One night in London...
I returned to london at 5pm via the Eurostar train from Paris through the Chunnel.
A tunnel under the english channel is actually far less scenic than I thought, it feels like a subway, well a fast 100 km hr subway.
I arrived and checked into my Hotel the Marriot at Marble Arch, which turns out to be a predominantly Muslim part of London... oh the things Priceline leaves off in its descriptions! Certainly a different feeling neighborhood than Vancouver, women in full cover with only their eyes showing, it felt like being back in a very expensive and wealthy, rainy, unbomb damaged Afghanistan. in fact it didn't feel like that at all. For the most part everyone is very nice, although small cultural differences, like personal space are very noticable, espescially if you have a personal space need like mine of about 4 feet around. Also the pushing you out of way in any line, very middle eastern and hard to wrap your head around as a Westerner... None the less got in, showered and relaxed before my two shows that evening.
My first show was at a club called Jongleurs at Bow Wharf, a notoriously difficult room by london standards, but when you've played the rowdy clubs of Canada, a rather easy cake walk... took me a minute to get my Wharf legs, but knocked it out hard and strong... turns out the agent that booked me was in the audience, having never met each other we shared the trip to the Comedy Store in Picadilly Circus where my next gig was, a very nice guy he listed all the canadians he knew, i felt bad for only knowing a few of them, but hey, we all know I'm self centered...
He seemed relieved that i did well, as even though for the most part Canadians have a good reputation here in the UK, very recently some comics have done alot of damage to our good image, almost to the point where I was thinking of being American... but come on, thats just nuts.
We got to the store, and probably the strongest Show line up I have ever been on, the Compere a fantastic bald headed bloke with a staggering bite and wit opened up, then one funny fucker named John Bishop, a winner of numerous awards in the Uk, and a strong almost unintelligible Liverpudlian accent, ripped the place apart, with material and commentary, espescially racial obvservations. Then it was my turn, i was a little nervous of the top, as this is the best club in england and one of the best shows they have, but I really did quite amazing. Endless applause breaks, and a great build they were an incredible audience, quick, fun, playful, smart, everything you could dream of, the time flew by, in fact I did a minute long, but wow what fun!
As soon as I walked off the owner and my 'new manager' were all over me with offers and interests, it was quite amazing what one show can do for you, It lokks like I booked a month straight of shows for the Store, in London, manchester and tours in Dubai, Hong Kong, Bangkok, as well as interest in Australia... but the real fun was how cool the comics were.
It felt like being invited into a new, and very respectable click of comics who love the art, I got to watch Steve Hughes who went up on the second half of the show. Fucking brilliant comedy. Clever, charasmatic, poingant.. to be on stage with these guys was a fucking honor, but to do well with them was bliss, and to be treated as a peer was too much cause I promptly went home and took a nap, as that was a little much.
Also, mr hughes provided me with some truly mindfuck weed that knocked me down a sudoku puzzle level.
Anyways looks like I'll be back over here in a couple of months, I can't now i need to decompress...
God what a night...
A tunnel under the english channel is actually far less scenic than I thought, it feels like a subway, well a fast 100 km hr subway.
I arrived and checked into my Hotel the Marriot at Marble Arch, which turns out to be a predominantly Muslim part of London... oh the things Priceline leaves off in its descriptions! Certainly a different feeling neighborhood than Vancouver, women in full cover with only their eyes showing, it felt like being back in a very expensive and wealthy, rainy, unbomb damaged Afghanistan. in fact it didn't feel like that at all. For the most part everyone is very nice, although small cultural differences, like personal space are very noticable, espescially if you have a personal space need like mine of about 4 feet around. Also the pushing you out of way in any line, very middle eastern and hard to wrap your head around as a Westerner... None the less got in, showered and relaxed before my two shows that evening.
My first show was at a club called Jongleurs at Bow Wharf, a notoriously difficult room by london standards, but when you've played the rowdy clubs of Canada, a rather easy cake walk... took me a minute to get my Wharf legs, but knocked it out hard and strong... turns out the agent that booked me was in the audience, having never met each other we shared the trip to the Comedy Store in Picadilly Circus where my next gig was, a very nice guy he listed all the canadians he knew, i felt bad for only knowing a few of them, but hey, we all know I'm self centered...
He seemed relieved that i did well, as even though for the most part Canadians have a good reputation here in the UK, very recently some comics have done alot of damage to our good image, almost to the point where I was thinking of being American... but come on, thats just nuts.
We got to the store, and probably the strongest Show line up I have ever been on, the Compere a fantastic bald headed bloke with a staggering bite and wit opened up, then one funny fucker named John Bishop, a winner of numerous awards in the Uk, and a strong almost unintelligible Liverpudlian accent, ripped the place apart, with material and commentary, espescially racial obvservations. Then it was my turn, i was a little nervous of the top, as this is the best club in england and one of the best shows they have, but I really did quite amazing. Endless applause breaks, and a great build they were an incredible audience, quick, fun, playful, smart, everything you could dream of, the time flew by, in fact I did a minute long, but wow what fun!
As soon as I walked off the owner and my 'new manager' were all over me with offers and interests, it was quite amazing what one show can do for you, It lokks like I booked a month straight of shows for the Store, in London, manchester and tours in Dubai, Hong Kong, Bangkok, as well as interest in Australia... but the real fun was how cool the comics were.
It felt like being invited into a new, and very respectable click of comics who love the art, I got to watch Steve Hughes who went up on the second half of the show. Fucking brilliant comedy. Clever, charasmatic, poingant.. to be on stage with these guys was a fucking honor, but to do well with them was bliss, and to be treated as a peer was too much cause I promptly went home and took a nap, as that was a little much.
Also, mr hughes provided me with some truly mindfuck weed that knocked me down a sudoku puzzle level.
Anyways looks like I'll be back over here in a couple of months, I can't now i need to decompress...
God what a night...
posted by escarius at
2:59 PM
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