Died, Died, did ok Stormed it, Died!! gigs 110-115

lets just get one thing straight then, I didn't really die so to speak at any of this weeks gigs, nor did I or have I ever, storm any gig. I did some new stuff that didn't work to well but that has legs, I struggled as an opening 20 to lift a quiet audience I did ok at a night almost ruined by hecklers and then there was a gig with more acts than audience before I took part in a new act new materiel night that was like an other night of that nature.

I often take to Facebook to keep my friends who I don't see often in the loop about how its going, Someone pointed out the other day as some gigs had gone badly it looked like I was either fishing for love or about to kill myself... tis neither I just use social network to network with my social groups!
Speaking of which, please follow @jimbayes on twitter for random musings in 140 characters or less.

Anyway gigs..
Gig 110
This requires little mention really, I have been doing 9 weeks now of materiel generating workshops with performance and on thi occasion my materiel was all based on pop culture, I went through the topic of TV shows that make no sense to me and how Jim Henson came upon the Munah mun nah thing. Some will become small parts of a bigger set but on the whole I will discard it as shite!!
Gig 111
Nelson is unlucky in Cricket and I seem to love a cricket analogy (for anyone who does not know nelson in cricket is when the score is 111, nelsons column) This unlucky charm really has no bearing on cricket really never mind my comedy but still I had a bad gig in some ways and a good gig in others. The setting for this gig was Bolton's railway venue and I have to state that even though its not run as a paid pro night anymore this is still a great gig made better by Timmy and Tommo who are most welcoming and amiable. Amy Gledhill would provide travel companionship and on the night would also provide the most laughs if we discount headliner Ben Lawes who was superb. I should not take away from the acts in the 1st section either, Barry Meadon, Darren King and embarrassingly I forget the name of the lady who took to the stage last in the 1st section all doing great sets that the crowd of around 20 lapped up. Lee Thomasson did a guest appearance for 5 mins too which included some nice jokes. Amy did her standard set using the night to hone it and was in great form going off to huge ovation which is really what showed me up when I foolishly opted for all new stuff that I had not tightened at all, it showed as I got one or two laughs but in between long silences and bored looking faces. I learnt a few things about myself though, always a positive to take from everything (at least one reader has now vomited) Ben Lawes picked up the room from the lull I left them in and just injected some much needed professionalism, some good jokes and taught me a lesson in how to work in new materiel. I was impressed with his stuff and hope to catch him again.

Gig 112
I did not have to wait long for my next gig as this was a busy weekend for me with Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday gigs keeping my momentum going... thing is I had just had a flat gig, there was no momentum and now I was to be doing an opening 20 at Matt Fongs Hudds uni gig. There was talk of pulling the gig at one point as there was no one in the room at all just prior to kick off. By the time we started there was around 20 people in but the room was so big it looked like nothing. I went on and made the cardinal sin of saying something negative about the gig itself... I just made the audience think.. well if he thinks its shit we will think that too. I really had to work hard again for any laughs and in my mind some self doubt crept in... maybe I'm just not funny?, I wobbled a bit but then my brain went, nah fuck it carry on then you'll be better at the next gig and so after only 18 mins (yea a whole 2 mins too early) I crawled away wounded. Kahn Johnson went next and was in good form producing a nicely worked set that is delivered with Kahn's likable approach. Ross Brieley went up next and was as consistent as ever, Ross just makes the most of any gig and got plenty from a quiet room proving that I was not a victim of a bad crowd. Joe Bromehead headlined, I had heard loads about Joe but never seen him. He was not the prop act I believe he used to be but as a stand up carried an air of control, he did a couple of bits that didn't seem to work but just recovered instantly and was able to identify what they would go for. I quite enjoyed the line about setting fire to curtains for some reason. I always enjoy the gigs with pro headliners more as I am able to take something from how they go about their sets but I will really need to perform better tomorrow.

Gig 113
A return to Flix in Hartlepool run by Nick Banks who will be trotting off on a charity walk along Hadrians wall soon. We had a carfull coming from Leeds and Hudds, Callum Scott, Peter Brush, Sally Jones and myself. Last time I was at Flix it was a bit quiet, not so this time. Peter was the opening 20, most people who read my blog know Peter but for those who don't there is little I can say that will do him justice, go see him he is brilliant. It was hard work for him at the top not helped by a 'lady' requiring all the jokes to be explained to her creating a time delay that was audible to all around her.
I would be next, or 1st after the break. I had decided to do the same set as last time as there was not many in last time and the set has evolved a lot meaning that there are plenty of new jokes in there, it went ok but the 'lady' and another girl were creating attention for themselves and taking away a little from the comedy. This did not trouble Sally in fairness as she just cruised through her stuff with aplomb leading into the next break.
Daniel Carmichael took to the stage with his scouse accent adding to his persona he had the whole room cringing while laughing as he gave detailed description of a knob gag of sorts!! really enjoyable but also horrible to think about hence no details, I should note that this was a sexual reference, as was part of my set, the reason I note this will become clear shortly.
Callum took to the stage and went to work on some of his more clubby material I guess, he was not getting the usual laughs he commands but he went into his gay materiel and this is where things turned. Some numpty woman clearly had a problem with this and decided to heckle, not constructively or in a funny way but just vindictively... and how she wishes she hadn't as Callum slammed her!! and immediately got the crowd on his side. She took issue with Callum referencing gay sex yet had no problem with previous sexual references the stupid bigoted bint!! But Callum just swept her aside and completed his set to raptuous applause.
Headliner Steff Peddie basically did not do a set, he picked up where Callum left off slapping down the annoying woman who now just would not shut up. He then ditched the mic as everyone could hear anyway and proceeded to tell stories rather than materiel allowing for a lot of audience interaction. He did have to dispatch the annoying woman though who left to a chorus of bye bye from the whole room!!
With the main heckle issue of the night gone Steff went back to comedy set mode and finished the night off with style. Nick has himself a lovely gig and next month the gig celebrates its second birthday.

gig 114
Highlight Leeds have stepped in to the hole left by Mr Bens closing and have started a gong show running on Sundays. I originally turned down an invite to perform as this was Mothers day and I had Mother plans (see what I did there)
These plans ended in good time and after a phone call from another of the nights acts I decided I would take part. I'm not sure if i'm glad I did or not?? it was a usual suspects line up of acts who all started within the last 3 years. Jed Salisbury, Andy Woolston, Thom Milson, Si Finnigan, Ross Brierely, Callum Scott and myself. So when we consider that Vikki accompanied me, Mc Jon Lee and sound guy Wayne were present and act booker Dave Rivers were present then its a shame to say that there was NO AUDIENCE!!
It seems word has not yet got round although 3 guys did show up just after we had agreed to workshop the night. I was due to go 6th however, Vik wanted to go home as there was nothing much for her to enjoy about the night so I swapped with Thom Milson who was due 1st (and stayed anyway as Vik felt bad departing before everyone else had been on)
So I just talked bollocks into a mic tentatively testing my car and power rangers stuff, it was comedy gold I stormed it everyone said it was the greatest comedy performance ever and that I should be selling out arena's ! well not quite but I did at least try to include the 3 audience members that had bothered to come.
 Si Finnigan was back in cynical mode choosing an attack on his peers, his set was funny and its nice to hear what he really thinks hidden in injoke form but it did alienate the confused people who were not acts. Callum I think went next and had a take on Gay comedy (is there such a thing as Gay comedy?) that highlighted what he despises about it. I had no idea.....
Jed went next and just riffed in Jeds own style bringing back the 3 people who essentially we were there for, this led sweetly to Jeds New York joke (which in the end was the winning joke)
Andy Woolston returned from a comedy Hiatus and had some lovely lines in a shorter set for the evening.
Thom talked about how he'd cancelled a date and then did a little materiel, he used the time to work through things and I think had a bit of a twist on some older/existing jokes but I have not seen him in a while so I am exited to see that howl and Mutant comedy appear to have merged as Thom will no doubt be appearing there.
Ross used the time to try new things, some one liner type jokes and then the incredibly silly John McCririck bit that I enjoyed on hearing about on the drive back from Derby.
So the night produced something for some and perhaps was not worth while for others I can't really be sure what they thought.

Gig 115
Well this was a 5 spot that was to practice what would be showcased in next weeks Covent Garden gig. It was pretty similar in many ways to the Highlight Leeds thing. I realised a few things though, those being how I come across to others and what persona works for me. There was feedback offered almost straight away (as I went last it seemed that way) and this was fair and constructive  It's nice to hear to my face the home truths and to be told whats good about what I do too as there is always a nagging self doubt even though I am making no attempt to tackle hard hitting issues or topics of substance. I feel ready to start the second year of gigging like a freight train... I have no idea what I mean by that but this gig was well worth doing for giving me feedback.

Next for me 2 trips to Sheffield in 2 days then midlands and hopefully Hull although there may be work commitments preventing that as March otherwise continues to tick over nicely.
Don't forget twitter @jimbayes ;-)