Gigs 73, 74, 75 and 76 …

Gig 73 was at Party Piece over a week ago now. I felt more than a smidge like I let myself down as I didn’t want to do my brother material (again) but didn’t really prepare enough stuff to fill the five minutes. I probably stayed on stage for closer to three minutes and a fair bit of that was filler, rather than thriller. I have to say, the night over all was good fun, as it usually is.

The night plays on my mind, not because I didn’t even muster five minutes of material, but because by the time I left the venue, I found myself very staggery drunk and not sure how to get home. Well, I know the way home, but almost immediately after leaving the venue, I fell over (not sure how many fellow comics may have witnessed that)… grazed my hand and obviously got myself all shook up.

I got a bus to Seven Sisters, where I found the tube was not open and I was not at all sure what bus I’d need, or if indeed there are any that could take me directly back to Walthamstow. Whilst I wobbled about and tried to focus on the night bus map, I got approached by some guy. I don’t remember what exactly he said or did, but he managed to scare me and feeling like everything was getting out of control, I did what any self respecting drunk would do and started sobbing.

Somehow, I had enough sense left to abandon all hope of finding a bus and instead telephoned my local cab company. Yes, still sobbing. The bus stop man was still lurking around and the guy in the cab office was sweet enough to stay on the line while I waited for the cab to turn up.

The cab thankfully didn’t take too long at all to arrive and I was soon home safe and sound.

So: I don’t know if anyone saw me fall over near the venue. I don’t know what this guy did to freak me out, but we’ll give him the benefit of the doubt and just say he tried to chat up the wrong person, a woman already on the brink of a drunken emotional outburst anyway.

The night as a whole has been quite sobering food for thought as I know when I go out drinking, stay out late and try to get home alone, I’m already putting myself in danger. I KNOW that, but I tend to ignore it. I laugh in the face of danger. I think I’m a bit street wise and can handle oddballs and think that even if I’m drunk, I can still take care of myself. I’m not about to put myself under house arrest or stop having fun, because I’ll be honest, I’d die of boredom sooner than I’d ever die of a drunken mishap.

However… I was lucky last Tuesday not to have had my drunken fall in front of a moving vehicle. I was lucky that I’m just a bit embarrassed about crying at a cab controller over a weirdo at a bus stop and not crying in hospital about an actual attack by someone nastier or more persistent. I shouldn’t let myself lose control like that and it might just be the shock I needed.

I did drink a hell of a lot last Tuesday. I need to remember that is one thing when I’m travelling home with Becki or I’m not half starved because of Weight Watchers and taking prescription drugs to quit smoking that could worsen the effects of alcohol. I generally need to be more careful and maybe even drink a bit less. Just a bit less.

Gig 74 was The Leicester – Should I Stay or Should I go Gong. My buddy Norm has written about it. His link is to the side of this page.

Norm was kind enough not to mention how I got gonged off only 2 minutes into my set. Perhaps this should be called gig 73.5. As yet, the counting of gigs has not been reduced down to the counting of minutes on stage, so I hope you’ll let me off that one.

I learnt a hell of a lot on Sunday and to that end, I think we can say it still counts.

Not a gig, but on Sunday afternoon, I was lucky enough to hear Adam Bloom talk to a class of new comedy school students. I haven’t gone back to school yet, but was invited in for that session. It was ace. He was very inspiring.

Back in the saddle for Gig 75. I went to the Lion’s Den last night. We could dig over the old debate and controversy of pay to play, but I enjoyed the night. I paid my four pounds and I had fun. Now, I’m not one to judge other acts, but there is quite a broad mix of quality at the Den *ahem* - not all of it good. People have to have somewhere to learn and it is a pretty safe environment there to do so… Acts know what they are getting and so do the punters. No one gets hurt.

I went on about mid way through the second of three sections. Not too early, not too late, but when I went on, the few acts before me had struggled, people talking at the bar were getting hushed and the energy in the room wasn’t fantastic. Perhaps that just made me think, oh well, it might not be pretty, but I may as well say what I’m here to say. I wanted to try out some new ideas before today.

To be honest, I lasted until I got my little light shining and I think people were enjoying it. I was enjoying trying out some new stuff.

A success!?

I’m leaving now for gig 76. I was offered a headline spot at my local new act night – Glee 17, but it seems I’m now sharing said headline and I didn’t quite make into any publicity other than the facebook invite... I’ll propose he still allows me a ten spot, offer to do it to close the first half and have a few more pints there after.

Even I can stagger home from there and if I play my cards right, I might even have a Sproglet with me…