Gig #13 – The Abbey Inn, Oldham

Two gigs in a week is really unusual for me – it’s not that I don’t try and find gigs, it’s just I feel uncomfortable trying to sell myself – I don’t like saying I’ve done X, Y or Z gigs unless telling other people how good the gig was… Anyway, this is besides the point, 2 gigs in a week is a good thing!

So this was a gig for Brennan Reece in Oldham, I’ve seen him perform in Liverpool and he was kind enough to offer me an open middle spot at a gig he runs in Oldham. I got a lift over with Adam Rowe (which was hilarious) and found our ways to a nice quite “rock” pub in Oldham. The audience was young and very “ROCK” but incredibly friendly in a well run gig.

It was the first time I’ve been on the bill with all pro comedians – the other open slot had dropped out so I was the middle act (with Adam thank god!) doing 10mins. It was important to keep it tight as Phil Ellis was previewing his Edinburgh show after me and if I overran it’d mean the evening ended very late.

So I was very scared before going on, Adam and Chris Turner absolutely nailed the first section (I’d never seen Chris before and he was phenomenal.. Best rapper ever…) – and Adam opened very strongly the middle.

I was stressed before getting on, furiously reading through all my notes, but when I got onstage it felt good. Despite writing loads of stuff on my hand, I didn’t really use any of it. The Preston joke worked well and serves as a nice opener and gives me leeway to use the clapping section but improvise around it a bit more and play with the audience. I followed with the “how was it for you” section and got the chance to play with tone, attack and volume which I think really helped this section, I think I calmed the delivery and left a couple of pauses that helped the audience. The facebook section didn’t quite hit where I wanted it to, maybe needs a couple of extra lines adding in. I finished with sex noises which relies on more of a build up than i gave it.

It wasn’t my best set but it was my tightest both in terms of timing and intent and I felt good onstage and not too much out of place among the great acts who were also on. A well rounded 10mins overall but a good starting block for 15min – 20mins or for toning more.

It was nice to have someone coming up to me at the end of the gig and saying well done from the audience – very reassuring and a good bit of ego helping – granted it’s always bearded men (i have found my niche audience), but hey, good!

Pretty tired now…

Night xx