HeadSpill

MCF / MLF 08

lampboy — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 12:04:26 +0000

The Manchester Comedy Festival kicks off this week and I’m not in it because I missed the deadline and didn’t get a venue for my show sorted. Event’s have a funny way of conspiring though, and as it happens the Literature festival runs on exactly the same dates, and I’m doing two things for that, and even have my face in the brochure for the Poetry Slam Final that I’m mc’ing at the Northern Pub. During the fest I’ll be compering a Doctor Who convention (see previous post) on Saturday and doing the late night Asylum next Wednesday. As well as that I’ve got a whole new night kicking off in November, ‘Northern Humour‘, a sunday new material/character/wacky stuff night in the Northern Pub which promises to be proper fun.

The fest appears to be a lot more low key than in previous years, which is a bit of a shame for something that really needs to be as in-yer-face as it possibly can. With no sponsership this year it’s hard to can as much exposure when all the work being done to promote it is more or less being donated by the organisers. Hopefully next year it will be bigger, but that’ll only happen if more people get behind it, promoters and comics alike.

Jongleurs, Jewish new years & Neil Innes

lampboy — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 13:09:50 +0000

I did my first Leeds tryout at Jongleurs last week, and if I’m honest a previous week of no gigs made me rusty when I needed to be ‘gig fit’. It’s a tough gig at the best of times, and worse if you’re in comedy for the art. This was swiftly rectified the next night when I did my first gig in a Jewish synagogue doing a half hour for the Jewish new year. Not the easiest of crowds either, but a good few of them recognised me from the comedysportz gig the previous week at the Comedy Store, which made the whole thing immediately more enjoyable. Someone commented on my big nose. Racist.

I got to meet one of my all time heroes this week too. Neil Innes, he of the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah band, at Bury Met. He’d didn’t play as much Bonzo’s as I’d like, but then I’m sure he’s pig sick of playing the same requests all the time. I was in proper fan mode and got my 40th anniversary bonzos tour t-shirt signed.

September has been incredibly quiet for gigs, almost like Edinburgh didn’t happen, my poor little ego going unloved and feeling sorry for itself. There’s a shedload in the pipeline fortunetly, including a return to the glorious Edinburgh stand in late october and a Darlington run out for my show in November.

Pub-Con-Who-Joy!

lampboy — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 15:05:01 +0000

Utter Joy. If you were to list my favourite things in order they would pretty much be comedy, Doctor Who, cider, comics and animation. So when I’m asked if I’d like to mc a Doctor Who Convention all about comics in a pub, I had to check I hadn’t fallen through a whole in my own mind and mistaken reality for a wish list.

Meeting the organiser Gareth I hoped I did’nt come over as a gob*****, as everything he spoke of I knew something about, but it’s just true. Doing my small press comic back in the 90’s I’d been to comic conventions and met some of the artists who are coming. Doing flash animation for the ‘Get Happy’ show a year back, I’d bumped into Firestep, the guys who did the WHO infinite quest animation, and been to their studio. And of course Doctor Who itself, I’d only just rewatched some vintage McCoy the previous night. It’s like it was meant to be, weird.

It’s great news too as ‘forgot’ to put my show in for the Manchester comedy festival, but I am in the Literature Fest Brochure twice, so I can’t complain.

Distant Thunder

lampboy — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 18:46:35 +0000

With Edinburgh well and truly over, there a lull in the air. Only now getting on top of the utterly boring things that waited my return such as bills and washing. Also there’s a lull in gigs. It’s friday night and I feel I should be working so I dont quite know where to put myself, but Danny Pensive’s been busy and earning so I’ve taken my agents fee.

The Eczema Charity Ball has been postponed too unfortunately which is a bummer as I was looking forward to that, but out of the blue today I got a phone call asking me to compere a ‘pubcon’ next month, and suddenly I’m very excited again.

In light of no working weekend I took my lass to the pictures today to see ‘Tropic Thunder’. I must have looked at the cinema showtimes several times, but still managed to get all the way into the cinema in town and up to the desk before being told it doesn’t start until next week. Idiot.

The Last Day.

lampboy — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 13:24:19 +0000

It’s my last show today. I’m a little sad and I’ll miss it, but it’s been long and tiring so I’m kind of glad it’s coming to an end, so I can go home to my proper bed.
Saw Jim Bowen lost in the underbelly yesterday asking one of the assistants ‘How do I get out of here!’, though he could have been refering to the actual festival. My old mate James came up for a few days and we went to the Stand late show which was pretty awesome, ended up drinking with Stu from the stand improv and Paul Pirie unitl about three. Ouch. Went for a curry last night with Lou, Geordie Cook and Jimmy but it was all weird ‘tapas style’ curry where you ordered a few different ones, what with my nut allergy it read like a game of russian roulette on a bouncy castle filled with acid. The waiter had no idea what I was talking about, nothing had nuts in, then only two dishes didn’t, then it didn’t matter as they could make it without, then checked again what the actual ingredient was I was going on about. I didn’t order. Maybe I’ve just been spoilt by Manchester curries.

Even though today is my last show, I’ve still got the eczema society ball next month, and I’ve had some interest from the Leicester comedt fest too, so it’s not all over. Not just yet.

The Last Weekend Approaches

lampboy — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 02:15:52 +0000

The end of the fest is in sight, but there’s still the last weekend to go. I feel like I should have been through the wringer a few time, but quite frankly I haven’t. Saying that the plasma screen in the venue has knackered, so I now need to do the full deployment of screen and projector, which was a bit stressful but I had that planned to start with, so It’s just been a slow and steady upswing of shows, and despite the technology tonight’s was the best one I’ve had yet, topping last Saturdays. The thing reigning me in is the pending review, not knowing when they’re coming has corralled any idea’s of late night’s I’ve got. Plus I want to check out a few show’s I ain’t had time to yet.

Went to See Seymour’s (Mace) show yesterday and ended up being the devil in the bit he does at the end, going to try and catch Catherine’s and Lou’s (Conran) Sketch shows tomorrow too. Made £98.46 in donations today, and more humbling praise. Loving it.

Week 3. Day-Blur

lampboy — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 20:45:12 +0000

The weekend has merged into tuesday. So much going on it’s hard to keep track. Friday was rammed, and a great show, Saturday was also full (about 50- room capacity of 60) and the crowd with less festy and a bit more clubby, people who come up for the weekend and just wanted to see what they could. It didn’t distract from the show any. Sunday was quiet and relaxed, and Monday was my best show yet. Wor lass has gone home, giving me the romantic goodbye of kicking me out of her car at some traffic lights, which isprobably good for keeping my ego in check, and Barry (Dodds) is up for a few days. Went out for a few pints and I think I upset Damo (Larkin). Lou Conran, Geordie Cook and Zoe have arrived and put make up on my face.

It’s tiring and busy, but even now I know I’ll miss it when it’s all over. I’ve got a reviewers in this week, but as it’s non ticketed, I’ll not know when, which is probably a good thing.

Old Friends & Goats milk

lampboy — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 13:06:53 +0000

Fridays nights show was another belter. Full room and I’ve ironed out a couple of creases that only became evident over the course of days. A friend came to see it who I haven’t seen in years, we went to infant school together and were neighbours, and she reminded me of stuff like how the headmistress was nicknamed Mrs bombdropper on account of her size, and how I used to have goats milk at milk-time and some of the kids thought if I had cow’s milk I’d die! Not true! It was really good to meet Caroline again (and Ian, nice the hear a familiar accent ), she’s a festival regular, if you’re reading this I hope you enjoyed the show.

Day 14 - sighs & pies.

lampboy — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 13:18:09 +0000

Got to bed at 4am on Thursday morning, urg. Loads of places open late, but not everywhere. The royal mile after midnight has been almost dead, the exact opposite of the heaving noise and colour kaleidoscope it is during the day. Walking down the cobbled steets you can almost feel the stones unwinding, a spent atmoshpere as the whole street relaxes with a heavy sigh, getting it’s rest until the next days explosion of paper weilding bodies.

The show has settled into a steady rythum, but still just everyday can be better than the last. Went with wor lass to the ‘piemaker’ shop this morning and spent £13.40 on pies. Thats a lot of pies.

Table Shoes

lampboy — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 11:59:46 +0000

Monday. The chaps from comedysportz came down to see me, which was nice. Another full room too.
Did Pear shaped and saw a truly wonderful new act called Robert White. He openly reveals on stage he has aspergers, and is a very nervous presence. I sat and watched him with Paul Sinha, (who’s up for his 5 day run at the plesance) and he has some crackling one liners, and and lots of filth. Unfortunetly at the end of his set he was heckled by a brash scottish woman at the back who accused him off crossing the line, and instead of going out with banging song about more filth, it knackered his flow, stupid cow.

Mc’ed the midnight ‘Electric Cabaret’ again and the fuse blew halfway through the gig. Only half the acts turned up, so I did some extra stuff at the end, I reckon I got a handful or so punters who are going to check me show out from it.

The better show’s I’m having the more I’m incapable I am of doing basic tasks, after saturdays show I took our lass our for food and couldn’t make a make a qualified decision about what a table for two looked, and nearly sat a a table for six.

Lee has left the flat to go back to manc, and already all gone pantstastic. We’ve nearly run out of bog roll and I’ve forgotten how to make tea. Gay Dave is layed up after nearly breaking his ankle on Jas’ birthday.

It’s my day off today and my shoes are falling apart, can’t go on stage looking like a tramp. Off to buy some new ones. What do shoes look like again?