following the pattern gig18

With no gigs lined up now for over a week i had the choice to go and watch one of 2, either i could go to pigeon hole, i do not know the guys that run that very well yet but it would be nice to go support the night anyway and maybe try get on one day if they think my set would suit. But the other option was to go to Can’t sing can’t dance don’t care in York and support Dale Downie making his comedy debut, and i took that option as there was also the possibility i could get to perform there (following a pattern from when i began which saw me debut at Mr Bens and then follow up at CSCDDC)

I arrived at the Gillygate where the night is held and only a handful of people were there, and they were all comedians!! No audience?? A guy had come all the way from Liverpool to perform tonight, this was not good. MC Adam Benericetti (hope i spelt that right) was a little embarrassed i’d say but these things happen on open mic nights, i have been to a few now where there is mainly other acts as an audience. There was talk of cancelling the gig but not really fair on the lad who came from Liverpool so it was agreed the show will take place, and as soon as Adam began a handful of people came in to watch, there were 2 initially then another 2 came in plus the 2 bar staff, so still not the lowest attended gig i have done. I say i have done because in the end i did take the opportunity to have a go, why not.... dress rehearsal in a way.

Dale went 1^st, he is good mates with James Dunn and was really looking forward to his debut, he’s a naturally witty guy and it showed, his set was very good for a debut and although he seemed a little anxious or nervous maybe he had some great laughs from a small audience, not easy.

Next went John Taylor from Liverpool, he had geek chic and deadpan style that was so relaxed he even stopped to take a phone call mid set (may have been part of the act?)

We then had John Newall, he had been gonged at Mr Bens on Monday but if only he had done todays set he would have possibly won, he was brilliant with very clever writing and also using the geek chic but he has some pretty dark moments too, i would say he is one to watch for as he get a little more confident.

Following him was James Dunn, he did a slightly longer set than at Hollybush and it was good to see him back in form, he used some of his best moments from the Cradley Heath trip including the movie sex routine which is very funny.

I was offered a spot so took my chance and went on last, i added a handful of new bits to my usual 5 min set just to test them, i delivered them badly tho and could tell i was not being as well received as other recent gigs, my bubble from doing fairly well was being burst.... good tho as it keeps me on my toes and reminds me i need to keep writing and working. Perhaps i rely too heavily on the cheap laughs and that was exposed tonight as i followed guys with darker stuff. It is as mentioned hard to get lots of laughs from a small crowd but this occasion all the other acts had managed it and i feel i killed the momentum, good thing i was on last. I will need to work out my delivery of the newer bits and try maintain confidence in the rest of my set. I am still trying to accept that i am not a comedians comedian, my stuff is not going to gain me masses of rave reviews but if there are people laughing at this stage that is all i need work on, build the laughs and maybe add to them.

So on reflection doing this tonight was a good thing for me, it was another gig albeit to only a handful of people, and it was another lesson that winning a couple of gong shows means little really.

I will keep plugging away and maybe just maybe one day i will be happy with what i have produced, but in the meantime i must keep working and enjoying gigging, meeting the other acts and the whole ride.

On a side note while i say gong show wins mean nothing, they don’t mean nothing at all, they are an instant review, do audiences like you, they are a way of keeping yourself motivated to hit a laughs per minute target i guess, they are a way of meeting plenty of other acts in similar positions.

Gong shows are the necessary evil of comedy in some way, i enjoy them, they are helping mould me into an act that may one day be bookable, i understand those who do not like them and i can see why, especially when acts like me can win them.