steep to safely get people out of them in case of a fire. 

 

I have never really dug into that, though, and don't know the specifics.

It would make sense that TO and MON might be better, as they aren't in the USA and they have their own legal system to deal with.

 

Are any of the new generation of American buildings really steep like in the old days?  I didn't think so, but I don't really know.  I've been in the buildings for Lightning, Panthers, and Caps.  They are all the same as the new building in Buffalo...very gentle incline.

 

 

 

 

 

I do remember hearing that the Canadiens payed a fine or something so they could have a steeper grade.

 

I have been to a number of contemporary buildings.  Philly and Boston do seem a few degrees closer/steeper than the Sabres' arena with better building materials and better sight lines.  It isnt only grade.  It is how far back the upper level is without an overhang.  The way our suites were set up as well as the 200 level, the 300 level is a mile away.  I do believe it is similar to Washington (but no bubble roof).

 

 

Venue designers have changed their tune recently though.  The new ballpark in Arlington was built with the old ballparks in mind and bringing fans closer to the field.

 

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/mlbs-newest-ballpark-is-a-shift-away-from-retro-era-stadiums/

[WhoTom]

This thread brings back memories. My older sister and her husband used to take me to Braves and Sabres games when I was a kid. (I even saw Kareem when the Braves played the Bucks.)

 

As I got older, I saw my first few concerts at the Aud. I think the last time I was in the building was for the Doobie Brothers in '89. My wife and I had floor seats, near the back. When we arrived, the sound board was where our seats should have been. We found an usher who looked at our tickets and said, "Follow me - we have upgrades for you." Got to the office where they handed us a pair of tickets about ten rows from the stage - so close, I could see Tom Johnston's earring.

 

[ExiledInIllinois]

2 minutes ago, WhoTom said:

This thread brings back memories. My older sister and her husband used to take me to Braves and Sabres games when I was a kid. (I even saw Kareem when the Braves played the Bucks.)

 

As I got older, I saw my first few concerts at the Aud. I think the last time I was in the building was for the Doobie Brothers in '89. My wife and I had floor seats, near the back. When we arrived, the sound board was where our seats should have been. We found an usher who looked at our tickets and said, "Follow me - we have upgrades for you." Got to the office where they handed us a pair of tickets about ten rows from the stage - so close, I could see Tom Johnston's earring.

 

We used to collect the Dairylea milk cartons and redeem the free Braves tickets.   Sit in the Oranges... Where my lifelong vertigo started! 😆

 

Semi-vertigo.  😆... I am totally afraid of heights,  just unprotected falling up steep steps! 😉

[4_kidd_4]

4 hours ago, Nextmanup said:

I thought that was you; that's why I posted it here.

 

You and I have "talked" somewhere else, though I'm not sure where right now.

 

Hfboards? Sabrespace? 

 

Your urban exploration of the Aud after it was shutdown is really cool; I think I have one of your photographs as my avatar at another site!

 

I find these photographs of the Aud to be really compelling.  They transform me to another time and place.  

 

I think it has to do with a few things.  First, I didn't grow up in a household with season tickets and it was always a rare and special event for me to attend a game at the Aud.  Second, a lot of this came in my childhood, so I am dealing with somewhat mirky memories, though not all mirky.

 

Third, I am struck by the interesting juxtaposition of the old, rundown nature of the Aud as balanced against the fondness I have for the building in my mind's eye.  

 

It really was an old, no-frills, kind of gross place!  And yet I have *nothing* but really fond memories of being in the building.  I think a lot of that comes from being a kid and it being an interesting adventure to be there. 

 

The ramps!  The steepness of the seats and stairs!  The utter intimacy of the building!  The crowd noise!  The way the boards and  glass shook like a tidal wave behind the nets when someone threw a big hit on the end wall!   

 

The way those "sand bag" sound damper things swung violently up at the ceiling, being moved by nothing more than sonic energy! 

 

I would replace the current building with an exact copy of the Aud (with all of its blemishes!) tomorrow if I had the power to do so.

 

I attended the very first game ever played at the new building; it was a pre-season game against the Maple Leafs.  I didn't like the building then and it never really grew on me after.

 

 

 

I was a casual on hfboards, so possibly there.

 

And we have the same experiences/memories about the Aud. It was definitely always a treat for us, and if it wasn’t for the generosity of my grandfather’s boss (they were also pretty good friends) I would have went to way less Sabres games in my youth.

 

And for the record, I’m with you all on the arena. That place blows. So cavernous and sterile.

[Nextmanup]

5 hours ago, ExiledInIllinois said:

We used to collect the Dairylea milk cartons and redeem the free Braves tickets.   Sit in the Oranges... Where my lifelong vertigo started! 😆

 

Semi-vertigo.  😆... I am totally afraid of heights,  just unprotected falling up steep steps! 😉

 

 

6 hours ago, WhoTom said:

This thread brings back memories. My older sister and her husband used to take me to Braves and Sabres games when I was a kid. (I even saw Kareem when the Braves played the Bucks.)

 

As I got older, I saw my first few concerts at the Aud. I think the last time I was in the building was for the Doobie Brothers in '89. My wife and I had floor seats, near the back. When we arrived, the sound board was where our seats should have been. We found an usher who looked at our tickets and said, "Follow me - we have upgrades for you." Got to the office where they handed us a pair of tickets about ten rows from the stage - so close, I could see Tom Johnston's earring.

 

My first ever concert was seeing Foreigner at the Aud, with Billy Squier opening.

 

I'm guessing it was around 1980. 

 

I was little kid and if you can believe it, my mom took me, my older sister, and her best friend.

 

I remember the lights going on at the intermission and the entire auditorium was filled with one giant smoke cloud that hung up near the ceiling.  Probably made up of about 50% cigarette smoke and 50% pot.

 

LOL