oSpeakeasies: Cabaret Mobster-Style
America's cabarets were effectively forced out of business when the Volstead Act made the sale of liquor illegal in late 1918. But "the great experiment" of Prohibition did not wipe out America's taste for alcoholic refreshment, and there was an immediate demand for secretive, intimate places where people could consume booze. This kind of ambiance practically demanded music, so the stage was set for cabaret to conquer America, albeit in an illegal format.