Smoking concert

Smoking concerts were live performances, usually of music, before an audience of men only, popular during the Victorian era.

At these functions men would smoke and speak of politics while listening to live music.

Although the concerts are now obsolete, the term continued and is used for student-organised variety performances, especially at Oxford and Cambridge.

Annual smoking concerts were held at Imperial College London into the 1980s and continue at Glasgow University Union.

The saying "Booking for smoking concerts now" came into use at this time meaning that a person had recovered and was in the prime of health.