Ups and downs Gigs 106-109

Well what a week of gigs I have just had.... new material that was horrendous, then 2 brilliant gigs followed by dying on my arse at the end of the week!!

Gig 106
This was a new material night and it was mainly attended by comedians and was a chance for me to just try a different angle. It reminded me of the CUT UP nights that HOWL ran briefly and like those nights I delivered nothing but shite!! in fact to quote a txt Dave Mac sent me, I might as well have done a shit on the stage and pointed at it, said there is my materiel and walked off!! It re affirmed the knowledge that crude does not suit me though and so for that alone I am pleased I did it.

Gig 107
Sully O Sullivan had very kindly recommended that I try get my self on at Chris Brookers Keighley. I had applied for this before an found it difficult to get on but the recommendation helped as I was booked in. I waited since October for the date to come round and was looking forward to it. A possibility to double arose too however the other gig in nearby Bingley wanted me on stage at a similar time so I stuck to just the one gig. Hayley Ellis would open, Dave Twentyman to close and Will Setchell was the other open spot with Chris MCing. The pub was rammed, that being the Cricketers arms, and there was an electric atmosphere. Hayley kicked things off with a brilliant 20 min opening set that the crowd enjoyed ever word of. It was nice to see a more advanced act and how she worked her jokes. The break seemed short and it was soon my turn. There were some nerves, I believed I would make them laugh but I wanted to be good enough to be re booked or considered for progression, what I got I could not have hoped for. My 1st line was heckled, a pleasant heckle really, it didnt add to the joke but it gave me a chance to have a back and forth with the audience and get a big laugh out of nothing, settled by this I went to my staple 10 min set routine and it just seemed to work. I had 3 applause breaks which has never happened before and it was nice to feel I was on form. I tailed off a touch but I think it was due to the slightly wordier story at the end. I wrapped up and came off stage buzzing. Will went next and was strong, he relied on what he knows rather like I do and talked about his upbringing with great results. If they liked me, they loved him!!. Speaking of loved him, Dave Twentyman was the headliner that the night needed, I had to stand at the back to watch him as during the break 4 burly 40 something men wanted to blow fire up my arse, hug me and repeatedly shake my hand!! it was nice and uncomfortable at the same time. Dave's set was slightly disturbed by a row between audience members but he handled that and carried on steadily building into some lovely anecdotes about going out with his mates, relationships and how to make the Asda tag line funny!! his set was about 40 mins but was called back for an en core and the following 15 mins were equally superb. closing off a great night and for me personally a night that made me 100% certain this is what I want to do full time if I can.

Gig 108
This was another away trip, this time to Birmingham for Dave Rhys Jones' laughing lions comedy club at the brown lion. Si Finigan was my travel buddy. Si is in great form as he starts to mould his comedy style to perfection. He had never gigged in Birmingham before and so most of the journey down we talked about why I felt I needed to come to the midlands for gigs and what good it does or does not do to drive for 3 hours do 10 mins to 6 people then drive back at the cost of around £50 in fuel!!! We also discussed materiel ideas and what we would be performing on the night.
On arrival the venue looked nice, brightly lit which doesn't usually work for comedy but nice. Dave came to greet us and gave us some drinks vouchers which is always a bonus. He would MC the night and did so with a laid back style. The 1st act went on after a short warm up. Joe Tree, who just did a short set of what I think was mainly new stuff. The audience were quiet which was not helped by a heckler who introduced himself as Wayne the Wanker!! Gareth Guild went 2nd but unfortunately Wayne the wanker stopped Gareth in his tracks about 2 mins in and he lost his way forgetting his next line which led to him leaving the stage very early. Si suggested we get him back on between myself who was next (1st after the break), and Si. Gareth said he would see if he felt up to it but as Dave pointed out its important to get back on stage asap when something like this happens. After the break  went on and just tried to lift the room a little, I did some crowd work, some tried and tested materiel and a fair bit of new stuff. To be fair, most of what I did was shite, but it didn't seem to matter as the heckler had gone, the audience had warmed up and I seemed to blag my way through it. Gareth decided he would go next, this was a massive decision for a new act and took some guts as had it been me I would still be hiding now!! Thankfully he completed his set this time and did a good job.
Si went next and had some great lines about the heckler that still worked even in his absence. The new materiel was going down really well until a slightly wordier bit that Si stopped in its tracks and asked the audience where he lost them? they were on side but upon being asked this they clammed up a touch, so Si turned to a suited guy at the bar and tried a bit of a recovery with him... only this guy had just been to a funeral and responded with a line to the effect of, didn't realise I would be at 2 funerals tonight! this was a way back in that Si has the chops to take and he rounded off the set nicely with biggest laugh of the night so far.
We stayed to watch the remaining 2 acts however sadly I forget the name of the young lad who went next doing I believe his 23rd gig? and doing brilliant with massive laughs all the way through. Masai Graham was to close, he has the one liner comic style that can't really be compared to other one liner comics, often you may say, he is like Tim Vine, or like Milton Jones, but Masai is just Masai and has some great jokes. He tried some new ones tonight too which was pleasing to see as it must be so difficult to write one liners consistently.
The drive home seemed to take forever but there was a tinge of regret that I didn't have a dictaphone because I don't even know why but I laughed almost all the way home. I am certain I should do road trip pod casts as no matter who I car share with its always hilarious!!.

Gig 109
I was booked for Giggles Live to replace Jed who had to drop out of this gig and asked me to step in. Giggles Live is a touring comedy night that moves across venues in Hull mixing music and comedy. This was a Sunday night gig and as such it was nice to see how busy the gig was, especially at a £5er in. The guys had done well promoting it. One of the organisers Gary greeted me as I arrived and explained the night. Steve Rimmer (who in case he does not mention is the Uk's only bomb disposal technician comedian) would host with comedy music from the Custard Chucker and Matt and Me in the 1st section, then 2nd section was myself, Jack Gleadow and the Live Naked Idiots. The final section would be Gary Jennison the pre mentioned organiser and headliner Joe Charman.
The 1st section was more about the music than the comedy, while the acts were silly they were not comedy acts although opener the custard chucker would not be out of place on a comedy only line up.
I opened the 2nd section and it felt like I had interrupted a funeral at 1st!! they were just not in the zone, possibly not helped by me repeatedly asking them whats up?? one guy yelling out, its Sunday night we are tired!! I also did one of those tapping the mic, is this thing on lines that I despise!!!! silly prat!
I started to win them round towards the end of my set and by the last 2 mins they were laughing but it was too late I had already for all intents and purposes, just died on my arse. This was cemented by the belly laughs that Jack Gleadow and the Live naked idiots got from the room. Jack's set was only short but was neatly delivered from a guy who was very nervous and the idiots just used their 2 available performers to sketch out some sillyness.
Gary J went on after the break and went for an all out crazy attack which was funny and scary at times!
Headliner Joe is headline quality indeed but for me possibly not to all tastes?. The guy is very very talented and produced some really nice stuff with his human beatbox, in fact the only act that would have broken the language barrier given that there were 2 Germans, a Fin, a Frenchman and a Brazillian in. His take on how German Techno and Punjab dance sound were nice and the silly sound effects sort of reminded me of Ivan Brackenbury. The night brought to a close with a song created using suggestions from the audience.
Giggles live is a lovely set up and I hope to get a chance to perform there again... only I next time I am determined for more laughs!!

Next for me is another workshop gig on my 1 year comedy birthday.