Two open mics in two days? Oh heck yes it's happening. I still am going to post separate commentary about each one, but the general theme of this week is all about trying new material.
But Nick, why would you try new material instead of polishing the stuff you're already doing?
I think it's more honest. Anyone can speak a clever, pithy pun or other wordplay. But only I can be me. So let's break it down.
Date: 25 March, 2011
Venue: Silverlake Lounge
Three and a bit minutes, and I actually got a decent spot on the list. (I signed up for spot number 6, a much choicer spot than #19) I did okay. People laughed at jokes. I actually did have a recording of the set, it's not bad... it's just that the jokes are a little rough.
And now, the follow-up:
Date: 26 March, 2011
Venue: The Spot Cafe
This is a cool little room, because Saturdays they have a joke-and-commentary session. You get five minutes, and people give you feedback.
Listening to the recording from last night gave me a chance to hear where the gaps were, and where the less-than-funny jokes were. So today I worked to improve the set, and clear things up. This set went even better. People were laughing, and the comments I received were that it was a pretty smart set. No, I don't have a recording of it.
Here's where I'm at: Within the Month of April, I'm going to try and get some recording up on the site. Maybe on Youtube. I'm also going to try and audition for the show the people behind the room host. I'll have to do a 10 minute set, and I'll have to be around in LA for a while. Fingers crossed, ladies and gents.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Friday, March 18, 2011
Open Mic 16
Date: 16 March 2011
Venue: The Spot cafe
I'll be returning to this lovely cafe tomorrow, to ply my craft and see what works. It's penance for not going out tonight, which I admit I should have. Le sigh.
The thing is not that I don't want to perform, it's that I have other things on my mind. I'm trying to balance schoolwork with whatever semi-social life I have, and balancing that with comedy. Couple all that with my general apathetic nature towards actual work and the ill-founded belief that I am owed this, and things will have to change.
I think the attitude I'll have to adopt is that I am owed nothing. I have to earn and work for every laugh. I deserve the silence, I work for every laugh.
I listened to this performance. It wasn't terrible, but there is a lot of silence on my part. I think this means I have to practice more. I'm not going to try and present myself as something I'm not, but I have to present myself as something. Defining myself as a character might help.
One of the comics said I did a good set. Thanks, man. I didn't actually do a good set, but I'll take what I can get.
Venue: The Spot cafe
I'll be returning to this lovely cafe tomorrow, to ply my craft and see what works. It's penance for not going out tonight, which I admit I should have. Le sigh.
The thing is not that I don't want to perform, it's that I have other things on my mind. I'm trying to balance schoolwork with whatever semi-social life I have, and balancing that with comedy. Couple all that with my general apathetic nature towards actual work and the ill-founded belief that I am owed this, and things will have to change.
I think the attitude I'll have to adopt is that I am owed nothing. I have to earn and work for every laugh. I deserve the silence, I work for every laugh.
I listened to this performance. It wasn't terrible, but there is a lot of silence on my part. I think this means I have to practice more. I'm not going to try and present myself as something I'm not, but I have to present myself as something. Defining myself as a character might help.
One of the comics said I did a good set. Thanks, man. I didn't actually do a good set, but I'll take what I can get.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Open mic 15
Venue: 705 lounge, Hermosa Beach
Date: 14 March, 2011
Whoaaaaaa, we're ... 3% there. Seriously? 3 percent? At what point do I start performing to rooms that are more than a dozen people?
Rarely, mayhaps never
Oh. Well, three percent's not bad at all.
It felt solid. The room has people who aren't comics, which is good. You've got actual audience members and some musicians playing songs. That's a good thing. The downside is you're still playing to 12 people, which makes it hard to tell if a joke is working. Based on my experience at the Newmarket, a group of 30-40 is enough to sustain enough laughter for the things that are kind of funny, and they'll really laugh at the funny stuff. Twelve people? Well, you'll hear laughter for the funny stuff, but not for the kind of funny stuff.
That said, I'm cutting secondhand smoker for now. I think it's time to try a new bit. Rooster worked, and I've got high hopes for the bit on condoms.
I've only played to audiences 15 times, so I'm no expert yet. But operation 'do a bunch of open mics over spring break' is going well.
Date: 14 March, 2011
Whoaaaaaa, we're ... 3% there. Seriously? 3 percent? At what point do I start performing to rooms that are more than a dozen people?
Rarely, mayhaps never
Oh. Well, three percent's not bad at all.
It felt solid. The room has people who aren't comics, which is good. You've got actual audience members and some musicians playing songs. That's a good thing. The downside is you're still playing to 12 people, which makes it hard to tell if a joke is working. Based on my experience at the Newmarket, a group of 30-40 is enough to sustain enough laughter for the things that are kind of funny, and they'll really laugh at the funny stuff. Twelve people? Well, you'll hear laughter for the funny stuff, but not for the kind of funny stuff.
That said, I'm cutting secondhand smoker for now. I think it's time to try a new bit. Rooster worked, and I've got high hopes for the bit on condoms.
I've only played to audiences 15 times, so I'm no expert yet. But operation 'do a bunch of open mics over spring break' is going well.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Open mic 14
Venue: Silverlake Lounge
Date: 11 March, 2011
What took me so long? A combination of fear, laziness and rain. After being snubbed by a campus comedy group, I was afraid that maybe I'd lost my edge. I was also a little lazy in getting over there because driving in LA is just annoying enough that I don't want to do it unless I have to. I'm the same way about laundry, grocery shopping and flossing. And rain because rain makes every LA driver an idiot.
The room:
Well, it's dark. It appears that it's mostly comedians, who have their own sense of humor, by which I mean they perform their piece and then vamoose. The rest of them kind of chill in the back. A lot of it is comics playing to comics, so there's in-jokes that I don't really get.
I did pretty good. I started off a bit slow, but got good near the end. I think the stuff that's true is better than the stuff that's funny. Maybe the stuff that's 'me being me' is the funniest stuff.
The lessons learned here are kind of useful.
1) Learn how to work my voice recorder. It will serve me well.
2) go up in the top 10. People bounced after the first 10, so I'm playing to the largest audience possible.
3) That wasn't so bad. It's comics, so nobody's going to laugh anyways. Go out there and get yourself heard, Nick.
Date: 11 March, 2011
What took me so long? A combination of fear, laziness and rain. After being snubbed by a campus comedy group, I was afraid that maybe I'd lost my edge. I was also a little lazy in getting over there because driving in LA is just annoying enough that I don't want to do it unless I have to. I'm the same way about laundry, grocery shopping and flossing. And rain because rain makes every LA driver an idiot.
The room:
Well, it's dark. It appears that it's mostly comedians, who have their own sense of humor, by which I mean they perform their piece and then vamoose. The rest of them kind of chill in the back. A lot of it is comics playing to comics, so there's in-jokes that I don't really get.
I did pretty good. I started off a bit slow, but got good near the end. I think the stuff that's true is better than the stuff that's funny. Maybe the stuff that's 'me being me' is the funniest stuff.
The lessons learned here are kind of useful.
1) Learn how to work my voice recorder. It will serve me well.
2) go up in the top 10. People bounced after the first 10, so I'm playing to the largest audience possible.
3) That wasn't so bad. It's comics, so nobody's going to laugh anyways. Go out there and get yourself heard, Nick.
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