smoking concerts were live performances, usually of music, before an audience of men only, popular during the victorian era. these social occasions were instrumental in introducing new musical forms to the public. at these functions men would smoke and speak of politics while listening to live music. these popular gatherings were sometimes held at hotels. the crews of "hms curlew" and "hms hawkins" attended a smoker aboard "uss huron" in wei-hai-wei harbour, china, on 19 august 1921.