My First Time...Again #2

Week 1, Monday.

'The Summer Place' Open Mic

From 'The Brainwash' we rolled over to 'The Summer Place' to hit the mic!

      

       The night before last at 3am while sitting in a car in Mexico before I flew to San Francisco, I promised my friend John Rey (a self-made over achieving 26yr old magazine owner) that I would get up on stage during my second week. I had my doubts when I said it, but I like to think my word is  my bond. That's why I  sometimes tell people I am going to do something. Not to brag but rather to trick myself into doing something hard, and drive myself on despite the pain. A bit like this blog… GET IT! It's public accountability. By me writing this for all to see, I am throwing myself in so deep the only way out is to succeed :)

      So anyway yeah… as I said…I promised to do an open mic by the second week. True to form I got annoyed with being afraid to try and was now ahead of myself at my second open mic on my first day in San Francisco. I was outdoing myself thanks to Chris, Tom and my ridiculous brain. In the words of the awesomely manic tiger blooded Charlie Sheen...I  was WINNING!!! 

      The only thing I fear more than being unfunny onstage is dying without trying. I've thought about being a comic for at least 10 years. Last year was the first year I finally told anyone. Why I don't know, but I think it might be because I want to do it so badly that if it doesn't work out my dream may be shattered. The overwhelming reality that my life on this planet is finite has driven me through life and through a myriad of insane life challenges and difficult feats. Someone whose work I admire once said "Frank, you're fearless." To which I quickly and honestly responded to deflect unwarranted praise "It's not that I am fearless, it is that I fear failing myself and dying without following my dreams SO MUCH, that I can't help but try." I nearly applauded myself when I said that shit!

      

       Anyway, at the 'Summer Place' the owner has decided that its patrons can smoke and they will just pay the fine if they get caught. You got to respect those principled balls. I was feeling GREAT! I guess I was riding high after my first experience of not 'Bombing' i.e. failing publically onstage.  Also. I was not feeling sick like I used to from stage fright. The host called my name and I grabbed the mic. It was a small dark bar with great acoustics and a floor light that gave me free laser eye surgery for my full 5 minute set.

San Francisco's finest was ubiquitous but I try and stay clean. No anesthetic before going up! ;)

      There was a 3/4s full room and three girls who were non comics down the back. At the bar there were about five people, one of which were a gay couple. I launched into a bit about how wonderful it was that San Francisco was so accepting and so free and the clientele as a whole appeared to enjoy it. I was conscious of my accent not being completely intelligible, so I made sure to annunciate more clearly than ever before. Every comic worth his salt will agree; people can't laugh if they cant understand you! Unless of course you are doing physical humor. I would not be famous for my diction. 

       On stage I was able to carry out a type of live meta analysis of what was going on as I performed. I was conscious that I had improved the clarity of my voice and my diction in the last year. I guess  all that  time I spent doing voice overs for mixed audiences on my youtube channel was finally paying off. I got some solid laughs and lots of smiles. I was trying to work the few bits I had into a routine and be 'likable' which actually worked. Reports back from those who watched were that "IT WAS NOT BAD." They are of course going to sugar coat it but I could tell it was not terrible. There is  obviously room for major improvement but I was pleased with myself and the fact that I had got up twice in one day with nothing prepared from a complete standing start. 

       I improvised a lot.  I feel like that is an important skill. I see too many comics lock into their set word for word and they are in a way trapped by the words. Hopefully I can maintain and improve the dexterity of my mind. I think my time in the relatively harsh social environments of both the army and the bar trade have made me quicker to the punch than I would have been otherwise. All in all just proud of myself for doing it and not wimping out. Big thanks to Chris and Tom for helping me make the jump a week ahead of schedule. It has been such an exciting and good day that  I can't sleep. I'm going for a walk….

Peace

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My First Time...Again #1

First Comedy Open Mic in 1 1/2 years.

Week 1, Monday. Open Mic #1.

The Brainwash

San Francisco, California.

So it seems I want to be a comedian...

        I'm not going to lie to you guys and gals. I was more than a little nervous today. I met my two friends Tom and Chris ahead of time. They wanted me to get up and do 5 minutes of stand up comedy at an 'open mic.' I felt like I had nothing to say yet alone try and make people laugh. To me they are both so funny, so good and so polished that I feel until I get to their level of writing I should just wait. I've done about 10-15 open mics in my life and to be honest today I felt like I was starting completely fresh and from the beginning. In the business they say 'comedy is like a muscle you have to workout regularly at the mics.' I had not seen a gym in ages and had suffered comedy atrophy.

        Public speaking is considered one of man's greatest fears and to say you are also going to be funny while you're up there on stage too is like parking a combine harvester in a childrens' playground. VERY HARD to do and painful for all involved! Turning on being funny live,at a moments notice like flicking  a  switch is extremely hard to do.

         As the public we generally only see polished comedians on stage or television...By the time they make it in front of our eyes its usually after years of practice at 'open mics' where they undergo trial by fire every night. Many lose heart and leave the craft. It's so hard that the attrition rate in the business/art is SUPER high.  For some reason I believe I can beat the odds and make a living at it. 

                        Photo from my Instagram 'GLOWPUNK' of bridge on way to perform.

        We arrived early at "The Brainwash Cafe" in San Francisco and the first slot on the 'sign up sheet' was open. Sometimes you have to wait hours to get up so I thought this must be an omen. I knew if I could just force myself to write my name on the page now I would get up when my name was called. Like any innately driven male I tend not to run from a challenge and instead seek out glory.

        The fear was terrible and exhilarating at the same time. I plucked up the short term courage and gritted my teeth to sign my name. Knowing that in the near future (but just sufficiently later) I would pay the price for penning my name. Once my name was down I immeadiately began to try and get my 5 minutes of comedy together. I did so by writing/thinking and stressing with Tom and Chris who hit the mics 4/6 times a week.

        Since I was first on the list I was going to 'open the show' I had to try and be good enough to capture the crowd right off the bat.  I enjoy the idea of free flowing and forcing myself to come up with stuff in the moment...and that is more or less what I did. But I did have 2 or 3 'solidish'  jokes to dip back into when I got lost or scared.  

           Funny enough the 'brainwash' is a busy cafe with people ordering food and drink as you deliver your jokes/bits…It's environment is a strange, enigmatic  double edged sword. The atmosphere can destroy or relax a sensitive comedian depending on his/her disposition. Oh yeah, I now identify myself as 'a comedian.' An important step I have taken for my positive psychological development. Up until now I would feel myself unworthy of the prized title. But once you step to the mic like a gladiator of humor and 'rip it' I feel you deserve the title.

        Internally I adopted an 'I don't care' attitude. Externally, I presented a grateful to be in such a wonderful city  persona (truth based). The foreign accent definitely helped to break the tension and capture the audience's attention at first. However, I have to acknowledge the accent in San Francisco and let the audience adjust before I start joking around so it is as much of a hinderance as it is a benefit.

         I did an impression of a small minded Texan, and an African American from the Tenderloin. I had never done accents before on stage so it was a terrific feeling to actually pull it off. Especially because I'm a novice and haven't been on stage in ages. I did better than some, which matters very  little really.It is a long game and the only real competition is with yourself. I exited the brainwash cafe in San Francisco driven and determined to get as skilled as Tom and Chris. They are my inspiration right now! 

        

         I feel like the initial fear has been overcome, the key now is to get more creative, stay loose, and push the boundaries every time I rock the mic… I think!? All the media attention and media exposure in Ireland over living in the tent has allowed me to take myself less seriously and not feel like I live and die by every performance (Not that I take myself too seriously anyway.) I kind of see myself as like an art project of sorts. A bundle of potential that can be shaped for good or bad. Roll on next open mic. I fear it less already, now I just want to dominate this enigmatic comedy siren.

To be continued...

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How to be a funny man 4

My Fourth Comedy  Open Mike

              Decided to hit up a place called 'Amnesia' on Valencia @ 19th in San Francisco, Signed up around 7 i think and they threw the names into a jar and I got up 2nd last but there was only like 15 of us so it wasn't too long. There was still maybe 15 people around. The stage was raised up about 4 feet and the room was long with most people way at the back of the room. Again the room consisted mainly of comics and some musical performers. There was a cool 50 year old guy dressed as a clown who played some psychedelic music and said some cool things, almost simulating a trip. Fun
                                                                    (Not me in the photo, justa picture of the venue)
               So this time as i knew my chance was coming up I was still mellow, went out for a breath of fresh air and swung my arms round a bit to get the blood flowing to the brain.. walked up and got a little intro as a "newbie" walked up the steps and under the lights. Nerves were nothing compared to the first time on stage. On stage i'm thinking super fast but talking super slow. I can see everyone and hear everything and am hyper aware of the room but still to scared to interact with the room in depth. Some people were talking so I pulled them up on it and laughed it off and continued on . Got a few genuine laughs but know that i am no where near my potential. I am slow, immobile, slurring words and missing rythms and not word perfect yet. I would say weak, but optimistic. Still running that bombing the last time on stage over in my head, but conscious that this is the process. Glad I got up.... i feel like a lot of comics who start out might relate to this.... I am trying to get away from my bad performances with every further performance.... My brain is getting into gear . With the comics and on the street i hold my own and perhaps outshine some of the lads, but once on stage with a mike in my hand I am the slow one... It is psychological.. I know i will overcome it with a few hundred more shows and then i think i will see big steps..

               Came to the conclusion with Chris Duncan ( a fellow comedian with 2years hard graft down)  that there are many ways to bomb and that I am not bombing in the worst way. So that is good. I see good times ahead for Chris. His stage presence and 'likablity' are thorough the roof, just a few subtle nuances and some luck and he will hit where he wants. A talented young man who appears fearless. A good inspiration and good fella. If you are reading this Chris HI!!!!!  Here is his facebook page. Tell him glowpunk sent ya ! https://www.facebook.com/pages/Chris-Duncan-Comedy/194889017225824?ref=ts

              Getting up 5 times next week, so hoping to see improvement by the end of the week... I guess that is why i feel like keeping a diary of this. Apart from maybe helping others there is an element of being able to look back and see real progress in mind and skill.

Right people
Peace

Glowpunk

How to be a funny man 3 (take 2)

Third Comedy Open Mic

Tough crowd, bad show, I bombed but Great host Mike runs a good ship

Monday night at the Brainwash, it was a mixed open night, three rappers/poets before me and then I got up and tried to deliver dry material. The room was completely quiet. I nearly left with my tail between my legs after my 3min30sec set but by chance stayed on and watched a guy kill. He was great.

   The room was still silent for him too, and that made me think wow, it really is partly the crowd and the room. He was touring and everything and still played to silence... He did brilliantly though and kept his pauses and timings... I imagine we may hear about this fella in the future, i think he may have just given me the best lesson about sticking to your guns and be fearless with your material... The room tried to destroy him and he just slowed it down and destroyed the room. Awesome to watch a comedian kill in complete silence.

I did how ever make a few school boy errors...



1 Signed up after a rapper.
2. Tried new material without preparing and committing properly.
3. Showed signs of fear.
4. I wasn't amped up or focused, too casual.
5. Openly cared to much about the audience's reaction.


I "bombed"... and if that is as bad as it gets I should be ok from here on in....maybe... hmmm

Walked back through the Tenderloin and Mission Street area which is a tough part of town and arrived home in one piece, Laptop intact... It seems the lads on the streets there only want to sell drugs and not mug. Actually have met a few cool cats on my little walks. Sad to see so many people in turmoil though.

New goals, commit to my material and pause and hold as the material dictates, be less reliant on the audiences responses while still being present.. It is a fine balance and hard to put down in text but I know what i mean and i guess some people who have been in my position will.

The key is to get up tomorrow and try and kill.....

C'mon ego stay strong! You can fucking do it!


Glowpunk

How to be a funny man 3

My Third Comedy Open Mic
     
      Third gig was a disaster, queued from 6pm signed up at 6.25pm. waited around 'til 10.45pm only to be told there was no time left for us to get up. I guess this is part of paying your dues. The host being as nice as he could, offered to let me and Tom up first next week. So that will be a nice day of not waiting... Tom headed off, so i guess it is time to hit the comedy open mikes on my own..
Going to take Friday Sat and Sunday off to try and write some good bits, feel like i have nothing funny to say so will try that for the next few days and hopefully on monday try it out and see how it goes down.

2 down, 3rd time might be better

Glowpunk

How to be a funny man 2

My Second Comedy Open Mic

           So, Second time up tonight, it was across town at 'Dirty Trix'  408 Clement Avenue. The room was kinda cool, about 20 people there so much quieter then the brainwash. It was a nice atmosphere to try stand up in, it had an attentive crowd, some of whom were just there to have a beer and listen. Again there were some people who were great and some who were terrible.

          I feel like i might have done just about enough not to be associated with the terrible.  Felt stronger on stage. I wasn't as nervous getting up and the pulse rate was not at the high level it was at the night in the Brainwash Cafe. The host was a nice fella and they had little music intros, the lighting was cool and it had a kinda cool red curtain behind the performers which gave that nice atmosphere.

Again we signed up at about 7 and went got up at about 9.30. I had walked 2 hours for some meetings that morning, so I was super tired, but had a Redbull to get the head in order. To get there I walked and got a lift on my friends push bike. Took about an hour. Again got up and did about 2 mins 30 secs and felt like it went great compared to the first night... Even handled a few heckles, all be them pretty chilled. I think i may have been to aware of the room and gone a little fast, but that was ok for me... Me and Tom met a nice guy called Chris Duncan who is a 5 year vet and is awesome on stage and he kind of gave us some light pointers. Basically get up again and enjoy it..

           So yep a lot less nerves and a better delivery all be it pretty bad. Still havn't told a dick joke or used too much bad language. It seems to be easier if you go blue, but I just don't want to go that route...

          Tom is heading off on holidays so hopefully I will still get up on stage when he is gone, I guess we'll see, Thursday night is the next one, back in the Brainwash. Hopefully it will go ok, but I have heard that you need to be prepared to play to complete silence and to bomb when you are starting out. Hasn't happened yet but I think it could happen soon...

Two down, number three coming up... gotta keep getting up and face the fear... that terribly seductive adrenaline. Right now I feel like my material is hacky and weak, looking forward to cracking and writing some good bits.

How to be a funny man 1

     
   
My First Comedy Open Mic


        Just back from doing my first open mike stand up comedy thingy ever. I did it in the brainwash comedy club on Folsom, San Francisco. It went well. Me and my cousin Tom signed up for 5 minutes but did far less. The goal was to get up, say a few things get some laughs and sit down. We succeeded at that. Although, it was hard to tell what was charity laughs and what we induced. Either way a milestone.

I've religiously texted emailed and kept little notes of funny thoughts i've had for a few months now. It doesn't amount to much and a lot of it is nonsense and far from funny, but I pulled a few bits of that out and used those bits to make up 2mins 30 seconds of short concise jokes. Im too new to go into long stories, I guess I would forget and mess up in the panic

While signing up on the registry sheet there was some excessive fumbling over the pen, all adrenaline induced i guess and funny to see how amped we were. The place was noisy and exactly the wrong atmosphere for any a good performer, which in a funny way made it the perfect place to begin. Every one in the room was a comic and those who weren't sat down the back talking. The standard for the most part was pretty low, so that took the pressure off us. there was even a few people who just got up and talked crazy. I think they might have been off their medication

We got the customary "A LOT OF LOVE " welcome from the crowd which the host Tony Stark rallied (gentleman) and then got straight into it. It was over before we knew it and then  we walked outside and talked about how we were glad it was over, and how surprisingly it was worth the 4 hour wait for about 3 minutes of material.  My first joke was "Two Irish guys walk into a bar but it wasn't a bar that sold alcohol it was a metal bar, and it went straight through the first guys chest and out through the other guys head"

I liked it, and I guess some people did too cause it got a reasonable response.

There is a chance to get up every night of the week in San Francisco and do 5 mins, so i guess it is a good place to go for wannabe comedians like me. I decided to stay in town instead of traveling across the country as previously planned to see what can be accomplished in the comedy world in a month, getting up about 4 times a week.

So in closing I would say that everyone should go and look at a few shows first then write down some buts and get up there and let people know it is your first time. They will be supportive.

We recorded it on video but I think I will keep it to myself for a while, incase it is the last one I ever do.


My cousin Dex came along for the laugh and to see how it all worked and thinks he might give it a go next time. He spent the itme in the car writing lyrics for some music he is making.

Right, now to see if we will get up again.

Glowpunk