Skip to main content

Working Woking.

A man in the audience at tonight's Joke in the Box told me he'd seen me play Buddy Holly in the theatre across the road; IN WOKING, NOTHING IS FORGOTTEN.

In a way, I hope that some of what I did tonight will be. I was on first, and while my set started well, it tapered off towards the end. I kicked off by remarking on how the harsh spotlight I was performing in made me feel like I was recreating the cover of 'Band on the Run'; a niche, yet appropriate reference that at least hit the ground running. This spotlight ended up conspiring against me, however, as it was very hard to judge where on stage I was properly lit. The emcee had unwittingly stood in near-darkness at the top of the show, so I tried to compensate by moving further stage-left, but couldn't get comfortable. The sound was also a little muddy; I spent the whole set trying to find the sweet spot on the mic that enabled me to be heard. I got so caught up in working out how to purse my lips that I lost energy and focus. Such is life.

Before the gig, I had a nice chat with the comic who runs the club: the lovely Jay Cowle. He's a generous, warm-hearted chap with a gentle, self-deprecating manner that reminds me of me and Glyn. I like his style, and the fact he isn't afraid to be honest. He clearly cares about comedy; but enough of the personality analysis.

I made a swift exit after my set, guiltily, to make a headstart on the homeward journey. I'm currently on the train back from King's Cross, which should get me home before 11pm, which is impressive, considering I was on stage two hours ago. On the underground I spotted the following 'tube face', with a suitably Macca-like pout; what with this and the Band on the Run-style spotlight, it seems I can't escape my Wings-themed evening...which suits me. 


Popular posts from this blog

Shakerpuppetmaker.

Have Parker from Thunderbirds and Noel Gallagher ever been seen in the same room? The resemblance is uncanny. So much so, I think something’s afoot. If my suspicions are correct, I've stumbled across a secret that will blow the music and puppet industry wide apart. In the mid-60s / mid-90s at least. It doesn’t take long to see the signposts. There’s the similarity between the name of Oasis’ first single, Supersonic, and Supermarianation, Gerry Anderson’s puppetry technique. The Gallagher brothers would often wear Parkas . Live Forever was clearly a reference to Captain Scarlet and Standing on the Shoulder of Giants to the size difference between Noel and his bandmates. The more you think about it, the more brazen it gets. It’s fishier than Area 51, Paul is Dead and JFK's assassination put together. The only glitch to the theory is scale . According to Wikipedia, Anderson’s marionettes were 1’10” and Gallagher is 5’8”. How does he maintain an illusion of avera...

'...I'm Gonna Look at You 'til My Eyes Go Blind."

Over the past week or two, I’ve been on a bit of a Sheryl Crow kick, largely thanks to rediscovering her cover of one of my most-liked Bob Dylan songs. She has one of my favourite female voices, yet despite this, I only own one CD and that’s just a single (her '97 release ‘Hard to Make a Stand’); on that basis, you can only imagine how much of her back catalogue I’d own if I hated her (it would fall into minus-figures). Dylan, conversely, takes up more of my collection than anyone else, save The Beatles and Paul McCartney’s solo work. He’s one of those artists who, when you get him, you really get him - and once I’d tuned into his style as a student, I'd time and again be blown away by his lyrics; he’ll have more jaw-dropping imagery in one track than other people fit in a whole career. These days, I mostly listen to music in the morning when getting ready, and more often than not, this will consist of a suggested YouTube playlist when I’m in the bath, r...

Stevenage: A (Tiny) River Runs Through it.

If ever a river was mis-sold, it’s the Roaring Meg in Stevenage. I just walked past it on my way to the retail park that has taken its name. They’re similarly uninspiring. The river is less of a roar and more of a dribble; cystitis sufferers produce greater flow. The retail park is soulless. What was once a thriving enterprise is nearly devoid of atmosphere, save an underlying essence of emptiness and despair. With a Toys R Us. When it was first built I was excited. Back then, the thought of a bowling alley, an ice rink, a Harvester and a Blockbuster Video within a small surface area was enticing. I celebrated many birthdays on site. There was an indoor cricket pitch there for a while where I once had a joint party with a friend. Why someone with an almost pathological fear of sport would agree to such a venture is beyond me, but I did it. Now, there’s very little at the Roaring Meg of note. The river would be a metaphor for the shopping ce...