Gig no: 64.
Where I got back on the comedy horse. For a bit of a marathon ride. If any of this, including the title, sounds rude THAT’S YOUR FILTHY MIND.
Where? TNT Comedy @ Vine Pub, Kentish Town
Why? Never done it before and it’s on the list.
Who Held My Hand? Husband
What Happened? This was a chance to redeem myself after the cold hard DEATH of Jazz Comedy. I just about did it.
I guessed (and hoped to GOD) this would be a warm gig due to the communication from promoter, the brilliantly-named Sarma Woolf, leading up to the gig. It’s nice when someone asks for photos and a biog and gives a sh*t about what you send. And things like THIS get posted on their Facebook page:
And THIS:
I’m shattered after work and limp to Kentish Town, already nervous after being so SH*T last time. Also, my husband hasn’t seen me do stand-up for over a month and this is new stuff. Featuring him.
Fortunately, the Vine is gorgeous. Even has a vine. I used to live in Kentish Town and I don’t remember it. What was I DOING?
Sarma spots me straight away. She’s at the bar handing out sweets. I instantly LOVE this woman. The MC tonight is Mike Lash – a guy I’ve seen twice and has energy to burn. He’s also lovely. Everything is lovely. And my brain is in BITS.
I spot Leighton Roff, who has now entered my Repeatedly Random Stand-up Meets list. He stormed Funny Feckers recently with a set about dish pigs and I like him.
There are about 17-20 comics on tonight and I’m 3rd. It’s a bringer night so a guaranteed audience. Tonight, I’m sporting bruised from Jazz Vileness, so I’m glad of a supportive audience, however it’s gotten.
There’s a bit of argy bargy online about Bringer Gigs at the moment. Some comics hate them. If you hate them, don’t do ’em.
I’m still new but this kind of gig is the foundation of Stand-up. It’s free to get in, friendly and supportive and anyone can do it. Although some cite the latter as the main reason Bringers are WRONG, I’ve done enough non-bringer open mics to confirm no guaranteed discernible difference in quality. Many famous names have done TNT in its 7 years, including Rob Beckett and they come back. I can see why.
The ooooonly thing is – if you do a night with 17-20 comics and most of them have 5 minutes, some 10, it’s going to be looooong. The deal with a bringer is you stay to the bitter end and if you’re knackered, it’s doubly looooong.
Still, there are some great highlights, Leighton being one of them, the 2nd half raffle for a half pint downer competition another. And I don’t die. Husband says it was good and I didn’t look nervous. That’s enough for now.
“Don’t slag us off in your blog!” says Sarma as I’m leaving. Are you kidding. She gave me SWEETS. And there were no f*cking jazz drums.
What I Learned:
- After Comedy DEATH, Bringer nights are a warm hug.
- A loooong warm hug.
- Where the f*ck was the Vine when I was a student? In hiding?
Lizzie Hopley 