Ok I'm back, The last 6months I have been working pretty hard on my act and really trying to bring in all the things I learnt from my last trip to Canada and the US. It was something I wanted to add to my show slowly so I can form new habits that would be lasting. Another thing I have been doing is Roast Battle which I spoke about in my earlier blogs from Just For Laughs and the Comedy Store. I saw how it could really help the Melbourne comedy scene having a sharper edge to it and also teaching the acts to train a different comedy muscle. So we have been running a weekly show at The Comics Lounge to up to 400 people and it was added a new life to some of the shows the crowds really dig it. And last Sunday I stared a new Roast Battle room for the up and coming comedians to get in on it and I can see how it will help them having to write a heap of new jokes each week so I will be doing updates on that show.
I thought it could be of value for my comedy and for anyone reading my posts to start blogging about each gig I do the up's and downs. I have a lot of gigs coming up some are in some good rooms and some not so good rooms but all will have a lesson I'm sure.
Last night I did my regular spot at the Comics Lounge in North Melbourne this is Australia's biggest and best comedy club it seats over 500 people and has the best from around the world play there. The Monday show is a little different it is hosted each week by good mate of mine and one our funniest acts Doug Chappel he does live phone pranks which are always funny we also do a roast or two which will be back next week along with a few acts doing 10min spots.
The crowd this night was tiny about 25 people and they weren't a real hard laughing crowd which is fine because you just have to approach it differently and fight your way through or as Dougy would say keep punching till the end or go down swinging.
I usually go straight into my material but because of the size of the crowd and how they were reacting to the other acts started a bit more conversational which is something i learnt at the Comedy Store in LA if there is a small crowd you can't go straight into jokes or it will look weird. I started with a couple of older bit I know work the crowd were very judgmental giving oooo's at any joke that might have a bit of edge to it and some didn't get a huge response but enough to keep a flow going. Then I tried out some new stuff I have been really excited about one about passing out in a shopping centre and the other about my family and they both got a really good response laughs were where i wanted them and I finished off with a bit I have been doing about the Voice where I do a bit of singing so it's a bit of fun and it got what you would expect from this sized crowd.
Lessons being confident is a huge thing a crowd can smell it if you show any weakness so stay strong and work hard through each set deliver everything with confidence and a strong energy and you will stack the cards in your favour.
Although I said the crowd on the night wasn't the best you can never blame them, I have done shows to the same sized crowds and they were awesome, you just have to keep punching through it till the end. Too many comedians say "oh it was the crowd!" And I spoke to Doug on the way home about this and he agreed.
Its up to you! not the audience they have come to laugh so you dictate what happens not them its you 100%!
A Positive I took away was the crowd work it was very minimal but i never do it so I was happy that I did it and then worked into my material from there.
Tonight I head back to the Comics Lounge for the workshop at 6pm with Nick Cody and then the show which is Pro's running new material night so I can give the new jokes a bit of re-working ill let you know how it goes tomorrow.
Stay funny
Flemo.